Karis Cameron – Cheer Squad Secrets

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) Please tell us the premise for Cheer Squad Secrets.

A) Kelly, played by Margaret Anne Florence, helps her daughter Amelie played by Karis Cameron (me) become captain of the cheerleading squad only to discover that someone is giving her daughter mysterious supplements and will do anything, including murder to cover it up.

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

A) My first attraction was getting to work with our director David Langlois again. We had worked together previously on a smaller budget project, so I was really excited to get to do a story this high stakes with him. Then of course my second attraction was the high stakes. I love thrillers, horrors, suspense all those kinds of movies and I feel like I got to do a bit of all of that in Cheer Squad Secrets.

Q) How was your character Amelie originally described to you? Was there anything you added to the role that wasn’t in the initial breakdown?

A) She was originally described as a go-getting teenager who just wants to make her parents proud especially her mom and she really is that at her core. I like to think I brought a little of myself into Amelie although her and I are quite similar, so it wasn’t that hard. We have the same persistent attitude and refuse to give up, although she may be willing to risk a little more than I personally would be.

Q) What kind of training went into preparing to play the role of a cheerleader?

A) I like to keep an active lifestyle in between projects, but specifically for this role I went to the gym a little more and I watched a lot of cheerleading YouTube videos, everything from stretching to how they would work out.

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

A) We filmed Cheer Squad Secrets just outside of Vancouver, BC and at the time I was living downtown Vancouver, so I had about an hour’s drive home after we would wrap and I would just play really calming music. I really love listening to classical piano pieces to unwind after a day on set

Q) What advice did director David Langlois offer that you took to heart?

A) David is probably one of my favorite directors I’ve worked with so far. He’s so fun and hard-working and has a talent of making set a relaxed but efficient environment. Some of the scenes we were shooting were quite intense, but he always made sure we felt safe. As far as advice goes, he always said just to have fun with it. He’s a really trusting director so he let my play a lot and try different things which as an actor or actress is such a blessing, I think.

Q) What were some of your favorite moments from shooting?

A) I have a lot of fond memories from shooting Cheer Squad Secrets, but the one that stands out in my mind was a simple driving scene. I was so nervous to be driving a car with this very big camera attached to it, but our director David came over to the car window and gave me a little pep talk and we crushed the scene.

Q) You have started to regularly appear in Lifetime films. What continues to make them so enjoyable for you?

A) I am so, so blessed for all the opportunities I’ve had so far with Lifetime. I always love making these movies. They’re always so high stake and thrilling and, as I said before, I love that genre, watching it and acting in it. So, I will keep doin em’ as long as they let me.

Q) What do you think it is about Cheer Squad Secrets that will make it a fast Lifetime thriller?

A) Lifetime has done a couple cheerleading thrillers now, but I haven’t seen one quite like Cheer Squad Secrets I think it really pushes the boundaries of what some of these girls are willing to do to be the best.