"I always say I found acting backwards," said Katherine McNamara, the co-star of the upcoming Disney Channel movie Girl vs. Monster, who will also be appearing in tonight's episode of Glee. "Up until I was about 12, I was a ballet dancer and a basketball player." That changed when she performed in a play directed by a family friend: "The moment I hit the stage on opening night I absolutely fell in love with acting."

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Katherine has excelled at the balancing act that faces every young actor or actress: managing a career while keeping up with edu...