Have you ever gone to the movies or turned on your favorite show and had a young performer catch your attention? You know, someone fairly new to the world of acting that makes you say “wow” as you exit the theatre or turn off the television, leaving you totally awestruck? Well the ABC sudser, All My Children has found just that kind of talent when they cast 14 year old (soon to be 15) daytime newcomer, Leven Rambin in the role of autistic Lily Montgomery. 

Even though All My Children is the first major acting gig for this flaxen haired Texas teen, Rambin has surely found her niche (and fans I must add) in the genre’ of daytime. “All My Children is actually my first acting gig, my first audition, my first anything,” Rambin says with excitement. “I was actually shocked when they called me back and informed me that I had the part of Lily….I have been working just about everyday since starting the role and I love the job and everyone on the show. It’s so much fun to be here and is a great training ground,” she continues enthusiastically.

Talk to any actor on any show, veteran or newcomer and they will surely tell you their character or any character they have played for that matter has its share of challenges. Rambin is no different. “I think that the biggest challenge for me is when at 8 am, I have to get in the character of Lily and have to be able to scream, yell, freak out, count numbers all that stuff so early in the morning, it’s so hard to get that intense sooo early, but I manage with a few cups of coffee,” Rambin says with a laugh. 

All My Children is not the only role that Rambin is portraying at this time; she also has the role of a full time student as well. “I just finished final exams this past week,” Rambin says while breathing a sigh of relief. Of course on most weeknights and even weekends, most teens out there surf the Net or hang out with their friends, but not Rambin. “I do get to spend some time with my friends from school, but I do wish that we could hang out more. I’m usually busy filming, studying lines or keeping up with school work so it doesn’t leave me a lot of time to just hang out. But I love my job, I have fun and have met a lot of great people who are on the show,” she says. 

Longtime fans of the show remember Lily’s introduction to Pine Valley society, when dashing DA Jackson Montgomery married Lily’s mother, Laurel Banning, and subsequently adopted her. Rambin is not the first actress to play the role but she certainly has made it her own. 

We all know that Lily is autistic and for some actresses that might pose a challenge, but not for Rambin who hits her mark like a pro each time Lily is on screen. So did Leven do any research or special preparation for her role? “Actually, I have not done any research for the role. I know some people back in my hometown of Texas who are autistic and I tried to focus in and remember the encounters that I had with them, their actions and mannerisms, and in turn bring all of these things to the role,” she says passionately.

“When I first auditioned for the role and even after my first few episodes were taped, I asked the casting director if she wanted me to do things any different, and she said no you are doing a fantastic job don’t change,” Rambin says giggling. 

So now that Lily has battled the Hot Girls, taken pictures of Reggie and Danielle in a compromising position, “which was a fun episode to shoot and none of us could keep a straight face,” Rambin interjects with a laugh, is there anything else she would like to see come in Lily’s direction? “Yes I would,” she says confidently. “I do think that Lily needs to have a boyfriend. Showing her learning to love and educating her about relationships would definitely give another element and depth to the character,” she says. 

Fans are buzzing about the chemistry and interactions between Rambin and fellow co-star Aiden Turner, and the crush Lily has developed on him. “I love the scenes we have together,” Rambin says gushing. “I know it’s just a crush that Lily has on Aidan, but I love this storyline, and Aiden is so sweet and nice and absolutely fun to work with,” she continues excitedly. 

Maybe Lily’s sister Greenlee will be the one give her advice on dating, men and relationships, and will jump on the train to be one of Lily’s greatest protectors. Ever since Rambin’s debut on the show, viewers have been clamoring for some sisterly bonding scenes between Lily and Greens. In fact, many viewers have stated online that these two could be the female versions of Adam and Stuart Chandler. What does Rambin have to think about this idea?

“I think it is a great idea,” she says.  “You know, I have never really thought of Lily and Greenlee being the female version of Adam and Stuart, but I can actually see it and think that it would be fun to play…Rebecca (Budig, Greenlee) is such a great actress and is so much fun to work with and I don’t know why our characters have not had more chances to interact and bond with one another.”

“Besides, since Greenlee owns her own cosmetics company maybe she could do an extreme makeover on Lily, and get this girl to do her hair and wear some make-up,” Leven says with a laugh. Not that Rambin needs it, she’s as naturally beautiful a young women as there is.

Until she bonds a little more with her onscreen sister, I guess the only family interactions Lily will continue to have is with her adoptive father Jackson Montgomery and her foster brother Reggie. Many co-stars have given high remarks to Rambin’s on-screen Dad, Walt Willey, and Leven echoes those remarks wholeheartedly. “Walt is fantastic to work with,” Leven says admiringly. “He has taught me so much about this business and about how things work on the show. He’s like my second father.”

Now that Lily has a father, sister, brother-in-law, cousins and a foster brother on the show is their anything Rambin feels is missing from this blended family. “I would like Lily to have a mother,” she says.  “The show did address and mention my character’s mother when I first debuted but that has been the only reference made in regards to her,” she says. Now that Erica and Jackson’s upcoming nuptials seem to be around the corner, maybe Lily’s wish of having a mother will come true. “I love the interactions that take place between Lily and Erica,” she says. “Erica looks out for Lily and has taken her under her wing.”

With Erica and Jackson’s upcoming nuptials, the crush on Aidan, and the discovery that her baby cousin Miranda is alive and well what else can we expect for Lily?  “I can’t tell you that, it would give away all the good things that are going to happen,” says Rambin coyly. “I can tell you though that Alexa (Havins, Babe) and I did film some scenes that should be on screen within the next few weeks.”

One of the secrets I can give away is the launch of the Leven’s Fan Club and her Official Website, which is slated to open on Valentine’s Day. “I am so excited about this opportunity for the Fan Club and Official site,” she says. “I was sad that I didn’t have a site at all, and then my mom came across the fan site that my web mistress (Brittany) did for me, and they started emailing and this lead me to my Fan Club president, Michelle. It’s been a whirlwind, but a great one at that.”

What kind of interaction will Leven have with the members of her Fan Club? “We are going to be having contests and giveaways, especially with the launch of the club and site... I am also looking forward to posting messages and conversing with fans on the message board as well as with newsletters, Holiday cards, all sorts of things,” Rambin enthuses.

Should we expect to buy tickets for a meet and greet for Leven during this year All My Children events? “I don’t know what Michelle has in store but I would love to have a meet and greet with all the fans…within the first week of announcing my fan club we had a ton of people join. I didn’t realize I had that many fans out there,” she says genuinely awestruck. 

“I would like to say to the viewers thank you so much for watching the show and being so nice and supportive of me and my character, I hope that you will continue to enjoy watching.” she says. 

Leven Rambin is a beautiful young actress, inside and out. A definite find for All My Children and a young lady that I am sure will go far in this profession. Her natural talent shines. I would like to thank Leven for taking time out of her busy schedule to sit down and chat.  Also, a huge thank you goes out to her Fan Club president Michelle Jarvis, for making this interview happen.

 
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For more information on how you can join Leven’s Fan Club, email LevenRambinFC@aol.com