PLEASE WELCOME MODEL, ACTOR, DANCER - AND MORE - 

MADELINE  McQUEEN

Ellie Stewart Photography

1       Please tell us a little bit about your background.

               A:        When I was younger I was a normal happy child in school - friends with everyone in class and other children. One day (when I was about 4 or 5 years old) I went to play football with my friends but then changed my mind and went out with my family instead. After that a few of my so called “friends” got angry with me and turned all the other children against me and gradually took all my friends away so I’d be alone. For a year or two until I changed schools I was bullied daily by the children who used to be my friends. I only had two friends after that - the third used to switch. She used to try and bully me to become friends with the rest of the children, but every time they knocked her down she would come running back to us. I’ve been told the boys once dragged me into their toilets which I don’t remember or remember what they did in there. When my parents had enough they went down to the principal’s office and confronted him. All he could say was: “Boys will be boys”. My dad then tried to jump over his desk to hit him but sadly my mum stopped him lol. All this was up until the age of around 5 maybe 6. When I moved to other schools I was still bullied by others up until I left school altogether. I was shocked that when I went to senior school, in year 8 one of the main bullies from when I was very young (5 years old) exchanged into my school. That was an unpleasant surprise to say the least. Luckily she had grown up and wasn’t as nasty as she used to be years ago but she, even though she wasn’t as bad, was still a little bit of a bully. The only time I wasn’t bullied was at college and SOME work places. I was shocked to find these “adults” were bullying and acting like silly children at their ages.

2.      2      You are a model, actor, dancer, film & stage crew and photographer.  Have you ever wanted to be anything else?

             A:  Growing up I always wanted, deep down, to perform. I knew this from playing the Virgin Mary in my first Christmas play in pre-school. I loved being on stage. I know it sounds silly to some people seeing as I was so young but growing up that’s all I wanted to do. But since being told I had no chance in becoming an actress because I didn’t have the look, talent or skill, I gave up on becoming an actress. I love animals so I tried working on a farm. That didn’t work out since it was hard getting a job on a farm seeing as I was miles away from any, then I thought I wanted to help children so was going to become a social worker. But after seeing some stories of what happens to some children I didn’t see me being able to handle it well. I then tried to become a PA or admin but was unhappy because I hated the thought of having that as a permanent career. That’s when I decided to pick up on my past dream of performing no matter what others said.

3      Are any of your family or relations in the entertainment industry?

3.                               A:  Yes, my cousin is an actress and director travelling around America filming. I don’t know if there are others in my family, we have a large family many of whom I haven’t met yet.
4

Ellie Stewart Photography

4.      4      Do you have professional training in any of your talents?      

             A:  Yes. I studied at Rose Bruford College in 2006 – 2008. I was very shocked and over the moon that I was actually chosen. And in 2006 I started dancing with Salsa Wild club or school (which ever you would like to call it), I still go there now when I am able to which, sadly, is rarely.

5.      5      Do you have a managing agency or do you represent yourself?

                   A:  No - I used to belong to an agency and have an agent years ago when I was a teenager but he wasn’t very good. He got me a lot of dodgy work such as being a female escort. So I decided to leave them and try and find someone else. I didn’t end up finding someone so now do it all myself.

6.      6     Have you done any work on TV, film or stage?

           A:  Yes, I have been in several films (one was my own), plays, events, music videos and commercials.

7.      7     You have worked for film & stage crews.  What exactly have you done - please tell us a little about that.

                  A:  When I worked behind stage I worked mainly with props, but also helped with lighting when they were shorthanded and helped with the costumes. I did also have to be a walk on on stage when we had to clear up and pick things off of the stage while the actors were still performing.

Ellie Stewart Photography

8.      8     Who and/or what are your inspirations?

            A:  My main inspiration is one day I hope to make people feel the same way the talented actors make me feel when I watch a good film. The talented actors and crew can make me cry, laugh, get angry, sad, relieved, happy, all the emotions. I love watching a film and really feeling those emotions. I hope that one day I can improve on my acting skills more and became one of the top actors and make other people light up and feel like they do for me. 

As for my many inspirations it will take me a while to think of them all. A lot of them are the classic actors, for example I love Sir Antony Hopkins, Sir David Jason, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Nighy, Tom Hanks, Michael Clark Duncan, Iran McKellen, Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Pattinson and Julia Roberts. That’s not even quarter of my list - there're just too many to name.

9.      9      Have you ever been bullied?

             A:  Yes, although I will add as I just remembered, one of the reasons I had and still have a little self-confidence is because in my first school (when I was about 4 or 5), when the other children started bullying me, they would do so in class and my teacher rarely stopped them. If I was asked a question in class and got it wrong, the other children would laugh at me and sometimes the teacher would join in laughing as well. I remember sitting there embarrassed and wanted to cry but didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. I also remember having a “helper” who helped a couple of us struggling in class and she started shouting and yelling at me because I coloured in a picture in a way she didn’t like. I remember her scaring me and saying: “You ruined this picture” and other things. To a 5 year old that can be scary.    

10    Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools worldwide are doing enough to combat this problem?

        A:   Some schools do not care or provide help to stop bullying. I learnt this first hand as I mentioned before, my ex principal said:  “Well boys will be boys”. It’s a sad fact but true. Other schools, the better ones - do care more and will actually try and stop it when heard of any bullying going on. I know the governments do say they try but whether or not they actually do, I don’t know.

Ellie Stewart Photography

1    11    What further do you feel could be done to either decrease this act hugely or eliminate it altogether?

I            A:  I don’t know if it can be stopped until humans learn to better themselves. None of us is perfect as we know but there are people who get pleasure out of hurting others or being the “pack leader” and until this changes, until we can teach children and adults this is not the way, I think bullying will carry on.

1    12    What are your aspirations for the short and long term for your career?

.                        A:    I hope that my career carries on and only grows in a positive way.  That's what I will try to do and hugely hope that succeeds.


13    Have you worked with any celebrities?

.                     A:   Yes, I have worked with well-known people before yes, they are not major celebrities but they are very well known.

1    14    What is next in the pipeline for Madeline McQueen?

.                        A:  Well at the moment I am still attending auditions - hoping to pass as many as I can and trying to get that “big break” I need. Hopefully it will go well - I’m hoping it will.

1    15    Do you have a message you would like to impart to the world?

.                        A:       Er, to be honest I can’t really think of anything to say. Of course there are lots of things I would like to say about many things but they will get us of topic, the main thing I would like is to tell everyone to just keep improving on yourselves, never give up, never stop believing in yourself and go for your dreams. It can bring you down if you don’t have a goal or dreams in your life. I would also like to see the humans evolving and everyone becoming better people, to have a better world all round.



    16    Is there anything further that you would like to add?

.                    A:   Nope, I can’t think of anything right now.       


     LINKS:
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'             YouTube
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              StarNow

                                                       

       









        

PLEASE MEET AWARD WINNING ACTOR, COMEDIAN, PERFORMER, PRESENTER - AND JUST A 'FEW' OTHER TALENTS - 

JAMES  LIOTTA

1                  Please tell us a little about your background.

            A:  I’ve been a performer now for 23 years and had my first agent at 8 years old. Professionally since graduating from High School it is the only job I have ever had – working in the entertainment industry.

I completed a two year Diploma of Arts, specialising in acting and theatre at NMIT and various short courses to this day but have always been lucky enough to ‘work’ through my studies in acting.

My parents were born in Italy and ‘Italian comedy humour’ or better known as ‘Ethnic Comedy’ has been a major asset to my performance career.

2                  Have you always wanted to be an actor or did you have something else in mind for your career as a child and teenager?

           A:    Nope, from a very young age I always had the passion to perform, there was nothing else I could think about doing, nothing else that interested me. So much that in year 11 and 12 the full responsibility of Directing and Producing my high school’s annual school production was given to me. In turn this resulted in me returning to my high school the year after year 12 to take on the role again as a paid staff member.

3                   What and/or who are your inspirations?

            A:  I’m inspired by people who create their own work and are successful at it. Within the Australian entertainment industry – production companies such as ‘Working Dog’ have always inspired me. I’ve had the chance to work on a number of projects with them and not only are they always a joy to work for but they just know what they are doing – all the time. I think in my business you have people who work extremely hard, sacrifice a lot and persevere in order to get where they need to get and you have others who are lucky to receive the fortune on a silver platter. That is just the nature of the beast. Both may be quite talented in their own right but I empathize with the ones who sacrifice a lot a little more.

4                   You actually seem to be a man of many talents, including MC and presenter.  Please tell us about that.

            A:   In a nutshell – I learnt early on that to survive financially as a ‘performer’ Acting was never going to be enough. One must broaden their skill, which not only creates more work for the person but also creates exposure once landing gigs. I found excitement in working as a presenter and M.C and have howned my skills in this area over the years, coupled with stand up comedy.

Now I travel my state and all over Australia M.C’ing all kinds of festivals and events. On TV I have been a presenter for shows on on Foxtel and Melbourne’s Channel 31.

Echo Blue Photography

5                  Is anyone else in your family in the entertainment industry?

            A:    My father is an Italian born playwright and actor. He has spent most of his years here writing, producing and performing in his own 2 act dramatic and comedy plays (In Italian) for the Italian community of Melbourne. He was very much one of the leading people in this niche market in the early 90’s in Melbourne. This would be where I first got my ‘acting bug’ from.  He has also appeared on TV between early 90’s and 2000 – mainly in commercials and various small roles when they popped up.

6                   What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare time’?

             A:    I don’t get a lot of spare time, working as a full time performer is a 24 hour job – which may surprise a lot of people and some may not understand how… but we are never just working on ONE project, there are lots of projects at the same time and things can become quite hectic, booking up your schedules day and night sometimes. When I do get a chance to have some spare time, I enjoy the simple things (as most do) spending time with close friends, seeing family. Catching up on movies, be it at the cinema or on DVD. Love eating out.

7                   You have received some awards.  Please tell us about that.

            A:   In 2007 I was awarded an excellence for multicultural arts award by the State Government of Victoria which was pretty exciting and at the time I was one of the youngest recipients for that award.

In 2011 I won ‘Best Actor’ as voted by the audience at the 2011 October edition of ‘Comfy Shorts’ which is a monthly short film screening event in Melbourne. I won for my role in a short film ‘Tiramisu’ which also actually won best film on the night.

In 2012 I was voted ‘Best Male Actor Of The Year’ by StarCentral Magazine which is an online/print entertainment magazine based in Sydney with over 20,000 online subscribers.

8                   Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the Governments and schools worldwide are doing enough to combat this problem?

        A:    I run a very successful company in Melbourne where we go into schools and perform comedy shows for students. Prep to year 12. I have been doing this for 10 years and in that time I have had the chance to see many schools, meet thousands of children and view school structures and I truly believe more then ever, schools have lost a lot of power to combat anything that requires ‘discipline’ of a student. This have changed drastically from back in the day I went to school (80’s Primary / 90’s High School) in some cases it seems the school is fearful of bad reputation.

9                   What else do you feel they could do to either decrease or stop it completely?

        A:  I believe the schools need to go back to old school discipline and by that I'm not at all talking about ‘ the strap’ that was way before my day too. I’m talking about instilling harsher penalties for children who bully and to involve their parents a lot more. I also think parents need to understand that their child sometimes may be an angel at home but at school can become quite the aggressor. Some parents choose to adopt the ‘My child? Never!’ syndrome and they need to realise it’s a reality.

10             Have you done any dancing, modelling and/or singing at all?

        A:    Yes all of the above but I’m not trained in those areas, sometimes it’s just an extra requirement from other ‘acting’ roles.

11             Are you professionally trained in all that you do?

        A:    I am professionally trained as an actor.

12             As an actor, what have you appeared in?

        A:      On TV I have appeared in numerous shows: Neighbours, Thank God Your’re Here, Squizzy –Underbelly, Paper Giants, Satisfaction, Prank Patrol, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, Quizmania, Lift Off, Ground Zero, Planet Unearth – Foxtel , My Community – Foxtel, Fergus in Hell – Ch31, Melbourne 22 – Ch31, Media Strikes Back – Ch.31. Lots of various commercials and some appearance already in the can for 2014 for ABC TV and Channel 7.

13             What is next in the pipeline for James Liotta?

            A:   This is always the big question! An old school                       professional taught me to always answer this by saying: “I have various projects at different stages of development”. But  really I do!

14             Do you have a message that you would like to impart to the world?

        A:    Be happy – if you’re not happy. Get happy! Happiness is the key to success. (Oh and hard work!)

     15     Is there anything else you would like to add?

               A:     Google my name from time to time. Haha…

Links:

     Facebook -
     James Liotta  
     The Bash Radio Show
     The Antipastomix


     YouTube -
     James Liotta Showreel
     James Liotta LIVE in Concert
     Italian Comedy

   

PLEASE WELCOME THE AMAZING

KELLIE STONE

Journey to Purpose Coach, Counsellor at Journey to Purpose Coaching, Author, Founder & Editor for 'Women's Lifelink' magazine - and much more

1                   Please tell us a little bit about your background?

              A:   I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana - USA; a Midwest girl with aspirations of changing the world in some way - though…I had no idea how I would accomplish such a lofty goal.  I guess I just always felt like something important was lingering around the corner. 

Growing up in a broken home and with an alcoholic parent, I found identifying ideal family life difficult at times.  That challenge, however, did not stop me from wanting to marry and raise children.

I soon discovered at the young age of 18 one of those “important” dreams was, indeed, being a mom. I now have six beautiful children (three of whom have grown up and left the nest).

2                   What made you decide to launch ‘Women’s LifeLink’?

                A:  'Women's LifeLink' was originally a concept for a live women's group that held meetings and hosted wellness events.  Though I wanted this to come to pass, my plans stalled when I was diagnosed with Chronic Migraine and could not bear the physical demands of such a group. 

A couple of years later someone suggested I create a blog to earn extra income from home.  I only needed to come up with a theme and topics for online content.  I remembered the 'Women’s LifeLink' concept and still thought I could be a support to women even though I was ill.  This newbie blogger stumbled through the first year or so but found it extremely rewarding and worth every minute I put into it.  

Now in its 5^th year, WLL has established a treasure trove of quality content read by women (and men) all over the world.

3      Can you tell us a little about the process of setting up an online publication?

            A:  Firstly, make sure it’s something you can commit to…websites/blogs are like hungry babies.  They require your attention often, need quality content - and undying patience…not to mention thick skin to weather rude comments, spam and marketing companies, trying to buy ad space for Viagra, online poker, and adult toys. 

Seriously, building an online presence is hard work.  If you can get the advice of a webmaster or at least someone who has some experience, do it.  Also, don’t think that what you start with is what you will end up with.  WLL has gone through several theme and design changes over the years.  No regrets, in other words.

4                   Have you always been in the publishing business, either online or print?

              A:  No, but I had some experience in printing, writing, and editing.

5                   What did you aspire to in your childhood & youth?

            A:  I really wanted to be a veterinarian as a child…then a singer.  I always loved to write though.  After a college professor recognized my writing talent, I finally took it seriously enough to explore the field and take some creative writing courses.   And, then there was that brief flirtation with wanting to be a cop!

6                   Have you met and/or interviewed any celebrities through your magazine?

              A:   I haven’t met any celebs in person but have interviewed NYC singer, songwriter Kalen Lister, several authors and musicians, corporation CEOs and medical professionals.

7                 Who and/or what are your inspirations?

               A:   I am inspired by women who reach for their dreams and don’t give up until they have succeeded.  It’s incredible to see someone change her life, especially in adverse conditions.  Knowing we live in a world of infinite possibilities also gets my blood pumping! 

8                   What other positions/jobs have you held, prior to being editor of ‘Women’s LifeLink’?

              A:  I’m what you call a “Jane of all Trades”.  I’ve worked in printing, interior design, retail sales, skin care, owned a book store and a vintage collectible shop, and now, I am a writer, a passionate messenger to women and a life coach.

Kellie, her son Judah, aged 16 and daughter Kayla

9                  What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?

             A:   Laughing out loud…come again?  Spare time?  Really?  No, seriously, I don’t have much of that right now.  But, if you must know, I do love reading, gardening and scouring thrift stores for vintage treasures.

10             You are also a mum.  How do you juggle it all?

            A:  Hence my answer to the “spare time” question…I drop the ball(s) a lot.  It’s tough sometimes, but I consider myself efficiently competent but sensibly only human; therefore, I try not to judge myself too badly for the bumps and bruises…or the train wrecks.

11             You are good at arm wrestling and you also meditate.  Please remind me to stay on your good side!  These are therapeutic tools for you?  What else do you do?

            A:  Though I never thought of slamming someone’s arm down on the table in victory “therapy”, it is somewhat rewarding to win stuff every once in a while.  Meditation is breath to me.  If I slack off, it shows in my attitude, health and connection to people, God and the universe.

I love to cuddle with my pets.  One of my cats actually sucks on my earlobe daily…and I thought I was done nursing babies.

12             What is your ‘guilty pleasure’, if you have one?

            A:  Well, since I found out over a year ago that a gluten (wheat) intolerance was causing my chronic headache problem, I’m not supposed to eat it.  However, there are a few gluten-infused foods I do indulge in occasionally.  My faves are coconut cream pie, Chinese cuisine and Pecan Sandies. 

13             Have you ever been bullied?

            A:   I wasn’t bullied regularly but did experience occasional random taunting for various reasons.  I was pretty flat-chested until after I had my first child, so I frequently was accused of stuffing my bra. I’m a D-cup presently…no need for toilet paper anymore.

My older brother, on the other hand, was bullied…often.  We walked to school nearly every day and were frequently detained by several neighbourhood boys who found teasing him an uplifting event.  I stood up for him more often than he did for himself.  So, I’m definitely not ignorant to how bullying hurts and causes emotional scars.

14             Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools worldwide are doing enough to combat this act?

              A:  It does seem there is more being done now than ever before in history.  The bullying events that happened in my childhood would hardly be tolerated in today’s schools.  I really believe awareness is the key to ending it.  Every brave girl, boy, man and woman who comes forward to speak about their experiences paves the way for legislature and those in authoritative positions in our communities to take effective action.

15             What more do you feel they could do to either decrease bullying hugely or eliminate it altogether?

           A:  There could by harsher penalties, maybe even legal ramifications, for the act of certain types of bullying.  I’m really not sure what the current laws state, but if kids knew they might be arrested or face criminal charges, they might think twice about engaging in senseless acts of cruelty.

16             What aspirations do you have for the magazine in ten years?

         A:  Wow, that’s a long way away!  I’d like to see it go the distance; however, who knows what technology will arise within that time frame.  Increasing readership and the strength of the community will always be a front-running goal.

17             Is ‘Women’s LifeLink’ in print as well as an ezine?

              A:    No, WLL has never been a print publication. 

Kellie's beautiful little women - (l-r) - Kori 29, Kayla 27, Abbey 21, McKenna 18, Lyric 5

18             What is next in the pipeline for Kellie Stone?

            A:  I am finishing my second non-fiction book called ‘The Butterfly Payoff: a women’s guide to discovering purpose, fulfilling dreams, and getting paid for it!’ This work is extremely important for my career as a life coach and messenger to women.  There is also some prods to create an internet radio program.  Of course, all of this is much more likely to manifest after my five-year-old daughter goes to school.  And, speaking of pipelines, I’m going to be a grandmother very soon!

19             Do you have a message you would like to impart to the world?

            A:   My dream is that every woman would know and embrace her authentic self, engage her unique purpose, and fulfil every dream that brings joy and energy.  Don’t give up on yourself no matter how hard things get and how far you wander from your dreams.  The path you are on now is the one that leads to your purpose…or at least to the next path.

20             Is there anything else you would like to add?

            A:  I believe every woman has a story and message to tell the world.  I always look for courageous ladies to join our contributor and expert teams at Women’s LifeLink. Anyone interested in sharing written content to the community, please visit Submit Your Story/Article.

Links:

Women’s LifeLink

Facebook Page

Twitter

Kellie’s Book

Email: womenslifelink@gmail.com

'Women's LifeLink' cover