Living & Dying by Acting

Acting brings the opportunity to play many different roles and characters, and I have truly enjoyed several of those I’ve taken on lately whether for a job, an audition, or a class.   Each of these instances also provides the chance to meet talented people within my industry, and I love to work with those who share my passion.  This occasion popped up a couple of weeks ago when I worked on a film full of enthusiastic cast and crew members.  The first day involved taking both still and moving shots with my “husband” and “daughter”, the two leads of the film.  I felt like a kid again as we climbed trees, played Frisbee, and even attempted side by side cartwheels, although my muscles the next day wondered what I was thinking.  We all left at the end of the day feeling like a true “family” with the director and producer even stating that they wanted to rewrite the script to keep us as that “perfect little family”.

Unfortunately, the script centers around my character’s death and how my husband & daughter deal with that loss.  The story unfolds in truly tender and touching ways, and what the two lead actors bring to their characters makes it even more beautiful.  One scene takes place at the funeral home when my daughter sees me for the first time since my death.  Thankfully, the camera was angled so that the tear streaming from my eye couldn’t be seen (I don’t think dead people are supposed to cry).  This little girl blew us all away and brought the whole room to tears with her heart breaking sobs and longing for her mommy.  One person even stated, “This will be the next Dakota Fanning”, to which everyone agreed.

 

I felt honored to be a part of such a wonderful story as well as inspiring cast & crew, and look forward to seeing this amazing film.