Sara Rodier isn’t your typical actress. She still loves Spongebob, she can hold her own against big Hollywood names, and she’s grounded yet super ambitious. We got to talk to the budding starlet about all things entertainment, her celeb crushes, her creative outlets besides acting and much, much more!

Photo credit: Riker Brothers

Young Adult: How did you get your start in the entertainment industry?
Sara Rodier: I started out with some theatre projects and soon afterward began auditioning for film and television.  I think from the first time I set foot on a stage I knew that my passion was in the arts.

YA: How did the Bad Teacher role come about?  Were you a fan of the original movie starring Cameron Diaz?
SR: Well, it is a funny story really. I wound up switching to a new management company and about an hour after signing with them, they sent me out for the audition.  It led to a callback, studio test, and then network test where i ultimately booked the role.  It was all a bit surreal and amazing.  I have not yet seen the original film.  My parents think it is a bit too much on the “r” rated scale. But i will sneak it in somehow!

YA: Can you tell us a little bit about your character’s best and worst attributes?
SR: Her best attribute is her confidence and that no matter what is thrown at her, she loves herself and is proud of who she is.  Her worst attribute would be that she is a bit socially awkward, but I don’t really know that you can even call that a bad attribute.

YA: What’s your favorite part of coming to work every day?
SR: Being able to work with our amazing cast and bring our creative team’s scripts to life.  Just seeing Ari, Ryan, David, Sara G. and Kristin each day makes me feel great.  I also love my safety patrol gang.

YA: What do you find the most challenging about working in TV e.g. learning lines quickly, having to eat craft services every day?  
SR: Well resisting the urge to eat the sweets on the craft services table is definitely up there.  Waking up for calls before sunrise is also a challenge.  You get the call sheet and sort of pray your call isn’t crazy early, but once I get to the set, the energy of what we are doing makes me forget that my alarm went off at 4am.

YA: Do you have any superstar crushes?  Anybody that you’ve met in the course of your work that you were starstruck by?
SR: If Ian Harding and Colin O’Donoghue are superstars, then yes!

YA: What path do you think you’d be tempted by if you weren’t primed to become a superstar actress?
SR: Writing screenplays.  I love putting my imagination on paper.  I am actually on my second re-write of a comedy pilot I wrote.

YA: Do you have any hobbies or things that you like to do to wind down from a long day on set?
SR: My hobbies are drawing and painting, but after a long day on set I love to just unwind by catching up on my favorite TV shows.  If the day was really long, I probably fall asleep a few minutes in…

YA: What’s your favorite ‘guilty pleasure’ film to watch?
SR: I love sitting on the sofa with my little sister watching Spongebob.

YA: If you could be any actor appearing in any film or TV show throughout the ages, who would it be and which project would it be?
SR: That’s an easy one.  Jennifer Lawrence – Hunger Games.