Karen David is a Canadian-British actress, singer and songwriter, who is best known for portraying Francesca "Cesca" Montoya in the BBC television series Waterloo Road, and Layla in the American action film The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. David also starred in Pixelface, a CBBC children's television series, where she plays Alexia, the glamorous legend hunter.
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» All Actor InterviewsHello everybody! Looking forward to answering your questions. Victoria's assisting me with getting started today.
GALAVANT airs on Sundays at 8 o'clock East Coast / West Coast on ABC.
AMA!
https://twitter.com/reddit_AMA/status/556210796490153984
I just want to tell you that the joust scene was the funniest thing I've seen on TV since the optimal tip-to-tip efficiency scene. Is it a fun show to shoot?
That whole process of filming the joust and the fighting scene was absolutely hilarious! I could not stop laughing throughout. When I was sitting on top of Josh's shoulders during the training sequence, I had to not laugh too hard, otherwise, my thighs would just go limp and I'd fall off. It's moments like the ones we had like the joust scenes, that remind me of how lucky we are to be part of something so special and so darn funny too! xo
Hi Karen! You're one of the great pleasures of watching Galavant. The spontaneity in your performance is refreshing.
I notice you and your fellow actors all have a pretty active social media presence right now. While I'm sure you already did, there's been no shying away from promoting the show through interacting with the fan base.
How much of this is contractual, just like if you were to go on Letterman or a chat show, and how much is just being excited over the show's success and the fact that it's having such a positive effect on people?
Thanks, and God bless!
hahaha. Good question! Sure, we've been encouraged to be social media friendly, but everyone has to be anyway these days. It's all happening online! But for me personally, I have always been active on my twitter, Facebook, and instagram because I have the sweetest and most supportive fan base which I thank my lucky stars and am so grateful for everyday. People take the time out of their lives to be on this journey with me, and trust me, the support and encouragement everyday which they spoil me with, has helped me keep persisting with my childhood dreams, and never giving up. My fans, I am very proud of - the energy they bring to my social media pages is so wonderful! xx
Hi Karen! How are you doing? I'm so happy you're doing an AMA as well!! :) Who has been your favorite guest star on Galavant yet?
That is such a tough one! I love them all and each guest star has brought something so different to the plate! Working with John Stamos was a riot! I could not keep a straight face in the tent scene. We were both giggling like school kids! Weird Al, who I have scenes with in this weekend's episodes is one of the nicest human beings ever and so talented! xx
Hi Karen! Thank you for doing this AMA! I love Galavant and I'm a huge fan of Galabella! :D
I was wondering what's the funniest joke you've seen happen on set?
hahaha Where do I start? A joke happens every minute and if you miss it, you literally lose out! You really have to be on your toes. The "Yo Mamma" joke was hilarious - we were all saying it on set for days on end! xx
What's the funniest thing that happened on set?
Also, what's the funniest thing that happened on set involving Tim?
Throwing myself onto Josh (Galavant) during the joust scene was funny. We were covered in mud, horse manure, and wet rain and my red dress was getting so dirty - we had such a long filming day in the rain that all we could do was laugh. Tim...that's all to come in this weekend's episodes - I'm not allowed to give it away! xx
If you had to swim in a pool of jell-o, what flavor would you choose?
How blissfully wonderful would that be?!?!?! Strawberry all the way! xo
And is Tim like the weird (sometimes drunk) uncle?
haha. Tim is the big kid who has too much fun! lol
Hello, Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia. What is your preferred method of toilet paper roll orientation? Over, or under?
Thanks!
I'm an 'over' girl. Definitely. Is this a test question? hahaha xx
What was it like working on The Scorpion King?
I absolutely loved working on SK2. It was a real chance for me to use my sword fighting skills and be part of a huge franchise too. We filmed in Cape Town for almost 3 months. It was an amazing adventure. I feel really lucky with the different roles I've played. xo
What is your favorite tv show?
Oh la la...hmmmm...a toss up between Downton Abbey and Mad Men - at the moment, but that could change by the end of this weekend! lol xo
Hi Karen! First, Magret the Cripple says hi and she loves you and shes sorry she couldn't make it :)
Second, in your opinion what was the best episode to film, whether it has aired yet or it hasn't come out yet?
Hey M.C!!! Bless her heart. I am so lucky to have amazing support from all of you! I absolutely loved filming the 2nd episode when we embark on our journey to Valencia. Our characters and storylines begin to develop and you start to get a sense of the dynamic between Galavant, Isabella, and Sid. The fighting training sequence was so much fun and hilarious to do! There is episode 6 coming up this weekend which has my favorite song - can't say much but it's Josh's favorite too. It's Disney magic and a childhood dream come true! xx
How early do you usually have to be in work?
Who would play you in the story of your life?
Are you a fan of Kristen Wiig?
What did you have for dinner?
My call times are always 4:30 AM. I have the earliest time. And I was in the makeup chair for almost 2 hours, with all the hair and makeup and costume... so I was pretty much brain-dead by the time I came back from set.
Ooh, that's funny, because I'm a bit of a mishmash of different cultures, so it would be really difficult. Any suggestions? Because I'm part Chinese/Indian/Canadian/British with a little bit of Jewish in me...
I LOVE her... what I love about her is that she has such range as an actress. She can do comedy and also drama. She's a great source of inspiration to me as an actress.
So when I have to wear corsets, I have to stick to a really clean eating plan. So no carbs. For dinner, I keep it light, so a salad with chicken or salmon and vegetables. It is boring. But it's all for a purpose, ahah!
Which actor/actress would you love to work with some day?
That is a very long list!!! There are so many amazingly talented actors and actresses out there and I would be so lucky if given the cache to work with Sally Field, Jack Nicholson, Hugh Jackman, to Keira Knightley to Dustin Hoffman...really it's a looming list! xo
How do you feel about celebrity worship?
You have to all see my family...I come from a normal family. There are no graces or airs in my family. You treat people the way you would want to be treated. :) I relate to the geeky, pimply faced, awkward girl I was and for a long time during my teens. I love 'that girl', cause she went through a lot with bullying in school, but I'm hoping she came out okay in the end. I am grateful for all those experiences, which I hope has made me a better human being. As for being a celebrity, and being worshipped?! Crikey, I am humbled, and honored but I'm just me at the end of the day! lol xo
Hi, Princess! Tell me more about the filming of the songs, if you may. How many takes would a given song take to perfect- especially the large-scale ones?
And more importantly, I see Weird Al is appearing soon.. did you get to meet him??
We initially go into the studio and record the songs before we start filming, that way we have a base. Then when we film the scenes, we have ear pieces and we sing live. They take a bit of both and mix into one track and that's what end's up being used in the episodes. A lot of the times, it's the live tracks they use as we were filming outdoors so there's a lot of elements with noise and birds chirping and whatnot! lol I got to work with Weird Al, and he is an angel and such a pleasure to work with! Too much fun! You;ll see our scenes together this weekend! xo
Karen, are you more interested in singing or acting? If you could be a success in only one of these, which is the most fun for you?
I get asked that all the time. I've never been able to choose, because I started off doing both. And one feeds into the other, so it's more of the case of a juggling act. And at the end of this month, I'm going back into the studio to record music (during my off-time).
Also...I think Galabella is Galavant/Isabella, your couple name! ;)
It seems to be what all the fans love. I started seeing #Galabella all over my twitter page and then it just stuck. I think it's cute. One fan said, 'no more Brangelina, it's Galabella.' hahaha
Hi. What would you like The Karen David Legacy to be recorded as in history?
What a beautiful question! Wow. I come from a very normal and humble family who keep it real all the time. I am just a girl who had a childhood dream of wanting to sing and act, and I worked hard, paid my dues, faced gazillions of rejection but was lucky enough to have the incredible support from my family and dear friends, great teachers and mentors who taught me well. I wanna look back on my life and say that it was a fun ride, and that I followed my heart and have no regrets. If Ic an inspire young girls out there to follow their dreams, no matter where they come from, and to be the best they can whatever they apply themselves to, then that is the greatest gift of all. xo
Hi K who is the one who makes you laugh most on set out of the cast? I'm guessing you laugh a lot lol :D ;) xo
hahaha. You guessed right. Toss up between Luke for sure, and Tim. They are both so funny, and their expressions on camera are hilarious. Luke is like a brother I never had, and we laugh all the time!!! xo
Hi Karen! I love what the cast and crew and network have done with "Galavant!" Do you have any plans for another stand-alone album anytime soon?
Bless you! I wanted to record and go back in the studio last year but my life was all Galavant, and rightfully so. But, funny you asked 'cause I am off to Nashville end of this month to record with some of my fave songwriter-producers and will be recording new music to release this year. I'll also be doing some gigs to support the release to, which I promise I will keep you posted on social media for sure. I am so chuffed you like my music. It means a lot. The most fun I had shooting a video was on my Daydreamer song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrDy9JE55Zw xo
Hi Karen! First of all you're lovely and magical and I adore you. Second of all:
-if you had to compare GalaBella to another classic Disney couple, who would it be?
-what was the rehearsal process like for this show? As a musical theatre performer myself I know that stage rehearsals are very rigorous and intense (there's a reason "hell week" is part of theatre terminology) but doing all of that and then adding the TV level to it must be crazy. Love you! :)
Lizzy you are too sweet and very kind. Thank you, lovely. I adore all the fans on here too! :) Galabella would definitely be like Belle and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. How they bickered at each other all the time relentlessly and then getting to know each other during the course of their journey. Same with Isabella and Galavant. They bring the absolute worst and best in each other. I love the dynamic between the two of them and laugh so much when I see them together. As for the rehearsal process for the show, it was relentless non stop! We were either learning music, recording music, riding horses, learning choreography, sword fighting, the works! It was busy all the time but we loved every minute of it! It was a wonderful challenge to bring this format to tv - nothing I have ever done before, that's for sure! :) xx
Did you get a chance to meet Katie Lowes at the ABC event this week? You and her are my 2 favorite actors
No, I sadly didn't! It was so busy that evening but what an amazing time we all had! :) xx
Hello Miss David. My name is Merle Grigos. I have two questions to ask you.
1. Are you of Irish descent?
2. What are your favorite books and movies?
I am really a big fan of yours:)
Hello Merle! I wish I could be Irish. I LOVE the accent, but I am not. I have been to Tipperary! Once dated a sweet lad from there! Fave book is: Like Water for Chocolate - I love the beautiful use of words and how the story is told! Thank you for all your support - I can't begin to express how much you and the whole gang on here mean to myself, Isabella, and our journey! xx
Dan Fogelman also replied with Jack Nicholson, how fun would it be to see him in Galavant!? (we can dream, right?)
Dan and Jack-O? Um, let me think....hmmmm...HECK YEAH! Sign me up! lol xo
Hi! If you could have a musical duet with any fictional character, who would it be, and why?
Ohhh! that's a good question. Hmmm...let me think...it would have to be the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Belle in Beauty and the Beast. I'm a Disney girl at heart. lol xx
What do you like most about your profession? What is one of the hardest things to deal with as an actress?
I love how I can throw myself into a character and escape to a whole other place. I love that my work has taken me all over the world, and I've been able to meet some wonderful human beings and gain more life experience. Although training, and practicing on our craft is very important, it's life experience and what happens before your very own eyes, that make for a better actor. The hardest part of the journey is facing rejection and picking up yourself up and believing in yourself, being persistent, dealing with all kinds of egos that you may have to deal with, but I always remember that one moment when I was a little girl and knew I wanted to be a singer and actress, it was a decision based on the pure love and joy of wanting to act and sing, and that memory fills my heart with so much happiness and determination. :) Anywhere worth going to means you have to lay the foundations properly, and keep going, building and learning. xo
Hi Karen! What are your favorite ways to recharge your creative batteries, and your fail-safe ways to center yourself?
Spending time with family & friends, keeping things very normal, and meditating and doing yoga - it's so blissful!
How do your experiences differ with appearing on cable show like Strike Back, network show like Castle, and staring in your own show now with Galavant? What is your dream TV role?
Playing Isabella in Galavant is definitely a dream role for me. I get to sing, act, dance with horses, sword fight! lol I am having the time of my life and the little kid in me is having so much fun! Each character I have played in the past has made me hopefully a better actor. I am so grateful to have played really different roles and not been stereotyped into one category. I am so looking forward to seeing what other challenging roles might come my way. :) I'd love to play a massively flawed character either mentally or physically. Let's see what the road ahead brings, right? xo
Hi.We know Isabella snores and it's said this was your idea. What other personal seasoning have you provided Isabella with of yours?
hahahah. I don't snore! I really don't, I promise. lol My husband snores big time (he is so gonna kill me for spilling the beans hahaha). We just all thought it would be funny if Isabella did have some unladylike features like snoring. I love the whole deviated septum issue too! I've had a lot of fans and some friends of mine who do suffer from this. I'm just waiting for a moment when I will have to eat on camera with a pretend deviated septum - can't be easy to do! xo
The entire cast and crew of Galavant seem like so much fun! I'm already curious to the gag reel, can we expect to see one for season 1?
We were just talking about this the other day. We have more gag reel then actual takes! hahaha Hoping they will release a special episode of gag reels available for downloads so everyone as see what went on behind the scenes as well. :) Will keep you posted for sure on my social media pages! xo
I love Galavant so much! I was wondering, which is your favourite Alan Menken non-Galavant song?
This is a tough one! My faves would be 'The Colors of the Wind', "Home", and 'Go the Distance', which funny enough, I sang for my Galavant casting. :) xo
haha good one K :D and thanks for the link..congrats me I got there in the end lol ;) and thanks for agreeing to play Princess Izzy...Galavant is soo cool congrats to you and the cast and crew behind the scenes ;) xo
xxoxo
What is your favorite song right now?
I rotate with what I call "What's my theme song" that gets me in the mood to face another day and smile and feel good about life and myself... and right now, lyrically it might not make any sense, but it's Taylor Swift's song "Style." I've got that on repeat right now. My theme song changes constantly. But right now, it's that.
Good answer, Your Highness! Find your bliss...
hahaha Right? Keeping it real, like how my parents have brought us all up. My family and dear friends have always been there for me, so they are important too, and looking after oneself, going to the gym, or for a hike, observing nature, it keeps everything in perspective! ;)
What kinds of things have you learned from acting that you can apply (and have applied already) to your real life?
Listening. A great actor listens and observes everything around them. They also throw themselves into that moment and just 'be". With all the busy-ness happening in my life, it's important for me to live in each moment, and not wish it away too quickly. Listening to those I care about, or people I meet - observing life happening before you...it's all a gift and one not to be taken for granted. xo
So Maggie and I will be in our school's musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dream Coat. Do you have any advice for us related to singing and or acting?
First of all, congratulations! What a great musical to be in! Enjoy the moments of your characters, lose your inhibitions and most of all, have fun! xo
Hi Karen! The Cape was one of my favorite shows! Did you enjoy making it?
I wasn't in the Cape. I hear it's a greta show! I filmed in Cape Town, when I was in Scorpion King 2. :)
I remember you from being in waterloo road! what was your favourite scene to cast and who was the best to work with from the waterloo road cast at the time?
Good times on Waterloo Road! Playing Cesca Montoya was definitely a wonderful challenge, given the delicacy of her storyline with Jonah! I loved my scenes with Tom, played the wonderful Jason Done. He was so lovely and so funny too. It's hard to pick and choose because I loved all my scenes with everyone. George Sampson was a sweetheart, Phillip was hilarious...I could go on! xo
Thank you so much for doing this! It was really fun! One last question... if you could sum up the Galavant series into one sentence, how would you do it? Thanks again! xoxo
That would be one loooonnnnngg line, but I'll try me best! lol The Princess Bride meets Monty Python and had a silly, fun, adventurous, musical and twisted fairytale of a baby, called Galavant.
Did I do okay? ;) xx
Galavant is a amazing mini series to tide me over until Once Upon a Time comes back. Would you audition for a role on that show if it was offered to you? You would be perfect IMO. Keep being beautiful!
I would love to be on the show! If they ever want Esmeralda, or Pocahontas or Jasmine from Aladdin to come on, I'd LOVE to do it! xo
That was perfect :)
Woohoo! x
i was totally thinking Jasmine or Esmeralda but you throw that awesome BOMB with Pocahontas and my mind is blown! Pocahontas all the way!
I would love to play her! I should be so lucky! lol
Luke doesn't even need to deliver lines to be funny. His uncomfortable squeak-out-loud after a line like "...I was talking to Sid" are funnier than anything anyone could write.
ha! You noticed that too!?!? Brilliant! Luke says he pulls some crazy faces but it's so funny! Can you imagine how hard it is for me to keep a straight face?!?! Daaammmmmmnnnnn!
I'm a thirty year old guy and you're inspiring me!
hahaha. Life is too short to not lead the life you want. Who cares about what other people think? As long as you are happy, and feel fulfilled, and not doing any wrong, then I say march to the beat of your heart! You will never go wrong, it's the hardest path, but the most worth while! xx
Sounds like you have wisdom beyond your years! Beautifully put.
I have Asian and South Asian parents amongst other things in my genetic ancestry. lol They are wonderful parents who have taught my sister and I well, I hope. lol They showed me right from a young age to appreciate everything we had and didn't have too. My parents were only allowed to leave India with $20. They had to leave everything behind, and that has been a source of inspiration to me. Goodness knows they worked so hard to look after a family and try and make ends meet in the great, big western world, and they did it with grace, and hard work. My folks have the $20 bill framed that they brought over, and it reminds us all how blessed we are, and how far along we've come. xo
I just have one question: does it have to be 4 weeks?
So we were always only going to do 8 episodes, and it was a great idea on abc's part to air 2 episodes back to back. I think with the storylines, the team wanted to be integral and not overdo anything -do what was best for the characters and story. We of course are hoping for a second series, so the more people watch and tune in, the better it will help for sure! I think with the second series, there will be more episodes as a lot of the fans want more, which is so great, but bless Alan Menken, he and Glenn Slater have to write that many more original songs too! They wrote 31 songs for 8 episodes! xo
Isabella wasn't hidden in the cellar to protect the jewel. Isabella was hidden in the cellar to protect the king from Isabella.
(Isabella for New Chuck Norris 2015!)
Yep! You got that right! A few months spent in a rat hole of a cellar! hahaha. Not fun and not recommended at all! lol xo
What are somethings that you can't leave the house without?
Water, my makeup bag, and my phone! lol