Amelie Anstett is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. At just 17 years old, the teenage star has danced onstage with Justin Bieber, amassed thousands of followers across her social media platforms, and has recently starred in Brat TV’s hit series, Chicken Girls.
The Teen Magazine got the opportunity to meet with Amelie to discuss her dancing and acting career, and exciting plans for the future.
photo by @mattyrhee
The Beginning
Amelie recalls how her performing aspirations were established from a young age, in front of one very special audience: her family.
“I remember just performing in my grandparents' living room for like when the family gets together for Christmas. I was always like the one Grandkid that literally would make sure everyone was in the room like all sitting around the couches, and I would just perform for all of them.”
It was these early moments in her childhood that sparked her passion for entertaining. “I just had a passion for doing it at such a young age,” she tells us, “The smiles that you can put on people's faces... it was just so fun!”
Performing With Justin Bieber
“There was like 20,000 plus people in the audience. I remember walking and stage and just seeing people everywhere.”
Amelie is a phenomenally talented dancer, and her videos have gained thousands of views online. However, her big break came when she earned the opportunity to dance with Justin Bieber on his Purpose Tour, aged 12 at the time.
photo by @sarahhuang.jpg
A 20,000-strong crowd and one of the most accomplished musicians of this generation — did she feel nervous? “I mean, you're always a little bit nervous going into any opportunity that you have,” she says, “I was more like ‘nervcited’ — nervous and excited, I always say that! — and it was just like one of the most amazing experiences in my life.”
In fact, Amelie revealed that she attributes a large part of her career path to the experience as a whole and even some mentorship from JB himself. “It opened the doors for me getting into my career and everything and showed me that this is what I want to do, this is what I want to pursue. So I’m so grateful for the experience and for Justin — it was just absolutely surreal.”
On Becoming An Actress
The origins of her acting career are not what you might expect — it was only more recently that she discovered her passion for it.
I started going out to LA when I was about like 14 or 15 and that’s when a lot of casting directors and other people in the industry were like “Do you do acting?”, and I was like “Yeah, I can act.”
I’d done theater when I was younger and stuff like that, so I was like “Let’s get into that, too!”
photo by @mattyrhee
Without a doubt, Amelie's pure affection for her job shines through as she speaks. “It’s so cool how you get to hop into these different people, when you play characters, you literally get to become a different person,” she said, smiling, “I’m just so grateful that I get to do it.”
On the Set Of 'Chicken Girls'
Last year, Amelie debuted as 'Sadie' in season 6 of Brat TV's hugely popular teen comedy-drama series, Chicken Girls, in which she features alongside a host of other teenage stars- such as Jules LeBlanc and Hayden Summerall.
Landing the role, she says, has been a landmark moment in both her life and career. “Ever since I got Chicken Girls it has been another huge, huge point in my career so far that has definitely changed my life. Honestly, that whole experience and being part of that cast and like part of the Brat family has been absolutely amazing. They’ve all become some of my best friends out in LA and, again, it’s been so surreal.”
One thing that fans of the show may be intrigued by, is what is like on set when the cameras aren't rolling. “People say like 'How was work?', and I don’t really consider it work because going to set is something that I look forward to every morning- even if it’s like 4 AM, I’m like: 'Let’s go!'. We have so much fun.”
photo by @sarahhuang.jpg
She quickly emphasizes the hard work and dedication of the cast as well, saying, “We’re very professional, of course, and we all know our lines and stuff like that; we’re always on time. But, we are also just kids, and we have so much fun making our own little videos, eating, and making all these things, and mess around so much — it’s seriously so much fun.
Specific memories that I remember, when we’re playing football and stuff in the scenes in the show, that was actually us playing and messing around, it wasn’t scripted- we were just having fun and being kids. I think it’s so cool that we still have the opportunity to do that and be normal whilst working.”
Amelie also revealed to us that fans of the show often recognize her; something which she is incredibly modest about. “When you’re in the business, you know you’re doing the right things when people start to recognize you. Again, I feel so honored and humbled that they are coming up to me. It makes me feel so happy that I can talk to them and meet them because they’re the ones supporting us and getting us to where we are, so it’s so cool that we can do the same back and make friends.”
Role Models
Many people have inspired her throughout her career, Amelie tells us. However, there was one person in particular who had been most impactful.
photo by @focuslexi
“I think one of my biggest role models is definitely Justin for the fact that he introduced me into this industry more and gave like when we got to talk backstage and stuff he told me like, 'Remember who you are, and how you started, and always stick to your roots and grow through that'. Which was really, really cool, and it’s always stuck with me.
He was like, 'It doesn’t matter what other people think, it’s about you and what you want, and what you want to pursue. Satisfy yourself and not everyone else, and just be original.' That’s how I stuck with that motto and created ‘be original’ as my slogan because I think it’s so important. He has definitely been one of my biggest mentors and role models.”
On Social Media (and her fans)
Despite having several ever-growing social platforms, Amelie remains adamant that this does not overwhelm her. Instead, she says she is honored to have the opportunity to connect with so many of her fans.
photo by @mattyrhee
“I think it’s kind of I always put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that I can support my fans and followers, just as much as they support me, and I think that’s really important. I try to use my platform to spread happiness and positivity and know that people aren’t alone. So, it doesn’t really overwhelm me, I just feel so grateful that I get to wake up and look at my DMs and texts and see how we can impact and influence should a world of people, and social media has definitely brought that together.”
When we asked Amelie what she would like her fans to know about her, she tells us, “Again, my main message is to spread positivity and happiness and I think I want them to know that I appreciate them, and I’m so grateful for them and just love them so much. Seriously, I genuinely care about all of them.”
Upcoming Projects
As for the future? “When it comes to upcoming goals, I’m the type of person that always says everything happens for a reason. So I just go with the flow, but of course, I’m working super hard for everything,” Amelie says.
photo by @sarahhuang.jpg
“I actually have a lot of upcoming projects that are in the works and have been in the works, but with COVID and everything it has been so weird. My goal with social media is to be able to keep spreading that message to be able to connect with people, and as years keep going on I hope to have a lot going on with acting and dancing and [mix] them together, which will be really, really cool. The future just takes us on a path, and we’ll see where it goes.” It sure sounds exciting!
Advice For Others
Lastly, Amelie told us what advice she would give for others aspiring to go into the entertainment industry.
photo by @sarahhuang.jpg
“My biggest advice for people trying to get into the industry is to commit. If you want to do it, commit to that goal. If you just sit there and wait for it to come to you, you can’t do that, it’s not the same.
Commit to your goal, be ready and do it for yourself, not for everyone else. Of course, listen to other people’s opinions and take that, but do it for yourself and satisfy yourself. I think that’s really important.”
10 Quick Q's With Amelie Anstett
Get to know Amelie better with this series of rapid-fire questions! Ready? Get, set, go!
1) If you weren't dancing or acting, what career would you choose?
Probably something still in the business, maybe behind the scenes or a casting director.
2) What is your favorite song to dance to right now?
Contemporary-wise, I’ve been listening to ‘Waves’ — I’ve been dancing to that song a lot.
3) Where would you go on your dream vacation?
Probably somewhere like Bora Bora, or somewhere like that, that'd be really fun.
4) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Cucumbers, even though that’s just a vegetable. I just love cucumbers!
5) Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert?
Definitely an extrovert! I’m the sort of person that will work up to anyone and talk to them - I love making friends!
6) Do you have any secret talents?
I’m extremely flexible with dance, I’m like a contortionist and super bendy, so I guess that would be my secret talent.
7) What is your favorite TV show to binge-watch?
Probably Manifest or Grey’s Anatomy. I love drama shows.
8) If you could time travel, when and where would you go?
I would definitely go back to like the '50s or '60s. I feel like back in the day without phones and social media life was so different.
9) What is your go-to guilty pleasure?
When it comes to just relaxing, I love just like ice cream and chilling and watching a movie.
10) What is the best advice that you have ever been given?
So much advice that I’ve been given is amazing. Something that’s definitely stuck with me is that everything happens for a reason, and it can either be good or bad.
Sometimes it doesn’t make sense when it is bad, but eventually, it will. I definitely go by that because there have been so many examples in my life when it comes to my career, and stuff like that, where bad things have happened- and I’ve wondered why.
But then, like a few months later, it’s weird how it all works out. That’s something that I have learned just to accept and live by.
Keep Up With Amelie
Thanks for the interview, Amelie!
Be sure to check out her social media accounts @amelie.anstett on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can also follow her on Facebook and YouTube.
