Actress and filmmaker Marla Sokoloff (“Full House” and “The Practice”) chatted about her new film “Sweet on You,” which will premiere on February 26 on UPtv.
‘Sweet on You’ film
The movie was written and directed by Sokoloff and it stars Rob Mayes and Haylie Duff as the leads.
On writing and directing “Sweet on You,” Sokoloff said, “It was such a great experience for me, personally, because it was the first time that I’ve directed something that I wrote. which has been a goal for a long time.”
“It allowed me to work with one of my oldest friends, Haylie Duff, who I love and also Rob Mayes, who I’ve done a movie with in the past, as an actor. Haylie is my ultimate hype girl. All around, it was a great experience for me and I was so happy to be there,” she said.
Particularly impressive about this movie is that it was inspired by a real-life story of Duff’s grandfather, and it even features her daughter, Ryan, in her acting debut. “It was loosely based on Haylie’s grandfather and him inheriting land,” she said. “The movie happened really organically and quickly so it was great.”
In the movie “Sweet on You,” Kate Davies (Haylie Duff) has always lived a sweet, simple life in the idyllic town of Cedar Creek. She owns the town’s famous pie shoppe, Pearls Pie Place, that she runs with her best friend, Bree (Chelsea Alden).
Kate recently lost her mother and has been trying to pick up the pieces of her life, when she meets city goer Drew Ellis (Rob Mayes), who is in town to claim land that he inherited and has plans to turn the land into soulless tract homes.
“This movie has different moments that I am really proud of in a romantic comedy. There are some funny quirks, there are complex and exciting characters and bringing back the romantic comedy is something I would like to do more of because it’s the best genre. People want to watch this content in order to escape,” she said.
‘The Practice’
Sokoloff is known for her portrayal of Lucy Hatcher in the hit legal drama TV series “The Practice.” “That was incredible and the best job that I’ve ever had,” she said.
“It was a consistent, pinch-me job so I was grateful to be there,” she added.
‘Full House’
She is also known for playing the role of Gia Mahan in the popular sitcoms “Full House” and “Fuller House.” “It was a dream come true for me to play Gia because I was such a fan of that show,” she said.
“When I got the audition, I couldn’t believe it because ‘Full House’ was my favorite show, and when I got the part it was even more surreal. Even to this day, I still feel honored and lucky to have been a part of ‘Full House.’ I definitely get recognized the most for playing Gia out of everything I’ve ever done,” she elaborated.
The digital age
On being an actress and filmmaker in the digital age, Sokoloff said, “I think it the best thing that can happen to us, especially if you are trying to be a creator. You can release your content whenever you want, it make things more accessible. When you are creating your own content and you are trying to estalbihs yourself as an actor or as a director, it make things easier to produce things and get them out there on your own.”
“The digital age is amazing because the opportunities are out there and it’s an endless list,” she added.
Advice for hopefuls in the industry
For young and aspiring actors and directors, she said, “Make sure this is something that you really want to do and something you truly love because there will be moments where it’s so hard and difficult to stay in the game and the only thing that gets you through is your love of it. Really study your craft and make sure it is your passion.”
“If you are trying to direct, direct. Actually go it, you can and anybody can if they want to. Shadow directors that you love and admire, and that’s extremely helpful,” she added.
“The change that I made to directing was a real defining moment for me because it made me love acting and writing more. It made my path more clear,” she said.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Sokoloff said, “One Day at a Time.”
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, she said, “Having a full life on top of your work. That is the true meaning of success. Loving your job and being really good at it but also having awesome friends around and a family that makes you full and your heart happy.”
To learn more about Marla Sokoloff, follow her on Instagram and check out her IMDb page.
