Julia Gilling's life has the making of a made-for-TV movie.

Gilling, a 2003 College of Communication alumna, grew up in small-town Wisconsin (Marion, population 2,065), the oldest of six children.

She learned self-discipline at a young age, having to care for her younger brothers while her parents worked full-time.

During her college years, the performing arts major ran her extended family's business, Jim Hegarty's Pub, 1120 W. Wells St., while trying to balance homework and play rehearsals.

But Gilling, who hopes to be a professional actress, didn't even watch television growing up.

"We just never had one," she said matter-of-factly. "And we never really wanted one either."

Instead, Gilling and her younger siblings all played musical instruments and often performed skits for their parents.

Gilling, a self-described "rational and grounded person," was all set to study biomedical sciences as a freshman at Marquette in 1999. But she decided to follow her heart and pursue acting.

"I kind of threw caution to the wind," Gilling said.

Her parents were a little worried about the job prospects of being an actress at first, Gilling admited, but they came around.

Besides, she isn't in it for the money.

"What I really loved about it was the work," she said, her eyebrows furrowing in earnestness. "Language can be so powerful when used correctly. It unlocks all those amazing emotions humans can have."

For Gilling, still sporting her black Hegarty's work apron, acting isn't about memorizing her lines and pretending to be someone else. It's about opening herself up to her character's experiences.

"You have an easy time watching, but nobody wants to experience it and to put themselves up in front of everyone," she said.

While working as a writer and cast member in the now-closed Theatre X, Gilling wasn't afraid to put herself out there, according to the theater's former artistic leader, John Schneider.

"She's self-critical in the way an artist needs to be," Schneider said.

Gilling's balance of logic and emotion makes her a promising actress, according to Mark Bucher, the artistic director of the Boulevard Ensemble Theatre, 2252 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., where Gilling will play Viola in a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night."

"Despite her youth, she's a very hard worker and has the attitude of a much more mature actress," Bucher said.

Perhaps Gilling's maturity stems from her ability to see that there's more to life than acting.

"My ideal would be to make enough money acting to support myself while still being able to have a family," she said. "Family is still very important to me."

Gilling married her college sweetheart, Andy Herro, in July. Herro, a 2003 College of Communication alumnus, landed a job with a dance company in New York City.

Since graduating, Gilling has had a steady stream of work just within the Milwaukee area.

"Milwaukee is actually a really good theater city — there's over 26 companies," she said.

However, the girl from small- town Wisconsin has her sights set on the big city.

After finishing up her current acting jobs here, including "Twelfth Night," which plays Dec. 15 through Jan. 9, Gilling plans to move out to New York with Herro and join the ranks of other aspiring actresses trying to make it on the Broadway scene.

But just don't call her "struggling."

Armed with her headshot and resumé, Gilling already has a project lined up at a one-act-play house in Manhattan.

"It doesn't pay anything, but it looks great on a resume," she said assuredly. "And I don't have to audition because auditioning is a pain."

And Gilling can take heart that her old friends feel confident of her success.

"It isn't difficult when one has the desire and the talent — and Julie has both," said Phylis Ravel, artistic director of the Performing Arts Department.

Bucher agreed.

"It will be Milwaukee's loss to lose her to New York," he said.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Dec. 9 2004.