By Sanya Wason
Over 900 students rushed to the Dekelboum Concert Hall to watch actress Elizabeth Gillies, best known for playing Jade on Victorious, speak. The event, sponsored and held by Student Entertainment Events (SEE) was a big hit with many students lining up hours before the event started.
During her lecture, Gillies confirmed that she’d be releasing a “sweet” brand new song sometime in October.
”It’s not an album,” she laughed. “But it’s something!”
Gillies also provided life advice to the students.
“Keep the good people around,” she said. “Each step of your life is so special.”
She stressed the importance of standing up for yourself and your needs by describing hard days on set.
Her Q&A was led by SEE lecture director Jessica Nyguen and included some questions from the audience.
Nyguen, a senior family sciences major, said that Gillies was very easy to talk to and, despite the crowd of students, she felt it was a genuine conversation.
One student asked about Gillies’ character Jade West from the sitcom Victorious’s future if she had gone to college herself. Gillies believes that Jade would be running a successful tattoo shop and that she’d most likely have been a theater major in college.
When asked about what’s next for her, Gillies expressed that she wants to star in a horror movie, particularly a psychological thriller, despite her personal dislike for the horror genre.
Many students hung around the concert hall after Gillies’ hour-long talk, in shock.
“Seeing someone you admire so much talk one-on-one with the audience was just amazing,” Rena Alattar, a freshman biology major said. “Childhood Rena is beaming right now!”
“She was so down to earth with us,” freshman Sophie Limkie, a public policy major, said. “I just loved hearing her talk about her favorite memories.”
Gillies has been requested by students before, according to Nyguen.
SEE typically posts polls on their instagram, asking students who they’d like to come speak. This year, some of the options included Brentman Rock, Lola Tung and Amelia Dimoldenberg. Gillies won by far.
“It was a consensus that everyone was excited for her, and I think her name stood out compared to everyone else’s,” Nyguen said.