Check out our interview with talented Disney’s hit series “Sydney to The Max” actress Cassidey Fralin.
She made her first television appearance on an episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien in 2010. Cassidey is a caring, intelligent, outgoing kid. She has a passion for acting and loves to play dynamic characters. She is also a well-trained singer with a soulful voice. Cassidey loves to dance and is an avid reader.
Follow Cassidey @iamcassidey
Hi Cassidey, please tell us a little about you?
Hi! My name is Cassidey Fralin. I am passionate about acting, singing, dancing, learning — I am especially dedicated to my history studies — and unifying those interests by performing full productions of Hamilton and Les Misérables in my mirror. I come from a big and boisterous family composed of five siblings, the best two parents in the world, and one puppy (Auggie!).
Describe yourself in 3 words?
I would describe myself as an empathetic, enthusiastic, and diligent person 🙂
How did you get started into acting?
I got started as an actress because I loved stories and storytelling more than anything — to my parents’ credit, they introduced me first to the Pippi Longstocking books, instilling a lifelong love for reading, before I watched the movie; but once I realized that real people could embody the characters I loved so much and that I could be one of those magical people, there was no curtailing my love for studying and practicing screen acting.
How has this changed your life?
I love connecting with other people and telling stories, and through acting I can do that. Moreover, acting taught me very early on that putting my all into something and knowing I am doing my best work always make me feel at my best. Knowing that about myself influences me to take on new projects and challenge myself, and I’m so glad, because I’ve learned to enjoy the process of everything I do instead of only finding joy in the outcome.
What is the best and worst part of being an actress?
As an actress, it can be upsetting to feel like I am doing everything “right” but still not experiencing external validation. When I was younger, my dream was to book an incredible role, make the world fall in love with me, and win all of the fancy awards. That dream was what I worked for. And while I don’t know anyone, including myself, who doesn’t still dream about that, I realized that the reason for which I wanted so badly to be recognized for my acting as opposed to, say, my impressive roller-skating skills (catch those in an upcoming Sydney to the Max episode) was simply that I loved acting more than anything else in the world.
Once I realized that I should be equally as passionate about the actual iterative process of refining my acting skills as the dream role those skills could land me, and that I could still love acting even if nobody was watching, I came to understand that pouring myself wholeheartedly into my craft is valuable in and of itself. And that’s how I turned the worst part of being an actress into the best part!
How do you prepare for a role?
Honestly, my preparation for roles varies depending on my access to materials about plot, characters, and themes. I always feel lucky when I am given the whole script when reading for a role, but since that only happens occasionally, I always start preparing for an audition by thoroughly studying any information about my character that I’m provided and annotating my sides.
Tell us about your work on Disney’s hit series “Sydney to The Max?”
On Sydney to the Max, I play the role of Young Alisha, the titular Sydney’s mother, who appears in the show’s flashbacks to the 1990s. Alisha is a lot like me – she loves to have fun, but she is also a dedicated student who eventually becomes a surgeon (one of my dream careers)! She is exuberant and forms fast friendships with the kids in her community, including Sydney’s future father. On Sydney to the Max, many of our episodes work to address social issues like microaggressions or discrimination against Black hair in an entertaining yet educational and understandable manner which is something I really adore about the show.
What other projects have you been part of?
You can find me in the thrillers We Belong Together, & The Descendant. I have also made appearances in a few television series, such as The Big Bang Theory, Blackish, and Extant. My biggest bragging right is my appearance in Adam Levine and Sza’s What Lovers Do music video, where I play Sza (who I absolutely obsess over and adore) as a child.
What kind of roles do you like or would like to play and why?
I would absolutely love to act in a period piece, or play a role out of a book I adore, as Amandla Stenberg did in ‘Where Hands Touch’. I love being able to explore a wide variety of characters to better understand how every character’s background influences their choices, and I can’t think of a more entertaining way to do so than playing a character being brought up in a decade or life scenario entirely different from mine.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
The most rewarding part of any work I do is knowing that I put my all into it, and when that hard work reflects in the final outcome.
What did you learn from your biggest failure?
I learned that, and I mean this in the least corny way possible, you can never truly fail. “Failure” in my eyes is redirection. I try (and sometimes I… fail) to turn negative things into learning opportunities. For example, if I don’t get a role I absolutely love, instead of thinking of it as a missed opportunity I perceive it as the Universe’s way of telling me there is something out there that is better for me, and that I should keep working hard to achieve my dreams.
What’s your advice for the newer actresses?
Never give up! The Universe has something in store for you, it’s only a matter of time. If you really love acting, take advantage of every opportunity to practice and study. That will both make you better when people are ready to watch you and provide you with knowledge about yourself that is valuable!
What would you say are the greatest lessons you learned so far in this business?
When I first began acting my mom made it very clear that I realized a lot of “no’s” would come with the job. As I’m sure I’ve already said a thousand times, hearing a series of “no’s” can be jarring. But it made me realize that acting is what I am most passionate about and that and opportunities that I may not expect are waiting for me. I have applied this to every other area in my life — my grades, my friendships, all normal teenage things — and I can’t even quantify how much it has helped me to have experience with overcoming rejection. No matter how many “no’s” I have heard and continue to hear in the acting business, I keep in the back of my mind that rejection is redirection, I move on, and I work even harder to reach my dreams.
How would your best friend describe you?
My best friend took it upon herself to answer this question and here’s what she said: “Cassidey is a force field: it’s impossible to come near her without being pulled into her orbit by her impossible energy levels, her iron will and her endlessly kind heart. Though I live in fear of October, when her irrepressibility will mean that I have to watch horror movies (scary!), for now I am so grateful to have a friend like Cassidey who is passionate about everything she does because she inspires me to care more deeply. – Violet”
Thanks, bestie! <3
What book should every entrepreneur read?
Every entrepreneur should read Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon and record themselves tearing up throughout the novel. CEOs should have feelings too, right?!
What’s next for Cassidey Fralin in 2021?
You can catch me Sydney to the Max almost every week, which is on air every Friday at 8.25pst. I have a feeling 2021 will be an amazing year for me, so please do keep an eye out!
What is your favorite healthy food?
My favorite healthy food is spicy tuna crispy rice.. If that counts, haha.
And your favorite cheat food?
I don’t think that there is such a thing as a “cheat” food — if you’re asking for a food that I will always eat no matter what, then anything from a sushi restaurant should do the trick!
How would you explain your fashion style?
I’ve most recently been really interested in 90’s grunge and Y2K attire. My Pinterest fashion board has thousands of pins. One day, I may wake up and want to go for Lady Gaga’s unique vibe, or I will want to embody Amy Lee from Evanescence’s fashion taste. Honestly, it just depends on my mood. Something I admire about fashion is that it is constantly evolving, and I hope that my irreverent and fluid style reflects that.
What is your own definition of happiness?
My definition of happiness is knowing that I am making people smile with both my work and the way I live my life. I find comfort in knowing I am making a difference, and acting affords me the opportunity of doing so on a greater scale than I ever imagined.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would love to meet Ellen Pompeo. I admire everything about her. I haven’t watched 343+ hours of Grey’s Anatomy for nothing, haha. Ellen truly inspires me every single day. I mentioned earlier that what I love about acting is the opportunity I get to communicate with people of all demographics in a loving and educational way. Ellen communicates this in every single episode of Grey’s Anatomy, through her flawless on screen acting but also behind the scenes when advocating for important topics to be represented respectfully in her show. She goes about everything with poise, and I don’t think I will ever not fan girl when she is brought up in a conversation.
Best advice ever given?
The best advice passed down to me is to “[b]e the person that makes others feel special. Be known for your kindness and grace.”
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years from now?
5 years from now, I will be (manifestation) working on a project I am extremely proud of; and I can’t wait for the world to see it. I will be at a college well suited for me, working constantly to improve myself as a person and still becoming as amazing of an actress I can be.
Favorite song? Why?
My favorite song is Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden, mainly because whenever I listen to it I feel like i’m in a band of cool teenagers in the 90’s jamming out and having the time of my life.
What do you think of Social Media?
I love how educational social media can be. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have served as an amazing way for our generation to educate ourselves and disseminate important information. Unfortunately, social media can also promote a harmful and unrealistic standard of lifestyle and beauty, but it positively provides a platform for the creation of communities that challenge unkindness and oppression online and off, so for those reasons I do enjoy it.
Now talking about Instagram, can you share some tips for keeping your account interesting?
I love re-posting infographics on current events because I think that it’s important to use what platform I have to bring more good into the world. I also love going live on my Instagram to show my followers a less pre packaged version of my personality! I try to post pretty often to keep everyone who follows me on Instagram updated on my life’s endeavors.
Where can we follow you?
You can follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @iamcassidey 🙂
Book: My favorite book of all time is We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.
Quote: “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you. ” – Princess Diana
Movie: My favorite movie is Dear John, starring Amanda Seyfried & Channing Tatum.
Tv series: My favorite tv series is Grey’s Anatomy.
Favorite Food: My favorite food is spicy tuna crispy rice!
Travel Destination: My dream is to vacation to and eventually live in Portofino, Italy!
Sports Team: Go Lakers!
