Allisyn Ashley Arm – A.P. Bio

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I’m currently part of the cast of NBC’s “A.P. Bio,” alongside incredible comedians Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt. I also write, direct, produce and star in my own web series “Astrid Clover.” I’ve been releasing episodes of “Astrid Clover” every single week for the past three and a half years. The series pokes fun at the millennial generation that thinks believing in yourself is the same as working hard. I star as Astrid Clover, an aspiring vlogger/journalist that has no job and no college experience. It gives viewers a gritty and comedic look into what it’s like trying to “make it” in Los Angeles, a world where keeping the lights on and picking a caption for your selfie are of equal importance.

Q) Please tell us the premise for the series “A.P. Bio” and about your character Heather.
A) “A.P. Bio” came from the mind of the brilliant “Saturday Night Live” writer Mike O’Brien. It follows Jack Griffin (Glenn Howerton), an award winning philosopher who gets fired from Harvard. He then moves back to his hometown, Toledo, and finds work teaching advanced placement biology at a public high school. He shows up to the first day of class with Advil PM and tells his students to pop one and take a nap. Whenever I’m asked about the show, I always describe it as the complete opposite of “Glee.” Jack spends his time plotting a way to get out of Toledo and take the job of his longtime rival and ends up using his classroom full of dweebs for his crazy schemes. I play Heather, a mousy little introvert who’s probably read a little too much Fifty Shades of Grey. As Heather, I get to shock and entertain viewers with inappropriate sexual comments.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?
A) Not only do I get to work with some insanely talented comedians that I have admired for years, but I also became immediate best friends with my fellow classmates on the show. We’re all so thankful that we bonded so quickly and became a family, or as Nick Peine dubbed us “The Gang Gang (long story).” Spending nearly every day with The Gang Gang made working on “A.P. Bio” such a blast! I became homeschooled after booking my series regular role on Disney’s “Sonny With A Chance” at age twelve so I never got to experience attending high school. In between takes on the “A.P. Bio” set, we all passed notes to each other and goofed around. The prop department even assigned us lockers to keep our stuff in. Being on hiatus from the show really feels like a summer break. It’s nice to have more free time, but I miss my classmates dearly. I love hanging out with them every chance I get!

Q) Talk about working alongside Glenn Howerton.
A) I’ve always been a huge fan of “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” and was stoked when I found out Glenn was cast as Jack Griffin! He is so good at what he does and I certainly look up to him the same way Heather looks up to Jack.

Q) You have great comedic timing. Is it something that has come naturally to you or have you had to work at it?
A) Nothing makes me happier than making people laugh, on and off camera. So, I put my whole heart into every comedic role I get to play. I don’t take classes or train anywhere, but I spend a ton of time watching TV or as I call it “studying.” My favorites are “The Office,” “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia,” “Arrested Development,” “Wilfred” and “Bojack Horseman.”

Q) You are known for working on great comedies like “Sonny With a Chance” and “So Random!” What is it about these kinds of shows that draws you to them?
A) Well, when you’re still in the stages of building your career you don’t really get to choose your roles. I never pictured myself working on the Disney channel. The majority of my career leading up to that were shows and movies for adults that I usually wasn’t even allowed to watch when they came out, like “Friends” and “Mr. Woodcock.” I always put 110% into every audition I get and embrace each new role and challenge, trying to find something unique that only I can bring to the character. The shows and films I have appeared in aren’t necessarily ones I have been “drawn to,” it’s more like I have been lucky enough to find opportunities to play roles I have been perfect for. I loved playing Zora on “Sonny With A Chance” and “So Random!” and getting experience working on the set of a classic Disney sitcom. As my career and resume grow, I have been lucky enough to start getting direct offers for roles, but I still have a long way to go and a lot of auditions ahead of me. I can’t wait to see where my career goes and what characters I’ll get to play in the future. I’ll always be so thankful to Disney for giving me exposure as a comedian.

Q) What was your favorite episode of the show to film?
A) My favorite episode of “Sonny With A Chance” is a tie between the Candyface episode and our High School Musical parody episode. Both of them were a break from the norm and the change of scenery was very refreshing. For High School Miserable, a high school set was constructed and a choreographer was brought in to stage a musical number with us. I also got to go into the recording studio with my castmates to do vocals for the song. In the episode Candyface, the crew turned a massive section of our soundstage at Hollywood Center Studios into a forest! We got to hang out in tents and eat real s’mores while filming.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming “A.P. Bio?”
A) There is an episode titled We Don’t Party where the geeky A.P. Bio students attend their first high school party. As Heather, I wear huge bottle cap glasses that magnify my eyes. They’re hysterical and add so much to the character, but I can’t see jack squat. In We Don’t Party, there’s a scene where I needed to pour shots of bourbon and I gave the cast and crew quite a laugh trying to blindly pour liquid into two tiny cups. It was an utter failure and they ended up having to film it as a closeup instead so I could pour without wearing the glasses.

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback to episodes?
A) Yes! Live tweeting with the cast during the premiere of each new episode is so fun! I love answering questions, interacting with fans and finding out which lines and episodes are viewers’ favorites!

Q) What advice would you give to others who want to start out in the acting business?
A) You need a lot of patience and thick skin. I have been in this industry since age four and have faced so much rejection over these eighteen years. I’ve been lucky enough to find work, but it can take years of auditioning before ever seeing results. My advice would be to not put pressure on yourself and never take the rejection personally. All you can do is have fun and keep putting in work until the right opportunity comes along.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Television and movies are such a huge part of my life. I love being able to relax after a long day by escaping into a world full of characters I’ve fallen in love with. Getting to be an entertainer gives me the opportunity to be there for viewers all over the world, when they feel like escaping, or want a good laugh. I’m so thankful for everyone who reaches out with love and support. I love knowing that people root for my characters and laugh at my jokes. All I want is to do for others what Glenn Howerton, Patton Oswalt and so many of my other favorite comedians have been able to do for me. So, to everyone who has been following my career, I’m doing it for you! Keep watching and keep laughing! Much love!