Sofia is a talent who was discovered by MAX Agency while she was at the mall and she has now been with the agency for 4 years! Born and raised in Toronto, she is a true city girl who loves all the excitement that it offers.
Modeling and acting is for her, a way to be creative and try new things. Sofia loves to sing and dance. She is currently taking ballet!
Shes an avid reader and devours novels in a few days – shes currently reading the Harry Potter series. She loves science and hopes to work in conservation when she grows up.
Sofia was selected for a kids toys photoshoot a few years ago, where she enjoyed the experience of being on set. She knows that there are a lot of talented people out there, so the advice that she shared with us is to try your best and not get discouraged.
MAX Agency is a successful Toronto acting agency representing men, women, and children. MAX Agency is involved in providing actors, models, and entertainers for the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries.
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Max talent, Olivia O., has an impressive resume! As an ice skater and an ice dancer, she has participated in several championships. She is the Guinness World record holder for the fastest spin on ice skates and a Polish National Ice Dance Champion.
She spoke to us about her journey, her passion for ice dancing, her charity work, and her future goals.
Max: Tell us a bit about you and your background.
Olivia: I am18 years old. I was born in Warsaw, Poland and I came to Canada with my parents when I was 3 and we lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I didn’t speak any English when I arrived, but I now speak 3 languages.
Max:Your resume is impressive. How did you start this journey?
Olivia: When I was 5, my mom took me to the ice rink. She said that as we live in Canada, I have to learn to ice skate! I remember my first time on ice. I must have fallen 100 times but I kept getting back up until I could stand on my own. As soon as I could skate properly, I wanted to be a figure skater because you didn’t have to wear a helmet!
Max:You hold the world record for the fastest spinner on ice! How did this happen?
Olivia: I was on the ice every day and eventually started to do well. I had always loved spinning and my coach could see how fast I was. So we checked with Guinness World Records to see what the record for the fastest spinner on ice was and we thought I could beat it.
I practiced for nearly 2 years and in 2015, when I was 11 years old, I went to the National Stadium in Warsaw and broke the world record. My spin was digitally timed at 342 rpm which is 34 rpm faster than the previous record held by a Russian skater. There were thousands of people there and live TV. The event raised a lot of money to help make wishes come true for sick kids in Poland. My record still stands today.
COURCHEVEL, FRANCE – AUGUST 27: Olivia Oliver and Joshua Andari of Poland compete in the Junior Ice Dance Rhythm Dance during the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating at Patinoire du Forum on August 27, 2021 in Courchevel, France. (Photo by Joosep Martinson – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
Max: Tell us about your accomplishments
Olivia: I continued to progress with my skating and I won both the Juvenile Provincial and Atlantic Canada Championships. But I knew that what I really wanted was to become an ice dancer.
So, with my parents support, we moved to Barrie, Ontario, so that I could train full time at the Mariposa School of Skating. Within a year, I found an ice dance partner from Moscow, Russia, who came over to train with me and together we competed internationally. We qualified for the World Junior Championships.
To develop as an ice dancer I knew that I needed to work hard as a junior skater for the next three seasons and so I switched partners – and it paid off. We are the current Polish National Junior Ice Dance Champions, ranked #1 in Poland and we represent the country on the International circuit.
Max:You also volunteer for the youth community and sick kids. Tell me about that.
Olivia: Since my world record, I have always combined my love of skating with my passion for helping less-fortunate children. I have personally granted the wishes of 30 sick kids in Poland and through my cause “Skating for Young Heroes” I have helped organize and participate in major galas & virtual events for over 1000 children suffering from terminal illnesses or life-limiting conditions. I was recently appointed International Youth Ambassador of Wishsurfing.pl, which in its first 12 months has granted the wishes of 240 sick kids.
Max: Among all your accomplishments, which are you most proud of?
Olivia: I am proud of my skating achievements and charity work. I have been recognized in the House of Commons and I am listed in the Polish Consul’s list of “Notable Polish Canadians”, but I am most proud of my world record. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this gave me the media platform and recognition to be able to do everything I have achieved.
Max: You must spend a lot of time training and traveling. Yet, you are successful at school too. How do you balance everything?
Olivia: I have just graduated from Innisdale High School, Barrie, with a 90.5% average. Thanks to the school’s co-op program with Mariposa School of Skating I was able to schedule my studies to accommodate my training and travelling. Without this program it would not have been possible.
Max: What are your goals for the future?
Olivia: I have one year left on the junior circuit and I hope to reach next year’s World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. After that, my goal is to continue to improve and do well on the senior European and World circuits, hopefully representing Poland at the Olympic Games in the future. I will continue with my further education online and I will be expanding my charity work through a new platform which I will be launching later this year, “Start_2_Liv”. Using the life-lessons I have gained, this will be a dedicated site to help teenage girls, with daily posts & weekly podcasts on: diet & healthy eating; the importance of exercise; body wellness & mind techniques; confidence, leadership skills & giving back.
Max: All of what you do requires dedication and hard work. Do you have any tricks/tips to stay motivated and push yourself?
Olivia: When I was a younger teen I also suffered greatly from stress, anguish, torment, bullying and injury. I was so lucky to find my passion in life and the support I needed to help guide me through. I have had many coaches in my career but the most valuable has been my mental trainer. Without this I’m not sure I would have made it.
So my advice to all young people is to find a passion and a cause, no matter what it is, and make it the most important thing in your life.
Oliva O. and her dance partner representing Poland in the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Courchevel, France.
Max: How do you connect your background with acting/modeling?
Olivia: As an ice dancer, I am acting, performing and dancing all at once. The difference is that I am doing this at high speed on blades just 1mm wide, with zero margin of error. As a high performance skater I am in front of a live audience and on TV and I have to conduct many media interviews which gives me the confidence and posture to act and/or model. Joining Max Agency seemed like a natural step in my career and Max’s acting classes have also really helped me with my performance on ice.
Max: What is your dream role?
Olivia: My dream role is to be cast in a television show/movie or be the face of a major international sports brand.
Max Agency is a successful Model and Talent Management agency in Toronto representing men, women, and children in providing models, actors, and entertainers for the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries.
Our Talent Spotlight of the day is Mother-Son duo, Daphne and Isaiah Paul, who are both Max Agency actors and models!
Daphne was born and raised in Toronto, and has a fraternal twin! Growing up, she has always been silly, goofy, and a fan of all movie genres. She has worked in other industries until the day she picked up a camera and wanted to create.
She is a self-taught photographer! She even started her own business called Noanah portraits but kept looking for her calling. Daphne started doing background extras work on the side, which made her very happy!
She loved seeing the inner workings of movies and TV shows. “I never imagined I would find myself in front of the camera but now that I have, I cannot see myself anywhere else. “
Daphne got into modeling and acting thanks to her good friend. “Where everyone saw someone weird and awkward, she looked at me and saw beauty. She saw someone who can be successful”. Daphne was used to photographing others and never thought that she had what it takes to be in front of the camera, but as she got comfortable with photography, it was undeniable. She wanted to be in front of the camera.
“I took my friends advice and joined Max. During the orientation and classes with Alec [acting coach], he asked me what took me so long. My only response was that I never saw what everyone else did. I am a perfectionist and I didnt think I had it, but I do now. Not only do I have the ability to make it, I Will Make IT!! I will not give up”.
“Taking the step to join Max was very nerve-racking. When the pandemic hit, it made the journey a little longer but it was definitely worth the wait. Alec saw something in me during his classes and cast me in his film “We did it”. It was my first speaking role ever. He assured me that it was going to be great.
On my first day on set, I could have almost thrown up because I was so nervous. But the cast and crew hyped me up so much, there was no denying it. I cried in the bathroom afterward, not because I thought I messed up or failed but because I finally was doing something I felt good doing. I felt like this was my calling and Im finally doing what I was put on this earth to do.
After being cast on “We Did It,” I am officially on IMDb. I was so excited to see myself on that website I threw myself a celebration. I am going to award myself for every achievement no matter how small…but this was HUGE!!”
Daphne is a mom of 3, her second being MAX Talent, Isaiah P., who loves video games, the pool, and watching/creating YouTube videos.
Isaiah got into modeling and acting with his mom to spend more time with her. He was already used to being in front of the camera because Daphne was always taking pictures of him. Lots of people tell him that he has a great smile so he tried it out! He also got into doing extra work with his mom. He has been on Locke and Key, and The Boys. “I was really nervous the first time but it was so amazing”.
He hasnt gotten to do much with Max yet but he has enjoyed his acting classes and shooting audition tapes.
What is your dream role?
Daphne: “To play alongside Viola Davis. There is one scene with her on How to Get Away With Murder where I fell in love with her as an actress. She puts it all into every character she plays and I can only hope to be as great as she is. My goal is to play alongside her”.
Isaiah: “My dream role would be to be in a cartoon. I would get to hear myself in a cartoon, that would be so funny.”
What is the best advice that you have received about getting into the industry?
Daphne: “To never stop working for what I want. Put myself into everything, no matter how minor. And watch as much TV and movies as possible”.
Isaiah: “The best advice my mom gave me was to be patient. Because the days are really long and sometimes I just really wanted to go home. So I am learning to be patient”.
Experience with Max Agency
Daphne shares her experience working with Max Agency
Max Agency is a successful Model and Talent Management agency in Toronto representing men, women, and children in providing models, actors, and entertainers for the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries.
