The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia Star Plays a Game of Lasts

Are you in a hotel?

I am, I am. I'm currently in Nevada.

Oh, okay, casual, casual. I was like, that's a nice hotel. That's a really nice hotel room. So, how have you been? What's one thing you have learned about yourself over the past few months at home?

Oh my gosh. Um, I've learned to be more creative and just have fun and open my horizons with learning. I picked up playing the keyboard a little bit, so that's been a lot of fun.

And you are the star of The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia.

Yes, crazy.

Do your friends ever accidentally call you Ashley or do you find yourself calling you Ashley?

Oh my goodness. No, my friends have never called me Ashley. Um, usually when I'm on set, they usually call me Ashley, but no.

Do you think that, um, I guess if you could have any other name than Paulina, what would your name be?

Oh, that is, that's very tricky. Um, I'm obsessed with Hamilton and I always thought Theodosia was an interesting name.

I like those, I like those both too. And if you met Ashley in real life, if you weren't her, do you think that you, she would be your friend or you guys would be friends?

I think so. I feel like we have a bit in common to the point where we would click.

I like that. What do you, what do you think you'd talk about? Because like Ashley is so smart and you're probably so smart too.

I know. Oh, thank you. You have to do all those terms and everything. Um, I feel like we would learn from each other. Um, we are both smart in completely different ways. She is more of the academics, science way and I'm more of the arts kind of way. So I feel like we would help each other out, um, creatively and scientifically.

You both are kind of similar in the way that school is very different for you guys like growing up. What is kind, like do you feel like you're kind of living out stuff you've been missed out on on the show?

Um, I feel like, yes. Um, because, um, episode, uh, eight in the first part, she goes to a dance. I have been to school dances, but not that fancy. So, I think, yeah, I'm kind of living off of her, um, with those experience-wise. But, um, no, yeah. I mean, she is, we're different. I mean, she focused on her schoolwork and now she's getting to live her life and I got homeschooled so that I can focus on my career. And I guess now I'm kind of enjoying life through quarantine. But no, yeah, I mean, I am kind of living off of her.

Mhm. And do you find yourself watching the show when you're just hanging out or do you not like watching yourself?

I catch my dad watching the show. I catch him watching the show a lot and I'm just like.

Right? What do they say about it? What do your parents say? And your dad?

Oh, my, my dad loves the show. He loves Genaro's Canela. Um, he thinks it's hilarious and his friends love it too. Um, his friends are like, "Oh, I didn't, I didn't think there was going to be something for the older crowd, but there is with Uncle Victor." So, they really enjoy it.

That's so nice. And what, what was their reaction when they, including yours, when you guys found out that you had booked the part?

Surreal. Um, I remember my agent called me and they were so nonchalant about it. They're like, "Oh, yeah, just want to let you know, you booked it." And I was just like, "What?" It's about to change my life so. I know. My mom and I were in the car and we were just like, "Are you sure we booked it?" I mean, to this day, it's like, I still don't believe it. It hasn't registered.

Yeah. And how long was it since you auditioned and then when you got the call from your agent that you booked it?

Um, so it was a day after my testing. For Ashley Garcia. It was just like, we had landed, um, to San Antonio, Texas and there was just like, "Boop." You're like, "Oh, okay." It's crazy. Crazy and insane.

What did you think about between the audition and when you got the call? Were you like not trying to think about it? Were you thinking about it a ton? Or?

I, I learned not to think about it. I learned that if it's going to come, it's going to come and if it's my time, it's going to be my time. Um, but I know as soon as like the plane was landing, that's when all my texts were getting in and, um, my manager texted me like, "Oh, um, call your agent when you land so that we can let you know we're hearing." And I was just like, "Okay." Mentally preparing myself. I'm not going to book it. They're going to be like, "They liked you, but so and so this." Um, but no, my mom was like, "Stay positive. What are you doing?" And I was like, I'm mentally preparing myself. I, I don't want to get my hopes up, you know? Mhm. So, so yeah. I mean, it's just so crazy and surreal.

How did you celebrate once you kind of got out of the airport and like off the plane?

So, okay, so it was my birthday the next day. So, we kind of just had a dinner and just celebrated Ashley Garcia plus my birthday.

Okay. And we're going to play the game of "Lasts" if you're down. Last? Go ahead. Yeah. What is this?

Last time you shopped online?

Um, ooh. I think it was like two weeks ago.

Oh. What did you buy?

I think I bought, what did I buy? I bought clothes. I bought leggings.

Last person you texted. Remember texting?

Um, my best friend Valeria.

Last person you FaceTimed?

My best friend Valeria.

Last home workout you did.

Home workout? Yeah. Home workout. Okay. Um, it was yesterday.

Last YouTube video you remember watching?

Um, NikkiTutorials, uh, reviewing the Jeffree Star Cremated palette.

Last music artist you've been obsessed with.

Ash. I don't know if you know her. Ash, she wrote "Moral of the Story." Yeah. I love her.

Last new hobby you picked up.

Playing the piano. Yep.

There you go. Last DM you remember sending on Instagram?

Ooh. I don't even remember. I, I think it was like a meme to my friend.

I would say probably like a meme or something to one of your best friends. Uh, last skincare hack you discovered.

Hmm. Always taking off your makeup. I mean, that's something I always knew. Um, I guess always drinking water.

Last time you practiced your lines or any kind of lines, even if it was.

Last night.

There you go. Who do you usually practice with? Your mom? Dad?

Um, yeah. Usually with my mom. Um, but last night it was by myself.

Last picture you remember taking on your phone?

Pretty sure it was a Snapchat to my friend and it was like an ugly face. Yeah. That's my last picture that I took.

Do you care about streaks or anything or you just you don't care about streaks?

No, I don't care about streaks. It's just uh, we're snapping and we actually have conversations when we snap. So, um, yeah. The face pick stuff, I'm kind of over that.

That's funny because the next one is last Snapchat filter you remember using.

I. I do not use Snapchat filters actually. Um, but it's usually when my mom and I are just like messing around. I think that's when we just play around with face filters.

Last time you watched an episode from The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia.

I want to say a month ago my dad was watching it.

Right? Isn't it just so wild though to think like people all over are just watching you 24/7 like at least some person's watching it sometime and you're just like, "Yeah."

It's just like so weird. It's like, yeah. People are watching it and I'm just like, "Okay." I'm in my pajamas, just chilling.

Well, thank you so much for talking to us today at Young Hollywood.

Thank you for having me.