From the Squamish Wal-Mart to Tinseltown: The past few years have been a whirlwind of activity for emerging television star Olivia Ryan-Stern.
Since jumping into the acting world, Ryan-Stern has appeared in hit shows like Supernatural, Psych and Continuum, and the future looks bright for the former Squamish resident.
But she hasn't forgotten her time spent ringing customers though at the Squamish Wal-Mart or her studies at Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS).
After growing up in Edmonton, Ryan-Stern moved in with her grandfather in Squamish to upgrade her high school marks and save money for post-secondary by working at Wal-Mart and doing some modelling on the side. She eventually became an acting coach of sorts for her uncle and it was that experience that helped fuel her passion for performing.
"My uncle would come over and read lines with me and he told me I was really good at it," she said. "I loved helping him, but when he told me I should get into acting I wasn't really interested in it because I was really shy."
Ryan-Stern said years of being the victim of bullying as a teen left her with low self-esteem and unwilling to put herself out there initially. But a chance meeting while eating lunch changed her views on acting.
"I went out for lunch with my uncle and one of his friends who was an actor," she said. "She was telling me to join up with an agency and while we were sitting there, in walks two managers from one of the talent agencies in Vancouver and she was friends with them. They came up to us and I was introduced to her and she gave me her card and said I should go chat with them about getting into acting."
After a few months, she contacted the agency and delved into the acting world, picking up a number of small roles in TV shows like The Wedding Belles (2010), Hellcats (2011) and Level Up (2012). She said those early roles helped her get comfortable with appearing on camera.
"Wedding Belles happened when one of my agent's friends asked me to be in it and Hellcats was a small role, but it was a stepping stone to getting the hang of acting," she said. "By the time I was in Level Up and Continuum, I felt grounded and they were my first real juicier parts."
Level Up was her first speaking role and on Continuum, she played a recurring character, appearing on three episodes. She also appeared in her first comedic role earlier this year, playing an unimpressed server on Psych.
But it's her most recent role on Supernatural that has the Internet and fans buzzing. Ryan-Stern played the role of demon fighter Tracy Bell and she said she loved the experience.
"In my first scene I cut off someone's head with a machete," she said. "It was a really great learning experience and it was the first time I played a character really unlike me. I was depicted as sexy, which is weird because I'm such an awkward person in real life."
Fans of the show have latched onto the character, with positive reviews of her performance. She said she would love to reprise the role in the future.
"The way it ended was I kind of went my own way," she said. "Lots of fans are asking if I'm coming back, but I know about as much as them. There's a spinoff show of Supernatural coming out and I would love to be in that."
Ryan-Stern's mother and two sisters now live in Squamish and she said she visits often and they're her biggest fans. She said she's passionate about anti-bullying and hopes to host talks about the issue in Squamish and elsewhere.
"We've sent emails to Big Brothers and Big Sisters and I would love any opportunity to speak in front of kids about bullying," she said. "I want to inspire kids and young girls to believe in themselves and how to cope with bullying. They can overcome it and don't let what anyone says limit you."
She said she's not sure what's next for her career but she is auditioning frequently and has several roles lined up. She offered advice to aspiring actors.
"Just go for it," she said. "Don't second-guess yourself because it can be a waste of time. You have to commit to it 100 per cent, give it everything and don't quit."
For updates on Ryan-Stern, follow her on Twitter - @OliviaRyanStern.
