‘Faking It’ star Rita Volk talks Amy’s sexuality, Season 2B and fun donut flavors!

Now, where did we leave off? Oh yeah, when we last saw BFF’s Karma (Katie Stevens) and Amy (Rita Volk), the two were working on rebuilding their friendship– Karma just found out that her bestie had a one-night stand with her boyfriend Liam (Gregg Sulkin) and things are super awkward between all involved. Did we mention that Amy slept with Liam because Karma rejected her advances to being more than just friends? Yep. Well, now Amy has a new girlfriend named Reagan (Yvette Monreal) and Karma seems super jealous (more than a BF should be) that Amy’s moved on. Turns out Karma just can’t seem to get over the fact that the two most important people in her life had sex and lied to her about it– cue emotions running high, ultimatums in a prison cell and a questionable dream… where Karma pictures Amy and Liam doing the nasty behind her back– leading into a steamy lip lock between Karma and Amy in a tent. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say there’s some trust issues and unresolved feelings on Karma’s end.

Actress Rita Volk stars in the hit MTV series, which has already been renewed for a third season, and has not only captured my attention but the attention of millions of fans worldwide. The 24-year-old star really hit a home run with this dramedy, showcasing her impeccable comedic timing one minute all while breaking our hearts the next. Who wouldn’t want Princess Sarcasm to sweep them off their feet? How many of you volunteer as tribute… me, me, and more me! But seriously, when I was given the chance to interview this talented young lady, I was over the moon– seeing as the character she plays is kind of my spirit animal. I mean, who doesn’t rock donut shirts on the daily? People who don’t have souls… that’s who. All kidding aside, this character has evolved so much since we first saw her in season one and I can’t wait to see her journey continue.

Volk teased Amy’s permanent feelings for Karma, as well as offered a teeny, tiny glimpse into the role of Felix (Parker Mack) and where he fits into Amy’s life. The interview then got real weird and I asked her what flavor donut she’d be and let’s just say her answer will make you giggle and have you all running out to attempt such a concoction.

Let’s get to it!

MCKENZIE MORRELL: Faking It finally returns on August 31 and everyone is super excited to see what’s up with the gang for the second half of the season. Can we expect the premiere to start right where we left off last November?

RITA VOLK: Yeah. I’m trying to remember… it’s been so long, I’m like what the hell happened? We kind of do. Amy is not completely convinced that Karma is over the whole Liam situation. That kind of goes through the first half of the season. The second half, I think, they’re working on their relationship a lot more apart from Liam, so we’re going to see that. Amy is still trying to figure this stuff out. I’m really proud of the second half, because everyone gets their own storyline. I think this is really where it truly becomes an ensemble show. We didn’t do that as much in the first half, so that’s what I’m really excited about.

MM: That’s awesome. I know everybody is really eager. There’s been some trailers that have dropped, but we’ll get into that a little later. A fun thing I found out was that you originally went out for the role of Karma. Looking back now, could you even imagine playing anyone other than Amy?

RV: I really can’t. It just kind of goes to show that everyone is kind of destined to be where they’re supposed to. I’ve talked to people about it since I got the part, and we always kind of laugh about it because when you’re in the audition process and you really want the part, and you’re going after audition after audition, you kind of have tunnel vision. You don’t really think about going out for anything else, you just kind of want the original role you went out for. So, it didn’t even cross my mind and I don’t know why because when they came out and asked me to read for Amy, I was like… wait. This makes a lot of sense. I really can relate to her and I think she just spoke to me a lot- a lot more than Karma’s character. It just worked out perfectly. It really was destined to be the way it was.

MM: In terms of being relatable, what are some similarities between you and Amy? Do you have a love of donuts as much as your on-screen counterpart?

RV: Who doesn’t love donuts?! We’re all about the snacks- the white trash snacks, as I call them. I love me some hot cheetos. That’s my thing. I think Amy would appreciate hot cheetos, as well. We share a love for the junk food, absolutely… for the documentaries, for the horror movies, for the kind of underground, maybe not as popular stuff. But I think the big things are that she really values the people around her, and she doesn’t have a large group of friends. She’s kind of the person who has a few and they’re there and they’ll always be there. She’s protective and she’s real and she’s honest. I like to be that way, too. I never really felt comfortable being in large groups and feeling like I had to make small talk. That’s just not how I was wired, I guess. So I really found comfort in that in her, and I think she really knows what’s important. I think there’s a maturity to her that goes a little above her years, and I think I can relate to that, too. Those are kind of the biggest things.

MM: It’s definitely quality over quantity for her, and I think for many people, I would hope.

RV: Yeah. I think she lives in a world, and I live in a world- we all live in a world where sometimes it is about quantity and sometimes it is about shallow things, and she’s just not a very shallow person and I love that about her.

MM: Oh yes. She is one of my favorites, so I approve of that. Getting back to donuts, because that’s how we roll here , if you were a donut what flavor would you be?

RV: Oh my god. Ok, so I went to this donut place called Voodoo Donuts in Portland when I was visiting my sister. They have these crazy donut flavors that I wouldn’t even eat, but they’re just so interesting to look at. So, if I had to eat a donut I’d keep it simple, but if I had to create a donut, I think I would do like a glazed donut topped with hot cheetos and sprinkles.

MM: Oh boy. You’re gonna get a bunch of people making these homemade donuts after this interview. They’re gonna be like, “Look at my hot cheetos donut!”

RV: Maybe some chocolate chips, I don’t know. I don’t know if chocolate chips and hot cheetos go together, but definitely hot cheetos on my donut, for sure.

MM: We’ll have to try and see how that goes. (laughs) So the show obviously is constantly breaking stereotypes. With that said, how does it feel to be a major role model in the LGBT community? Do you feel any added pressure to portray this character?

RV: I think in the beginning there was, because it wasn’t a world that we knew a lot about. I think that over the past, even year and a half or two years, the world has just been so welcoming. I feel like so much has changed, or maybe because we’re a part of it now, we notice it more. Transgender people, gays, lesbians… so many different groups are being welcomed and I think it’s wonderful. That was scary in the beginning because people… I would get questions from fans like, “I want to come out to my mom and I don’t know what to say. What would you do in this situation?” and that’s not something that I had ever experienced in my life, you know? I’m not qualified to give that answer. So in the beginning it was a little scary. As the show went on, we learned more about just the entire community what it means to come out, what are people’s stories, what it means to be transgender, and as you kind of learn about it all it becomes less scary and just the love and the positive reception that we’ve gotten, it kind of eased everything. Once we were welcomed and knew we were doing something heartfelt and positive, it kind of dispelled all the fear.

MM: People writing to you and talking to you, do you get a lot of messages on social media of people relating to the show and your character?

RV: Definitely. I get letters. I got a letter from I think a seventeen year old girl from Israel, and I have yet to write back to her, but I will. If she’s reading this- I will get back to you! I just thought there was something so unique about her letter, maybe because she’s so far away, I don’t know. She’s all the way out there on the other side of the world and yeah, a lot of letters about how the show helped them come out and helped them through a lot of tough situations and feeling like they didn’t have anything to turn to, so it’s been really, really, really amazing and we are all so grateful that our first kind of big thing that we’re a part of is so socially applicable to today. It kind of gives a younger demographic that outlet, so it’s definitely incredible.

MM: That’s awesome. Do you have any plans to hop on Twitter once the show starts and get back into the groove? I know you’ve been a little MIA, I’m sure you’re busy.

RV: Yeah, I like to do it for the show because I know the kids love it. It’s just so weird to me. The whole social media thing can get a little weird. I’m still kind of learning to get used to it. Learning to get used to people wanting to know everything about people and just this constant sharing of information, but when it comes to the show- absolutely. I know it’s a great tool to reach out to people and let them know what’s going on. So yes. I have to get on that. (laughs)

MM: (laughs) Didn’t mean to call you out. Just the fans would like to see you and I’m sure they’re about to put your picture on a milk carton (laughs). Now onto a strange question, if Amy were to ever get a tattoo, what do you think it would be of?

RV: Oh wow. Well, it wouldn’t be junk food, I doubt that. Maybe just one lone hot cheeto… If she were to get a tattoo what would it be? Hmmmm. I don’t know if she would, but if she did it would definitely be something meaningful. Maybe some kind of symbol of something, I don’t know. Maybe something to do with her travels. I think she’d be very interested in how other people live. Maybe a hindu thing or something, I don’t know, that might be a little tacky.

MM: (Laughs) Okay- let’s talk Karmy. Those crazy kids shared a steamy kiss in the Faking It trailer and everyone is going crazy. Do you think that Amy still has hope or lingering feelings for Karma?

RV: I think she always will. We’ve established that she really does love her in that way. I think it’s hard for most people to just say, “Alright. It’s never gonna happen. I’ll let it go.” She’s definitely not as desperate for it to happen, and she’s not as torn about it. She’s still very much torn but I think now she’s more realistic about the fact that those feelings may never get reciprocated. There is always going to be a small hope, but eventually it will go away, and we’re going to see that transformation of Amy being like, “Okay, you know what? I need to get over this. It’s never going to happen.”

MM: We get to see some new characters when the show returns. The fans are eager to find out who Felix (Parker Mack) is. Can you tell us anything about him or about your interaction on the show?

RV: I don’t know how much I can say. He’s a new kid in school. He has a secret that I unfortunately can’t tell you, and he and Amy might have a little something. You have to watch to see.

MM: You sneaky girl. I would probably get into a lot of trouble if I didn’t ask about Reamy (Reagan and Amy). They’re a couple now, for now, and it looks like Karma isn’t the only thing standing in the way of their happiness. Is Amy still struggling with her sexuality?

RV: She is. I think she’s going to be for a little bit. It’s interesting because I think when you get to that point you either are or you’re not, and I think we’re very used to seeing things in black and white, you know? I am gay or I’m not gay. Once you establish what you are that’s great, because then you know yourself and can say, “This is who I am.” For some people, it’s not just black and white. People really can be both, or they’re not sure and they have to discover that. So, we’re going to see that struggle in her and all I can say is that Reagan is not going to like that, because she is someone who absolutely knows who she is and has figured it out. Good for her, but Amy definitely hasn’t- not one hundred percent.

MM: That’s so true. We’re excited to see how that develops. Now, what’s the best thing about working with Katie Stevens? You two have great chemistry on screen, and it seems like the cast gets along on and off set.

RV: I talk about this with people who are like, “You know this never really happens. It’s rare for a cast to just be normal.” Whatever that means. I think we’re all pretty normal. We’re all very different in our own ways, you know. Bailey is married and she has her home life and her own things going on and Michael is really into his music, and Katie is doing her thing in Nashville, Gregg is doing his own thing… we all kind of have different interests, but we’re all very calm. We just got really lucky that everyone is able to get along. We are so different but we’re the same because of that. Katie has a great head on her shoulders. It really just comes down to values and I think everyone has good values and that’s important. Everyone is focused on what they’re doing. She and I are from similar backgrounds. We’re both really close with our families and I think that makes a big difference. We value that, you know, having people around and being grounded. That’s really helped us bond. I’m so lucky.

MM: Well, I think it definitely shows on the show. You guys all look like you are genuinely happy to be there and you’re happy to be doing it, so that really shines through in the work.

RV: Thank you. It’s a really great set. We are very fortunate.

MM: Now, I have a fun question for you. Which character on the show would you kiss, which one would you marry, and which one would you dump?

RV: Would I dump?

MM: Yes. I was going to say kill, but let’s not get too harsh and just say dump.

RV: Oh man! Okay. (laughs) It can be anybody? I would kiss Shane, because I love him. I would marry…. uhhh who would I marry? I really love Felix as a character and I’m so excited for the fans to see him. So maybe I would marry him. I think we would get along… am I speaking as myself?

MM: Or your character.

RV: Oh, I’m speaking as the character? Right. If I’m speaking for Amy, I would kiss Felix, marry Karma, and dump…. I don’t know. I don’t wanna say I’d dump Reagan because people are going to be so mad. This is my life. I’d dump Liam. Not that they’re together but…

MM: Yeah, no. I mean there are still some fans holding out for Liam and Amy, so you never know. (laughs)

RV: I guess because Gregg is so lovable, maybe that’s why.

MM: Yes he is. To start wrapping up, you and Michael Willett are going to the Faking It convention in Paris next year, is that correct?

RV: Yeah.

MM: Have you ever been to Paris? Are you excited to meet the fans?

RV: I am so, so excited. I’ve never been. It’s amazing that we have that opportunity, and it’s just an example of how the show is opening so many doors for us. I am super, super excited. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I might actually make it a family trip. My parents might fly out and all that. I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but that would be really great if that happened. Obviously, just seeing the fans so far away. It’s crazy that we have fans out there who are taking the time out to go and meet us. It’s very cool.

MM: Oh yes. I’m sure it’s going to be a blast. And finally, to conclude, what are six words to describe the show when it returns to get us pumped for August 31st?

RV: Swimmingpool. I’m going to say that’s one word. Kissing. Ensemble. Secrets. Lies. and Truth.

MM: Ooh. We can’t wait. Also, how was your summer? Did you travel anywhere fun or start any non-Faking It related projects?

RV: I’ve been auditioning for a lot of really great stuff and meeting casting directors and making connections and having meetings, so that’s been really great. Reading a lot of scripts, so that’s on the job front. Also, just spending time with my friends and family. I just saw my sister. She lives in Portland, it’s a great city. I really like it over there. I’m also trying to catch up on my movies. I have a goal of seeing every movie on the AFI (American Film Institute) top 100 movies of all time. I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but I’m trying.

MM: You’ve got a goal!

RV: Yeah, and Netflix. I know Amy loves her Netflix, and I do, too.

MM: Don’t we all love Netflix. (laughs)

RV: God Bless Netflix.

Faking It returns to MTV on a new night