Rising Star Kate Roman On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
An Interview With Elana Cohen
“Your fear of looking stupid is holding you back.” In this industry you have to be giving 110% or you’re not fully in it. Don’t be afraid; in fact, take risks and move outside your comfort zone, that is how you grow.
As a part of my series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kate Roman.
Kate Roman is a rising teen actor, dancer and singer to watch from Toronto, Canada. Kate can be seen in her breakout role as Ariana in the highly acclaimed teen drama series The Next Step. Kate also co-produced and starred in the independent film butterfly for which she won a joey award for best actress in a short film and was nominated for a young artist award. She appreciates both sides of the camera and enjoys telling her own stories through various multimedia.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you, I’m excited to be speaking with you!
I grew up just outside of Toronto, Canada with my older sister Emily and my mother and father. We also have a dog, a beautiful golden retriever named Oakley. My sister is almost four years older than me, and so my earliest memories are of us singing and dancing around the house. We are an active family and love to travel to cottage country to swim and waterski/wake surf in the summer, play in the local soccer league, and in the winter downhill ski and skate. These busy days were often followed by movie nights or board games, music, and lots of popcorn! My sister and I started in dance classes together at the ages of 4 and 8 respectively and continued for 12 years, participating in competitions across North America and Europe. We both loved it and were very successful. It was a very serious commitment, and I was competitive; but also a strong team leader and mentor to younger dancers.
Outside of dance I have attended school full-time and am proud to have balanced rigorous academic demands each year with everything else.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was a super cute, bubbly, and outgoing kid — loving the spotlight; I didn’t crave attention though, I just felt very comfortable in this space from the start. We have a large window seat in our living room and I would pretend it was my stage where I was performing for the whole world to see. Even in daily life, I was the most talkative at family dinners and could strike up a conversation with any adult or child. It was an easy decision for my parents to enroll me in competitive dance, which I immediately fell in love with and committed to for many years. Around the age of seven, I was scouted by an agent and booked my first commercial. I’d always appreciated the art of storytelling through dance, so naturally I took interest in acting.
A few years later I booked some single television episodes and a music video. In 2019 I landed my first Netflix film, Feel The Beat, then my second two years later, 13: The Musical. These were both amazing experiences that have taught me so much about the industry and how a set functions. These past 4 years, I invested more of my time into acting training — I knew I could do more. Fast forward to this past year when I booked my first lead role in the popular television series, The Next Step! It’s been a journey, and I’m so grateful for the ride — and can’t wait to see what comes next.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your entertainment career?
That’s a tough one, each experience I’ve had so far has been unique and really amazing. Dancing in Disney’s 60th diamond anniversary parade was definitely a highlight, as was working with Tamra Davis who directed 13: The Musical — she has a ton of experience. I think though that my most interesting stories are yet to be told…follow up with me in a few years on that one!
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Since a young age I’ve been a perfectionist. I’m a lot better now, but I used to go a bit overboard. I remember one early morning I was warming up my solo before a competition in Chicago when I kept messing up this one trick. It was a new skill I had recently learned, and my studio director had included it in the choreography to challenge me, to help me grow. My mom and sister were making suggestions and trying to help with some simple fixes, but I ended up having a full 10-year-old-style breakdown about it (lol). I was putting so much pressure on myself trying to be perfect, only to realize perfection is not attainable. The true beauty of art actually lies within the raw and organic. I soon learned to take a step back and not get inside my head and avoid self-sabotage. I realized that my mind is a very powerful tool, I can either let it make me or break me. In the end once things were calm again, I did what felt right in the moment. I placed first at that competition, and looking back now, this was a key moment in my early training as an actor.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
My most exciting project to date is airing now and it’s very exciting! The Next Step season 9 in the UK, Australia and Canada — I have a lead role as Ariana, a new character who takes this season by storm — and so much happens! I think a lot of people can see themselves within parts of her. Ariana faces so much conflict; internal and external — it’s very relatable. And it’s interesting to see how she navigates these obstacles along her journey.
Most young people your age don’t have to balance work and school. Can you tell us how you manage to balance your schoolwork, auditions, and time on set?
It’s not easy! It’s basically non-stop. Since a young age I was training in several dance styles for 25+ hours a week with many weekends away at competitions, plus full days of school and auditions and jobs as they came up. This taught me to have a very strong work ethic; self- discipline and motivation to get my homework done in the little spare time I had each day. If I got behind, it would triple in consequences very quickly; so even if I had to sacrifice some social events I learned quickly to focus and get things done fast. My parents are my support system and have always been there to ensure I have everything I need to perform my best. On set, there is a tutor and we need to log 3 hours of schoolwork before heading to set. This meant much earlier call times and the need for a structured schedule; getting a good sleep and staying organized to make every minute of the day count.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am extremely grateful for my family — they are my rock and have been so supportive throughout my life. My parents are amazing at balancing their own responsibilities with the demands of supporting both my sister and I at school, extra-curricular activities and competitive dance, and both of us acting which means a lot of last-minute auditions, callbacks, fittings and driving to set locations!
My sister Emily is my best friend; we are inseparable, and I don’t know what I’d do without her. I grew up watching her dance, act and sing and she has taught me so much. Whether it be borrowing something from her closet or advice about something I’m struggling with, she’s always there for me 1000%.
Now let’s jump to the main part of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1. “If you don’t like something, leave it. If you can’t leave it, change it. If you can’t change it, accept it.” One of my mentors told me this years ago and I never forgot it. In this life there’s only so much we can control. Learning to put your energy into how you react to events (or not) is key.
2. “What feels like the end of the world now probably won’t matter in a year, month, or even week.” This is something my dad has told me from an early age. Similar to the first quote, learning to take things lightly has been a huge part of being able to handle adversity in life.
3. “Life is very fast-paced — make sure to take some time to stay grounded in the moment and unwind.” Working with Samantha Wen, one of the directors on The Next Step, she taught me the importance of mental recovery after a long day of work. I had some heavy scenes while I was working with her, and she told me to find something at the end of the day to “reset” and come back to my grounded neutral energy. This is really important to do, your brain works so hard for you, it’s important to give it the rest it deserves.
4. “Your fear of looking stupid is holding you back.” In this industry you have to be giving 110% or you’re not fully in it. Don’t be afraid; in fact, take risks and move outside your comfort zone, that is how you grow.
5. “For every door that closes, a better one will open.” I truly believe in trusting the process and knowing that everything happens for a reason. I look back on opportunities that I really wanted at the time but looking at what arose instead and thinking how well it worked out proves this point. Trust the universe and its timing, things will happen when they are meant to. Just keep putting in the work and be ready!
You are a person of enormous influence. How do you think you can use social media as a platform to be a positive influence to your fans, and for society at large?
I think no matter what the situation (in person or online) I’ve tried to use my strengths to spread positive energy and inspire others, in humble and relatable ways; to work hard and show that it’s possible to achieve great things by being a person of good character and consistently work toward my goals. On social media, that means posting authentic content, fun stuff, and don’t be overbearing. Honesty and a little vulnerability are all you need to connect with people.
If you had the ability to choose to work on any TV show or film, or work alongside any co-star, or with any director, what or who would that be, and why? You never know who might see this article, especially if we tag them. :-)
I am interested in and open to many different types of work, so my list is long and growing! There’s so much to learn and experience. Right now I’d love to book a role on a teen drama like Ginny and Georgia (Sarah Lampert) or any coming of age story on a major streaming service. Also the just announced Elle prequel series based on Legally Blonde (Reese Witherspoon) or a mystery/slasher franchise like Scream (Kevin Williamson), or a comedy produced by any of the female SNL greats — these would all be a dream. What about a small role in Knives Out 3? Rian Johnson, my phone line is open, I’m waiting for casting’s call! When I get that big break, I’ll be more than ready.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram and TikTok: @k8roman
YouTube and Facebook: Kate Roman
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
