Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Ava Kolker

Ava Kolker is one of “the good ones”. She got her big break on Girl Meets World and is now starring in her first series regular role as Olive in Sydney to the Max. It’s a dream come true for the up-and-comer who has always wanted to be a part of the Disney family. But more importantly, it was on the Sydney to the Max set that Ava realized she didn’t have to choose between her passions and could pursue a career in both acting and music. Since then, she’s been crushing it on the screen and in the studio. Pop Culturalist sat down with Ava to chat about Sydney to the Max and her new single, “The Good Ones”.

PC: You’re an actress and singer. How did you discover your passion for each? Is there one you naturally gravitate towards?
Ava: I always knew I wanted to be an actress, and acting has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. We have home videos from when I was two-years-old talking about wanting to be an actress, however, I started doing musical theatre at five-years-old. I loved singing on stage and feeding off the energy of a live audience. Singing was something I was also always interested in, but I put all of my energy into acting.

Once I started on the show Sydney to the Max, it seemed like a good time to also focus on making my dream of recording my own songs a reality. I spoke to a couple of brilliant songwriters, Francis Galluccio and Peter Zizzo, and collaborated with them to record the first couple of songs. I loved the process even more than I could have imagined. I decided I definitely would love to focus on music a lot more around the Sydney to the Max shooting schedule.

PC: Tell us about Sydney to the Max, your character, and what attracted you to the project.
Ava: When I read the script for the pilot, I couldn’t stop laughing. The writing was amazing, and I knew immediately that it would be a very entertaining family show. I was really excited about auditioning because I knew I would love to be part of such a great show. My character Olive is quirky, funny, and very loyal to her best friend, Sydney. She is all into supporting Sydney through all of her hilarious coming-of-age challenges—it makes for some hysterical storylines.

PC: You got your big break on Girl Meets World. What did learn from that experience that you brought over to Sydney to the Max?
Ava: I learned to always be 100% prepared. I also now understand that it takes an entire village to bring a successful show to life. All I can do is make sure I do my part to the best of my ability and with as much enthusiasm as I can.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “The Good Ones”. What inspired the track?
Ava: “The Good Ones” was inspired by the fact that along the way, I’ve met people that have come in and out of my life and have sometimes been hurtful. When that would happen, my parents would always tell me to let it go and “focus on the good ones”, the people who genuinely love and protect me, are loyal, and who I can count on to always have my back. I wanted to write my first song about these people and do my first video with them as well. They mean everything to me, and I am so grateful for them. It felt like the perfect way to start my music career.

PC: What has the transition been like going from acting into music?
Ava: I don’t really see it as a transition as I still am very much an actress. I see it more as expanding my focus into sharing a part of me that is very personal through my music. I remember Meg Donnelly said to us when I first started on Sydney to the Max, “In acting, you play somebody else, and in music, you can really express yourself for who you are.” That really resonated with me and I wanted to explore expressing myself and my feelings of the moment through music.

PC: How are you able to balance life as a normal kid and your career?
Ava: I am lucky to have a lot of hobbies. I love playing soccer and doing martial arts, and I love the outdoors, like swimming and hiking and going on long walks, so I make sure to hang out with my friends and do what I love to do when I have time. It keeps me feeling like a kid. But I also love what I do in my career so much that it never feels like work; it feels like I’m having a blast, too, just with a little more structure.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Ava: Definitely the day I found out I booked Sydney to the Max! I was very emotional as being a series regular on a Disney show was always my dream, and on top of it, I loved the show, so I was praying so much that I could be the right fit for this role. After so much rejection, it felt surreal to finally get a YES for a project and a role I was so excited about. The other moment that really stands out is when I filmed Insidious: The Last Key and stretched myself as an actor in those few days more than I ever thought possible. The intensity of those scenes is something I will never forget.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ava: The Bachelorette

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ava: Bohemian Rhapsody

PC: Favorite book?
Ava: The Young Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ava: Mamma Mia!

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ava: Queen

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Ava: Stranger Things

PC: Hidden talent?
Ava: I can shake my eyes, put them to the back of my head, and move one eye in one direction without moving the other…all kinds of weird things with my eyes.

To keep up with Ava, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up “The Good Ones” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or stream it on Spotify.