Allie Gonino is one multi-talented, super-sweet 21-year old from L.A. A former pop star in girl band The Stunners, she toured with Justin Bieber and made a music video featuring New Boyz, but has decided to take a different route—kind of. She has plans for taking on Broadway, the big-screen, and pretty much anything along the performance spectrum and looks up to The Dixie Chicks and Reese Witherspoon. She’s inspired by her role model, Lady Gaga—whom she says is a walking “performance piece”—and calls herself Baby Gaga. But she’s your average galpal, and just like you and me: she shops at Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, and Topshop (whenever she gets the chance!), but still eyes those Christian Louboutins we wish to own one day.

Photo by Russell Baer

She took a break from shopping on New York City’s SoHo streets and arrived at the ELLE offices in a black maxi skirt with a striped mesh and pleather cropped top (see below for her cute outfit!). Allie chatted with us about her style, influences, and her latest role in ABC’s The Lying Game premiering Monday, August 15th, 9/8c.

ELLEgirl: You play Laurel Mercer in ‘The Lying Game.’ Can you just tell me a little about her character?

Allie Gonino: Laurel is very sarcastic and has a very witty and dry sense of humor. She’s kind of obnoxious with her sister. They have kind of a tense relationship, at least with the real Sutton [Mercer]. And then as the show progresses, you kind of see Emma as Sutton and Laurel’s character kind of changing a little bit. She’s very bubbly and energetic and fun.

EG: Do you have any siblings?

AG: I do; I have three siblings, but I didn’t grow up with them. They were all pretty much way older than me.

EG: Do you use any of your experience in your character?

AG: I definitely pull a little bit from my relationships with my sisters, and then I have a lot of friends who have lots of sisters, and they’re really close in age. So I kind of just see how the younger one kind of acts and then I use that.

EG: This show is based on the novel by Sara Shepard, Pretty Little Liars. You deal with secrets…have you ever had to deal with anything this character had to deal with?

AG: I mean, she doesn’t obviously know that Emma exists even, but I don’t really know yet. I don’t know enough yet to know what’s going to happen on the show.

EG: You were in a popular girl band called The Stunners. How was that?

AG: It was great; we were together for three years, and we put out some singles and music videos, and it was really cool. We went on tour last year with Justin Bieber. The genre was pop, fun, catchy, dance-y pop.

EG: Why did you guys separate?

AG: We were all just kind of going different directions. I booked the show, and Hayley Kiyoko (of Lemonade Mouth) is doing movies now. It was kind of a natural point for all of us to graduate.

EG: Can you tell us what inspired you to become an actress and a musician? You left school to pursue your dreams. It’s a hard decision to make for most people.

AG: For sure. Well, I was doing music long before I got into acting. And that career was just moving so quickly and school was taking up too much of my time to really put much of my focus in. For acting, I probably got my first huge interest when I watched The Wizard of Oz. It’s like, my favorite movie of all time. I just loved the theatrics of it all: it combined music, singing and acting. Every time I would see a movie and I would go home and act out my own movie (laughs), and I don’t know, I was a weird kid (laughs). Once I moved to L.A. I started auditioning for stuff and it was really exciting.

EG: You’ve had a lot of small roles like on Disney shows, like Suite Life of Zak and Cody. What do you see yourself doing most now with ABC’s The Lying Game in production?

AG: Performing in general is such a big map you can kind of do whatever you want to do with it. I would love to at some point do a Broadway musical, which would be really awesome. I definitely want to do film. And do epic romance movies, I would love to do something like Romeo and Juliet, or something cool like that.

EG: Who influenced you to go for your dreams?

AG: At least for music, The Dixie Chicks were my first influence. I met them before they were famous. They are my idols. For acting, it’s so hard to answer that question. There are so many great ones. I really love Reese Witherspoon; she’s an amazing actress but also a cool person. Plus, she’s from the South. Southern girls stick together (laughs). But my favorite bands are Coldplay, Arcade Fire, and Lady Gaga.

Allie Gonino, May 1st, 2011 Photo: Retna

EG: Tell me Laurel’s style and character on the show. Does she represent you in any way?

AG: I would say the sixteen [year-old] version of me, very. She has a pretty sense of style, but very cute and put together, manicured and all that.

EG: Any leather in her wardrobe? (Allie is wearing a striped patent leather Norma Kamali top)

AG: (laughs) No there isn’t as of now. I definitely would want to see her go in that direction. Maybe have a little bit of a rebellious stage there, and maybe her style will change up a bit. We have a great costume designer on set.

EG: How about you? What is your style?

AG: I mean, as you can see, it’s kind of (laughs). The top is Norma Kamali—who I love her stuff. I pick my moments to splurge on nice pieces that I think that will be classic pieces that will last for a long time. But I definitely don’t have a problem going to Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Topshop I am obsessed with. I only get to go twice a year which is not enough for me! (laughs) But yeah I think my style is very eclectic.

EG: How about shoes?

AG: Shoes. That’s one item that I want to wait until I’m like rollin’ in some dough (laughs), and drop some serious money. I can’t wait to have a pair of Louboutins! That’s my next fashion goal.

EG: Do you have a style icon?

AG: I love Sienna Miller’s style, and I’m gonna have to say Lady Gaga just because I like the fact that she wears avant-garde—I definitely have an eye and love for avant-garde fashion. Something that’s kind of like, “What?” I like stuff that surprises you. Yeah, Sienna Miller would be my go-to girl. But I think Lady Gaga is a huge role model to me. She is the art. It’s a performance piece, herself. I can be Baby Gaga, I consider myself a little Monster, for sure. My favorite designers include Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs.

EG: We love your makeup. Do you do it yourself? (dots along her cheeks)

AG: It’s just liquid eyeliner. And actually my eyebrows aren’t this dark either. I colored those with liquid eyeliner, too. But, makeup—I’ve always had love with experimenting with makeup as much as with my wardrobe. I think it’s the whole picture. I call them my constellations (laughs). I think it might stem from—I’m Native American—and they always do cool things with their eyes.

EG: So, you’re part makeup artist, part singer, and now full-time actress. What genre would you prefer in terms of acting?

AG: I think [romance is] probably the biggest goal I’d like to get to. I think it would be the most challenging for me. I definitely like the more comedic roles right now. I think those are probably because they come easy to me. I definitely want to be a multi-faceted actress.

EG: Well, any romance for you?

AG: I’m not putting a ring on it anytime soon (laughs). But I love being in love. With anything, sometimes it fizzles out and you move on to the next thing, which is why I’m glad I always have my art and my career.

Allie Gonino (middle) with ELLEgirl interns Jaclyn Palazzolo (far left) and Karen Hor