Going Greek With Amber Stevens

For those of you who can’t get enough of the ABC Family hit series, Greek or are just now getting into this amazing series, have I got a treat for you!

I got a chance to talk to actress, Amber Stevens who you know on the show as Ashleigh, the go-to party girl! Not only did I talk to her about Greek but did you know that Amber is a talented singer?

Check out this interview and tell all your friends because this interview is a must read! Dedicated to everyone in the Greek system of course!

Tell me about the audition process for Greek?
I got a notice from my agent saying “You have an audition on this ABC Family show, called ‘Greek’ and it is for the role of Ashleigh.” The audition was very short, I think it was a few pages of 2 scenes. I really thought nothing of it, I thought of it like any other audition…you just do your job, you go in and then you forget about it. I did not know a lot about the progress but then I got called in again and after that I got called in again! Finally I got all the way up to network, where I met the heads of ABC Family, the creator of the show, producers, etc… and it was down to me and 3 other girls. I just happened to get it and it was just a Pilot at the time. I had no idea it would go anywhere but I was not surprised that it got picked up because it was a great Pilot.

How are you different from your character, Ashleigh?
I am very different from my character. She is kind of a follower and she lets guys walk all over her. She does not really have a sense of direction as much and I am a little bit different in that aspect. I think of myself as more of a leader and I do things that I want to do, not because someone tells me what to do. I think I am more self motivated. She likes to party and I like to stay home and watch TV and play board games. Maybe she’s a little bit more fun than me (laughs)?

Where would you like your character, Ashleigh to go?
I think she definitely has some surprises coming up that are really amazing for her. I think before the season finale, you will find out the big twist in the show. That will change things for all of the girls in the house, especially for Ashleigh. I would like to get a real boyfriend. She deserves a hot man in her life (laughs). I do kind of like the direction she is going right now. She got into severe debt, which happens to a lot of college students. She is getting herself out of debt by getting a job. It is nothing glamorous and she was not too excited about in the beginning but she has made it her own. She is having a lot of fun with it, becoming a leader for once in her life and running the show her way.

What main message do you want fans to get from your character?
I like that Ashleigh is a very relatable character. When people watch the show, they can feel like they know these characters. The writers are realistic in the portrayal of these characters in the show. Ashleigh does not make Sorority girls look dumb, so I have fun watching.

Did the cast of Greek meet people who were in the Greek system so that they could get a better idea of how to play their parts in sororities or fraternities?
No we didn’t actually. Everyone kind of did their own research. Half the cast was in college and half of us were in a sorority or fraternity. Many of us have family and friends who were in sororities and fraternities. Along the way we have learned more about rituals and what it is like to be in the system.

What have you learned about misconceptions in the Greek community?
We try so hard to make sure that we are as realistic as possible. Real Sorority/Fraternity life alone is dramatic that we do not really need to embellish it too much. Our creator and our writers were part of the Greek system so sometimes they will take a story from their experience and bring it to the table and change names. Hopefully we are not letting anyone down.

Is there anything for the fans you have not done as far as events that you would like to do?
We have been traveling a lot lately meeting fans. We had a mall tour and signed at book shops. I am not sure what we haven’t done yet. We definitely could go visit more schools across the country. I would love to have a big Frat party somewhere and meet fans.

You could put that on the DVD.

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

That would be awesome. Now which filming locations on Greek has been the most fun to shoot?
When we were filming the Spring Break episode, we didn’t actually go to Myrtle Beach since we film in Los Angeles. We just went to Seal Beach. Because we were filming on multiple days down there, we were put in a hotel. That was really cool because we all got to party together, go swimming, and we had a Girl’s Night In one night. That was a lot of fun, to hang out outside of the normal place that we hang out.

Take us through a day of filming Greek?
Mondays start very early in the morning. A crew call is usually around 7am so that means that the hair and makeup crew, some assistant producers and assistant directors, and cast need to get there by 5:30am. Hair and makeup takes about an hour and a half. Then the whole crew shows up and we will do about 4 scenes in a day. It takes quite a few hours to shoot one scene. A good day usually lasts about 12 hours. Then we start all over the next day. If we go over time, the next day of work will start later. So by Friday, crew call usually is not until noon. It is a long day but it is a lot of fun and thank God we all get along!

For sure. Now there is no doubt Greek has had great musical guests on the show, so do the Producers come to the cast for advice?
Actually no, our producers are really young and know what is cool so we have gotten lucky!

You are also a talented singer, having sung backup vocals on American Idol so can we expect an album from you in the future?
I would love that! It is definitely on my agenda of things to do before I die. I adore singing, it has always been a part of my life. I started playing piano really young too. I kind of thought music was where my life was headed and it turned into acting somehow. I definitely want to release an album one day!

What do you think are the important qualities of good music that have been lost over the years?
Music is always evolving. One thing though that has been really popular is that there has not been a big focus on lyrics. That is one of my favorite things, good lyricists. They really get to you and make you feel a certain emotion so that is something I pay attention to. A lot of new artists are starting to pay attention to that again. It is also important to keep music fresh and alive so it does not get mundane. There is a band that I am obsessed with called, Tally Hall. They are so creative, cool, and not preoccupied by their image. The beginning of a song will start off slow with rap and then it will turn into rock in the middle and then it will turn into a melodic ballad. They make it flow so well!

Do you find yourself wanting to do more television in the future, more film, or an equal amount of both?
I have always loved both. Actually, my dad was in a sitcom when I was a kid. I grew up going on set and watching a lot of the show for years every Friday. I know they say live sitcoms are dying so if it ever makes its way back, I would love to be on one. My favorite show of all time is Friends. It is not just my favorite show, it is an obsession. Doing something like that would complete my life (laughs).

What is your process for remembering your lines?
It is really just hearing it aloud over and over. I memorize responses. The way that they write on the show is so well done, it rolls off the tongue like I would say it so it is not that hard.

Tell us about your upcoming film that is scheduled to release next year, Fired Up.
It is a very, very funny movie. It is about these high school friends, these football guys that go to cheerleading camp to meet girls. I had a small part in that and I am excited to see how it turns out because the table read that I went to was hilarious. Everyone that was cast was incredible.

Switching angles, what do you have to say to the young people who have not register to vote yet for the Presidential Election?
Time is running out! It is a very quick and easy process. You are not allowed to complain about what is going on in the world if you do not go out and vote. Make your statement heard.

Greek: Chapter One is out on DVD now.

Greek airs Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC Family.