EXCLUSIVE Actor Spotlight: Lilimar Hernandez of 'Bella And The Bulldogs'

Beautiful and talented fourteen year old actress Lilimar Hernandez stars as a cheerleader on the Nickelodeon series 'Bella And The Bulldogs' as Sophie. Lilimar Hernandez Ruiz, better known by her artistic name "Lilimar" was born on June 2nd, 2000 in Venezuela. She has always been a creative and fun little girl. Since a very young age she was inclined towards the artistic world. At the age of 4 her artistic talent began as a Model where she ran as "Queen of the carnival" in a beauty pageant in her native country. In 2006 she moved to Miami, Florida where she studied Modeling at John Casablancas Career Center, and then completed courses of acting and Media. Lilimar's career as Model, Actress, and Host became reality by doing national and international commercials, multiple music videos, TV Pilots, webisodes, films as the leading role, print and runway works for national and international designers. In 2012 she was chosen as one of the actresses from their segment through Univision of Humor with the Kids for the Spanish television program "SABADO GIGANTE". Lilimar was part of a Spanish soap opera "Rosario" for both Univision and Venevision. Recently she worked as a presenter in the radio show "Pangea Kids". Now, she has moved to Los Angeles to play the role of "Sophie" on Nickelodeon's newest show, Bella and the Bulldogs.

Recently we had the opportunity to interview Lilimar on 'Bella And The Bulldogs', education,
charities and more. Here is what she had to say to us.

What got you into acting?
I first got into acting when I was in modeling school. I have been modeling since I was four. In my modeling school, acting was included and that's where I took my first acting class. My first thought... THIS IS AWESOME! It was love at first performance.. Haha!

You play Sophie on Nickelodeon's series 'Bella And The Bulldogs', tell us about your character?
My character Sophie, is two words... Sassy and Tough! She is super clever, always has good comebacks, but at the same time is super sweet! She LOVES her 2 BFFs Bella and Pepper. She always has their backs!

Are you like your character in real life?
There are a couple things me and Sophie have in common. We are both VERY sassy, and we both are good friends! We love our true friends, and we are always there to support them no matter what.

Tell us about your relationship with the other cast members?
My cast mates and I get along great! They're super sweet!

Sum up what fans can look forward to in future episodes?
There are a looooot of surprises coming up... I can't spoil too much but expect some new crushes and some AWESOME football games!

Ever watched yourself on TV?, is it weird?
I've watched myself on TV a couple times, from other jobs I've had, but Nickelodeon is different. Every time I'm on TV I get sooo excited and I do a little dance. It's always the same dance... I guess it's my "I'm on TV dance.."

What does the cast do to get ready for scenes?
Well, every time before a run through we have a mini dance party and our SUPER IMPORTANT Bulldog Huddle! These things definitely get us pumped!

Are you auditioning for any other acting roles?
A couple castings here and there.. :)

Do you have any advice for those wanting to start a career in acting?
My advice to new actors is to never stop learning. No matter how old you get, you'll still be learning things. So, always pay attention to everything that people tell you, and use what you think can help you in your acting!! Also, never forget to stay humble. Good people do great things.

It's hard to find free time while busy working on 'Bella And The Bulldogs'. When you have free time, how do you spend it?
Whenever I have free time I read, listen to music, hang out with my friends, and spend time with my family (which is super important).

Who inspires you with your acting?
There really isn't anyone in particular that inspires me with my acting. I watch the performances of many actors and they all have something that makes their performances amazing.

What do you hope to accomplish with your acting?
I hope to inspire people. I hope to inspire people with my acting, to make them learn something from each of my characters, to help them relate to someone, to let them know that there are no boundaries and that they can accomplish literally anything.

Is it hard for you to remember your lines? How do you remember them?
It's actually not that hard to memorize my lines. Of course there is always that one line that is super complicated and I can mess it up, but apart from that it's pretty easy. I ALWAYS study my lines the night before, so that the next day I can come prepared and familiar with all the changes that were made.

Are there challenges pursuing acting and being a normal 14 year old?
There are definitely quite a few challenges... Like school, social life, resting, etc. Sometimes it's hard to balance having a job, and having to attend school. I am homeschooled, but I'm constantly working hard so I don't fall behind. It's also hard to hang out with friends, since you're always so busy.. That's why I always hang out with my friends on the weekends. I also like to have a relaxing day with my family. Sometimes it feels like a little too much, but it's the life I chose, and I love it.

Are you passionate about any charities, if so, why?
There are just sooooo many charities out there, and I love them all. There isn't a specific one... But I intend to start my own foundation in the future. I want to do it for girls. Girls with low self esteems. This might not seem like a big problem, but it is... I know girls personally that struggle with this. It's so sad seeing beautiful, talented, just amazing girls look at themselves in the mirror and not like what they see. Some hate their body, some are insecure about their talent, and others hate everything about themselves. I am a girl with a very high self-esteem, and I'm always happy with myself and seeing everything with positive eyes. I think everyone should get the chance to view the world and themselves with good eyes.

Is education important to you?
Education is super important to me! I might sound like a bit of a nerd right now.. But I seriously LOVE learning. I love learning about new cultures, reading new stories, etc.

Do you have any other talents?
My other talent is modeling!! I LOOOVEEE modeling! I have been modeling since I was 4 and I've done quite a bit of fashion shows. Most of them for charity.. :) Hopefully I'll get to do modeling once again... :)

We thank Lilimar for taking the time to answer our questions. Make sure to watch 'Bella And The Bulldogs' to see Lilimar, her cast mates and what happens in future episodes. This series airs Saturday nights at 9pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Check your local listings for channels and times.

You can follow Lilimar on Twitter by clicking here.