by Natalie Fitts

Sophomore Genevieve Wiedeman transferred to STA this year after attending a boarding school in North Carolina as a day student. The professional actress has worked as an extra in “The Hunger Games,” starred in short films and done voice-over work. Here she describes some of her favorite things and defining moments.

North Carolina

“It basically [has] every type of environment and scenery. [There are] mountains, the beach…and the cities.”

Kansas City

“This is where my family is from. I come here twice a year anyway for Christmas and summer so I kind of know my way around.”

Liam Hemsworth

“I didn’t know who Liam Hemsworth was at the time. [One day,] I got really dehydrated so they took me into the room where the ‘stars’ were. I saw Jennifer Lawrence. I saw Liam Hemsworth. I knew who Jennifer Lawrence was, but she walked away…and [Liam] was just sitting there. I thought he was just another extra who was having the same problem as me. So I said to him, ‘Oh my god, are you another extra? What’s your name?’ And he was so mad. He literally just looked at me and said, ‘I’m Liam Hemsworth. I play Gale.’…I was like, ‘Oh, cool’ and kind of just walked off. It was so embarrassing. All the girls on set who were also extras were so jealous, like ‘Why didn’t you say more? How did you not know who he was?’”

Background

“I first was a dancer. Then I did more musical theater, which turned into more drama, which made me want to do less of the whole singing and dancing and more of true acting.”

Dream role

“I would love to be the main role of a movie that shows my ethnicity since I’m half-Mexican.”

North Carolina Film Festival

“I am going to film another short film later this year. It’s a film that one of my really good guy friends is filming for the North Carolina Film Festival. Hopefully, it will get on iTunes and actually turn into something big for what it can [be].”

Tory Burch/Plaza

“I like the Plaza a lot. [My favorite store is] Tory Burch. [My favorite pair of shoes are] my Tory Burch shoes. I love Tory Burch!”

Boarding school

“There were so many things I loved about it. It was an international boarding school, co-ed.”

Auditioning for “The Hunger Games”

“They had what are called cattle call auditions. It was at a mall, and they closed down the mall because there were so many people. Everyone who thought they’d like to be an extra came there, and 20,000 came. Only 700 or so made it. [For the audition, you] had to describe yourself and what you can do.”

Reaping scene

“[In this scene,] I stand directly right next to Prim [Willow Shields] so we chatted a bit.”

Andie MacDowell

“Who I really want to work with is Andie MacDowell. I’ve been to her house. I’ve danced with her daughter. Her daughter and I are really close friends…I’d love to do a film with her.”

“Mean Girls”

“What do I not love about it? I love the quotes from [it] that I can use every day. It’s a fun movie to watch with friends.”

“Friday Night Lights”

“Normally I spend my nights watching ‘Friday Night Lights.’ It’s the best TV show ever. I would love to do something like that.”

Hobbies

“I play sports. I’m in tennis right now. I dance. I sing. I love to draw and paint.”

Bo Ling’s

“I like Bo Ling’s. Bo Ling’s is my favorite restaurant here [in Kansas City].”

Dogs

“I have two dogs. One’s a Havanese, and one’s a Bernese mountain dog–a little one and a big one.”

Favorite thing about STA

“The people, for sure. The girls are a lot nicer [than the girls about my boarding school]. And it’s so nice to be able to just wake up and not have to think about what you’re going to wear.”

STA theater

“I will be doing the play in the spring. I was going to do the musical, but would’ve conflicted with tennis too much.”