THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 14, 1995 TAG: 9504120147
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANELLE LA BOUVE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
THE NIGHT BEFORE her film debut, one might expect an aspiring actress to have insomnia. Not so for Chelsea Stroud.
The 3-year-old was selected through Artists Unlimited to play in ``Spaces on a Milk Carton'' opposite actress Kelly Martin, star of ``Life Goes On'' and ``Christie.''
Mostly, Chelsea snoozed en route to Wilmington, N.C., for her appearance in the pilot film.
Chelsea's poise was further demonstrated by the lack of butterflies in her stomach. Her dad, Brian Stroud, pulled off the highway at a fast-food restaurant when she asked for a snack. Later, at another restaurant, she put away a burger and fries.
At the motel, messages awaited Chelsea. One was from the movie's wardrobe department. Another was a reminder from Chelsea's agent: ``Don't become star struck,'' he said.
She was undeterred by the sponge rollers her mom put in her hair and slept until 6:45 a.m.
``You must be Chelsea,'' the security guard said when they arrived on the movie lot for her 9 a.m. work call.
Her parents were excited to see her movie title - ``Bar Stool Girl,'' above Chelsea's dressing room door.
An early stop was the wardrobe department, where Chelsea donned the denim dress, white shoes and pink lace socks her mom had brought from home.
Then came a trip to makeup, where Chelsea reveled under the bright lights. She got a dab of blush on both cheeks and a few dots of powder to hide the remaining spots from a recent bout with chicken pox.
With her deep blue eyes sparkling, Chelsea recalled later, ``The makeup man put eye stuff under my eyes.''
A hair stylist rolled her dark blonde hair under with a curling brush, parted it to one side and snapped in a pink barrette.
``When they called for Chelsea, we were taken to Wally's Restaurant, located on a marina, where the scenery was gorgeous,'' Pam Stroud said.
``Chelsea has arrived,'' one of about 30 crew members announced via a walkie-talkie.
Pam Stroud was delighted when she was asked at the last-minute to play an extra in the same restaurant scene.
The directors talked briefly with Chelsea, who was not at all shy.
The little girl was helped onto an outdoor bar stool.
A crew member handed her the first of four ice cream cones. She was directed to try a number of positions. First she sat with both hands on the bar, then only on one hand. All the while, she juggled her ice cream cone.
In the movie, Martin's character had been the childhood victim of a kidnapping. In her role as ``The Bar Stool Girl,'' it was Chelsea who triggered Martin's memory.
The temperature had reached 75 degrees by the time the scene was shot. The little girl was a bit dismayed each time her dripping sweet treat was taken away, then hastily replaced.
The director's final instructions were ``Look directly into Kelly Martin's eyes, swing your feet and lick that ice cream.''
``She did exactly what they told her to do,'' Stroud said. ``They had warned us that it might take 20 takes. She did it in three, and they were quite impressed with her.
After the last take, the directors complimented her work and expressed surprise that this was her first acting experience.
As soon as her scene was filmed, the perky child was ushered to the front of the refreshment line.
``I had always thought that actors were overpaid, but I don't think so now,'' Stroud said. ``Having to stay on location all day and be away from their families, they earn every cent.''
Chelsea's previous show-business experience includes auditioning for commercials and modeling jobs.
At home, she's content to play with her older brother, Corey, stroll through the house wearing her oversized sunglasses, dress her Barbie dolls or sit in her four-poster bed, surrounded by stuffed, long-eared bunnies.
``Everyone has always told me I should get her into some kind of modeling or talent, because she's such as people person and not shy,'' her mother said.
For now, her mother is content to say, ``If she never gets another call, it's something she'll never forget. She had a wonderful time and kept saying, `I want to do it again.' '' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Chelsea Stroud, 3, was selected through Artists Unlimited to play in
``Spaces on a Milk Carton'' opposite actress Kelly Martin, star of
``Life Goes On'' and ``Christie.''
by CNB