Julie Dickson Vegan Vixen
GLAMOUR GAL August 2012
Our featured Glamour Gal this month is Julie Dickson a down to earth, free spirited Australian Actress with a passion for green living. In our exclusive interview Julie shares her passion for acting, some of her favourite Vegan foods and how she became part of the new Koala Army.
Julie thank you for being our featured Glamour Gal for August. Can you share with our readers what's it's like being an Australian actress?
Julie: Acting is something I have been passionate about since a very young age however the industry is certainly a tough one and I am sure that many up and coming actors even ones that have already made it would agree with me. I have learned though, throughout my journey as an Actress and acting is a craft and an art and something that you really need to look at with passion and a "Never Give Up" attitude. Being an Actress in Australia you really learn how to be self sufficient. It's not as easy as just finding an agent and having them find you the jobs, you need to get out there and network and do a lot of research and self promotion. I have been involved in short films, feature films, television, and theatre and have even been on tour as an Actress across South Australia attending schools performing to educate kids on bullying. My motto "If I die trying I will die happy."
From theatre to film to television it sounds like acting is a real passion for you. Can you tell us about your upcoming films.
Julie: At present I am involved in a short film called Drop Bear. My partner Lucas Scheffel (Film Maker) and I are in the process of writing and developing a number of feature films, short films as well as a web series. I am also in the editing phase for my TV series "Retreat Me" in which I produced and present in. ReTreat Me has been a massive project that has taken me around Australia as well as over to Bali. I even met Aussie icon Olivia Newton John at her retreat when filming there.
Do you have a favourite actress or actor that truly inspires you?
Julie: Tough one to answer as I have so many! I do love Cameron Diaz. She appears to have such a wonderful personality and never takes life to seriously. Although not acting much anymore I have always loved Alicia Silverstone for all that she stands for and believes in.
We know you love travelling and spent your childhood in Scotland. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would you go?
Julie: My entire family lives in Scotland and I lived there and went to school until I was 7 years old before moving to Australia with my Mum, Dad and Sister. A few years ago I returned to Scotland and worked over there for a year for "Historic Scotland" where I got to travel out to all the castles and ruins which was and amazing experience. I absolutely love travelling, experiencing and learning about different cultures. Most importantly I love making new friends along the way. I am yet to travel Europe and Africa so that is certainly on my "To Do" list. I would love to go on safari in Africa and see some of the amazing animals particularly those that are endangered. I fell in love with Miami when I was there and could very easily live there. Career wise I would love to live in LA some day soon.
Glamour and beauty is obviously a major part of your job as an Actress. Julie what does beauty mean to you?
Julie: Beauty comes in many shapes and forms and tend to look for beauty in every person I meet be it internal or external. As an actress and Television Presenter external beauty is important but not in a "Perfection" sense. I don't consider myself perfect by any means and a wonderful casting director and acting teacher Peter Rasmussen once told me "You should never try to change your look. The things you criticise or dislike about yourself will set you apart from the rest and land you that role."
When it comes to looking after my skin and body and choosing makeup, I only use natural products that contain no chemicals, that are certified organic and that are not tested on animals. I look after my exterior by looking after my interior first which includes a healthy diet and lots of fresh juice and organic smoothies. I am also a big fan of treating myself every now and then to an oxygen facial and micro dermabrasion at the beauty salon.
Being an animal advocate and vegan, choosing natural and cruelty-free beauty products is important to her. Julie's favourite cruelty-free makeup brand is SHE Australia. Find out more of Julie's beauty secrets including her natural home beauty favourites on her official blog.
Julie: Being on high definition camera be it a photo shoot or filming the camera picks up everything and every little flaw. I have found the solution that gives me complete flawless coverage every time. She Australia has a range of high definition makeup. I use the entire range including their Magic Primer. My skin has seriously never looked so flawless and I am now completely addicted and obsessed. It literally makes me look airbrushed.
We know that you are an animal lover and animal advocate. Can you tell us more about your involvement with Save the Koalas?
Julie: Recently I became an Ambassador for Save the Koalas a foundation that truly touches my heart and soul. My love for the Koalas and the cause I grew initially as I was researching Koalas for my role in the short film "Drop Bear" and after looking through the Save the Koalas website I wanted to do more to help. I straight away adopted a Koala and Joey named Astina and Caxton located at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary who I visited just recently. I am now working with volunteers and CEO Deborah Tabart in preparation for Save the Koala Month in September. My main focus is to recruit people into the Koala Army. The Koala Army has been formed for one main purpose and that is to build public support for a Koala Protection Act. The main mission of the Koala Army is ensure that the Australian Government recognises each and every Koala as a national treasure, deserving of absolute protection and long term survival.
Koala Army t-shirts are available to purchase online at savethekoalashop.com.
Being a Vegan is something we know you are very passionate about. Can you share with our readers some of your favourite healthy vegan foods.
Julie: Oh where do I start. There is so many amazing vegan foods available now that you can purchase or make at home. I am a big fan of Mexican and Italian food so I make Vegan mini pizzas, spaghetti Bolognese, burritos and tacos all the time. I also love fresh homemade soup. My body also craves a lot of raw veggies and fruit so I find myself snacking on nuts and seeds throughout the day as well as whipping myself up in the blender some raw dips (avocado and beetroot are my favourite as well as brazil nut cheese) which I have with organic corn chips or raw carrot and celery sticks. My juicer and blender are always out on the kitchen bench to make green smoothies and fresh juices which I add super foods to. When it comes to a vegan lifestyle Google is your best friend as there are literally thousands of free recipes online. Adopting a Vegan lifestyle has done wonders for my skin, my weight, my health and my spirit on many levels and is a choice many wonderful every day people and celebrities alike are turning to.
You describe yourself as a free spirit. Do you have a motto or favourite quote that describes your lifestyle?
Julie: I have two. "I have strength to overcome the impossible. I have courage to stand up for what I believe in. I have faith that everything will be ok."
"The truth is I love being alive. And I love feeling free. So if I can't have those things then I feel like a caged animal and I'd rather not be in a cage. I'd rather be dead. And it's real simple. And I think it's not that uncommon." ~ Angelina Jolie.
As you can see from her this interview Julie radiates glamour, passion and most of all her caring, down to earth nature makes her the perfect choice for this month's featured Glamour Gal. We know that healthy living, kind beauty and animal rights are all things Julie is passionate about and it's clear that this inspiring young lady certainly has a very bright future ahead of her. Her determination and drive to succeed and inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle is refreshing and we are honoured to feature Julie in our Eco Glamazine. We hope you enjoyed this exclusive interview with Julie Dickson.
Official: www.juliedickson.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/JulieDickson.Official
Twitter: Twitter.com/juliedickson
Instagram: Instagram.com/actingpure
Save the Koalas: www.savethekoala.com
