By Andrew Cristi
AVA BE THY NAME!
Of course, that is a take on the infamous quote from “Wayne’s World,” used to describe heavenly iconic screen siren, Heather Locklear, and now, 25 years later, the same sentiment could easily be used for her equally magnetic daughter and mini-doppelganger; Ava Sambora Locklear.
Like many members of Hollywood royalty from Jane Fonda to Drew Barrymore, Sambora Locklear is very much a long-time celebrated princess of Tinseltown with a powerful family crest that makes fans stand at attention. With the unparalleled “Melrose Place” bombshell as her mother, and legendary rock and roll hall of famer Richie Sambora as her father, the fresh-faced beauty seems simply destined for superstardom, and from an outsider’s perspective, one might think that the heir apparent to the Hollywood throne- whose name has been printed in the press from before she could speak- would have already lived a wild life most people could never relate to. After all, her parents are not just any famous pair; her father is one of the most famous guitarists who ever lived, and her mother is easily the Marilyn Monroe of television, so, one might expect their breathtaking daughter to be somewhat out of touch with the real world.
The simple truth is; that couldn’t be any further from the case. While Sambora and Locklear might have both made inimitable contributions to song and screen, it appears as though their greatest achievement has actually been as parents, as Ava is exceedingly down to earth, astoundingly well-spoken, abundantly charming, professional to a fault, clever as can be, and shockingly hilarious. As her already enormous fan-base knows from her Instagram; this princess has zero royal attitude, and is surprisingly very relatable, participating in every normal young girl activity from cheerleading to sorority life. When she got to our Wingman set, she had just come from campus- and like any other college kid, she was bummed about a less than stellar grade. On set, our crew spoke about the original “Dynasty,” “Melrose Place,” and quoted that very infamous “Wayne’s World” quote, and all received the same answer from the amiable Sambora Locklear; that she had never seen them because wasn’t allowed to watch any of it. Who’d have ever thought that the daughter of two of entertainment’s most iconic and tabloid-centric players would be worried about good grades and forbidden to watch certain programming?
Now 21, Sambora Locklear has begun catching up on what she had missed as a child- particularly with the new “Dynasty” inspiring her to go back and watch the original. When asked if she would take a role on the hit CW prime time soap, Ava cheerfully applauded the idea- more than glad to follow in her mother’s footsteps and add that golden touch to sizzling shows like that and “Riverdale,” which she also fan-girled over, making one thing abundantly clear; in general, when it comes to entertainment, she’s very much a fan.
Speaking with a professionalism far beyond her years and experience, Sambora Locklear discusses the industry and her career strategy better than many who have been in the business for decades, instantly proving that she learned way more from her famous parents than just exemplary manners. While extremely youthful, endearing, and again, amazingly funny, the quickly rising star is also quick to be serious, hard-working, and laser-focused on her goals as she possesses an unshakable knowledge of not only how Hollywood works, but also the actual projects. An utter delight, the dedicated actress loves talking about movies and TV, and intuitively realizes that while she may be perfect for playing a troublemaking vixen on a steamy serial much like her mother’s most famous roles, she would also be more than an ideal choice to lead a romance, or romantic comedy- and she couldn’t be more correct as it would be very easy for audiences to fall in love with her and quickly accept her as America’s sweetheart.
Very much like Kate Hudson, Sambora Locklear possesses an infectious megawatt smile and an innate ability to land a joke, and much like the “How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days” star, she would be a flawless shoe-in for a Valentine’s day blockbuster- and definitely for the new wave of teen romantic comedies like “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “The Kissing Booth” that have taken Netflix by storm. In fact, Sambora Locklear’s similarities with Hudson don’t stop at irresistible charm, great beauty, and scene-stealing talent- they are also both members of Hollywood royalty, born to beloved icons, and ultimately carving out their own brand, making their names famous in their own right.
And with two movies already completed and her star so severely on the rise, it seems as though Sambora Locklear will have absolutely no problem making her own mark on Hollywood. After all; it’s her destiny.
To find out more about the dynamic actress, her plans for the future, and her advice from her talented parents, read on and see what Ava had to say!
WINGMAN: You had your first lead role this year in “Mommy Be Mine.” Talk about that experience, and that film.
AVA SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: I played Summer, and like you said, it was my first lead role, and it was kind of a whirlwind. I was obviously excited, but I also felt a tremendous amount of pressure. I was nervous. I think it turned out really well, but it was an extremely nerve-wracking experience, and thank God for the amazing crew, director, and the cast for helping me out.
WINGMAN: You next can be seen in “The Great Illusion.” What can fans expect there?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: While that is also a thriller, it’s more of a mind twister. It’s a little bit more intense than Lifetime, and a lot more gory. So, that was even scarier!
WINGMAN: That movie also stars Selma Blair as well as another member of Hollywood royalty, Ireland Baldwin. How was it working with them?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: I didn’t do any scenes with them, unfortunately, but I did see Selma on set, and she was honestly so inspiring. It was truly exciting to even be in the same cast as her!
WINGMAN: What kind of roles would you really love to play?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: There are two categories. When it comes to television, my mother has been such a huge inspiration between all her roles and what she brings to them, but I would also say Jennifer Aniston and her role on “Friends” is really appealing to me. I love romantic comedies, and to do that long-term on television would be something I would jump to fulfill. As far as film goes, while I’d love to be able to do comedy and drama, my dream is to do something like Rachel McAdams in “The Notebook.” That would be amazing.
WINGMAN: Of course, this feature is about Hollywood royalty, and of course, you are the daughter of television icon Heather Locklear, and rock and roll legend Richie Sambora. Growing up, were you really familiar with their work, or were they just mom and dad?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: Well, first of all, they were always just mom and dad. I was never concerned with their fame, if you know what I mean. But, as I got older, I learned to appreciate it more- especially since I would love to follow in my mother’s footsteps. It was kind of surreal to come into that realization, because they are just mom and dad, and then all of a sudden it becomes clear just how world-wide celebrated they are, and how incredibly talented they are, and it becomes an even bigger privilege for them to be my parents on a larger scale, outside of the day-to-day family basis.
WINGMAN: At what point did you know that this was something you also wanted to do?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: I was always interested in entertaining while growing up. Dancing, and singing- which I could not do [laughs.] But, when I took acting classes I really knew that I found what I wanted to do. It was always entertainment, but finally I narrowed it down, and really, I’ve known since I was about seven years old.
WINGMAN: Your father is a member of the phenomenal Bon Jovi. Are you at all musically inclined, even outside of singing?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: Oh, I wish. [Cracks up] I wish! I do not have a very good singing voice. I mean, my dad will probably lie and say that I do. But, I really do enjoy music and I love to go to concerts.
WINGMAN: Your mother famously starred on “Melrose Place” and “Dynasty.” It’s strange enough- and a major mistake– that she wasn’t asked to be part of the new “Dynasty,” but how come they haven’t thrown you in there? Would you be interested?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: Oh my God, of course I’d be interested! I think the reboot is great, and it inspires me to go check out the old episodes of the original. I actually like what they did with my mother’s character because it was no, different, and ultimately timely. It would be an absolute privilege to be on that show!
WINGMAN: You are 21, but one problem that you’ve had when it comes to auditions is how young you appear. Could you ever imagine that looking young was a negative in Hollywood?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: [Laughs] Well, I think, first of all; it is a little strange that I’m 21, but I’m going out on auditions to play characters that are 14-16, but on the other hand, I’m not really going to complain because it really can help my career in the fact that I can look younger for longer, and hopefully that will mean I can work for longer. That would be great. [Laughs again,] But, it’s an interesting duality that as of right now it could be a bummer that I don’t get cast in certain roles because of how young I may look, but it’s also ultimately a good thing, and I realize that.
WINGMAN: Are there any shows currently on the air that you would love to have a role in?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: “Riverdale”! I’m obsessed. I would love nothing more than to be on “Riverdale.” That show is just so captivating. And also, I would love to be on “13 Reasons why.” It’s such an important and relevant show. I would love to be part of something as powerful as that show.
WINGMAN: And what were your parents thoughts or advice on you joining the business?
SAMBORA LOCKLEAR: The best advice my mother ever gave me was not to take everything so personally. There are going to be a thousand times you’ll hear “no,” but, it only takes a few yeses, and waiting for those yeses will be worth it, and I think that’s such an important mindset to have in this business. There could be a million reasons why they don’t want you for a part- and it’s not always because you’re not good enough, it might just be because there was another girl that looked more like what they envisioned, or maybe they already had another girl signed on, or whatever it is. So, it’s important not to take it all personally because the yeses will come.
Clearly, her iconic mother isn’t just a good actress, but, she’s also quite a wise mentor, and that advice has gone a long way as Sambora Locklear is not only beautiful and talented enough to follow in her footsteps, but also, clever and business-savvy enough to cultivate a dynamic and legendary career all her own- and we can’t wait to see what she’s going to do next!
Mike McCarthy