Welcome to the ABC Family exclusive interview with Pretty Little Liars star, Tyler Blackburn. We sat down with Tyler to discuss his involvement in the ACUVUE® 1-DAY Contest, where he and a roster of celebrity mentors, including inspirational pop star Demi Lovato, musician Joe Jonas, all-American actress Meaghan Martin and world champion sprinter Allyson Felix, are giving five teen winners the chance to meet and be mentored by one of them to help make their 1-DAY dream a reality. Question: Tell us about the ACUVUE® 1-DAY Contest and your experience so far.
Tyler Blackburn: Being a part of the ACUVUE® 1-DAY Contest has been an amazing experience so far. What they’re doing is such a great platform to inspire teens to live out their dreams and be an individual, and I am all for that. I can’t wait to meet my winner. Question: You’ve become a series regular on Pretty Little Liars. How does it feel to have your dreams of becoming a successful actor finally come true? Tyler Blackburn: It feels really, really good. I’ve worked really hard to get here and it’s almost surreal. I think it’s a great show, and I’ve had so much fun being a part of it. I’m excited to see what’s in store for the next season.
Question: What made you interested in being an ACUVUE® celebrity mentor?
Tyler Blackburn: What attracted me to be a part of this contest was the chance to lend a hand in aiding in somebody reaching their goals and dreams. Even just getting a taste of what they want to become and who they want to be was really appealing to me. Question: What inspired you as a young person to get where you are today?
Tyler Blackburn: A lot of things have inspired me to be where I am today. Creativity in general and art in many forms are big inspirations to me. I’ve also been lucky to have a lot of support in my life. Whether it’s family or friends, they really help push me to be the best version of myself, and that’s pretty important. Question: What inspires you today?
Tyler Blackburn: I think striving for true happiness in every sense of the word is really inspirational to me, and I think that it is another reason why this campaign is so awesome. It’s about finding what makes you genuinely happy and pursuing it, you know? Question: Are there still new dreams that drive you every day?
Tyler Blackburn: Absolutely. Dreams are what really get you from day to day, and, you know, a dream could be something as simple as having a dog one day or a kid – or I want to be an actor, I want to be a singer. I mean, there’s such a wide spectrum of dreams, and you should maintain them. Question: Where do you think that these dreams will take you in the next five years?
Tyler Blackburn: Wow, five years. It sounds like a small amount of time, but it’s really a lot. I think a lot can happen in five years. I would love to work on some really great films with some amazing actors and directors and just continue to thrive in that way and possibly get into music a bit. And that’s just the very, very tip of the iceberg. Question: Having reached your dream of being an actor and on a hit series, such as Pretty Little Liars, what’s your inspirational advice for teens to achieve their dreams?
Tyler Blackburn: I would say to just really know who you are and be confident with yourself no matter what. Achieving your dream is a journey. Don’t compromise yourself for anybody else and surround yourself with people, who truly like you for you and support you for who you are.
Tyler Blackburn: Being a part of the ACUVUE® 1-DAY Contest has been an amazing experience so far. What they’re doing is such a great platform to inspire teens to live out their dreams and be an individual, and I am all for that. I can’t wait to meet my winner. Question: You’ve become a series regular on Pretty Little Liars. How does it feel to have your dreams of becoming a successful actor finally come true? Tyler Blackburn: It feels really, really good. I’ve worked really hard to get here and it’s almost surreal. I think it’s a great show, and I’ve had so much fun being a part of it. I’m excited to see what’s in store for the next season.
Question: What made you interested in being an ACUVUE® celebrity mentor?
Tyler Blackburn: What attracted me to be a part of this contest was the chance to lend a hand in aiding in somebody reaching their goals and dreams. Even just getting a taste of what they want to become and who they want to be was really appealing to me. Question: What inspired you as a young person to get where you are today?
Tyler Blackburn: A lot of things have inspired me to be where I am today. Creativity in general and art in many forms are big inspirations to me. I’ve also been lucky to have a lot of support in my life. Whether it’s family or friends, they really help push me to be the best version of myself, and that’s pretty important. Question: What inspires you today?
Tyler Blackburn: I think striving for true happiness in every sense of the word is really inspirational to me, and I think that it is another reason why this campaign is so awesome. It’s about finding what makes you genuinely happy and pursuing it, you know? Question: Are there still new dreams that drive you every day?
Tyler Blackburn: Absolutely. Dreams are what really get you from day to day, and, you know, a dream could be something as simple as having a dog one day or a kid – or I want to be an actor, I want to be a singer. I mean, there’s such a wide spectrum of dreams, and you should maintain them. Question: Where do you think that these dreams will take you in the next five years?
Tyler Blackburn: Wow, five years. It sounds like a small amount of time, but it’s really a lot. I think a lot can happen in five years. I would love to work on some really great films with some amazing actors and directors and just continue to thrive in that way and possibly get into music a bit. And that’s just the very, very tip of the iceberg. Question: Having reached your dream of being an actor and on a hit series, such as Pretty Little Liars, what’s your inspirational advice for teens to achieve their dreams?
Tyler Blackburn: I would say to just really know who you are and be confident with yourself no matter what. Achieving your dream is a journey. Don’t compromise yourself for anybody else and surround yourself with people, who truly like you for you and support you for who you are.
