Lucky for us, we got to spend a day at Los Angeles' hotspot Duff's Cake Mix decorating a cake with Emma Kenney (well, she decorated...we ate) who stars in one of our favorite shows - Shameless. We've been fueling our patience until the new season airs, with features like this and our feature with Jake McDorman (who will also be in the new season!). So we sat down with Emma, and talked to her about the show, her adorable cat, and her downtime - when she has spare time that is!
You started on "Shameless" at so young of an age. It's pretty provocative (and hilarious!)...are you allowed to watch it yet? To be honest, it's not really a show I would watch in my spare time, so I have no interest in watching it. I also read the scripts, so I know the story lines. I also sometimes live tweet but really don't watch the scenes that are adult.
Well, you seem to get along with your co-stars so well (we worked with Emmy Rossum for a cover in 2011 and loved her!). What was the vibe like starting on the show, and how is it now? Looks like you have built a whole new family! We're all friendly, and we've all been that way since the beginning of the show's run four years ago!
So you travel for "Shameless" - Los Angeles and Chicago. What's it like going back and forth? Even when you don't live in either cities! Do you miss New Jersey? I love to travel, and filming in different places is honestly so much fun! Chicago is my favorite city, so I love going there. We just got back from our 8th trip, and I'm still in love with the city. It's kinda nice because we stay in this gorgeous hotel and we film in a lower class area, so I like being able to see everything and every kind of situation while working there. I do miss New Jersey! I love the change of the seasons there, and we don't get that much in Los Angeles. But I talk to my friends and family back home every day, so it's still okay.
What kind of movies or shows do you wish to do next, if you could have control over this decision? More comedies, horrors, etc? I'm dying to do an action movie! I think those are so cool and I'd love to do my own stunts! But personally, I consider myself a better dramatic actor, so I'd like to try comedies to get better and making people laugh, although I'd love to do dramas as well of course.
Is there any particular person (or people) you want to work with too? Who's your acting role model? There are a lot of good actors so I don't really have a role model. There really isn't one person I want to work with. Acting usually means you have to work with others and I learn from every experience!
So your family is from the east coast. How much different is home compared to LA? How did you get started in acting? Los Angeles and New Jersey are so different. In California, most people are involved in the business in some way or another, but in New Jersey, not nearly as many people are, so I like that. I like going home and not having to talk about the business all day long, and just doing and talking about normal things for a little bit. I got started in acting when I was four or five and I just started doing improv classes in New York, which I loved. I did them for years and I still do them now! I got a manager from one of the showcases, and here I am now!
Your parents are both working too - it's wonderful to see they help you with your own job as well! What do they think of your busy career? I love being busy! I'm never bored, there's always something to do when you're working and I love that! My parents know that I love what I do, and they're glad I'm having fun doing it. They always say, though, that if it ever stops being fun (which I highly doubt will happen!), that I can stop, so they're super supportive and aren't pushing me to do this at all.
So we had a blast decorating a cake at Duff's Cake Mix! You must love to bake too. What do you enjoy doing on your downtime? So fun! I love to hang out with my friends, and see movies, really anything any teenager does! I also like to write scripts, and I've started writing song lyrics as well, which I like. I'm a huge reader too. I also like to play tennis, and I'm learning the drums and acoustic guitar too.
And you have a cat named Chester (who appears on your Cake Mix cake)! Does he ever travel with you? Yes, I love my cat! I love cats so much haha. He's actually my Los Angeles cat, so he stays at our place in Los Angeles full time and when we're home, we have a cat-sitter who feeds him and stuff.
Overall, you're very grounded and we love that! How are you able to maintain such a straight head and keep life simply happy? I think it helps that I go back home and to real school when I'm not filming. I have a million friends from Jersey who aren't in the business at all, and none of my family are either. I still do normal teen stuff, and I think that helps! I just have a really nice group of people surrounding me, which is so nice.
Photographed by Roneil Chavez Hair and Makeup by Amber Bruehl Styled by Lucia Tran
Special thanks to Duff's Cake Mix for letting us eat cake!
Brands used: Gracie B., Crafts & Love, Silver Roots Jewelry, and Ruche
Psst - You can get 20% off from the Gracie B. cardigan and skirt Emma wore with code ZOOEYMAG on Gracie B.'s website!