Alana Locke Makes Her Big-Screen Debut In 'One Missed Call' Alana Locke, who recently turned 12, normally wouldn't get permission to attend a scary movie rated PG-13 unless her parents had already seen it. And even then, they'd probably wait to rent the DVD version and fast-forward through the unsuitable passages.
But Jon and Michele Locke of Mulberry will make an exception for "One Missed Call." After all, they wouldn't want their daughter to miss her own big-screen debut.
Alana plays a small but important role in the psychological thriller opening nationally today as the younger version of Beth Raymond, the lead character portrayed by Shannyn Sossamon ("A Knight's Tale"). Alana's part consists of flashbacks to Raymond's tormented childhood.
The home-schooled sixth-grader recently caught a glimpse of herself in a TV commercial for the movie.
"It shows my eye," Alana said. "I'm like looking into a peephole, and it shows my eye."
In "One Missed Call," a remake of a 2003 Japanese horror film, characters receive phone messages from their future selves disclosing details about their deaths. Though she hasn't seen the finished film, Alana estimates her total screen time at "three minutes at the most." But the limited exposure doesn't dim her enthusiasm for the film's debut.
"Seeing myself on the screen is going to be weird - just watching me act and stuff," Alana said. "It's really cool how they do movies and stuff, how they make it so real but it's also fake. It's just really great."
Jon Locke said he recently called the office of Cobb Theatres Lakeside 18 in Lakeland, hoping to take a photo of his daughter standing beside the marquee poster. Locke said a manager granted that request and invited the family to a technical screening Thursday night at the theater. The management also affixed a note to the "Coming Attractions" poster in the lobby that reads, "Featuring Polk County's own Alana Locke!"
Alana had no feature film experience when she was cast in the role shortly before shooting began in fall 2006. The role led her to be cast in a larger part for "In the Electric Mist," a Louisiana-based mystery shot last year. She portrays the daughter of Tommy Lee Jones in the film.
Alana is listed fourth in the official credits for "Mist" - ahead of veterans John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard and Ned Beatty - and Jon Locke said the family plans to attend a premiere screening scheduled for March in France.
Most recently, Alana played the lead role in a short film called "Impressions" shot in Texas.
The Lockes were scheduled to sit in a mostly empty theater for Thursday's advance screening, but they planned to return with friends tonight for a public showing of "One Missed Call." Is Jon Locke worried the movie may be too intense for his daughter?
"Not for Alana, because she likes this kind of thing," he said. "It's not like she watches it a lot, but she's wise beyond her years. She understands it's movie magic, and since she got to see a lot of the scary stuff being filmed it's no big deal to her."
2008- In the Electric Mist
2008- One Missed Call
2008- Impressions
Alana Locke, who recently turned 12, normally wouldn't get permission to attend a scary movie rated PG-13 unless her parents had already seen it. And even then, they'd probably wait to rent the DVD version and fast-forward through the unsuitable passages.
But Jon and Michele Locke of Mulberry will make an exception for "One Missed Call." After all, they wouldn't want their daughter to miss her own big-screen debut.
Alana plays a small but important role in the psychological thriller opening nationally today as the younger version of Beth Raymond, the lead character portrayed by Shannyn Sossamon ("A Knight's Tale"). Alana's part consists of flashbacks to Raymond's tormented childhood.
The home-schooled sixth-grader recently caught a glimpse of herself in a TV commercial for the movie.
"It shows my eye," Alana said. "I'm like looking into a peephole, and it shows my eye."
In "One Missed Call," a remake of a 2003 Japanese horror film, characters receive phone messages from their future selves disclosing details about their deaths. Though she hasn't seen the finished film, Alana estimates her total screen time at "three minutes at the most." But the limited exposure doesn't dim her enthusiasm for the film's debut.
"Seeing myself on the screen is going to be weird - just watching me act and stuff," Alana said. "It's really cool how they do movies and stuff, how they make it so real but it's also fake. It's just really great."
Jon Locke said he recently called the office of Cobb Theatres Lakeside 18 in Lakeland, hoping to take a photo of his daughter standing beside the marquee poster. Locke said a manager granted that request and invited the family to a technical screening Thursday night at the theater. The management also affixed a note to the "Coming Attractions" poster in the lobby that reads, "Featuring Polk County's own Alana Locke!"
Alana had no feature film experience when she was cast in the role shortly before shooting began in fall 2006. The role led her to be cast in a larger part for "In the Electric Mist," a Louisiana-based mystery shot last year. She portrays the daughter of Tommy Lee Jones in the film.
Alana is listed fourth in the official credits for "Mist" - ahead of veterans John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard and Ned Beatty - and Jon Locke said the family plans to attend a premiere screening scheduled for March in France.
Most recently, Alana played the lead role in a short film called "Impressions" shot in Texas.
The Lockes were scheduled to sit in a mostly empty theater for Thursday's advance screening, but they planned to return with friends tonight for a public showing of "One Missed Call." Is Jon Locke worried the movie may be too intense for his daughter?
"Not for Alana, because she likes this kind of thing," he said. "It's not like she watches it a lot, but she's wise beyond her years. She understands it's movie magic, and since she got to see a lot of the scary stuff being filmed it's no big deal to her."