We interviewed Actress Lacey Caroline whose subtle blend of talent, hard work and daring is leading her to success.
Actress, reporter, singer, host… It would probably be easier to mention what Lacey Caroline is not. This multitalented young performer has already been building a strong, promising career. Recipient of the Best Young Actress Award at the 2020 Los Angeles Film Awards, Top Shorts and IndieX Film Festival (to name but a few!) for her part in Harbor Island, a period psychological show directed by Tiffany Rhodes, Lacey Caroline also serves as the NBC Kid Reporter for Supercross LIVE and NASCAR. And, because it’s not enough, she also starred in the 2019 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie A Christmas Love Story, among a lot of other cool shows.
Can you introduce yourself and your role in Harbor Island?
I am Lacey Caroline, an actress, host and kid reporter based in Charlotte, NC. In Harbor Island I play the role of “Jamie” – a 12 year girl who helps solve an island mystery with the help of her friends and her father, the Sheriff.
Who are your favorite young actors? Why do you like them?
My favorite young actors are Darby Camp, McKenna Grace and Millie Bobby Brown. Darby is a friend of mine and I have loved watching her grow in success over the past few years but still stay down to earth. She also has great parents which really helps. McKenna Grace seems like she would be the coolest person to hang out with and she has been acting for such a long time, but is my age! And Millie Bobby Brown is Millie Bobby Brown.
“My home school program is a true benefit to acting.”
How do you combine your studies and the acting? Does one activity nurture the other?
It was pretty challenging for a while – I was in a public performing arts school and missed a lot of days for filming on set. I have now been homeschooled for the past year and my home school program is a true benefit to acting. I can work remotely from anywhere, and schedule my studies based on my work schedule. I have also realized that I like studying psychology because it helps me analyze my character’s behaviors and mannerisms.
Where do you get your inspiration from in your roles?
Marnie Cooper, one of my acting coaches, gave me a great character breakdown worksheet that helps me think about every element of a character as I am filming auditions. When I book a project, I like to spend time with the director to understand how they see the roles and then work in elements of my own.
“I like directors that guide me but are not too restrictive.”
What type of director do you like? How do you like to work with a director?
I like directors that guide me but are not too restrictive. Again, I want to understand their vision of the role but want them to have faith in me that I can build on that vision! Acting is a very personal process and it is so much better if you connect with the director on a personal level.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given so far?
Trust the process! I tend to be a perfectionist and, in the beginning, didn’t understand how many people I would be competing against for roles. Once I understood the process better, I knew that I could nail an audition, but if I wasn’t perfect for the character I wasn’t going to book the role.
“Combining my love for singing and acting would be a dream come true.”
What do you want to improve in your acting?
I am working on improving my facial expressions and having the audience be able to understand what I am thinking just by a slight eyebrow raise. My coaches have helped me understand the difference between film acting and stage acting and it’s a valuable lesson!
What roles would you like to play?
My dream right now is to book a musical movie or show! I love to sing and having the opportunity to combine that with acting would be a dream come true. I would also love to play a role in an action movie, like a superhero or a special agent.
What can we wish you for the future?
I am about to film a feature film in NC and will certainly take some good wishes for that project. It is a dramatic role and the story itself is so important to me. And I will always take good wishes on upcoming auditions!
The odds are that by the time you reached the end of this interview, Lacey has probably starred in a new show and received (at least) another award for her outstanding performance!
To keep an eye on her next adventures, connect with Lacey Caroline.
