By: Karen Steinberg
Q) Please tell us the premise for the film Casey Makes a Mixtape.
A) The movie follows a smart, introverted 13-year-old girl from a very dysfunctional family. When Casey’s mom sends her to spend the summer with her grandparents in a new town, she finds escape through making new friends, creating mixtapes, and skateboarding.
Q) How was your character Casey originally described to you?
A) Casey was described as an eleven to fourteen year-old girl who’s smart, loves skateboarding and uses mixtapes as a way to distract herself and escape from her family.
3) Was there something that you added to the role that wasn’t initially on the page for her?
A) Initially, Casey’s room only had posters of boy bands and male singers. I pointed out that it seemed strange there weren’t any female artists, so I talked with the creative team. We agreed that Casey, being a teenage girl, would definitely have listened to female singers, too. The next day they added some female posters. I also made Casey more sarcastic, which reflected my own personality at the time — and I think it really worked for her character.
4) Were you familiar with any of your costars before working with them on the movie?
A) I wasn’t familiar with any of my costars before working on the movie. Kennedy [Celeste] and I did a chemistry read before filming and instantly connected. In the months leading up to the shoot, we talked and texted regularly, so showing up on set the first day felt like seeing an old friend.
Q) Casey loves her 80s music mixtape. What were some songs you found along the way that you became a fan of?
A) I discovered and now love a lot of Billy Joel’s music, especially “She’s Always a Woman” and “Uptown Girl.” I also became a fan of ABBA and Aerosmith — “Walk This Way” is one of my favorites.
Q) Talk about working with director Blake Calhoun.
A) Blake was amazing to work with. He’s a very creative director with great ideas, which we relied on heavily since we only had two weeks to shoot the movie on a tight indie budget.
Q) What were some of your favorite scenes to shoot for the movie?
A) One of my favorite scenes to film was in the record store — a real old-school shop filled with vinyl and cassette tapes. Kennedy and I got to explore and flip through everything between takes. I also loved filming in the arcade, because who doesn’t love true old-school arcade games?
Q) The movie came out on October 14th. What kind of response have you been receiving from fans?
A) People have been really impressed by how such a low-budget indie film turned out so well, with great performances and high-quality production.
Q) What did you personally take away from your time working on Casey Makes a Mixtape?
A) I took away amazing friendships and professional connections. I also left with even more love for acting and a reminder of why I’m so passionate about storytelling.
Q) Are you able to tease some other upcoming projects you have in the works?
A) I recently did a small part in an episode of “Reasonable Doubt” that just came out.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the work you do on our screens?
A) Thank you so much for all the love and support — especially for indie films. It means so much to have audiences champion creative, original projects. People like you make the industry worthwhile.