 Nicole Fong Photography There’s something about a girl who can make weird, silly faces and still look gorgeous. Shelby Wulfert, who plays Maddie 2 on the hit Disney show, “Liv and Maddie,” is all that and more. It’s not hard to see why she was chosen to play as one of the girls to help create the intricate process of making Dove Cameron’s twins for the show. Sporting a contagious smile, Wulfert looks sweet and girly, but she’s just as capable of shooting an arrow into a target, as she is climbing trees submerged in a pond (see photos for proof!), and crooning on her ukele to ducks swimming in said pond. She was gracious enough to spend some time doing the interview and photo shoot with me. I even got to shadow her for a day on set, where she introduced me to the whole “Liv and Maddie” cast and crew. You can tell it’s one big family there, and Wulfert is undoubtedly an integral part. With her incredible talents, infectious personality, and down for anything attitude, this is a girl you will be seeing more of in the future!  Nicole Fong Photography Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you’re from, and how you got into acting/singing. Was there a specific moment or experience that happened to you that made you know you wanted to be an actor? I was born in the San Francisco Bay Area and raised in the small Northern California town of Placerville. I was lucky enough to grow up climbing trees and raising chickens and goats - I absolutely love being in nature. I began singing when I was 10 years old. At the county fair one summer, my mom and I came across a booth advertising vocal lessons. I remember looking up at this beautiful woman, Jolinda Crocker, who was smiling at me and asking if I wanted to learn to sing. I said, “Yes, because I want to do musical theater,” which surprised both me and my mom, because I was insufferably shy! I started doing musicals a few months later and my life in the arts has snowballed from there! Before that point I wanted to be a dolphin rider; I’m sure the 4 year old me might be kind of upset to find out that hasn’t come true. How did you get the job of being Maddie 2 for “Liv and Maddie,” and what was the audition process like? The audition for "Liv and Maddie" came through my representation. The breakdown was very specific about height, hair color, etc., but I wasn’t sure going into it what it really was. The casting director explained they were looking to match the main actress Dove Cameron, who had already been cast to play the twins. At the callback I had a chemistry read with Dove to see how alike we looked. Casting told us to stand nose to nose and toes to toes, which is slightly awkward when you’re meeting someone for the first time! I just kept making silly faces to try to lighten the mood. After that I actually had to do a basketball assessment, which was the most terrifying part! I practiced for hours the day before. And then a few days later they called to say I had booked it, which felt amazing!  Who's who?! Dove Cameron (L) and Shelby Wulfert (R)  Wulfert getting her makeup done by makeup artist Laura Schaffer before shooting. (Nicole Fong Photography) Explain to us what the whole process of filming an episode of “Liv and Maddie” is like. How does the filming of you and Emmy Buckner (Liv 2) work with Dove Cameron? Day 1 – We have a table read of the episode in front of the writers and producers. We do the scenes with both twins twice, having Dove switch parts. Day 2/3 – We come in and the script has been changed, so we rehearse and block, and then do a run through for the writers and producers. We do the twin scenes twice for them on these days too. Day 4/5 – These are shoot days. We wear wigs so that the hair matches, and that’s the most time consuming part of getting ready. When we film a twin scene, we have to pay a lot of attention to detail, for continuity. You only see Emmy and me in over the shoulder shots, and the rest is edited together on a split screen. They erase the half with Emmy/me in it and replace it with Dove’s other half. It sounds really complex, but the three of us have it down, and there are a lot of genius people helping us out. Click HERE out to see more of how the process works.  The three hilariously talented and beautiful amigas: Shelby Wulfert, Emmy Buckner, and Dove Cameron. What’s your favorite part of being on the show, and do you have any funny/crazy stories that’ve happened while filming that you can share with us? My favorite part of being on the show is the opportunity that I have to learn about all the jobs that go into making a show. I learned how to operate a camera one day, and watch our set designers create new sets really quickly. My favorite part is talking to our Associate Director, Kevin Sullivan. There are so many people working there who have amazing knowledge about their craft, and I want to learn about all of it! One of my favorite moments on set was definitely the day that Joey Bragg (who plays Joey Rooney) and Tenzing Norgay Trainor (who plays Parker Rooney) brought Nerf guns to work. Naturally, we had a Nerf battle on our lunch break.  Wulfert thinking twice about deciding to climb that tree, though she totally conquered it. (Nicole Fong Photography) What’s something surprising about you that people don’t know? What are some things you like to do outside of acting? I am totally down for any adventure ever! I love doing things that scare me, and I’m constantly pushing my limits. I love traveling to other countries, and in the past few years I’ve been to Thailand, Russia, Japan, and Jamaica. My favorite thing to do while traveling is meet locals and go on some adventure with them, like late night karaoke. I love climbing trees because I’m afraid of heights. I’m learning archery. I just got scuba certified, even though the ocean terrifies me. I think it’s awesome to be able to say, “This really scares me, but I won’t let that stop me.” An actor’s life sometimes resembles a roller coaster. Can you take us back to one of your worst “down” times, and how you overcame it and what you took from it? One of my worst down times was about two years ago. I started getting really down on myself about the way I looked. I constantly compared myself to women around me and thought every job I didn’t book was because I wasn’t pretty enough/thin enough/ etc. I’m sure a lot of people have felt like this. It’s really hard to be in this business (or in this society in general) and not worry about how you look. What helped change my perspective was changing my role models. I started looking up to people who were massively successful and happy. Some of my favorites right now are Amy Schumer, Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Amy Poehler, Tom Hanks, Julianne Moore, and Sarah Silverman. I love people who don’t give a f*** what other people think of them. I’ve since applied that to my life and I’m infinitely happier. Living life without inhibitions is so much more liberating.  Nicole Fong Photography  Wulfert could totally play Amy Poehler's daughter. Let's make it happen, people! (Nicole Fong Photography) If you could work on your dream project, with no regard to budget, what would it be about, who would you work with, and where would you shoot it? I would love to work on a project that I can write and act in, like TRAINWRECK. I’ve always really wanted to work with Amy Schumer or Amy Poehler. If I got to work with them I would be happy to shoot any kind of project. Especially a Bollywood film; Amy Poehler hasn’t done enough of those. Where do you hope to be in five years, and what steps are you taking to get there? In five years I hope to be a series regular on a show, consistently working in films, and continuing with my writing. I always take classes and improve my craft, even when I’m working. There’s no end goal for the next five years. If I’m a better actor in five years and I don’t have a show, I’ll still be happy. What is the best advice you’ve heard and how do you apply it to your life? The best advice I ever received was from my dad. Growing up, if I was ever unprepared for something, he would tell me to “remember my 5 P’s” which he had learned in pilot school. The 5 P’s are: “Piss Poor Planning = Poor Performance.” It might sound negative but it really helped me realize that I was responsible for being under prepared. I think being held accountable gave me a drive to practice and work harder than I would have. If I ever leave an audition and feel badly about my performance, I try not to get upset and I remember my 5 P’s and practice more for the next one.  Nicole Fong Photography What are some tips you would give to those who aspire to do what you’re doing? Do it. Right now. You can’t wait for someone to tell you that you’re ready – you have to decide you are and then take that leap. It’s terrifying, but the fact is, those who try are the ones who succeed. Be curious. Take classes and read books and watch every film/show ever made. I meet many actors who don’t read or don’t take class and they are missing out on so much amazing and helpful information. I think if you don’t do those things, you’re holding yourself back. Don’t give yourself a time limit. If you really love this, you’ll be at it the rest of your life.  Nicole Fong Photography How can others find more about you, or reach out to you? You can find me on Instagram/Twitter: @shelbywulfert or my Facebook page : www.facebook.com/Shelby.Wulfert.Actress  Rocking that bow and arrow! (Nicole Fong Photography) A HUGE thanks to Shelby for doing this interview and to the whole cast and crew of "Liv and Maddie" for letting me into your world for a day!
Let us know how Wulfert's story and advice may have inspired you!
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Do you remember what it was like to read a newspaper? Think back to the days when you held a hard copy in your hands. You’d dig into it, and if you were anything like me, you'd reach for the comics first. If they were good, you’d show whomever was nearby, excited to see their reaction. One such clever comic that consistently makes people think and laugh is Rubes, created by the brilliant Leigh Rubin. Rubes doesn’t produce courtesy laughs, but the lingering kind where your mouth stays open momentarily to take in the awesomeness of it all. Rubin was kind enough to answer some questions on how he got into being a cartoonist, and avoiding crazy stalkers (for the record, I am not. Just clearing that up).   Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you’re from, and how you got into being a cartoonist. I am the first and last of a short line of cartoonists. That is to say I am the only one in my family even remotely interested in pursuing this line of work. My parents always told me not to tip my chair at the table, but did I listen? Nope. So what happened? I tilted my chair and back I fell. All I remember is a loud "thunk," a flash of light, a big lump on the back of my head, and the desire, from that point on, to become a cartoonist. What’s your favorite part of being a cartoonist, and what’s the most challenging part? There is nothing as gratifying as meeting a deadline. Say what you will about the creative process. "It's so fulfilling...It's deeply satisfying...blah, blah, blah." The truth is, there is nothing more satisfying than meeting or beating yet another deadline. That is definitely the most satisfying part...and the most challenging.  What percentage of time do you dedicate to creating artistic content and dealing with the business side? Do you do it all yourself, or do you outsource anything to help you to run your business? I would say 100% percent of the time is dedicated to the creative process and the other 100% percent is dedicated to the business aspects. The other 37% of my time is spent studying math. If by outsourcing you mean "Do I pay pitifully small sums of money, pennies per hour, to people in developing countries to create my cartoons?” Well, that is pure nonsense. How dare you accuse me of such exploitative behavior! (Note to self: first thing in the morning do a Google search of third world cartoonists looking for work.) There are always bizarre and hilarious scenarios happening in your cartoons. Have any of your drawings been inspired by real events? Bizarre and hilarious scenarios are a regular part of all of our lives and most of us just take them for granted. I once did a survey by asking friends and acquaintances what they considered "normal." Not one of the people I asked had the same answer, and in fact, most of them couldn't nail down exactly what "normal" meant. Let's face it – we live on a planet with some really weird looking creatures that behave in very strange and often unpredictable ways...and those are just the people. One of my favorite "cartoon inspired by real life scenarios" happened a few weeks before Christmas in 2007. I was walking my dog when it started raining walnuts, or walnut, as the case turned out to be. I looked up and saw a crow dropping a walnut and using the asphalt street as a nutcracker. "Smart bird!" I said to myself. (Talking to oneself is one of the mandatory requirements to being a cartoonist.) So here you have a crow cracking nuts on the street just a few weeks before Christmas. Combine the crow, the nutcracker, and the time of year together and there you go – cartoon magic without the pencil.  I know you have a deadline every day to get a cartoon out. What’s your process for creating your work? I thought you'd never ask. I know that everyone thinks that I have a magic pencil and all I have to do is shake it hard enough and a cartoon will fall out. Let me assure you that this is not the case. If I were to describe the actual creative process your eyelids would become droopy and you would undoubtedly doze off before I finished the senten...HEY, YOU, WAKE UP! I AM TALKING TO YOU! See, I told you. Sometimes an idea will just strike so fast that I think to myself, "Man, this is the easiest most funnest job in the whole world!" But then there are those days when no matter how hard I shake and shake and shake that #@$&% (pardon my cartoon French) magic pencil, an idea just won't fall out. That's when I think to myself, "Man, this is the hardest, mostest horrible-ist job in whole world!"  What are some things you do to help you if you’re struggling to come up with ideas or create new content? Are there any specific resources/tools/things you do that you find useful for inspiration? Let's just say I break a lot of magic pencils, and those things are not cheap! I also buy erasers in bulk as I tend to erase more than I draw. Oh, I also read anything I can get me hands on: newspapers (see above for description), magazines, trade publications, cereal boxes – you name it, and I'll read it. Oh, I take frequent naps so my brain doesn't overheat. You know what they say, "If napping was a meal, it would be the most important meal of the day." What’s something surprising about you that people don’t know? This space left intentionally blank. (I'd like to remain a man of mystery!) What are some things you like to do outside of cartooning? Did I mention that I take frequent naps?   Why would he think I'm a crazy, nutso stalker?! I look totally sane. Do you have any funny/crazy stories that you’ve experienced with meeting your fans? I met a couple of lovely young women at the California State fair. One of them, an actress, asked me if she could interview me for her blog. After making sure she was not some kind of crazy, nutso stalker, I agreed. What’s a typical day look like for you? Do you have any routines you always like to follow every day? Wake up, fall out of bed and drag a comb across my head. Gosh, how come it sounds so cool when Paul McCartney says it but when I say it it sounds like plagiarism? Typically my glamorous day begins when I come nose to nose with our dog demanding her morning constitutional. How any living thing can have that much energy in the morning without coffee is beyond me. So after the walk, there's the usual breakfast, coffee, and the morning newspaper. For the younger readers out there, a newspaper is a small folded bundle of paper (aka "hard copy"), or "newsprint" made from trees in which ink is applied in story and picture form. It is typically delivered via a newspaper delivery person and is generally retrieved from beneath your automobile, in your bushes or in the puddle left by the runoff from the sprinklers in your front yard. Then it's time to answer email, make any necessary phone calls, etc. I am guessing your next question will address the creative process so I will wait to answer that until after you ask the question.  You travel a lot for speaking engagements. What’s your favorite place to travel to, and is there any place you haven’t been that you’d like to go? Any excuse to travel is good enough for me. Some people mind flying, but not me. Flying affords me more time for napping. While I don't have one favorite place to go I did really enjoy the speaking engagement in Hawaii. Hey, anyone on the islands need a speaker? Just put me on the next plane, and I'll be there! If you could work on your dream project, with no regard to budget, what would it be about, who would you work with, and where would it be? I am actually working on this right now except for the part about "with no regard to budget." But I don't want to spoil the surprise. So if anyone out there would like to contact me that is willing to pony up a bit of dough you know where to find me...no really, seriously!  Can you take us back to one of your worst “down” times, and how you overcame it and what you took from it? You mean like the time I slipped a disc while mountain biking near Mt. Hood Oregon and was in agonizing, excruciating pain and they gave me morphine, but I couldn't take it because in addition to making me feel all warm and fuzzy it seriously impeded my creativity? I had to prop myself at my drawing table, and in between the tears streaming down my face, I created some pretty funny stuff if I do say so myself. You know, being a cartoonist isn't all rainbow pooping unicorns. If you aren't tough don't even try to get into this business. Cartooning is no place for wimps. Oh, and don't do drugs either. That will seriously upset me and believe you me, you do not want to see this cartoonist upset.  How can others find more about you, or reach out to you? I've heard there's this new thing called social media. Apparently it's gaining some traction. So, there's: Rubes Cartoons on Facebook Rubes Cartoons on Twitter and of course there's always the Rubes Cartoons website. And last but not least, there's last century's technology, email: [email protected].  What is the best advice you’ve heard and how do you apply it to your life? Never take rejection personally, unless you are on a date. Sometimes "No!" really does mean "No!" What are some tips you would give to those who aspire to do what you’re doing? Did I mention to never take rejection personally? Well, that can't be overstated. Also, be really, really, really persistent. That, too, cannot be overstated. Be creative in your approach to the business side of things, not just the creative side of things. The world is lousy with fantastic artists but you absolutely must be willing to assume responsibility for the business side of things, or there is a very good chance you will be taken for a ride.  At the California State Fair being silly Thanks so much to Rubin for being so awesome and doing this interview!
Check out his cartoons here, and let us know if you have a favorite RUBES cartoon! |
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