The Girls!

Avery Poznanski & Olivia Rodrigo

Writer & ActressLos Angeles, CAStory and Photos by Lauri LevenfeldStyling by Erin Kelley, Makeup by Irmina Loeffler Martinez
This is the first of many stories to be dedicated to friendship. And this is the story of two best friends who recently moved apart from one another, when Olivia started filming the Disney series’ Bizaardvark. Although life shifted in many ways, one thing remained the same…their endless devotion and love towards one another. What is a bestie? Someone who knows your thoughts before you do, who finishes your sentences, and who loves you unconditionally no matter what. In Avery’s words… ”Someone who makes you laugh so hard milk comes out your nose in the middle of the school cafeteria. Someone you can talk with until two in the morning and makes you wish your conversation could last forever. Someone who makes you feel like yourself, who could see you in sweatpants and no makeup and still call you beautiful. A best friend is someone who can see you at your absolute worst, and still be the first one at your side. When you find someone who makes you feel happier than you ever thought possible, hold on tight.”
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1. Tell me about your best friend.

Avery: For the five years I’ve known Olivia, her unwavering selflessness and kind soul have made a significant impact on me as a person. I’ve never felt so accepted, the way we meld together seamlessly. I didn’t have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t anymore. It was like I had been constantly walking around with an umbrella- then the right person came along and told me it wasn’t raining.

Olivia: Knowing Avery for the past five years has been one of the best things that could have happened to me. She is the kindest, funniest, most honest person I have ever met. She always deals with me when I’m being irrational, and she has the best advice. She has taught me so much not only about myself, but about life and people.

 

2. What made you two want to be friends?

Avery: I met Olivia in third grade, and the first thing that drew me to her was her kindness and generosity. She was always the one to give you her last cookie or let you go before her in the lunch line. It was those small acts of kindness that she did even when no one asked her to, that really made all the difference. We also have a lot in common, like a love of music, reading, and art.

Olivia: Avery and I are so much alike, which I think is what first drew me to her. We laughed at the same jokes that other people didn’t get and shared the same opinions on things. When I was around her I felt different, I felt like I was on cloud nine all the time. We were always laughing, always smiling. We just clicked and I knew we were going to be friends for a long time.

 

3. Name your five fave things you like to do and why.

Avery: Baking, singing/playing music, binge watching our favorite Netflix shows, exploring Los Angeles, and going to the beach are

some of our favorite things to do. Even if we don’t do anything big or special, simply being together is always just as fun.

Olivia: Makeup, we can really pile it on. We watch makeup tutorials, and see how our skills compare. Sometimes it ends up looking really cool. Other times we just laugh at ourselves. Watching movies, Avery and I are big Harry Potter fans. A Harry Potter marathon is definitely in our future. Jamming out to music- we both love to sing and play instruments. We’ve done a few duets which actually sounded pretty great. We both have a big sweet tooth, so we love to find cool desert places. Our recent obsession is shaved ice with ice cream. And making cupcakes. We love to make cupcakes, even when we make them from a box we find a way to make them creative and fun.

 

4. When Olivia moved away to pursue an acting career, how did your friendship endure? Describe the challenges, the benefits.

Avery: When Olivia moved to Los Angeles, we had to figure out firsthand how to make a long distance friendship work, and you better believe life gets a lot harder without your other half by your side. The goodbye was hard- I knew we would see each other soon, but knowing I wouldn’t see my best friend every day was something really difficult to become accustomed to. Although it was hard, when you love someone you find a way to make it work. If anything, it’s brought us closer together. You never realize you take something for granted until it’s gone. Every time we get together is special, and makes me appreciate how incredible friendship is. Growing up is a lot easier when someone can support and be there for you. I found that someone in Olivia. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Olivia: Moving away was definitely challenging on many levels. It is so hard to go from seeing someone everyday to only once every month. Although I miss Avery so much sometimes, I think this experience will no doubt only make our friendship stronger.

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5. What are some special things you have done for one another to celebrate your friendship?

Avery: On Olivia’s eleventh birthday, I made her a box of letters– each one labeled with a message like, “Open when you’re sad,” or “Open when we’re missing each other.” This was around the time that Olivia had done her movie and was heading into lots of auditions, which meant seeing each other a lot less. I thought of the box as a way for the distance not to seem so far. Even if we ended up far apart, part of me would always be close.

Olivia: Last year, for Avery’s birthday, I made her a “Happy Jar.” I put 100 reasons to be happy inside the jar. For someone who makes me so happy, I wanted to return the favor.

 

6. What song that best describes your friendship?

Avery: Hey Jude by The Beatles- aside from being one of the first songs Olivia taught me to play on the piano, I think this song has a very uplifting and happy tone. It brings happy memories whenever I hear it.

Olivia: I think “You’ve Got a Friend” by Carole King sums up our friendship. “All you have to do is call, and I be there. You’ve got a friend.”

 

7. What would be your dream adventure together? Describe it to us.

Avery: I imagine going to Italy- a place we’ve always dreamed of

going. We would live in a spacious apartment for a month, and explore together. We would go on bike rides, eat lots of delicious food, relax on the beaches, sight-see…

Olivia: It would be a dream for Avery and me to travel to Greece. We both love learning about ancient history and mythology. We would go to the Parthenon and visit temples. It would be so cool to see in person the things that we have read about together.

 

8. How have you resolved conflict?

Avery: This question is a little tricky to answer, simply because Olivia and I have never had a fight. Sure, we have different opinions on some things, but I think that’s what a genuine friendship is about- being able to express your feelings about a topic without being judged by the other person. I think you can learn so much by listening to people’s different perspectives; it may cause you to look at something in a way you never would have thought of. We have a very deep respect for each other and never let a disagreement escalate to the point of a full-blown argument.

Olivia: Avery and I never really fight, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have our ups and downs. There have been times when we’ve planned things for a long time and because of events that come up such as auditions or work related things, we’ve had to cancel or postpone. It can get really disappointing. What is really helpful to us is communication. Avery and I always make sure that we are open to each other and talk things through.

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9. What’s your silliest or most enjoyable memory of each other?

Avery: My favorite memory is from a few years ago, when Olivia and I went trick-or-treating together as cotton candy. We made our costumes ourselves with pillow stuffing and spray paint, and marched around the neighborhood arm-in-arm, happy as could be. We probably looked pretty ridiculous, but we didn’t care at all- it was fun to be so goofy without caring what anyone else thought. We had so much fun that Halloween, and I doubt I will ever forget it!

Olivia: My favorite memory of Avery and I was in 1st grade, the first time we met. I had just broken my thumb and I had a huge cast on it. I told her “Avery, look at my new thumbs up.’’ I will always remember it because it was how we first connected, it was the first joke of many.

 

10. Where do you see your friendship in five years?

Avery: Olivia and I have discussed this before, and it’s really interesting to think about. I will be eighteen and going into college, and Olivia will probably be booking acting jobs left and right. 

I know we’ll still be best friends, because it’s hard for us to imaginelife without each other. Our friendship is really special to me, and I want to hold onto that for as long as I can. A bond so strong can’t be measured or valued- it is only felt in the soul. I feel that Olivia makes me a better person. When I’m stressed or angry or frazzled- she’s the one who pulls me back to Earth, helps me plant my feet on the ground, and tells me, “It’s okay.”

We’re all finding our way through life. We make wrong turns and stumble a bit, but there’s always one person who never leaves your side. Find that person who loves and accepts you for who you truly are. Find that person who chooses not to give up on you. Find your person. I know I have.

Olivia: I know there will be a lot of awesome memories that will make our friendship stronger in the upcoming 5 years. We always talked about traveling Europe together before college, when we turn 18. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

 

 

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