INTRODUCING

ELISSA MENAKER

ACTOR AND MODEL HAILING FROM NSW

1                    Please tell us a little bit about your background;

                A:       I was born in Sydney, Australia and have lived here all my life. My whole family is from Ukraine except for me and my little cousin. I am a school student who is passionate about modelling, acting, and helping others with my blog 'Ask Lyss'.

2          You are an actor and a model.  Have you always wanted to be in entertainment or what else did you aspire to when you were younger?

         A:          I have always wanted to be an actress for as long as I can remember. Then I began to watch 'America's/Australia's next top model' and decided that I wanted to be a model more than an actress. Then in my early teens presenting began to appeal to me too. So, in short, I've always wanted to be on camera and in the spotlight ever since I can remember. On top of all of this I've always wanted to be a psychologist and plan to work towards getting my degree as soon as I finish school.

3                    Is anyone else in your family and/or relations in entertainment?

           A:              No.

4                    What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

              A:           I am a big social butterfly, so I enjoy being around friends, whether it's going to the beach, shopping, lunch and did I mention shopping?  Though I also enjoy quiet nights in where I answer questions on my blog and also have some family time.

5                    Are you formally trained in both skills?

              A:           Not modelling, but acting yes. I have done acting lessons at school as well as in NIDA for 4 years.

6                    What have you acted in?

             A:               Nothing much. I've done extras work for Hoyts and Disney channel which was a lot of fun and I am looking for more acting roles now that I realised I do miss acting.

7                  What and/or who have you modelled for?

                     A:           I have modelled for:

            - Bettina Modelling Agency -

            - Alin Fashion -

            - The Photo Studio -

I did take a break from modelling due to my hectic school life but I am back into it and have some exciting shoots coming up with photographers from all over Australia.

8                    Have you worked alongside any well-known names?

                       A:            Yes, when I did NIDA we were supposed to rotate teachers every        term, but my class had Don Christopher (Home and Away, Packed to the Rafters) and we loved him so much we ended up convincing administration to let him teach us every term for about two years.     He focussed on essential acting skills rather than on a script. He looked at all of us as individuals so that we would know what we needed to improve and learn how to act instead of simply putting on a performance. I credit all my acting ability to him. Also, I worked alongside Naomi Sequiera for a music video which was a great experience!

9                    Have you ever been bullied?

             A:              Yes. In year 8 I was scouted by Bettina Modelling Agency, the word spread around the school. From then on I was bullied by a few people who thought that I was not good enough to be a model. They made some jokes about me and this spread throughout my year. I would say the majority of my year were either picking on me or talking badly about me behind my back. This led me to become a bully myself due to my incredibly low self-esteem, which led to more backlash towards me. However, as weird as it sounds I am very glad this happened because my haters broke me down so much that I had to search for my beauty and confidence and when I found it, I came back with more self-esteem then I've ever had. I attribute my self-esteem to being bullied and attribute my empathy and compassion to realising that being a bully is just a reflection of how you feel about yourself.

10                    Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

                     A:          I think there could always be more programs and workshops about   how to deal with bullies, but lots of schools (like mine) are increasingly becoming less tolerant of bullying which is great.

11                  What further do you feel the above could do to either decrease this problem hugely, or eliminate it altogether?

                 A:            I feel like people with low-self esteem are either the ones to become bullies, or the ones who feel the biggest effects of bullying. So I think schools around the world should focus on teaching students how to increase their self-esteem and feel happy and confident within their own skin. This is what I aim to help with with the influence of my blog.

12                    On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

                        A:            I would like to help increase the self-esteem of teenagers especially, so that there is less of a chance of them bullying others due to their insecurities and less chance of them feeling the effects of bullying due to their confidence being vulnerable.

13                    What advice would you give to someone who is currently suffering through this nightmare? 

            A:              Keep ignoring the bullies - do not retaliate and soon they will get bored of picking on you. Stay strong and talk to someone like a parent, teacher, hotline - anyone! This doesn't make you weak. There are millions of people in your exact position so don't feel alone and isolated. Stay strong and hold your head up high - it gets better and trust me, it will make you stronger.

14                    What is on your agenda for the rest of 2014?

            A:               Finish year 12 and study hard for exams. On top of this I'll be answering questions on my blog and booking modelling and acting jobs in my spare time!

15                    Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

             A:                Both. My agency is only an extras agency so I rely on myself to book modelling jobs.

16                    Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?

              A:                 If you need any advice about bullying or any other issues, or simply want someone to talk to, feel free to inbox me on my website! www.asklyss.com

LINK:

       Advice Blog