Carrie Wampler – Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate

By starrymag | September 19, 2020

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate.

 

A)The film is the story of a girl (Olivia) who is charmed by the glamorous life of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and agrees to become a surrogate for her.  Olivia soon finds out that behind the glamor lies the dark and twisted life of this star Ava (Brianne Davis), and her husband (Carl Beukes).  My character, Olivia, quickly realizes she and her unborn child are in undeniable danger.

 

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the film?

 

A) A lot of things about this film sparked my interest. Olivia resonated with me on many levels and I grew both sympathetic and drawn to her character immediately. I loved the way Courtney Henggeler wrote this character.  So kind and open hearted, even after going through such hurt early in her life; yet strong and fierce when she needs to be. Olivia goes on quite the journey and emotional roller coaster throughout the film and I was looking forward to the challenge of bringing that to life. I was also very excited about the idea of incorporating comedic and dramatic elements into a thriller. The film begins as what almost feels like a romantic comedy, only to pull you down a much darker and eerier path as the story goes. It’s unique and keeps you on your toes.

 

 

Q) How was your character originally described to you?

 

A) I believe the breakdown read, “adorable and completely incapable of making a good decision.”

 

 

Q) Was there anything you added to the role that wasn’t in the initial breakdown?

 

A) Olivia is a hot mess and a little ditzy at times and I definitely enjoyed sprinkling in some of my own awkwardness and goofiness in those moments. I would less say I added those things to the role and more so say I gave them a little bit of a “Carrie” touch. There are some scenes where I hardly recognize myself as Olivia and other moments where I can’t help but giggle and think, “That is such a Carrie thing to do!!” But that’s one of the coolest parts of being an actor, getting to find ways to make each character your own and incorporate elements of yourself that you see fit. I think that’s what makes every actor and every performance unique.

 

 

Q) Were you familiar with any of your costars before working with them on the film?

 

A) I was not, but man did I get lucky! Everyone in this film really killed it! Not only are they talented, but they’re great people. We had the best time. Mark Gantt, our director, and Ross Kohn, our producer, had worked with many of my costars before. They cast numerous New Mexico locals (which is where we filmed), as well as a few LA based actors. They were all pros and it was like one big family. Not to mention the fact that Mark’s wife, Brianne Davis, stars as Ava and Ross’ wife, Courtney Henggeler, penned the script. It was quite literally a family affair and I felt lucky to be a part of it.

 

 

Q) What advice did director Matt Gantt offer during shooting that you took to heart?

 

A) Mark is a great director and a great guy. He really led by example on this one. We had a very tight filming schedule and a chunk of that was heavily intense and emotional material. I was initially a little nervous about being able to have the time to give each scene my all, given the schedule. But Mark never made me feel rushed or forced to deliver. He led the set in such a lovely way. In fact, thanks to his calm demeanor my fears evaporated almost immediately.  He’s an actor himself, which I really liked because he thinks like an actor when he needs to. He was great at conveying what he wants out of you without words. He would often just mime or mimic what he was wanting me to feel or express and usually I’d know exactly what he meant without him giving specific verbal direction. It’s hard to explain, but it’s an actor to actor thing. We all joked that there was a whole other film going on, if only the cameras were turned around because he would act out every scene from behind the camera, subconsciously. It was hilarious!

 

 

Q) What were some of your favorite scenes to shoot?

 

A) Without giving too much away, I really enjoyed a few of my more intense scenes. There was one in particular where I got to hang out of a window and that entire sequence ended up being one of my favorite parts of the movie. I had a lot of fun shooting with Kenny Miller in the kitchen scenes because they often felt like the one light part of a very dark day of filming and he’s an awesome actor and person. Jordyn Aquino (Cassidy) and I became fast friends, so every day she was on set was like a ray of sunshine coming to visit. I adore her and our scenes together make me smile. And, of course, my creepy scene with Ava and Hayden (Brianne Davis and Carl Beukes) comes to mind. They’re brilliant and their dysfunctional yet glamorous chemistry was mesmerizing. Did I just name almost every scene in the movie? Probably! I loved filming every minute of it.

 

 

Q) With such an intense subject matter, how did you shake off a long day of filming?

 

A) There were days where I would spend from sunup to sundown screaming and crying, and I had a few favorite ways to shake off those days. Jamming to Christmas music (we shot in December) the whole way home every night was my go-to! Also, even when I was exhausted, taking a few minutes before bed to call a friend or family member was really helpful. Just to take your mind elsewhere and remind you of what really matters for a moment, before you wake up and enter into that dark place again. I made sure to deck out my place with Christmas lights so the little time I spent at home was a happy, warm, cozy place to wind down. But the biggest reason I was able to shake off the emotional exhaustion was the crew I got to work with. They made every moment a blast! In between scenes we had lots of laughs and after a long day I got to go home knowing I was coming back for more fun the next morning. Getting to work with people who make work FUN, that’s the key.