Former
St. Louis kid is in the movies
Teenager Evan
Peters wasn't involved in acting when he was growing up in
west St. Louis County. But, he's certainly made up for lost
time in recent years.
Evan was back
in St. Louis last month to receive a Screen Actors Guild Emerging
Actor award. He received the award at the St. Louis International
Film Festival.
The presentation
came just before the festival showing of the independent film,
"Clipping Adam." Evan plays the lead as a freshman-to-be
who faces all sorts of problems. .
The audience at
the Tivoli Theater film showing was almost like a family reunion.
Evan was there early to greet friends and family, who almost
filled the theater.
Evan was born
in St. Louis and was a student at St. Joseph Catholic School
in Manchester before the family moved to Michigan. As a way
to get involved in his new home, Evan got interested in acting
and entertaining.
A photographer
at one of his classes made a tape of some of his performances
and sent it to friends in California.
After getting
an agent, Evan and his mother, Julie, moved to Burbank, Calif.,
to go after an acting career full-time.
Evan
with his
Emerging Actor plaque |
On just his second
audition, he was picked by producer Michael Picchiottino for
the role of Adam. Evan said the selection was a "stroke
of luck."
Another stroke
of luck for him was the selection of the rest of the cast.
Many were veterans, including Oscar-winning Louise Fletcher
to be his grandmother. Ms. Fletcher won an Oscar for her role
in "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest," with Jack
Nicholson.
"Clipping
Adam" took 26 days to shoot. Evan said they were the
toughest days of his life. "After all, this was the first
time I was ever in front of a camera on stage," he said.
But, he added, "I soaked up as much experience as I could."
The movie ended
up as a 92-minute feature film.
The title of the
movie refers to Adam's refusal to cut his very long hair.
In the film, Evan had to use "hair extenders."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
movie reviewer Joe Williams said "Clipping Adam"
isn't a movie where "every after-school conversation
is a life-or-death encounter."
Because of the
lack of emotional tension, Williams said, "Fortunately,
the cast is strong and Peters gracefully carries his weight
as an angel with a human face and clipped wings."
Since that movie,
Evan has continued to be busy.
"When I'm
not working, I'm always going to auditions," he said.
His agent has him trying for all sorts of parts, not just
movies.
Evan has a role
in another movie, "Sleepover," which is now in production.
Asked about his role, Evan said, "I'm a geek-loser type
who happens to be a good dancer."
In the movie,
the "geeks" never get to go out with the popular
girls. But, because of his dancing ability, Evan gets to enter
a contest with the most popular girl. Of course, in the end,
his team wins the dancing contest.
Others in the
cast include Alexa Vega, who was in "Spy Kids,"
and Mika Boorem, who acted in "Hearts in Atlantis."
Evan also has
done work on commercials, for companies such as PlayStation,
Progressive Insurance and Moviefone.
He also has a
recurring role in an upcoming Disney TV show, "Phil of
the Future." The sit-com is about a family from the past
whose time machine breaks down in the present.
Evan said,"
I play a character named Seth. I'm only in a few episodes."
Asked about his
time in California, Evan, who is now 16, said, "I love
it."
About what he
misses about St. Louis, he said, "Imo's Pizza."
A typical California
working day consists of getting up, going to the set and then
three hours of school work. He is taking part in a Options
for Youth home-schooling program.
"Everything
has been a huge learning experience," he said.
Evan said he wants
to continue with his acting career. However, if that doesn't
develop fully, he has a Plan B.
"I like weather.
Maybe I'd be a meteorologist," he said.
