Gabrielle Christian Interview

You may know Gabrielle Christian as the lovely Spencer on The N’s series South of Nowhere. Something you may not know about Gabrielle, however, is that she’s a big-time animal lover! Recently, she was sweet enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk to PETA Kids about a recent addition to her family—her rescued dog, Buddy Jr.—and about the many projects she has in the works. Sit back and enjoy our little interview with Ms. Christian herself.

What’s new and exciting for you right now?
Well, fortunately South of Nowhere has been picked up for our third season! During the show’s hiatus, I was able to work with director Angela Robinson on GIRLTRASH!, a Pulp Fiction-style series. Also during our hiatus, my fiancé and I had the opportunity to rescue our adorable new pooch, Buddy Jr., from the L.A. animal shelter. Of course, Buddy’s pretty much been my life for the last three months. We do everything together.

I read that you are a true animal lover! Tell us about Buddy Jr. and any other companion animals you may have. Do you have any funny stories to share?
Yes, I adore animals—especially dogs! Buddy Jr. is a 3-year-old Chihuahua-dachshund mix. We’ve had him for more than three months now, and he is definitely the pride and joy of our little family. Buddy is very affectionate and loves to sleep, eat, and hike. He’s also a rock climber! We took him on a hike in Malibu, and he got to the top way before we even got started! Buddy also loves big dogs. His best friend in the whole world is a beautiful dog named Mr. Guinness. The two of them are so cute together. “Mr. G” will take Buddy by the leash and walk him around the neighborhood! “G” is Maeve Quinlan’s (my mom on the series) dog.

On your show South of Nowhere, you tackle a lot of tough subject material. How important do you think it is to impress upon young people the need for acceptance of all beings?
As a young person in today’s society, I feel extremely fortunate to be able to express a viewpoint that most people don’t experience on a day-to-day basis. For kids to be able to watch something on television that’s different from the norm, I really think it’s the most effective way to help them think a little differently. They don’t get the chance to see all the internal battles that individuals experience when they aren’t the same as everyone else.

Along the same lines, how important do you think it is to treat animals in a humane manner, and what does this mean to you?
Humans are living beings, and so are animals. I really don’t think we should differentiate between the two! And animals, if anything, should be treated more fairly because they are just these innocent and vulnerable beings who can’t speak up for themselves, like children. I mean, children’s rights and animal rights pretty much fall into the same category for me. I just hope that, to the best of our ability, humans can treat animals in the most humane manner possible.

What would your message be to your fans about having compassion and getting involved?
Check out your nearest animal shelter! There are so many animals out there who need homes, and let me tell you, they will never stop thanking you for it. It’s just so sad to think that these shelters have to put down hundreds or even thousands of animals a year because they are so extremely crowded and cannot afford to maintain proper treatment for the animals. Buddy was on the verge of death when we found him, and I will never be able to forget the pain on those other animals’ faces.

What’s up next for you and the show?
Well, we just had our second GLAAD nomination this year, so that’s a big thumb’s up! And I just hope this third season will continue to please and enlighten our fans as well as all new viewers. After all, without y’all, we wouldn’t have gotten this far in the first place.