The Land Before Time: Chester girl, 11, cast in remake of classic
An 11-year-old girl from Chester has been cast in the lead role of a remake of the 1980s classic, The Land Before Time.Summer-Joules Saunders will play the character Littlefoot in the reboot of Steven Spielberg's 1988 animated film series.Saunders was given the role after a successful second audition, in which she put pencils in her mouth to sound like she was "eating like a dinosaur".The new movie, Littlefoot, will be directed by British filmmaker Joey Lever, who is best known for creating fan film, Spiderman: Lost Cause in 2014.
Speaking about the audition process, Saunders said: "There weren't many actors in [the studio] because the actor I was with was from America, on a little computer."For some parts I had to put pencils in my mouth because I'd be eating like a dinosaur and there was lots of moving around."
Summer-Joules is the daughter of talent agent Joanne Saunders, who founded the Chester-based Majestic Academy of Performing Arts."I grew up in this and as I grew up with my mum's talent agency so I joined that.", Summer-Joules told BBC Radio Merseyside."When I'm older I still want to be an actress and a performer, but also a barrister."I'd like to use my acting to be a barrister because it's like you're on a stage and having to push your case to the judges."Her mum added: "I'm really, really proud. I just open doors and let [Summer-Joules] decide whether she wants to keep them open."This kind of environment helps raise confidence and self-esteem, all issues children are going though at the moment."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
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