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Girl We Adore: Grace Van Dien From What Youth Issue 12 shot by Darren Ankenman

what youth girl we adore grace

Do you have any nicknames? 

“Spacey Gracey” is my most fitting one. When I was younger my family called me Smeagol and loved hearing me say “My precious.” And my friends call me Grachalingus Van-Dingus.

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Where were you born?

I grew up in Malibu and moved out of my parents house to live in Santa Monica now.

Will you send us a selfie?

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What do you wonder about the most?

If I’m ever going to finish writing a novel. I always get to the critical point and then give up and move on to a new idea.

What’s been your biggest mistake?

Being in New York while Billy Joel was playing live and not going. Sad sad.

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What’s you’re current job? 

I act full-time right now.

What’s the last thing you created?

I’m almost done with a painting I started in January. It’s a huge canvas I started without knowing where I was going with it and now it’s Adam and Eve watching the Big Bang.

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What’s your ideal job/career?

The one I’m pursuing right now: acting.

Favorite hobbies?

Reading books about dystopias, writing, painting space, watching movies, and cuddling the two cats I adopted, Butch and Sundance.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? 

My dad advises me to not take advice from other people… He’s always encouraging me to be my own person and to be responsible for everything I do, good or bad. Which is really helpful when you’re trying to figure yourself out. The world can take everything from you but always remember who you are. When the world turns to shit, don’t act like shit.

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Looks like your family has a background in film, run me through your family tree in the film biz.

My great grandpa is Robert Mitchum. My dad is Casper Van Dien and my mom is Catherine Oxenberg. I was born in the middle of my dad shooting “Starship Troopers” and grew up on sets. It’s what I know and love :) My great great great uncle is Mark Twain so I also have a writing background!

When did you first get into acting?

I decided I wanted to be an actress full-time when my dad cast me as one of his leads in his first movie as a director. I was Sleeping Beauty in The Asylums Sleeping Beauty. I had little experience in acting beforehand but my time filming made me realize there is nothing else I would rather do.

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For more Grace follow her Instagram here.

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