Skyler Samuels’ audition for “The Nine Lives of Chloe King” turned out to be one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.
“I read the pilot and just fell in love,” Samuels told the Herald in a recent telephone interview from the show’s Los Angeles set. “Everything Chloe did, the things she said, the little mannerisms and quirky things she did. It sounded like me. It felt like me. I could totally hear my own voice.”
The 17-year-old felt such a connection to the title character that when she walked into the audition, she introduced herself to series creator Dan Berendsen as Chloe.
“I froze. I was so embarrassed. I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh. I just blew it. He’ll never hire me. He must think I’m nuts.’ ”
In the series (tonight at 9 on ABC Family), Chloe (Samuels) learns she has super-natural powers and is a member of an ancient race of people known as Mai. “Chloe really struggles coming into her own,” Samuels said. “It’s hard. It’s a big life-changing thing, and she’s just trying to get through high school. It’s a lot to deal with.”
While she may not be able to relate to her character’s supernatural powers, Samuels sympathizes with Chloe’s turmoil.
“We’re both juniors in high school just trying to figure out relationships with our parents and our friends and where we fit in in the world,” she said. “I’m dealing with, ‘Oh, gosh, I don’t know how to talk to a cute boy.’ It’s all right now. It’s all right here. It’s really great to live this parallel life with Chloe King.”
The Los Angeles native began acting when she was 9 and landed a guest role on Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh.” Last summer, she starred in ABC’s short-lived supernatural series “The Gates.” In addition to her burgeoning acting career, Samuels wants to attend college. Her first choice is Stanford, where she hopes to study law.
“I can’t wait to go to college next year,” she said. “Even though I’ve got this incredible show, I’m determined to do both because they’re both very important to me.”
