Jessica Collins (II)

Jessica: I know that I have such a passion for the craft of acting and I've always wanted to pursue it. That was my plan. Whether or not I would have taken the theater route or the film route or the television – I had no idea. I'm so lucky that it's working out without me having to figure out.

Jessica: (on working with the cast of "The Nine") We really are an ensemble cast. Honestly, it's a dream job. I love going to work and being around all of these amazing actors. It's like watching perfection in the making, I am really fortunate and I love being a part of this show.

Jessica: I think the first show I ever did was non-musical version of Les Miserables. As silly as it was, I was hooked. I couldn't get out of our theater department, if somebody tried to drag me.

Jessica: (on the difference between working on television and theater) It's different because it's a live medium. You are your editor. There's no censorship, really. You can go where you want to at any given time. It's not recorded, so it lives in people's memories and their hearts.

Jessica: (on the scariest thing that has happened to her) I'm not a big risk-taker, but going down the 405 at 105 mph. That's pretty scary to me.

Jessica: (on her character Lizzie on "The Nine") I think for someone in my age range there is not that many substantial roles out there. There was something very meaningful about playing this character for the world that I felt very redeeming.

Jessica: Julliard is a brilliant place. It's very hard and it's four years of 14 hour days, six days a week with homework. But when you have a passion, I know my passion for acting is immense, and you live for it. You love going there and you love working.

Jessica: (on how attending Julliard has helped her with portraying her character in "The Nine") It gives you a vocabulary. I can much more easily articulate what it is that I do instinctually. It lets me define it. It lets me put boundaries on it and it lets me shape it.

Jessica: (on when she started acting) I started appearing in plays when I was like 12 or 13 and I just knew this was what I wanted to do.

Jessica: (If she wasn't an actor) I would have to do something with my hands. I love being creative.