What's it like playing the mean girl character?
It's such a feisty character, and it's so much fun to step out of the box and become this completely different person. She causes all the drama, and they need that on the show. As the story unravels, people are going to see that Lauren is the most vulnerable out of all the girls. She has a lot of her own personal issues going on and that's why she puts on this whole façade. Gymnastics is her life -- it's all she has, and she's very cutthroat when it comes to it, but it all comes from a very hurtful place in her heart.

How do you think you're like and unlike Lauren?
We're both very competitive people. I'd never try to physically hurt someone like Lauren. Lauren's extremely passionate about getting that gold medal; there's nothing that will stand I her way and that's how I am. [Also,] I have a huge Italian family and Lauren just basically has her father.

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