Ashley Argota: June Cover Girl
Dream: Tell us about what Bucket and Skinner is about.
Ashley: It’s a show about 2 best friends that live on the beach and love to surf and eat tacos. It’s basically about their “epic adventures” through high school.
Dream: Describe your character Kelly.
Ashley: Kelly is the smart, popular, confident girl in the show. She’s a surf instructor at the surf shop, a great student in school and strives for excellence in everything she does. She has this really crazy side to her when things aren’t going right– she freaks out. Bucket has a huge crush on her and she’s totally oblivious to everything he does to win her over.
Dream: How are you and Kelly alike? How are you different?
Ashley: We’re the same in that I was a really good student in school, but she’s an awesome surfer, which is where we part ways. I’ve never surfed a day in my life.
Dream: Who should tune into Bucket & Skinner?
Ashley: Everybody and their mother. Anybody who wants to laugh. Anyone who likes fun.
Dream: Why should people tune in to Bucket & Skinner?
Ashley: It’s such a hilarious show. There’s a lot of physical comedy– falling, food in the face, etc. The boys have amazing chemistry on screen and off; they’re SO funny as Bucket & Skinner. The story lines are so relatable to everyone: trying to impress the girl of your dreams, getting jobs, & standing up to bullies. It’s a show that everyone is gonna love!
Dream: This isn’t your first NICK show, what’s it like working with an all new cast?
Ashley: I was a little anxious to meet the new cast at first. I had been with the True Jackson cast for 2 years already and they were so amazing and fun to work with. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I found out that I’d be working with another cast. But the second I met everyone, they were so nice and welcoming. I love working with them.
Dream: How is the cast? Do you guys have a lot of fun on set?
Ashley: The cast is amazing to work with. We have such a fantastic time working together. It never feels like “work” because we’re always laughing and joking around with each other. Taylor and Dillon are like my brothers now– I love them! We’ve grown to be great friends and I couldn’t ask for better people to work with. Â They’re very protective of me. There was actually an instance where I was out with the boys and I saw someone I didn’t want to see, and they know I’m not too fond of this person… And when the guy tried to talk to me, Dillon and Taylor were the first ones to get in front of me and make sure that the guy didn’t bother me. They have my back and I have theirs. I love them.
Dream: What is a normal day like on set for you?
Ashley: We have table reads, rehearsals, and run thru’s on Wednesday’s, Thursday’s and Fridays. We rehearse all of our scenes and the script normally changes a bunch during the first few days. On Mondays, we do hair and makeup in the morning and then shoot our more complicated scenes– any scenes with stunts or flying food that ends up in our faces (which has happened a lot). On Tuesday’s, it’s the same schedule, except at night we tape with a live audience!
Dream: Describe the feeling of taping in front of a live audience.
Ashley: We love our audience tapings! The audience is so energetic and fun. We feed off of their energy when we’re filming– we get super pumped before every show. Before every taping, we do a speed through of our lines and then do a cast huddle and yell “EPIC!” The audience actually helps out with the show in a way. If they’re laughing a lot, then we know our jokes are great. If not, the writers know to change the lines a little. I think the audience laughs the most when we mess up our lines. On our first taping of “Bucket and Skinner’s”, I forgot my very first line in front of the audience. So embarrassing! We also sign autographs and talk to the audience after the show. Super fun.
Dream: The show takes place on the beach, are you a beach kind of girl?
Ashley: I do love the beach! The vibe there is so cool and chill. However, I don’t like going in the water. I’m always afraid that a shark is gonna come out and bite me! I’ll definitely a land dweller. I stay in the sand.
Dream: What’s it like being part of the NICK Family?
Ashley: I work with the nicest people in the world. Everyone is so supportive of each other. Every year we do a big Nickelodeon promo shoot and it’s so much fun because everyone from the Nickelodeon family is there and we all hang out and have fun. It’s absolutely incredible working for Nickelodeon. Such a blessing and a dream come true.
Dream: Tell us a funny moment about set.
Ashley: Well, today I smashed my face into a chocolate cake for one of my scenes. I think that was pretty hilarious! There was also a time when I’m supposed to get iced tea thrown in my face and right before Dillon and Taylor threw it, the director said “STOP!” and Taylor couldn’t stop in time, so the iced tea landed in my face anyway. I had to get cleaned up so we could do it again properly. I have a video of it on my phone. It was so funny– I couldn’t stop laughing.
Dream: A lot of people put personality into decorating their dressing rooms, what did you do with yours?
Ashley: There’s a lot of pictures in my dressing room. I have two boards of pictures from when I was little and some recent photobooth pics that I took with friends. I have a digital frame with a bunch of pictures from Bucket and Skinner’s and, of course, True Jackson. It’s fun to see all the memories that have happened from TJVP to this show. I have a Lakers blanket that Tiffany, my little sister on the show, made me for Christmas. And I have a poster of the Beatles, who I love. Last but not least, in the middle of my wall, I have a True Jackson poster and the Bucket & Skinner cast picture hung right next to each other. My two families. 
Dream: You’re attending NYU in the fall, what made you decide to do that?
Ashley: School has always been very important to me. I’ve wanted to go to NYU since I was 10 years old. I still can’t believe I got accepted to my dream school! I got accepted last year but had to defer because I was working so much in LA. But this year, I have time to go. I’m going to nursing school because I wanted something outside of acting– a backup plan. You never know what could happen in show business, and nursing is a great backup plan. I think it’ll be fun to learn something new. I’ll still be acting and singing while I’m in school, so any rumors that I’m going to stop acting are not true!
Dream: Will it be hard to balance your school and work schedule?
Ashley: It’ll be difficult to balance both school and work, but I think I can handle it. I’ll have to fly back to Los Angeles every once in a while to do promos for the show. If Bucket & Skinner’s gets another season then I’ll fly back and stay until the season is over then go back to school afterwards. It’s going to be stressful at times but its really important to me that I finish school, so I’m willing to finagle my schedule so I can go to school AND work.
Styling: Liz Sennett & Lacey McConnell
Hair and Make Up: Cassie Lyonsusing Camera Ready Cosmetics
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