MOST Magazine Fashion MAY-JUNE'15 ISSUE NO.9 | Page 70

FMM: Tell us about the first time
you saw yourself in a national
commercial.
HR: I was in 4th grade and it was
for the first Fur Real Friends talking
cat. There were a lot of people
who didn’t know I was an actress
so everyone would call the house
and ask, “Is that Haley?”
FMM: How do you prepare for a
role? Any special routine?
HR: Giving my characters a back
story in my mind really helps
flesh out where I need to take the
role. I need to spend a few hours
with just myself and the character
to work it all out.
FMM: What is it about acting and performing
that makes you feel alive? How did you know
that was what you were meant to do?
HR: Being allowed to be someone else, to walk
in their shoes and to bring them to life for an
audience is joy to me. I know it sounds trite but
I think some people are born to do this. That
was probably a surprise for my family because I
didn’t talk until late. The true story is that when I
was three I spoke the longest sentence I had ever
spoken. “I’m not leaving with you Mommy. I am
waiting on my real mommy to pick me up in her
pink Cadillac and take me to Hollywood.” That was
years before I ever took an acting class. I still have
a thing for vintage Cadillacs.
FMM: What has been your favorite role so far?
HR: I am having too much fun playing Brenna on
Chasing Life.
FMM: What do you do to relax and have fun?
HR: I have a great group of friends and we’re the

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M A G A Z I N E || MAY / JUNE 2015

“hanging out” kind of people as opposed to the
“club going” kind of people. I love walking our dog,
cooking, “trailer” camping because I’m too wimpy to
sleep on the ground, and vintage shopping.
FMM: Favorite food?
HR: I can’t narrow that down! Tex Mex, Sushi,
German food.
FMM: How do your Texas roots influence you
and your career success?
HR: Texas women are strong women, and I think
I’ve still got a lot of Texas in me. I have a hard time
taking no for an answer.
FMM: What is your favorite thing about playing
Brenna on the ABC show Chasing Life, your
first series regular role on television?
HR: The fact that Brenna is so human and not
afraid to show it. She likes herself just the way she
is. She doesn’t believe in labels even though others
try to label her “lesbian” or “wild”. To Brenna, she
is just herself.