Alia Shawkat gets wheels in motion

In 2006, after Fox set “Arrested Development” adrift, Alia Shawkat found herself searching for her own moorings. The Southern California native, who has been acting since age 9 and sparkled as Maeby Funke in the ultra-witty cult laugher, moved to New York, attended school, dropped out, dabbled in art and auditioned occasionally.

“My focus was not as strong as when I was younger,” she explains.

Now the 20-year-old thesp can be seen alongside Ellen Page in Drew Barrymore’s “Whip It”; she will appear in the Miguel Arteta-directed indie comedy “Cedar Rapids”; and she is co-penning HBO pilot “Stitch N’ Bitch” with Page and Sean Tillmann.

It sounds like her focus has regained strength. Read More