Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Foiles.
Lisa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was a competitive tap dancer living in Spokane, Washington, when one of the judges at a local competition told my parents, “You need to get this girl to Hollywood.” Next thing I knew, at age 12, I was living in California and got a commercial agent! I booked a few small roles before my dream role came along: a series regular spot on Nickelodeon’s ALL THAT. They were conducting a nation-wide search for a brand new cast of kids, and seven callbacks later, I landed the job. I spent four years on this amazing sketch comedy show that I call a perfect mix between theater and television. I felt born to act, and it defined my entire life. Aside from ALL THAT, I appeared in a few films, as well as on EVEN STEVENS, LEVERAGE, GAME SHAKERS, and one of the most popular episodes of MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, playing the female version of Malcolm. I continued to hone my skills not only in hosting, creating online content, singing, and songwriting, but I even published my first novel in April 2020, a children’s fantasy story called “ASH RIDLEY AND THE PHOENIX.” At the beginning of 2020, I was invited back to appear on two episodes of the new, rebooted ALL THAT, and I can’t wait for those episodes to air! Life is good.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any young actor who finds a level of success in a very specific genre, like sketch comedy, has struggles breaking out of that box. I wasn’t given the opportunity to audition for too many serious roles, even though I had been trained in dramatic acting. People just saw me as the cute, hyper redhead from Nickelodeon – which of course, I was okay with! I’m forever proud of my work on ALL THAT, I just always strive for more opportunities to show people what I can do. Thankfully, outlets like YouTube have been able to provide me more variety when it comes to roles. Another struggle I’m having lately is that my first novel debuted during this crazy pandemic, so unfortunately, all of my appearances and book signings got canceled. I had to solely rely on social media to get the word out there – but hey! I have the best fans in the world, and my book is doing great! My signed copies sold out day one!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Ask any of my fans to define who “Lisa Foiles” is, and you’ll get some radically different answers! Most people know me from my four years on Nickelodeon’s ALL THAT, there’s an entire group that only knows me from MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, I developed a huge fanbase from my years spent talking about video games, and an entirely different bunch knows me as the girl who reported on the UFC for a few years! I’m all over the map – and I’m just getting started! I have a really hard time sticking to just one discipline because I’m passionate about so many things. I think I’m most proud of myself for figuring out who I am as a performer and person and being that person always. What probably sets me apart is how much significant experience I have in so many different aspects of entertainment. Or, maybe my red hair. It’s probably my hair.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Winning a Kids Choice Award was pretty cool! 🙂 I’d always dreamed about winning an orange blimp, and then one year, I think it was 2004, ALL THAT won for Favorite TV Show. Every time I hold that award in my hands, I get goosebumps. Plus, it’s got a kaleidoscope inside of it!! I mean come on that’s way cooler than an Oscar.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.lisafoiles.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/LisaFoiles
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LisaFoilesOfficial
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LisaFoiles
- Other: https://amzn.com/dp/1682619036/
Image Credit:
Brooks Ayola
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