From Screen and Stage to Court: Young Stars Balancing
Hollywood and Tennis

Skyler and Kelsey Yates had a problem. The year was 2021, and the soon-to-be 10-year-old aspiring actors and twins had accepted their biggest acting gig yet, a six-month shoot in Vancouver, Canada, for Disney’s hit movie Peter Pan and Wendy. The job would uproot them from their Mid-City home in Central Los Angeles and take them 1,250 miles north right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While most kids their age might have worried about missing school or friends—and other actors about missing cues on set—Skyler and Kelsey’s biggest concern was missing forehands on the tennis court. As rising junior tennis players, panic suddenly set in as the sisters wondered how they could stay sharp and keep improving their tennis game. The thought of losing progress on the court weighed heavily, but without knowing anyone in the area or anything about its tennis scene, the Yates’s were determined to find a way to keep playing tennis.

“We just had to find a way to incorporate it into our schedule because we were so busy,” Skyler recalled.

Kelsey said after discussing the situation, the twins hatched a plan: they would track down any available courts they could—indoors, outdoors, private, or public—it didn’t matter, as long as they could play the sport they both love. Armed with racquets, determination, and the advantage of having each other on court, Skyler and Kelsey squeezed in practice between filming breaks. Some days, it meant sneaking in rallies on tucked-away private courts; other times, they settled for whatever public space was open. They balanced long days on set rehearsing lines and shooting scenes with evenings spent chasing forehands and backhands, determined not to let their game slip. Every practice was a reminder that their dreams weren’t limited to the silver screen.

“First, being home schooled was key as we also needed to balance our studies with acting and tennis,” Kelsey said. “Second, it’s amazing that we can hit with each other because having a sibling that also plays tennis is like having a built-in practice partner. It’s literally the best thing and the biggest advantage we have in tennis while we are acting.”

Their resourcefulness impressed acting veteran and longtime tennis coach-to-the-stars Nels Van Patten, who was relayed this story of the Yates’ twins recently and applauded the girls.

“They packed their tennis racquets, and they hit each other in their free time so that’s wonderful,” Van Patten said. “They found a park or wherever to play. Anything you can do to keep up your physical fitness and your mental serenity.”

There’s no one better than Van Patten who knows the dedication, focus, and monumental sacrifice it takes to balance an acting career while chasing dreams as a rising junior tennis player of playing on the pro tour one day.  

It’s been more than 50 years, but Van Patten once walked the same path. Born in New York City, Van Patten and his family moved West to Hollywood with his family, immersing himself in the acting world under the guidance of his father, patriarch Dick Van Patten, who starred on Broadway and would later play the popular and likable father Tom Bradford in the long-running 1970s hit show Eight Is Enough.

“More than any other profession, tennis and acting require one hundred percent focus and concentration and the ability to make adjustments,” Van Patten said.   

Van Patten dabbled in acting and tennis and also coached his younger brother Vincent Van Patten to a World No. 26 ranking in 1981, while both somehow managed to maneuver through the crazy world of acting.  

“When you’re acting on a set or location, always pack your suitcase with a racquet and some balls,” Nels said. “My brother did this. So, in your free time you can hit against a wall at a park or on the side of a sound stage.”

Nels took the advice one step further. “Also, always keep a pair of running shoes and shorts in your car. That way there’s never wasted time. Wherever you are you can just throw on a pair of running shoes and shorts and go for a run. That way you can get some physical fitness when there’s dead time.”

Balancing Act Is Real For Aspiring Actors Like Yates Twins

Time management is a constant test for junior tennis players pursuing dual careers. Tennis demands rigorous training schedules, frequent tournaments, and often lots of travel, while acting involves auditions, rehearsals, and sometimes filming at unpredictable hours.  

The Yates twins best known for their roles as Evie and Izzy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star and as Cagney and Lacey on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, have learned to navigate both worlds.

“It’s really hard because you have to recognize what your priorities are, and obviously with acting it’s like work,” Kelsey said. “You get paid so it’s a job. You sign a contract, so you’re obligated to do the work, but for tennis it’s just signing up for whatever tournaments you want to.” 

With tournament play on the weekends, acting gigs on Saturday and Sunday are often ruled out, but balancing the two isn’t that hard, Skyler said. “We’ve gotten used to it,” she said. “It’s really not that hard because the two are so different.”

Added Kelsey: “I’m used to balancing a lot because I also do other things that are not related to tennis and acting. I think that time management is something that I’ve definitely had to learn.” 

Both Yates sisters would like to keep pursuing both tennis and acting equally, but know the time will come when they have to choose one over the other.

“I think acting is something where you could not work for four or five years and then work for four or five years straight,” Kelsey said. “I see tennis as something more consistent and I’m definitely going to take tennis into college and I would love to continue acting.”

Even with bright futures in both fields, the girls say tennis is definitely the more nerve-wracking of the two disciplines as there are no second or third takes when you’re staring down a massive serve down 4-5, 30-40.

“In acting you are constantly rehearsing your lines, but in tennis it’s just in the moment.” Kelsey said. “We’ve been acting since we were two so I would say it’s pretty normal not to be nervous.”

Ultimate Sportsmanship Challenge Winner Jaden Joyner Turns Full Attention To Tennis

Tarzana native Jaden Joyner, who recently turned 12, also knows the double life all too well. A former actor featured on the comedy/drama Shameless, on the Cardi-B Show, and in NIKE commercials, Jaden has shifted focus fully to tennis after aging out of typical child-actor roles. As one of the top Boys’ 12-and-under players in the nation, he is used to having all eyes on him—whether on the court, or in his earlier years, on the big screen.

“It’s been quite a journey,” said Jaden’s mother Daisy Joyner, who moved to Los Angeles more than 20 years ago and grew up in the acting arena as her mother was a T.V. sound engineer in her native Bulgaria. 

Just like a tennis player ‘ages out’ of the juniors after turning 18, actors who hit their growth spurt get fewer and fewer call-backs once they hit puberty, since the industry tends to favor older children who still look very young. 

“Just in the last year he’s really grown out of the size they are looking for,” said Daisy, who said Jaden is somewhat of a phenom in her home country and known as the ‘Bulgarian Michael Jackson’ because he’s half Bulgarian, half African-American. “He used to dance like Michael Jackson and he became very popular in my country.”

Now, Jaden’s stage is the tennis court. This summer, he  competed at  the USTA National 12s Clay Courts in Orlando, Florida and the USTA National Championships played on hard courts in Mobile, Alabama, where he won two rounds in the main draw and two rounds in the back draw.

“I really like the acting and tennis the same, but ever since I grew out of the stage it allowed me more time to play tennis and I’m having a lot more fun,” said Jaden, who is home schooled and coached by the legendary Peter Smith at the Jack Kramer Club. “My goal is to be a highly ranked player in the juniors. I want to be top 10, top five in the ITF.” 

Jaden said he loves the individualism tennis offers and that he is in control and there is no one else to rely on when he’s on court. 

“Tennis gives me something completely different than acting,” Jaden explained. “On the court, everything depends on me—my focus, my hard work, and how I handle pressure in that exact moment. I love the competition and how it pushes me to keep improving every single day. Acting is fun too, but it’s more about playing a character and being part of a team that tells a story. Tennis teaches me discipline, resilience, and how to win or lose with respect—those lessons stay with me even when I step off the court.”

In recognition of those qualities, Jaden won the prestigious 2024 Ultimate Sportsmanship Challenge Award. He learned of the honor in January and was celebrated at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in March, sharing the news with his nearly 215,000 Instagram followers (@jaden_got_game). On and off the court, Jaden exemplifies the values USTA SoCal strives to instill in junior players, including respect, fairness, and integrity, making him a standout not just as an athlete but as a role model.

“I think it’s important to be a good sportsman, as well as a good player on the court,” said Joyner, who often posts about sportsmanship on his Instagram page. “Being a good sportsman shows a lot about the person you are and what kind of character you have. The yelling and smashing racquets doesn’t really look good and it really reveals who you are as a person.”

Leo Perry Trades In Movie Script For Music Sheet

Leo Perry, 12, is clear in stating he is not ready to trade in his acting scripts for his music sheets, it’s just the way things have been trending lately for the young performer who has also stayed dedicated to his tennis game. Splitting time between a cover band and a group creating original music, he leans on tennis as a grounding outlet. 

“One of my bands is a cover band and the other one we make original music so we’ve been working on our original music and it’s been really fun,” said Perry, a seventh grader. “It’s not a struggle for me to balance both the singing and tennis because I like doing both of them so much.” 

Perry said he can’t see himself giving one of his passions up for the other because he needs the positive outlet that both provide him. “I think over the next two or three years I might have to focus on just one, but I haven’t thought that much about it. I just know that time will come.”

Leo’s mother Claire said he still continues to dream big, and that his future remains bright whichever way it takes him. “He’d love to still do theatrical, but it’s definitely been tough booking given the strike and projects getting pushed to later production dates,” Claire said. “He loves music and tennis, both of which he’s had a bit more control over versus theatrical gigs. But his dream would still be able to do both.” 

Just like Jaden, Leo has also found a creative outlet online with more than 119,000 Instagram followers (@leoabeloperry). He describes posting as a way to express himself. “I just have fun with it, posting funny stuff like with my uncles,” he said. “It’s a great way to raise awareness for something close to you.” 

In addition to music and tennis, Leo has kept acting in the mix, appearing alongside John Cena in the 2023 film Fast X, where he played Jakob Toretto’s young son, Little Brian. Even with these busy pursuits, he continues to stay grounded and make a difference off-stage. When the Eaton Fires devastated the community of Altadena, Leo immediately thought about his friends and the other children who lost everything, launching a GoFundMe to help replace lost sports equipment.

“I wasn’t affected personally and I didn’t know people that were affected, but I thought since I love sports and I know there are a lot of kids out there that love sports too, and if their house burned down they have no equipment to play the sports that they love,” Perry explained. “So we started gathering equipment from all across LA and raised money so that we could give equipment and money and they could buy their own equipment. It’s been a really great response and a lot of them have been able to recover from such a tragic event.”

Playing Two Worlds at Once

Whether it is Skyler and Kelsey trading lines for groundstrokes, Jaden Joyner swapping scripts for tournaments, or Leo Perry shifting from rehearsal rooms to recording studios, these young talents prove that passion does not fit neatly into a box. Each of them has discovered that the rhythm of tennis, its focus, resilience, and demand for presence, mirrors what it takes to perform on stage or on screen.

From dodging cameras to returning serves, they are learning lessons no stage or studio could fully teach: discipline, grit, and the thrill of living entirely in the moment. And while the spotlight may eventually force them to choose one dream over another, for now, they are thriving in both worlds, living proof that with dedication and joy, you really can play two parts at once.

“Tennis brings out my competitive side and forces us to dig deep without the opportunity to start over,” Kelsey said. “There’s no asking for another take. It’s me against my opponent but also me against myself.”

What Skyler likes most about tennis is that it’s results driven, and there is an immediacy with the results. “Tennis has really taught me how to deal with disappointment in real time,” she said. “With acting we can reflect back after the scene, the take or even the day and know we will come back tomorrow or later in the day. In tennis, you’ve got to reflect, release and reset, like our coach says, within seconds if you want to change the result.”

For these SoCal juniors, balancing two worlds is not just a challenge, it is a masterclass that will shape every role they play, both on stage and on the court. The drive and commitment of Skyler and Kelsey Yates, Jaden Joyner, and Leo Perry is truly remarkable, and the discipline, energy, and heart they invest in every endeavor will carry them far, wherever their passions take them.