NBC Parenthood’s Dylan: Greek-American Ally Ioannides is a “Rebel” by Birthright

Aspiring to be like one of her grandfather’s drama heroines, Ally had one choice lying ahead.

Although still a high school junior, Ally Ioannides is pursuing a career in acting and making her first successful steps in the world of Hollywood. She was recently selected to play Dylan, the rebellious student of NBC’s show “Parenthood.”

But being a heroine in a male-dominated industry can be a challenging mission for a high school student.

Ioannides says that only 10 percent of the movies have gender-balanced casts. She believes that even less films empower women and allow them to play characters with “substance.” 

Unfortunately, market trends prove that Ioannides’ concerns are valid. A recent report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film indicated that women are not only underpaid but also unrepresented in the film business. According to the study, women made up only the 12 percent of the top rating movies in 2014.

It was this reality that prompted actress Patricia Arquette to address gender wage gap in her acceptance speech at the 2015 Academy Awards. 

Being a conscious actress, who tries to evade the shallowness that defines most mainstream roles, is not a promising omen for a career in show business. But Ioannides got a lucky break with playing the part of Dylan, a character who partly reminds her of herself.

Like Dylan, Ioannides believes that there is nothing wrong with challenging authority and rocking the boat.

For most part of her short career, Ioannides had remained faithful to her “heroic” Greek heritage by carefully selecting her auditions and avoiding roles that stereotypically portray a female character as a “submissive cute little girl.”

Although she is 16 years old, Ioannides has built a rich portfolio, which combines theater, film and intertwines a variety of different character genres.

After striking a role in NBC’s “Parenthood,” many of her relatives and friends ask how she would proceed with her career. But Ioannides does not feel the pressure to answer. She just works hard and lives the present without expecting something from the future.

Her grandfather’s drama tales seem to have taught her well that when man plans, God laughs.

Tell us about the character you play on NBC’s “Parenthood”, Dylan;

So Dylan is a new student at Chambers Academy, and she is quick-witted, sarcastic and very intelligent. But she has authority issues. You see that when the audience meets Dylan for the first time. But later we find out that Dylan has home issues. Her parents are kind absent. And you know she is the way she is for a reason. Max has a crash on Dylan but she doesn’t really like him. She wants to be friends and he is not ok with that. But then in the end it all worked out.

You seem really sympathetic towards Dylan, do you believe that defying the status quo is a Greek thing and do you find a part of yourself in her character?

Honestly I think there is a little bit of me in that, and I think that is related to my Greek side. I am not to the extent of Dylan, but I do feel that I have that fight in me. I do for sure, but not as bad as Dylan. Definitely I understand where she comes from, but not as extreme as her. Like a tone down version.

You are making your first steps into Hollywood at such young age, did you expect that it would happen so fast?

I don’t know if I really expected anything to happen. I don’t think I ever do. But I don’t think it happened quickly. I think that is kind of a misconception. But I was so shocked when I got this part because I remembered getting the audition and I was so thrilled. I worked very hard on it, I went in, and I had a great audition, but I remember thinking there is no way. Why would they cast me when they have so many awesome people? That doesn’t make sense. And then I got the call back.

What were you doing the moment you found out that you got the role on the series and what was your reaction?

I was hanging out at my friend’s house and I got a phone call from a number that I didn’t recognize. So I answered and it was the costume designer. And she was like ‘hi this is Diane from Parenthood, I just want to call you for a fitting.’ I was like ‘what?’ She was like ‘you don’t know that you got the part, didn’t you?’ After I hanged up, I was silent. It was so unreal; everything that you ever wanted just falling into place. And right after it was like fear because I was like ‘how I’m going do this? And then later it became that just I am so grateful. I don’t think I ever have been so happy. I remember I was walking home with my friend and I think that she goes ‘Ally you haven’t stop smiling in 2 hours,’ and I think that perfectly sums up how I was feeling that day. I just smiled for like 5 hours straight. 

How did you feel and what did you learn from the big moment of the first filming?

I was extremely nervous. Peter Krause was directing that episode and I was like ‘oh my God Peter Krause is directing this,’ I’m going to mess things up. I was so nervous. I don’t think I have ever been so nervous ever. And then I remember when I actually got on set. It kind went away. It was like this is what I do, I love to act, all I have to do is be myself, and it did work out.

You tweeted and shared an article that said, “women are 50% of the population, but only 10% of movies have gender-balanced casts.” Have you ever faced discrimination because of your gender or do you believe that the sexism culture persists in the Hollywood industry today?

First of all thank you for bringing it that up. That’s awesome. I do definitely feel the women are underrepresented in film and when they are represented is not necessarily in the right way. And I love my part on Parenthood because it is not so typical. But I have gone out for so many roles that they are just the pretty girl who the guy falls in love with and that’s not what it should be because women are awesome. We can play people with substance. We don’t have to play like a submissive cute little girl. We can be bolt and we can challenge authority. That is what I love about Dylan. And I try to look for roles like that when I do auditions and I do feel like that the industry, although it has gone better, I do feel that it has ways to go. But there are awesome women out there, people that I so look up to.

What was your reaction when you saw yourself for the first time on TV? What was your family and friends feedback?

My first reaction was ‘stop Ally, go away,’ because I hate watching myself. But I had a lot of people call me and go ‘Ally I saw you on TV’ and I remember you know my papou (grandfather) called me and I was so happy that he had seen me and he was so excited. And later on after I had been in a few episodes, he called me and he was like ‘oh you know Parenthood reminds me of the ancient Greek plays. I love how there is the climax just like the old Greek plays.’ He was very funny. A lot of people are like ‘you are just like Dylan’ and a lot of people are ‘ you couldn’t be more different than Dylan.’ So it is interesting to see that too.

Did your parents and family support your dream, and what was the best advice that they gave you?

Yes, both my parents including my sister are so supportive. I don’t know what I would do without them. When we moved in the Oceanside (California) my mom would drive me two hours at least twice a week to LA for auditions. And you know I am really fortunate. I don’t think I would be where I am today if I didn’t have parents who were like yes go and get your dream. Because that’s a crazy dream and there is a very slim chance that is going to happen. And you know my dad since I was very little had said you do anything that you want as long as you are really good at it. And I think that was an awesome advice.

Growing up Greek in America, does your family life resemble the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding" in any way?

I think my family is little bit like that. I don’t think is quiet as extreme, but my papou (grandfather) really likes to use Windex. And you know, we have a big family and we would roast lam on Easter. So yes for sure.  

You currently live in California but you were born and raised in Atlanta, where your Greek grandparents are still living today, what do you miss most from back home?

I loved growing up in Atlanta. I had a lot of great friends and I loved being part of the community because it was a big part of my childhood. You know, I went to church and on Sunday school, and I am really glad I had that because I have so many good friends. Even though that I don’t live there anymore I can still call them up and I know all these people would be there for me. It is really nice to have that community rooted in me.

How did the Greek side of your family react when you decided to become a vegan and how did you ever manage to survive Orthodox Easter?

That is so true and funny that you brought that up. I don’t think that my papou (grandfather) really gets it. I have so many people offering me meat. And I am just like ‘no’ and they are like ‘why not?’ But I feel really bad. It is just sad because I do love lamb, but I love animals so much. That is where that comes from.

You are really close to your Greek grandparents and they seem to have a great influence on you, tell us about their life story and their journey to America. 

I know that my grandfather came in the U.S. when he was a teenager on a boat to Atlanta and that he met my grandmother there. That is kind how they started our family. And I do remember my grandfather has told me some crazy stories about how he used to live in Greece and how he sometimes he didn’t even have food. So now he would never leave any food on his plate. He always eats all of it because he didn’t have that growing up. And he still has an apartment there (Greece). I know that he goes back and forth, which is cool. 

Tell us about your memories and experience from your previous trips to Greece, any plans to visit this summer?

You can’t imagine how much I love Greece. I honestly think there are very few places I have been that are just as beautiful. I just love the islands because physically they are very beautiful. But I love also the whole feeling and the whole culture. You know it’s so different from America, where everything is so fast paced and we got to get things done. There everything relaxes. I love that about Greece. I am still trying to decide about my summer plans. It’s definitely a maybe, and I will do my best to go to the Ionian Village (a camp in Greece for Greek-American teenagers).

Do you like to make plans for the future or do you let life to take you ahead? What does Ally expect from her future?

We have to wait and see. I am sure you would see me sometime somewhere, but I don’t have anything planned right now. But we would see. Hopefully awesome staff. As for making plans, I don’t like to do that because I don’t want to let myself down. I just want to go to college that is something that I want to do. But even then I don’t know. I will see what happens. That is kind how I live my life. See what happens and then roll with it. I don’t like to make plans in advance because I don’t know if it is going to happen, and I am still very young and I just want to see what happens with life. 

Petros Kasfikis