by  Nolan Syers

Gage Golightly is bursting with positive energy.  After speaking with her for a short time, you sense her friendly and determined spirit. You may know her as Haley from Nickelodeon’s new show, “The Troop.”

I interviewed Gage about her role on The Troop and she gave me an inside look into her life and career.

But, first if you haven’t seen The Troop, I want you to set the scene for you.  Everyday teenage life courts fantasy when three ordinary high school students are members of a secret society called The Troop.  These teens are faced with the awesome task of managing their town’s paranormal population.

With the ultra high tech Troop headquarters hidden under the school and equipped with the latest paranormal-fighting weapons and technology, Jake (Nick Purcell) and his newfound elite force companions – smart, strong and pretty Hayly (Gage Golightly) and socially-challenged paranormal expert Felix (Davoid Del Rio)  battle supernatural disturbances – like a tree monster out to seek revenge on the student council or a giant Mongolian worm attack on a senior dance.

Gage spoke about The Troop and how she immediately was attracted to the part. She felt the show was going to hit big with Nick’s audience.

After viewing an episode of The Troop I felt that because of the  computer graphics and special effects being so unique that Nickelodeon had really outdone itself.  I have never seen such visuals in any other Nickelodeon show.  Gage agreed with me as I praised the show.

“I thought the idea of the show was so ingenious, and like nothing I had ever read for before. I auditioned  and then I got a call back.  I was one of the three final girls for the part.  Just to be one of the final people, you know down the wire, was just an honor.

So I got the part, and we filmed the pilot. I found out a year and a half later that the show was picked up.  So, we moved to Canada to shoot 26 episodes!,” she explained.

I asked her how she was like her character  Haley from the show.  She sounds as if she
really enjoys the part.

“I’m like Haley in the sense that, I am not afraid to do anything.  I’m very outdoorsy. I like to ride my dirt bike.  I like to go swimming.  You know really get in there and have fun.

But, there is also a side, where I like to be girley.  I like to do my make-up and do my hair and put on jewelry. But, when it’s time to work, I get ready you know, like rock on!”

Gage describes the role of Haley as her most challenging role yet. She is sure there are more to come, but described the pure physical challenge of this role.

“I’ve played rebel type of girls.  But, the most physically hard challenge has been this show.  I’m all wired up for the day,  and I’m fighting this monster in front of a green screen  and I have to move my body a certain way to make it look real,”she explained.

Although Gage wants to be a a well known actress some day and plans on continuing to act in the future, she has another passion as well.

“I also would love to become a writer one of these days. There are so many different styles of writing that I would love to learn…..but, acting is definitely my first choice.

I  will be in a conversation with my friends and I’m such a dork!  I carry post-it notes and in the middle of a conversation I will jot down something, My friends say what are you doing, and say I’m being weird. “she joked.

Gage compares being a teen actress to perfecting a juggling act.  She explained why in the interview.

“I go to an all girl prep school, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy , and because its an all girl school there aren’t alot of distractions so I can focus on my schoolwork. Acting is really a full time job and school is a full time job.  It really is a juggling act between school and acting . It is like having two full time jobs and its hard trying to make it work,” she explained.

I had to ask her  if she had a mentor or role model.  She answered that immediately.

“Anglina Jolie because her stye is just so beautiful and comes from a position of strength but you feel her strength coming through the screen,”

Gage started acting when she was only 10 years old.  She and her mother moved down to Los Angeles from Lake Tahoe.  They didn’t know anyone, but through a friend she got a manager.  The manager introduced her to her agent and she was sent out on auditions. Shortly after she got her first part, and has been working ever since!

I had to know what she really liked so much about acting.  So, I asked her.

“Becoming a new character and the differences  from me personally, and being able to give them emotion and all the changes,” she revealed.

“Then, I asked her what she liked about being an actress.

“Probably becoming a brand new person. I love reading the different material and ideas. Becoming a new character and that they are so different from me personally, and being able to give them emotion and all the changes.”

I asked Gage if she was home schooled.  Many child and teen actors are home schooeld or have tutors because they spend so much time on the set.

“No, I did when I was in fourth grade, but it didn’t really work out. I guess I’m too much of a social butterfly, you know?”, she explained.

I also asked her was what her most challenging role was.

“Wow, um, my most challenging role would probably be this one. You know, I’m doing all these crazy stunts and I have wires stuck to my back and I’m in front of a green screen. It truly is amazing and I love it,” she confessed.

I thanked her for taking the time out to have the interview with me and she told me to continue writing. I thought she was really cool and down-to-earth.