by Gina Scarpa

 

This season, on The Real World: Brooklyn, most of the roommates have headed to New York to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.  The cast was not given a job that they had to work at while filming so each was left to pursue their own goals and dreams, from dance to modeling to acting.  Sarah Rice, however, is a different story.  She came to Brooklyn for the experience and found herself more interested in activism than being famous.  Throughout the season, RealityWanted will be talking to the cast members about their experiences on and off camera while filming The Real World.  This week, Sarah opens up about her father, her roommates, and being the one that everyone seems to confide in.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did you end up becoming a cast member on The Real World: Brooklyn?
A. Sarah: Pure luck, I think. I went in to an open casting call that I heard about on the radio with one of my roommates. I said: "If there’s a line, I’m not going," and sure enough there was no line... and the rest is history. I can’t tell you what it was that did it, but I kept getting callbacks.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you have any idea that your past with your father would come back to haunt you while cameras were rolling?
A. Sarah: NONE!  It was a complete shock to me when he called.  It also made me really sad that someone in my family would give out the number when they know what our relationship is like. But at the same time, I’m glad it happened and I’m glad that people were able to see what its like to be told that you're a liar.  It happens all the time, to more people than just me but did I know he was going to call?  No – and neither did production.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You seem to be the one who is always listening to the problems of the other roommates and offering support. Is that how you are, in your everyday life, with your friends?
A. Sarah: My mom and I laugh about this all the time... for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been that person who people just open up to.  People say "I’ve never told anyone this.." or "I can’t believe I’m telling you this but.." to me on a daily basis.  I love to hear it; I really enjoy listening to people and helping them sort through what’s going on in their head.  Maybe it’s because I’m nosey, maybe it’s because I like to give advice, but either way, I love to be that person, and I always will.  And yes, I am definitely like that at home.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: JD seems to have two very different sides to him and it has affected several roommates thus far from Devyn to Katelynn to Ryan. What was your reaction to his behavior?
A. Sarah: I couldn't stand it.  JD rubbed me the wrong way after the first few weeks, which will probably show in the later episodes. The way I see it: respect is something that is lost, not earned, and in the beginning, I had respect for him, but his actions and words and the way he was so two-faced made me quickly lose that respect for him. As far as dealing with him, I chose to ignore him, and honestly, sometimes, all I could do was laugh, which JD hated... it would lead to an argument or two between us.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Many of the cast members this season seem to have an interest in activism, from gay rights to offering support to abuse victims. Is activism something you were involved in before coming on the show and how involved are you in it currently?
A. Sarah: Before coming on the show, I was involved in a few volunteer organizations, but my time in Brooklyn really allowed me the time I needed to do the volunteer work that I wanted to do. It was great to have time to donate to organizations like Free Arts NYC and The Center.  Now that I am home, I see the impact that sharing my story had and I hope to get the opportunity to speak out for victims’ rights in the future.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: We've seen that Baya is pursuing dancing and becoming a DJ. We've seen Devyn pursue singing, Ryan pursue singing/songwriting, and Chet pursue hosting. Do have any interest in the entertainment industry?
A. Sarah: None whatsoever.  I am happy to have gotten the chance to be in front of the camera, but I'm much more comfortable in the background. Also, I LOVE my art therapy work and I’m 100% sure ill be sticking to it.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What is your advice to people who want to become cast members on The Real World?
A. Sarah: Be yourself! I know everyone says that, but honestly, I would have never thought they were looking for someone like me, but I was wrong!  Don’t fall in to a "character"... I can’t tell you how many people I interviewed with that even I could tell were trying to be Puck or Joey.  Be yourself because that’s who they always like best!

New episodes of The Real World: Brooklyn air Wednesday nights at 10pm ET on MTV.

 

(Image courtesy of MTV)

 

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