June 26, 2025 • 17 mins
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What's it like to suddenly find yourself as the lead on a hit Netflix show at just 15 years old? Kaileen Chang, star of the Netflix show "I Woke Up a Vampire," joins us to share her extraordinary journey from childhood performer to streaming sensation.
Kaileen reveals how her love for performance began early through dance, ice skating, and theater before finding her way to professional training around age 7. We explore the traditional showcase route that landed her first representation and how the pandemic completely transformed her audition experience. The story of how she booked her Netflix role is particularly fascinating – after months of silence following her self-tape, she received a surprise Zoom call at school thinking it was for a different project entirely!
The behind-the-scenes reality of shooting in Toronto for six months offers listeners a genuine glimpse into the production world, from the overwhelming number of crew members to the complex choreography of stunts and scene blocking. Kaileen shares heartwarming stories about the immediate chemistry with her co-star Niko Ceci (whom she now calls her "twin flame") and the surreal experience of keeping her entire acting career secret from friends until suddenly appearing on Netflix's home screen. Her first encounters with young fans at Disneyland – pointing her out to disbelieving parents – perfectly captures the strange new reality of teen stardom.
For aspiring performers, Kaileen's parting advice resonates with wisdom beyond her years: "If it's really what you want, you have to give it your priority and your all. You'll have 60, 100 auditions before you get something, but every audition has to be your best." Follow Kaileen's continuing journey on Instagram at @Kaileenchang and discover why her authentic approach to both acting and life makes her someone to watch.
Join the Successful Young Creatives community! Follow Genevieve Goings for daily tips and inspiration:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Genevieve (00:00):
So did you have people like telling you like, oh
my gosh, I saw you on Netflix,that like didn't know, oh yeah.
Kaileen (00:06):
So I had never told anybody that I was an actor,
like none of my friends oranything like that.
I was strictly like my familyand so, yeah, it was very it was
easy to keep a secret.
Yeah, because, like when I wentto Canada, just my friends like
they didn't believe it.
Genevieve (00:25):
They're like you're on a show.
Kaileen (00:26):
Like I didn't know you were an actor and I'm like, well
, I am, so we'll see you know.
S-y-c Successful.
Genevieve (00:31):
Young S-Y-C Creative.
Yes, I know I'm gonna besuccessful.
Yes, I am here with the one andonly Kaileen Chang Hi.
How are you?
I'm good, I'm good, Good, oh mygosh.
(00:53):
Okay.
So how do we even introduce you?
She's an actress, she's a model, she does commercials,
everything.
She's also only 15.
Yep, so cool.
And she's somebody that I havethe pleasure of working with
often in my studio here, becausewe're working on your vocals
and recording and just beingcreative.
(01:13):
So it's very cool.
So I'm super excited todaybecause I get to ask you
questions about your awesomeshow.
I woke up a vampire on Netflix,which is just so cool.
I feel like on this podcast, wetalk a lot about how to
audition.
You know what auditions arelike, but it's very cool to hear
(01:35):
about when people actually bookit and what it's like.
So thank you for letting meinterview you.
Thank you.
So can you tell me a littlesomething, just kind of like how
you got started?
How long have you been in likethe entertainment business?
Kaileen (01:52):
so ever since I was really young I've kind of liked
things that were moreperformance-based dance, ice
skating, all those kind ofthings, theater.
Genevieve (02:00):
Um then I started going to our good friend
chanel's studio when I wasaround, I want to say um eight
seven eight and uh, and when wesay chanel, we're talking about
the chanel gray, like the, themanager to the young stars, the
manager and my manager too yeah,hello, I love her.
Kaileen (02:22):
So basically I started going to her studio and there I
started a musical theaterprogram and after that I just
kind of did a little showcaseand got my first agent manager,
and it's been since then.
Genevieve (02:34):
That's so awesome.
What happens in a showcase?
Kaileen (02:38):
So it's a long like before COVID.
We used to audition in person,so I'm not sure they do them
anymore.
But it's basically where inyour acting class that you I
usually go like every week orwhatever um a scene that you've
been practicing with somebodyelse.
You go on one day there's likea bunch of agents, managers,
just talent, maybe castingdirectors even, and they're all
(03:01):
in a room and then you just dothat one scene that you've been
practicing for a long time withthe other person and you just
see who's interested, theycontact chanel, they have
everybody's like headshot in abook and stuff like that.
Um, I haven't done one since.
I was probably like I want tosay like 11, so I don't know how
it is now with covid, but I,that's how I started so cool.
Genevieve (03:23):
Do you remember at 11 , like were you nervous to do
those?
Kaileen (03:27):
um, I really I've done a few and it at first I was
nervous because it's just a roomwith a bunch of, like, older
people it's just you and one oneother person, or sometimes it's
like a monologue and you're byyourself.
But um, in this case I alwayshad somebody with me and it was
it was mostly just for fun.
After I did a couple of them, Iwas like, okay, well, just show
(03:48):
them what my personality isabout, and stuff like that.
Genevieve (03:51):
That's so good.
I just watched something wheresomebody was just saying try not
to think of it so much like anaudition, but just an
opportunity to just do a show.
Kaileen (03:59):
Yeah, it's just to show them hey, this is what I love
to do.
It's just to show them like,hey, this is what I love to do.
And if you're interested.
Genevieve (04:07):
You know, here I am Good for you, which is you could
only be so smart and cool inour lives as a teenager.
Like, hey, this is me, like me,or not?
Easier said than done, right,but so OK.
So I want to fast forward tothis show on Netflix so you guys
can watch two seasons of theshow on Netflix now called I
Woke Up a Vampire, and Kylene isthe star of the show and it's
(04:29):
so cool, like your face was upthere, like it on the home
screen for like ever.
I mean just huge and so fun.
So what was that audition like?
Kaileen (04:41):
Because you auditioned during COVID, or ish right
audition, like because youauditioned during covid or ish
right.
So this was kind of a littlebit after covid 2022 where
they're trying to get back intoauditioning, because I do
remember during covid,auditioning was just kind of
like they didn't really knowwhat they're gonna go, where
they were gonna go with it.
So, uh, this is when theystarted introducing self tapes
(05:01):
and I was very new to it.
So I went to chanel's house andshe coached me and we filmed it
.
Atapes and I was very new to it.
So I went to Chanel's house andshe coached me and we filmed it
at her house and it was justkind of like a thing where you
just record the video, send itin and there's just a lot of
waiting yeah, oh my gosh, somuch waiting, so that's so cool.
Genevieve (05:16):
And Chanel's an amazing coach too.
Oh yeah, she's the best.
Yeah, she's awesome.
So, um, that's so great, okay,so a lot of times for a show
like that big, you're gonna starin it.
They'll do callbacks whereyou'll do, like a chemistry read
yeah, but you didn't have that.
Kaileen (05:32):
Yeah, I know it was a super strange experience for me
because prior to COVID I hadn'treally booked anything too big
and nothing you know really,yeah, big production wise, so I
wasn't really familiar with theaudition process further than
like callbacks and stuff andlike chemistry reads.
(05:52):
I was just like I had no idea.
So now that everything was alsotransitioning to zoom and
online and all those things, Iwas even more confused, right.
So, getting this call of likepossibly being on hold for
something, I was like okay, well, there'll be a callback, I I
guess Right.
And then there never was.
(06:12):
And then I guess there wassupposed to be a chemistry read
and there never was.
And then one day I just youknow my flight information.
I just I was.
I got on a Zoom, and then therewas the producer who was like
you're the star of the show.
Genevieve (06:25):
And I was like oh my gosh, that's amazing.
Kaileen (06:33):
I was literally in tears.
I was like so like what isgoing on here?
Because you know the auditionprocess, especially for like
casting a show.
It just takes so long becauseyou have to find every character
, and so I had auditioned like amonth or like a month and a
half before I even knew I gotthe job oh, so wait a long time
before you even heard they wereinterested.
I remember, I remember I did theaudition and I completely
(06:53):
forgot, honestly, because youjust do so many, right.
And then I got a call fromchanel to my me, my mom, like
hey, we're just, no, don't gettoo crazy, but we're waiting, um
, to see if they're like gonnabe a callback or something, but
they're interested.
And then after that I was justI didn't hear anything after
that.
So I was like, oh okay, youknow, not everything's for
(07:14):
everybody, yeah, but then shenot actually tricked me.
So, as you like, as I said,there's a lot of auditions in
between this audition process.
So I was just doing so many atthe time and there was one
audition I had done the weekbefore she don't coach me and
she called me.
She's like, oh, we need, likeyou got a call back for like a
different character, so likelet's hop on the zoom, whatever.
(07:36):
And I was at school.
So I was like, okay, and I wasgenuinely so confused why I was
going on a zoom at school.
So I go into this little roomlike nobody's there and I get on
the zoo and it's the producer,tommy lynch, for the other for
the show.
I woke up a vampire and Ithought I'd been um going on a
(07:56):
callback for a different show.
So I was like completely likecaught off guard.
And then it was him and I waslike, oh my gosh, it's this and
it was just.
Genevieve (08:04):
It was so crazy oh, wow, oh my gosh, okay, so you
get there.
I love this.
You find out that you bookedthe job and then did you do it?
Was it in LA or where did youshoot?
Kaileen (08:14):
So I found out, I booked the job and then a little
bit after that, I realized, oh,it's going to be in Canada, oh,
wow, so I never I traveled outof the country like one time
prior, and so I was reallyexcited somewhere I never even
thought I would even visit Right.
And really excited somewhere Inever even thought I would even
(08:39):
visit right.
And now it's like one of myfavorite places, oh wow, yeah.
So, uh, we were shooting intoronto, but it was a little bit
further from the city, so itwas really pretty like it was
just like a little like anabandoned school and they made
like they built the set off ofit.
Oh, wow, and.
And we filmed a lot on locationtoo.
So I was just exploring everyday.
It was so much fun.
Oh my God.
So did your mom go with you thewhole?
Genevieve (08:55):
time.
Kaileen (08:55):
Yeah.
So my siblings and my mom wentwith me.
Oh, wow, yeah.
And then towards the end,because it was a long period of
time how long it was like sixmonths, wow.
So I was there for a while.
Yeah while, yeah, were youalready homeschooling at the
time?
So at that time I was nothomeschooled, okay, and luckily
(09:16):
my, my middle school was, um,pretty lenient about it because
there had been other actor kidsand stuff like that.
Genevieve (09:20):
So, uh, with my set teacher, we just figured it out
right, yeah, so when you, whenyou book a job and you're a
minor, you have a set teacher.
It's a requirement, and so howmany, how often were you with
the set teacher?
Kaileen (09:34):
I don't remember the exact requirement, like for how
many hours a day?
Um, I most of it.
We shot in the summer, so, ohgood, only we only like I think
it was three months we're at todo school, and it was like after
we would do like a block oflike scenes and then I would
just go straight to like doingmy work for as long as I could,
(09:55):
and then I would go back on setand then I would go back off and
as soon as I would go to school.
Genevieve (09:59):
Wow.
Kaileen (09:59):
Yeah, so there was like filming school, you lazy bums.
Genevieve (10:03):
What did you do today ?
No, I'm just kidding.
That is so cool.
Oh my gosh, OK, so shootingCool.
Oh my gosh, Okay, so shooting.
So you had never been on a showand here you are doing the lead
.
Kaileen (10:13):
Yeah.
Genevieve (10:14):
What quickly, like what are some things that you
learned about, like that youhadn't even thought about?
Kaileen (10:20):
So I'd seen like behind-the-scenes things before
so I wasn't completely obliviousto like the whole set life.
Yeah, but we did not.
As I said, we shot on locationa lot and our set was kind of
different because they built itout of an abandoned school
rather than a sound stage.
So, um, a couple things thatkind of caught me was how many
(10:43):
people work on a set is it'sincredible, right?
There's so many people,especially with minors on set,
looking after you, asking youfor all these things, and you're
just like, oh my goodness,there's so many people, right.
Um, it's a little overwhelmingat first when I was there, but
after I kind of got the hang ofit and thankfully everybody was
just so kind and like they werejust like helping me out the
(11:04):
entire time.
Yeah, did you have?
Genevieve (11:06):
to do like blocking.
You know like you have to hit acertain yeah, so a couple
things.
Kaileen (11:11):
I mean, there was a lot of stunts on the show, so there
was even more people than a lotof people, because you have the
stunt coordinators, like allthese people for safety and yeah
.
So we would like go, we wouldpractice the scene like just,
you know, with us like on thelike some chairs, we'd read out
the lines, maybe whatever, andthen they call us to set and we
(11:32):
had blocking.
So basically we run the wholescene and we just like the
cameras, you know, choose theirposition, and then we tape it
where we're supposed to stand,what we're supposed to grab, who
we're supposed to look at, andthen they fix the cameras for a
little bit, and then we go andwe wait, and then they maybe
like touch up hair makeup, andthen we go back and we'll film
it.
Genevieve (11:51):
Wow, that is so cool.
Oh my gosh.
So you obviously made a lot offriends on set, I would think.
Are you still in touch withanybody from that show?
Kaileen (11:59):
The friends I made on set were honestly incredible.
Everybody was just so welcoming, like it was.
It's a different community forthe actors in Canada, it's very
small, so thankfully they wereso welcoming.
And this is something that,like is going to go down in my
history, in my brain, because Iremember at the first we only
(12:19):
had one table read.
It was for the first episodeand this is when I first met the
other cast members.
I never met them prior and me,my co-star, nico Chechi, we sat
next to each other and we juststarted talking about the script
.
You know're a little shy atfirst.
You know it's just meetingsomebody new, right, but after
that I was like, okay, this isgonna be good.
You know, I have to warm up tothem.
(12:39):
I'm very like.
I would say I'm a little bitintroverted, a little shy,
definitely.
I would say so like, um,meeting new people to me is just
a little much.
But on the it was, it was thisday and everybody talks about it
on set to the, especially theproducers and directors, on the
first scene me and nico everfilmed together, it was like
(13:01):
they had thought that me and himknew each other for years, like
the way it just clicked soinstantly, like so we just
realized so many things about us.
We're so, we had so many thingsin common and like our
personalities literally matched,so it was so insane.
So we call each other like ourtwin flame, like we're best
friends, and I, yeah, and I goback to canada and I visit him
(13:23):
and oh yeah, I love that oh mygosh, shout out to nico we love
you too.
Genevieve (13:28):
That is so cool.
Oh my gosh, so okay.
So just fast forwarding to nowit's out.
Um, now it's on netflix.
It's available.
How long did you have to waitafter you finish shooting to
like?
It's available now and I cantell my friends well, after we
finished shooting, like 2022.
Kaileen (13:49):
I think it was October.
Wait, yeah, maybe like lateOctober.
So, um, it actually came outsurprisingly faster than I
thought, um, considering all thespecial effects, but it was a
couple months, I will say.
And then, yeah, the firstseason was 2023, the end of 2023
(14:10):
so like during, like halloweenseason.
Genevieve (14:12):
Oh yeah, perfect, I know, did you?
Oh my gosh.
So did you have people liketelling you like, oh my gosh,
did?
Kaileen (14:18):
I saw you on netflix that like didn't know, um yeah
so I had never told anybody thatI was an actor, like none of my
friends or anything like that.
Uh, it was strictly like myfamily and so, um, yeah, it was
very it was easy to keep asecret.
Yeah, um, because, like when Iwent to, can I just my friends,
like they didn't believe it,they're like you're on a show,
(14:39):
like I didn't know you were anactor and I'm like well, I am.
So we'll see, you know.
But um, yes, I hadn't toldanybody and it was like my
freshman year of high school andI remember the show came out
and like, people in my class areasking me, like, oh like, are
you from the show?
And I made this joke with myfriend that like I have a
doppelganger and it's not me andpeople just believe me.
(15:02):
I just thought it was thefunniest thing, oh my gosh.
And the first.
I think it was the first weekit came out.
I like went to Disneyland orsomething, and people were just
like bombarding me.
It was so.
It was so cute, though, becausethere's like these little kids
and they're like mom, mom, it'sthe girl from I will go vampire.
And their mom's like no, it'snot whatever.
Like keep walking, and I waslike I waved to them and I was
like, yes, it is, it was so cute, oh my gosh.
Genevieve (15:27):
Well, I absolutely love that.
It's so good to hear this andit's like inspiring, because
people listening to this arewant that, you know, and so, um,
just I don't know if there's,is there anything that you could
say to somebody who's maybethinking like I want to try,
like I think I have that thing,or like I think my kid has that
thing.
(15:47):
You know, it's almost like theyjust think it's not possible,
you know well, anything'spossible you have to try
literally just try.
Kaileen (15:57):
But um a piece of advice I would give to anybody
like inspired to go into actingor entertainment in general.
Um, I mean, eight-year-old mewould have never thought I'd be
here now, genuinely right, um,but I would say you have to just
be consistent and you have toknow that, like if it's really
(16:18):
what you want, and to give ityour priority, and you have to
give it your all.
Like it will take, like you'llhave like 60, 100 auditions
before you get something right,and even when it's something
small, like you just have togive it like all of your effort
and every audition has to beyour best audition right, that's
.
Genevieve (16:37):
That is excellent advice.
You've heard it here first.
Oh my gosh, you're amazing.
Thank you so much.
I'm so excited too.
We're like I'm making her filmtoday.
We're recording this cover songand the harmony sounds so good
that I'm making her film today.
We're recording this cover songand the harmony sounds so good
that I'm making her film it.
So she hates me, but she lovesme.
(16:58):
It's okay.
You're great.
Thank you so much for this.
And you guys can keep up withKylie.
What's your Instagram andeverything?
It's just Kylie Chang allacross, yes, everywhere.
So keep up with her at KyleenChang.
And, yes, that is our episode.
You guys, I'm so happy.
Thank you so much.
(17:19):
Thank you, yes.
Yes, I know I'm gonna besuccessful.
So did you have people like telling you like, oh
my gosh, I saw you on Netflix,that like didn't know, oh yeah.
Kaileen (00:06):
So I had never told anybody that I was an actor,
like none of my friends oranything like that.
I was strictly like my familyand so, yeah, it was very it was
easy to keep a secret.
Yeah, because, like when I wentto Canada, just my friends like
they didn't believe it.
Genevieve (00:25):
They're like you're on a show.
Kaileen (00:26):
Like I didn't know you were an actor and I'm like, well
, I am, so we'll see you know.
S-y-c Successful.
Genevieve (00:31):
Young S-Y-C Creative.
Yes, I know I'm gonna besuccessful.
Yes, I am here with the one andonly Kaileen Chang Hi.
How are you?
I'm good, I'm good, Good, oh mygosh.
(00:53):
Okay.
So how do we even introduce you?
She's an actress, she's a model, she does commercials,
everything.
She's also only 15.
Yep, so cool.
And she's somebody that I havethe pleasure of working with
often in my studio here, becausewe're working on your vocals
and recording and just beingcreative.
(01:13):
So it's very cool.
So I'm super excited todaybecause I get to ask you
questions about your awesomeshow.
I woke up a vampire on Netflix,which is just so cool.
I feel like on this podcast, wetalk a lot about how to
audition.
You know what auditions arelike, but it's very cool to hear
(01:35):
about when people actually bookit and what it's like.
So thank you for letting meinterview you.
Thank you.
So can you tell me a littlesomething, just kind of like how
you got started?
How long have you been in likethe entertainment business?
Kaileen (01:52):
so ever since I was really young I've kind of liked
things that were moreperformance-based dance, ice
skating, all those kind ofthings, theater.
Genevieve (02:00):
Um then I started going to our good friend
chanel's studio when I wasaround, I want to say um eight
seven eight and uh, and when wesay chanel, we're talking about
the chanel gray, like the, themanager to the young stars, the
manager and my manager too yeah,hello, I love her.
Kaileen (02:22):
So basically I started going to her studio and there I
started a musical theaterprogram and after that I just
kind of did a little showcaseand got my first agent manager,
and it's been since then.
Genevieve (02:34):
That's so awesome.
What happens in a showcase?
Kaileen (02:38):
So it's a long like before COVID.
We used to audition in person,so I'm not sure they do them
anymore.
But it's basically where inyour acting class that you I
usually go like every week orwhatever um a scene that you've
been practicing with somebodyelse.
You go on one day there's likea bunch of agents, managers,
just talent, maybe castingdirectors even, and they're all
(03:01):
in a room and then you just dothat one scene that you've been
practicing for a long time withthe other person and you just
see who's interested, theycontact chanel, they have
everybody's like headshot in abook and stuff like that.
Um, I haven't done one since.
I was probably like I want tosay like 11, so I don't know how
it is now with covid, but I,that's how I started so cool.
Genevieve (03:23):
Do you remember at 11 , like were you nervous to do
those?
Kaileen (03:27):
um, I really I've done a few and it at first I was
nervous because it's just a roomwith a bunch of, like, older
people it's just you and one oneother person, or sometimes it's
like a monologue and you're byyourself.
But um, in this case I alwayshad somebody with me and it was
it was mostly just for fun.
After I did a couple of them, Iwas like, okay, well, just show
(03:48):
them what my personality isabout, and stuff like that.
Genevieve (03:51):
That's so good.
I just watched something wheresomebody was just saying try not
to think of it so much like anaudition, but just an
opportunity to just do a show.
Kaileen (03:59):
Yeah, it's just to show them hey, this is what I love
to do.
It's just to show them like,hey, this is what I love to do.
And if you're interested.
Genevieve (04:07):
You know, here I am Good for you, which is you could
only be so smart and cool inour lives as a teenager.
Like, hey, this is me, like me,or not?
Easier said than done, right,but so OK.
So I want to fast forward tothis show on Netflix so you guys
can watch two seasons of theshow on Netflix now called I
Woke Up a Vampire, and Kylene isthe star of the show and it's
(04:29):
so cool, like your face was upthere, like it on the home
screen for like ever.
I mean just huge and so fun.
So what was that audition like?
Kaileen (04:41):
Because you auditioned during COVID, or ish right
audition, like because youauditioned during covid or ish
right.
So this was kind of a littlebit after covid 2022 where
they're trying to get back intoauditioning, because I do
remember during covid,auditioning was just kind of
like they didn't really knowwhat they're gonna go, where
they were gonna go with it.
So, uh, this is when theystarted introducing self tapes
(05:01):
and I was very new to it.
So I went to chanel's house andshe coached me and we filmed it
.
Atapes and I was very new to it.
So I went to Chanel's house andshe coached me and we filmed it
at her house and it was justkind of like a thing where you
just record the video, send itin and there's just a lot of
waiting yeah, oh my gosh, somuch waiting, so that's so cool.
Genevieve (05:16):
And Chanel's an amazing coach too.
Oh yeah, she's the best.
Yeah, she's awesome.
So, um, that's so great, okay,so a lot of times for a show
like that big, you're gonna starin it.
They'll do callbacks whereyou'll do, like a chemistry read
yeah, but you didn't have that.
Kaileen (05:32):
Yeah, I know it was a super strange experience for me
because prior to COVID I hadn'treally booked anything too big
and nothing you know really,yeah, big production wise, so I
wasn't really familiar with theaudition process further than
like callbacks and stuff andlike chemistry reads.
(05:52):
I was just like I had no idea.
So now that everything was alsotransitioning to zoom and
online and all those things, Iwas even more confused, right.
So, getting this call of likepossibly being on hold for
something, I was like okay, well, there'll be a callback, I I
guess Right.
And then there never was.
(06:12):
And then I guess there wassupposed to be a chemistry read
and there never was.
And then one day I just youknow my flight information.
I just I was.
I got on a Zoom, and then therewas the producer who was like
you're the star of the show.
Genevieve (06:25):
And I was like oh my gosh, that's amazing.
Kaileen (06:33):
I was literally in tears.
I was like so like what isgoing on here?
Because you know the auditionprocess, especially for like
casting a show.
It just takes so long becauseyou have to find every character
, and so I had auditioned like amonth or like a month and a
half before I even knew I gotthe job oh, so wait a long time
before you even heard they wereinterested.
I remember, I remember I did theaudition and I completely
(06:53):
forgot, honestly, because youjust do so many, right.
And then I got a call fromchanel to my me, my mom, like
hey, we're just, no, don't gettoo crazy, but we're waiting, um
, to see if they're like gonnabe a callback or something, but
they're interested.
And then after that I was justI didn't hear anything after
that.
So I was like, oh okay, youknow, not everything's for
(07:14):
everybody, yeah, but then shenot actually tricked me.
So, as you like, as I said,there's a lot of auditions in
between this audition process.
So I was just doing so many atthe time and there was one
audition I had done the weekbefore she don't coach me and
she called me.
She's like, oh, we need, likeyou got a call back for like a
different character, so likelet's hop on the zoom, whatever.
(07:36):
And I was at school.
So I was like, okay, and I wasgenuinely so confused why I was
going on a zoom at school.
So I go into this little roomlike nobody's there and I get on
the zoo and it's the producer,tommy lynch, for the other for
the show.
I woke up a vampire and Ithought I'd been um going on a
(07:56):
callback for a different show.
So I was like completely likecaught off guard.
And then it was him and I waslike, oh my gosh, it's this and
it was just.
Genevieve (08:04):
It was so crazy oh, wow, oh my gosh, okay, so you
get there.
I love this.
You find out that you bookedthe job and then did you do it?
Was it in LA or where did youshoot?
Kaileen (08:14):
So I found out, I booked the job and then a little
bit after that, I realized, oh,it's going to be in Canada, oh,
wow, so I never I traveled outof the country like one time
prior, and so I was reallyexcited somewhere I never even
thought I would even visit Right.
And really excited somewhere Inever even thought I would even
(08:39):
visit right.
And now it's like one of myfavorite places, oh wow, yeah.
So, uh, we were shooting intoronto, but it was a little bit
further from the city, so itwas really pretty like it was
just like a little like anabandoned school and they made
like they built the set off ofit.
Oh, wow, and.
And we filmed a lot on locationtoo.
So I was just exploring everyday.
It was so much fun.
Oh my God.
So did your mom go with you thewhole?
Genevieve (08:55):
time.
Kaileen (08:55):
Yeah.
So my siblings and my mom wentwith me.
Oh, wow, yeah.
And then towards the end,because it was a long period of
time how long it was like sixmonths, wow.
So I was there for a while.
Yeah while, yeah, were youalready homeschooling at the
time?
So at that time I was nothomeschooled, okay, and luckily
(09:16):
my, my middle school was, um,pretty lenient about it because
there had been other actor kidsand stuff like that.
Genevieve (09:20):
So, uh, with my set teacher, we just figured it out
right, yeah, so when you, whenyou book a job and you're a
minor, you have a set teacher.
It's a requirement, and so howmany, how often were you with
the set teacher?
Kaileen (09:34):
I don't remember the exact requirement, like for how
many hours a day?
Um, I most of it.
We shot in the summer, so, ohgood, only we only like I think
it was three months we're at todo school, and it was like after
we would do like a block oflike scenes and then I would
just go straight to like doingmy work for as long as I could,
(09:55):
and then I would go back on setand then I would go back off and
as soon as I would go to school.
Genevieve (09:59):
Wow.
Kaileen (09:59):
Yeah, so there was like filming school, you lazy bums.
Genevieve (10:03):
What did you do today ?
No, I'm just kidding.
That is so cool.
Oh my gosh, OK, so shootingCool.
Oh my gosh, Okay, so shooting.
So you had never been on a showand here you are doing the lead
.
Kaileen (10:13):
Yeah.
Genevieve (10:14):
What quickly, like what are some things that you
learned about, like that youhadn't even thought about?
Kaileen (10:20):
So I'd seen like behind-the-scenes things before
so I wasn't completely obliviousto like the whole set life.
Yeah, but we did not.
As I said, we shot on locationa lot and our set was kind of
different because they built itout of an abandoned school
rather than a sound stage.
So, um, a couple things thatkind of caught me was how many
(10:43):
people work on a set is it'sincredible, right?
There's so many people,especially with minors on set,
looking after you, asking youfor all these things, and you're
just like, oh my goodness,there's so many people, right.
Um, it's a little overwhelmingat first when I was there, but
after I kind of got the hang ofit and thankfully everybody was
just so kind and like they werejust like helping me out the
(11:04):
entire time.
Yeah, did you have?
Genevieve (11:06):
to do like blocking.
You know like you have to hit acertain yeah, so a couple
things.
Kaileen (11:11):
I mean, there was a lot of stunts on the show, so there
was even more people than a lotof people, because you have the
stunt coordinators, like allthese people for safety and yeah
.
So we would like go, we wouldpractice the scene like just,
you know, with us like on thelike some chairs, we'd read out
the lines, maybe whatever, andthen they call us to set and we
(11:32):
had blocking.
So basically we run the wholescene and we just like the
cameras, you know, choose theirposition, and then we tape it
where we're supposed to stand,what we're supposed to grab, who
we're supposed to look at, andthen they fix the cameras for a
little bit, and then we go andwe wait, and then they maybe
like touch up hair makeup, andthen we go back and we'll film
it.
Genevieve (11:51):
Wow, that is so cool.
Oh my gosh.
So you obviously made a lot offriends on set, I would think.
Are you still in touch withanybody from that show?
Kaileen (11:59):
The friends I made on set were honestly incredible.
Everybody was just so welcoming, like it was.
It's a different community forthe actors in Canada, it's very
small, so thankfully they wereso welcoming.
And this is something that,like is going to go down in my
history, in my brain, because Iremember at the first we only
(12:19):
had one table read.
It was for the first episodeand this is when I first met the
other cast members.
I never met them prior and me,my co-star, nico Chechi, we sat
next to each other and we juststarted talking about the script
.
You know're a little shy atfirst.
You know it's just meetingsomebody new, right, but after
that I was like, okay, this isgonna be good.
You know, I have to warm up tothem.
(12:39):
I'm very like.
I would say I'm a little bitintroverted, a little shy,
definitely.
I would say so like, um,meeting new people to me is just
a little much.
But on the it was, it was thisday and everybody talks about it
on set to the, especially theproducers and directors, on the
first scene me and nico everfilmed together, it was like
(13:01):
they had thought that me and himknew each other for years, like
the way it just clicked soinstantly, like so we just
realized so many things about us.
We're so, we had so many thingsin common and like our
personalities literally matched,so it was so insane.
So we call each other like ourtwin flame, like we're best
friends, and I, yeah, and I goback to canada and I visit him
(13:23):
and oh yeah, I love that oh mygosh, shout out to nico we love
you too.
Genevieve (13:28):
That is so cool.
Oh my gosh, so okay.
So just fast forwarding to nowit's out.
Um, now it's on netflix.
It's available.
How long did you have to waitafter you finish shooting to
like?
It's available now and I cantell my friends well, after we
finished shooting, like 2022.
Kaileen (13:49):
I think it was October.
Wait, yeah, maybe like lateOctober.
So, um, it actually came outsurprisingly faster than I
thought, um, considering all thespecial effects, but it was a
couple months, I will say.
And then, yeah, the firstseason was 2023, the end of 2023
(14:10):
so like during, like halloweenseason.
Genevieve (14:12):
Oh yeah, perfect, I know, did you?
Oh my gosh.
So did you have people liketelling you like, oh my gosh,
did?
Kaileen (14:18):
I saw you on netflix that like didn't know, um yeah
so I had never told anybody thatI was an actor, like none of my
friends or anything like that.
Uh, it was strictly like myfamily and so, um, yeah, it was
very it was easy to keep asecret.
Yeah, um, because, like when Iwent to, can I just my friends,
like they didn't believe it,they're like you're on a show,
(14:39):
like I didn't know you were anactor and I'm like well, I am.
So we'll see, you know.
But um, yes, I hadn't toldanybody and it was like my
freshman year of high school andI remember the show came out
and like, people in my class areasking me, like, oh like, are
you from the show?
And I made this joke with myfriend that like I have a
doppelganger and it's not me andpeople just believe me.
(15:02):
I just thought it was thefunniest thing, oh my gosh.
And the first.
I think it was the first weekit came out.
I like went to Disneyland orsomething, and people were just
like bombarding me.
It was so.
It was so cute, though, becausethere's like these little kids
and they're like mom, mom, it'sthe girl from I will go vampire.
And their mom's like no, it'snot whatever.
Like keep walking, and I waslike I waved to them and I was
like, yes, it is, it was so cute, oh my gosh.
Genevieve (15:27):
Well, I absolutely love that.
It's so good to hear this andit's like inspiring, because
people listening to this arewant that, you know, and so, um,
just I don't know if there's,is there anything that you could
say to somebody who's maybethinking like I want to try,
like I think I have that thing,or like I think my kid has that
thing.
(15:47):
You know, it's almost like theyjust think it's not possible,
you know well, anything'spossible you have to try
literally just try.
Kaileen (15:57):
But um a piece of advice I would give to anybody
like inspired to go into actingor entertainment in general.
Um, I mean, eight-year-old mewould have never thought I'd be
here now, genuinely right, um,but I would say you have to just
be consistent and you have toknow that, like if it's really
(16:18):
what you want, and to give ityour priority, and you have to
give it your all.
Like it will take, like you'llhave like 60, 100 auditions
before you get something right,and even when it's something
small, like you just have togive it like all of your effort
and every audition has to beyour best audition right, that's
.
Genevieve (16:37):
That is excellent advice.
You've heard it here first.
Oh my gosh, you're amazing.
Thank you so much.
I'm so excited too.
We're like I'm making her filmtoday.
We're recording this cover songand the harmony sounds so good
that I'm making her film today.
We're recording this cover songand the harmony sounds so good
that I'm making her film it.
So she hates me, but she lovesme.
(16:58):
It's okay.
You're great.
Thank you so much for this.
And you guys can keep up withKylie.
What's your Instagram andeverything?
It's just Kylie Chang allacross, yes, everywhere.
So keep up with her at KyleenChang.
And, yes, that is our episode.
You guys, I'm so happy.
Thank you so much.
(17:19):
Thank you, yes.
Yes, I know I'm gonna besuccessful.
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