By Charlie McDermott (actor nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his role in Frozen River)
(February 2009)

When Heather Rae called in the late winter of 2007, asking if I'd like to be part of a film called "Frozen River," I never thought it would become what it has today.

I had been acting professionally for only about three years and had just moved to L.A. that November (2006). Fortunate to have been able to transfer agencies from Innovative Artists' NYC branch to its West Coast team, I began making the rounds of auditions as soon as I arrived - but getting work proved to be a bit more challenging.

When Heather sent me the script, I read it right away and loved it instantly. I consulted my manager, who seemed a little hesitant at the idea of me flying to Plattsburg, NY, to shoot an ultra-low-budget indie right in the middle of pilot season, but work was work, and a couple of weeks later my Dad and I were on a plane.

Since Plattsburg is one of the most northern parts of NY, in order to get there we flew in through Canada. One of the crew picked us up at the airport and drove us back down into the States.

I'm from Philadelphia, and, for me, one of the best parts of moving to L.A. is the warm sun during the winter, but somehow my job had landed me in a climate even colder than my hometown! The wind just cut right through me.

Since the budget was so low, there was barely any money left over for casting. When it was confirmed that I would be part of the film, Heather asked if I had a younger brother, explaining that they needed someone who could play my brother in the film. They were having trouble finding a five-year-old who resembled me. I told her that I didn't have a brother but did have a couple of younger cousins, one of whom had the same hair color and was the exact age sought for the part. We called my aunt and uncle to gauge their interest. Their initial answer was, "No," which is understandable. It can be a lot of work and stress for a little kid, especially one with no experience in the industry. But after about a week of conversations, they were persuaded and James became a part of the film.

When I arrived upstate, the filming was already a couple of weeks into its very short schedule and all the crew had bonded as a family. I was welcomed warmly. And the first time I met Courtney and Melissa was on set right before we began an emotional scene (which didn't end up in the final cut)!

Charlie McDermott (photo courtesy of the actor)

The crew was really small but very productive. One of the pros of having a small crew is there are fewer people to organize. Everyone involved is working with full focus. It's also easier and quicker to communicate, so everyone knows what's going on at the same time. Things get done faster with these smaller crews, in my opinion, and I think that without the amazing crew we had on this film, the movie would not have been finished as quickly or as professionally as it was. They worked so hard, tirelessly and without complaint, until the job was done. There were days when, shooting on the river, the temperature dropped to around zero degrees and equipment was freezing and people were having trouble just moving their fingers, but they still got the job done. That's not an easy feat. Director/writer Courtney Hunt showed outstanding vision and professionalism. We were all proud to be part of her team.

Fast-forward almost a year. Courtney has labored days and nights to get the film in its final form and we end up at Sundance. We have an opening-day screening in a huge theater, and, as the movie starts, panic suddenly washes over me. The audience is reacting wonderfully during the whole film, but, for some reason, I take all of their reactions negatively. For some reason, I think, "They hate it," and during the entire film I just cringe and sink into my seat.

When the last scene ended and the credits rolled, the whole theater stood up and applauded. Wow. That's the moment I realized what this film could become. Frozen River went on to win the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, awarded by Quentin Tarantino himself!

And here we stand two years after it all began. After an impressive tour on the film festival circuit and a 16-week theatrical run, Frozen River has garnered a large number of Spirit Award Nominations and two well-deserved Oscar nominations - finally giving Melissa Leo the recognition she's been due for a long, long time. I'm honored to have been a part of it. -MPM

Only 18 years old, Charlie McDermott's striking performance in Frozen River earned him a Spirit Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor. (The recipient of the Sundance 2008 Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Film, Frozen River has also been honored by the Gotham Awards, Hamburg Film Festival, National Board of Review, and New York Film Critics Circle Awards and is up for two Oscars, including one for Melissa Leo in the Best Actress category.)

Charlie began his career in M. Night Shyamalan's The Village (alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver) and played a supporting role in the Sundance favorite The Ten (alongside Jessica Alba, Gretchen Mol, Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder and Liev Schreiber); his credits also include Summit Entertainment's The Sex Drive opposite Seth Green and James Marsden, and the independent films All Along and Disappearances.

On television, Charlie was recently cast opposite Patricia Heaton for the ABC pilot "The Middle." Past television roles include "The Office," PBS's Emmy Award-winning "Windy Acres," "Medium," and the Hallmark films Generation Gap and Safe Harbor.

Photo at top copyright Sony Classics.