The White-Stern Girls

As girls, every Thanksgiving our father asked us to say what it was we felt blessed by. This year the three of us can’t be together at the table together, but we can share what it is we feel thankful for. So here it is: what we are giving thanks for this year.

Camille: I am thankful for my family and friends, and for the everything they add to my life.

Sarah: So many things to be thankful for this year. My family for one; simply put, the best family a girl could come from. My friends who nurtured me through some of the hardest 6 months of my life (Rob and Suz who received the brunt of it… thank you especially for constantly being there for me, even when I wasn’t pleasant). And last but certainly not least, God. In a time of my life where I felt the most lost, He was there as my best friend and greatest confident, to deliver me into a new mind and my rebirth; and ultimately gave me what I needed the most: my acting.

Ashley: I’m thankful for everyone who has spoken up and supported me through the difficult decision I’ve made to forge my own path. I’m thankful to the community of creators and innovators out here in the Bay Area that I have come to know — such an inspiration. I am thankful to everyone this year who has taught me what love is, who has helped me love better, more fully, and with less fear: especially my family, for showing me every day what it means to practice unconditional love.

1.  What is your relationship to your artwork?  Where are you drawing inspiration from these days?

Sarah: My relationship with my artwork?  That’s kind of difficult, because I think the whole point of a great actor is that the relationship is ever-changing.  Everyday I feel something different about where I am with my acting, especially since “breaking into the industry” is not reliant on your ability to act, but really who you know and the way you look.  So, as of now I try to read plays to keep my actors brain turned on.  I draw inspiration from my everyday life.  I think the best way to describe it was a quote I heard somewhere: “value the process more than the destination.”

Camille: My relationship to my artwork is very personal. I think many artists feel this way. The songs I’m writing about are coming my life, my relationships with different people in my life, my fears, my goals, and really just anything that’s on my mind. I try to pin point my emotions, and invoke those feelings in my songs, whether I’m feeling happy, sad, scared, frustrated, etc.

2.  What is your biggest fear right now?

Sarah: Wow.  Biggest fear… I think my fear is finding a way to balance my love, passion and motivation of acting with my passion and desire to find love.  In every actor’s life, there is always difficulty finding a way to make sure that you have both.  I’m scared that this will be my biggest challenge–to not get swayed to one more than the other.

Camille: One thing I’m scared of right now is just not knowing how people will react to my music. I have yet to really put my own music out there for everyone to judge, and while I’m really excited to do that its a little scary at the same time. By putting my songs out there I’m making myself vulnerable, in a way, because people could say or think anything about my music. They could like, dislike, love or hate my songs. But I see that as just part of the life I want to live. I comfort myself by knowing that there will always be people who are haters, or don’t support me or my music, but as long as I believe in myself and I’m making myself happy those negative people don’t affect me.

3.  If you could ask anyone anything, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Sarah: I would ask Martin Scocese to make me the lead in his next film.  Case closed.  Oh, and to have him put someone amazing like Johnny Depp opposite me.

Camille: Hmm, there are so many questions I’d love to ask a lot of different people. But I’d want to ask the Obama daughters if they’ve had slumber parties in the White House, and if so how was it?…and can I be invited to the next one.

4.  What is one thing you’d really like to save up for?

Sarah: I am currently paying off my SAG (Screen Actor’s Guild) union fees off… they’re pretty expensive so, I would love to have that done.  Also, there is this amazing photographer named Paul Smith.  His headshots are really pricey, but I would love to shoot with him.  So, I’m saving for those, too.

Camille: A new pair of Cesare Paciotti shoes! I looove them!

5.  Is there anyone in your family you wish you were closer to (alive or not)?

Sarah: Hmmm, that’s a tough one.  On an emotional level?   Not really… I wish my Uncle Sol (my grandmother’s cousin) was still alive.  He seemed pretty cool when I was younger, and lived in San Diego, so it would have been nice to have him live close to me.  I really wish Camille lived on the West Coast, because I find myself missing her pretty much everyday.

Camille: I definitely wish I could have known my Uncle Doug (my mother’s brother) and my Grandmom Pearline (my father’s mother).  I feel like I would’ve been really close to both of them. They both passed away before I was born, but I think about them a lot.