Michael Jackson's kids after his death/April 2012

Michael Jackson's daughter making acting debut in White Castle

Submitted by Michelle McCalope, Web Producer
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012, 10:59am
Topics: Arts & Culture, Business, Community Spirit, Events



(From left to right) Paris Jackson, Author Dennis Christen, and Michaela Blanks recently visited Nottoway Plantation in preparation for an upcoming movie that will be filmed there.
A movie featuring the daughter of the late Michael Jackson in her first acting role will be filmed at Nottoway Plantation in White Castle.

The film Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys is being produced by Paralight Films based in Lehi, Utah.

The story is the first in a series of five books authored by Dennis Christen. Fourteen-year-old Paris Jackson will play the character of Lundon O’Malley in a part live, part animated adventure of the battle between land and sea. The project is a unique one that was created as an educational fundraising tool to give back to the schools and to entertain the world. One half of the price of the books, posters, cinema admission, and related retail items will go directly to the school of choice of the purchaser anywhere in the U.S.

The film production team recently visited South Louisiana for a closer look at River Road plantation homes, nearby Cypress Bayous, and Mandeville’s Fontainebleau State Park. After the first day they announced that Nottoway’s mansion, with its picturesque rotunda and majestic Oak trees, was chosen as the home of Dalina, the story’s Queen of the Sea.

"The minute I looked up at the grand white castle and the massive columns I knew this was it,” Christen says. “In one of the scenes the children turn into butterflies and will fly around under these magnificent oak trees. This is exactly what I had envisioned.”

Stephen Sobisky, founder of C-it Entertainment Group and Sandman Studios, explained that producers and location scouts don’t normally bring the talent along on the preliminary visits.

“Paris wants to pursue an acting career, but she’s young and new to the business," Sobisky says. "Our team wants to give her hands-on experience in the start-to-finish process of film production. A well-rounded actor or actress should begin at the beginning."

Paris’ role in the film also includes taking an active part in the school fundraising component of the project. She plans to travel, when her school schedule permits, and introduce the Lundon’s Bridge book series to middle-school students across the county - encouraging them to become involved in a fun new way to raise money for programs like art, theater, music and film making.

While in Louisiana, Paris, friend Michaela Blanks and the production team visited a Seventh grade class at Iberville Parish’s Math & Science Academy, located in Plaquemine. Michaela is almost a year older than Paris and plays the part of a butterfly in the film. She also has some experience in theater and modeling.

Openly admitting that Louisiana is very different from the Los Angeles area where they both grew up, the girls exchanged questions and answers with the local students, posed for group photos, and promised to see them again when they return to the area for filming.

A highlight of the school visit was an appropriate question from one of the young southern gentlemen in the class. “Would ya’ll like to go mud riding in the swamp next time you come?” The girls’ eyes lit up and smiles gave way to their obvious replies. They left no doubt that they couldn’t wait to return.

The movie will be filmed this summer.

The book Lundon’s Bridge and the Three Keys is now available at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] For more information about Nottoway visit [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] For more information about the book and film project visit [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



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