Oh Comely - Double page spread

TEEN GOSSIP AC T I N G V I N TAG E : who are the n e w g e n e ra t i o n o f te e n s ?

Layout One.indd 1

02/12/2015 12:08

the modern teen.

By Ellie Kate Harkins

Romy Ella Harkins, by all standards is set to be your typical 15-year-old high school student. But step into her world for a day and you will encounter a musically obsessed young woman, with a mind stuck back in the days when romance was found at the high school dance, vinyl was the only kind of music player around and not everything seemed so dull, at least not in her mind. Scripts are painted across the walls of her room as she prepares for not one but two acting productions, rehearsing her lines during breaks from school work and catching up with friends like every other teen of course. Attending a local stage school from the age of 5 you can agree she has had her fair share of practice, including a close call into the West End in the hit play ‘Billy Elliot’, craving her dream more than ever, as she reaches to a small box filled with polaroid images to show me she also places on her favourite Frank Sinatra vinyl onto her record player and we get to talking.

The record player, what made you go for such a unique item knowing that you can get a top of the range modern Bluetooth speaker for the same price and no cost for the albums?

Because I am a child who was born in 2000, who was meant to be born in 1952. Seriously I am stuck in the 21 century, when I really shouldn’t be here. I love technology and editing....

10 Layout One.indd 2-3

11 02/12/2015 12:08

..and everything, but vintage stuff is so cool.

If you wanted to see your friends you would just walk around to their house, if someone..... was bitching about you, they would have to do it in person, and if you wanted to find out it would have to be groups of people talking, not a screenshot on text.

which helps when it comes to my acting.

Auditions are normally held in front of strangers all fighting for the same role you have to find a way to stand out from the crowd – mines my confidence.

If you could live in any age in time, where would it be and why?

America 1960, I wouldn’t live in England in that time. It was happy and cute but America kind seemed like the place to be then, there was obviously stuff going on because that’s just the world. But the dresses, Disney world had just opened, the music, the bars, the hairstyles, the

Your acting? How has it changed you as a person?

I wouldn’t know life with out my acting, I have been doing since I was 5 years old. I have a pretty good memory I just struggle to see my life before acting! But if I was to say how it changed me I would say that it has gave me a very outgoing personality. I was a shy kid according to my mum and dad but know I would happily approach anyone,

Instagram- Romyellax Email - Romyharkins@hotmail.co.uk

way people got on it just sounded really nice.

You could walk down the street with a float hat and a big dress on just going about my day to day buisness.

13 Layout One.indd 4-5

Who is your main influence?

Ah you see, I love Audrey Hepburn but I love the way she dresses I love her personality, but then at the same time I am not her I am not Zoe I am not Bethany Mota, I am me. When you say influence to me I feel like I don’t want to be anyone else I don’t want to. As a kid I would have idols, probably if anyone Ellen, because she is the kindest person in the whole world, she is stunning, we need more people like her. Plus, she is Dory out of Finding Nemo.

14 02/12/2015 12:08