The feature film I appeared in, in May 2014, was released and started showing at festivals in the US. FriendsDon'tLetFriendsDateFriends is a rom-com, written and directed by Rhonda Parker, and in it, I play Shirley Regal the mother of the protagonist.
I saw the movie on the big screen at the Screening Room in Buffalo in November. I'm including a copy of the poster - if you're lucky, you can get one signed by the cast and crew, like mine. I think the producers sell them at showings...
One of the write-ups for FriendsDon'tLetFriendsDateFriends (The Public, November 19, 2014, p. 21) stated that "Filmmaker Parker provides tart dialogue for characters played by actors who don't look like they've rolled off a Hollywood assembly line". I thought this was a great compliment to all involved.
I also shot a few commercials and industrial videos over 2014, and was in a TV/web series called Mangoes.
As for "the ones that got away", I was selected for three parts in the last part of the year but, as you will read, didn't actually perform them.
The first was in a music video for the Billy Talent "Kingdom of Zod" release. I went for the audition on a Wednesday evening but, when I didn't get called for the wardrobe session on Friday, assumed I didn't get the part playing a politician's wife. Time passed, as they say, three days to be exact. And then, the day before the shoot, when I got home from meeting a friend for dinner, I found both an email and a voice-mail from the casting director. Turns out, they called the wrong actress, the director really wanted me. But by then (8:30 in the evening), the casting director thought it too late to "crush the other actress" as she put it. (As it happens, had I not been so polite about turning off my phone while having dinner, this story might have had a different ending.)
Haven't seen the video, so no idea who got the part or even if they left the politician and his wife in the final cut...
The second was a part in a TV pilot. I also thought I didn't get the role of a psychiatrist but, lo and behold! One fine Sunday, after I came in from clearing up leaves in the backyard, I found a voice-mail from the producer. Was I available? As it turns out, by the time I called back, they had had to cast another actress in the role. Ironically, this was the day after I watched the feature film in Buffalo and, had I known I'd be needed, I could easily have stayed in town to shoot the pilot.
The third part that got away was playing a ghost. Again, by the time I emailed back - 2 hours after the invite was sent - they had cast someone else.
I take comfort in thinking that, in all likelihood, Meryl Streep doesn't have to deal with this anymore but, if she does, heaven help the rest of us!
Happy New Year!
Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer
