Gloria Iatridis said she can still remember the determined look on her daughterSA国际影视传媒檚 face when she told her she wanted to pursue a career in acting.

SA国际影视传媒淢y daughter was 13 years old,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o, I decided that I was going to invest all my energy into supporting her while she was younger, while I had the ability to do so.SA国际影视传媒�

Fast forward more than a handful of years, and supporting her daughter, Olivia Kate latridis, is just what sheSA国际影视传媒檚 done. Together, the dynamic duo have written and now published a book.

Titled BOOKED: A Strong Start For Your Child Actor, itSA国际影视传媒檚 both an instruction manual for acting, but also a peek behind the scenes.The book was published late last month and is now available from The Friesen Press Bookstore.

Olivia explained it goes into detail about some of the nuances in the acting industry that no one really talks about, while Gloria added that the book emphasizes how a parent can keep their child safe in this profession.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e learned a lot about that. I couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 emphasize it enough, that if your child wants to be involved in acting, the parent needs to be there,SA国际影视传媒� said Gloria. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 a firm believer that all it takes is one incident to harm a child, and it could impact them for the rest of their life. And I wanted to make sure that, especially when she was a minor, I made sure that she was safe.SA国际影视传媒�

Gloria added that, in the book, she details some examples of personal experiences and red flags to look for.

Olivia seconded how important having a parent safeguarding them is in this industry. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 something she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 quite realize in her youth, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淢e and my mom did everything together for my career until I was 18,SA国际影视传媒� said Olivia. SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 realize how much she was doing for me. I really did take her for granted for a long time without realizing just how much work she was doing behind the scenes for me.SA国际影视传媒�

Olivia said she knows for a fact she wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have made it this far in her career without her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 help. Now, she gets to share that experience with others, including what it means to not only be a child actor, but also an Indigenous one.

SA国际影视传媒淚ndigenous people donSA国际影视传媒檛 always get as much slack unfortunately, as other folks in the industry because SA国际影视传媒� and I see this a lot SA国际影视传媒� that Indigenous people are perceived in this negative light. That theySA国际影视传媒檙e unprofessional, or because they come from communities or reservations that they cannot be professional.SA国际影视传媒�

Olivia explained that Indigenous films and sets will differ from more traditional ones. Her and her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 book serves as a guide and to take some of those pressures off. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 something a lot of people in the industry might be afraid to talk about, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think that people are scared of the repercussions because the industry can be really finicky. And there is really no direct guide. There are no books that really give you step by step, how to get in there, what are doSA国际影视传媒檚 and donSA国际影视传媒檛s.SA国际影视传媒�

Apart from sharing some wisdom, Olivia said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 getting a steady number of auditions and her motivation is high for her future.

And as for Gloria, although she doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 look after her daughter like she used to, their memories of each other are as strong as ever.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 one that I always like to share, because looking back on it now, I laugh every single time,SA国际影视传媒� Gloria started. Apparently, Olivia had landed an audition, and had to create a tape of herself acting. It was the first time sheSA国际影视传媒檇 ever done something like this, Gloria said.

Safe to say, the two werenSA国际影视传媒檛 exactly pros at making tapes.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were given the script for her to perform and I researched a little bit online to see what a self-tape looked like. And I thought SA国际影视传媒榡eez, these are really terribleSA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒� Gloria explained. She said she now knows the formalities of it all - having the right background, introducing yourself, sticking to the script and so on.

She said she knows that now, not then.

SA国际影视传媒淲e decided we were going to make our self-tape more exciting. So, in the script, this character was in a park, so we decided to go to a park and we had the audition at the park, which first of all was the worst thing you could do,SA国际影视传媒� said Gloria, who had already begun to chuckle at this point.

Gloria also said Olivia wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 a fan of how her character talked in the script, so she changed it herself.

But Olivia wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the only one making embellishments for herself.

SA国际影视传媒淚 decided she should act out some of the scenes, like do cartwheels,SA国际影视传媒� said Gloria, who was now laughing at this point. SA国际影视传媒淎nd I decided to make it nice by putting in some music. So, it was like the craziest video of this audition that I submitted. And all I got back from this casting director was, SA国际影视传媒榩lease redo.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

Gloria clarified that Olivia did not land that role. She did, however, insist that the youth ought to pursue their dreams, despite how hard it might seem.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 not a lot of support out there for young people who really have a passion and, and can excel in the arts,SA国际影视传媒� said Gloria. SA国际影视传媒淓specially as an Indigenous person, I think, for a long time. children, you know, didnSA国际影视传媒檛 believe that they could do things that other races could do.SA国际影视传媒�

Gloria added that adversities like Covid or the SAG-AFTRA strike only made things harder for her daughter to pursue a career in the arts. But it hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 stopped her.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll these experiences are only going to make her stronger. And she shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 give up on her dreams.SA国际影视传媒�