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THE Fredericksburg area is getting an impressive collection of actors and actresses making names for themselves in films and television.
This week I heard from Collette Wolfe, who grew up in King George County, where her family still resides.
Wolfe, who graduated from King George High School and Virginia Tech, will star with Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta and Anna Faris in the comedy "Observe and Report," which opens April 10.
Rogen plays a slacker mall security man, and Wolfe is a sweet young girl from the cinnamon bun shop who befriends him.
It's the biggest role so far for the daughter of James and Rhonda Wolfe.
Wolfe said she got her first big break with a role in the independent film "The Foot Fist Way."
In the "it's a small world" department, that was the film that launched actor-director-writer Danny McBride on a career that's landed him more than half a dozen big movies and his own series, "East Bound and Down" on HBO. McBride grew up in Spotsylvania County.
Wolfe met McBride and his partners--Ben Best and Jody Hill--when they held auditions in North Carolina for the film about a karate instructor, played by McBride.
"I didn't know he was from the Fredericksburg area until I was doing the audition," said Wolfe, who once did productions at Riverside Dinner Theater. "He said, 'You're a King George girl?' and teased me about being from out in the country."
Though the film didn't catch on commercially right away, it got noticed by a core of creative folks in Hollywood--Will Ferrell and Judd Apatow included.
Hill, who co-wrote and starred in "The Foot Fist Way," is directing "Observe and Report," which Wolfe hopes will open new doors for her.
"You prepare and work for every role the same, getting into it in every way you can," said Wolfe, who traded studying for a master's degree in sociology for work at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. "But it is different when you've got a larger part in a film like this. You feel like you've got more of a stake."
Wolfe said the comedy, thought to be a bit racier than the recent "Paul Bart, Mall Cop," was a great experience.
"We shot it at an abandoned mall in Albuquerque," she said. "When I went to audition, it was deserted and empty. But when we showed up to shoot, they'd outfitted the place like it was a real, working mall. It was amazing."
She said Rogen, who has hits like "The 40-Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and "Pineapple Express"
"What's really surprising is how hard he works and how much energy he brings to the set," she said.
While she had many days when she didn't have scenes, Rogen was on camera every day and was up for every scene.
"He just has a way of making people laugh, on and off camera," she said.
The actress, who like most young stars doesn't like to list her age, has another film, "17 Again," coming out April 17.
"I have two scenes in it with Matthew Perry," she said.
And she guest stars April 21 on the CW television series "The Reaper," playing a love interest for series regular Tyler Labine.
Other roles, like ones in "Four Christmases" and "Semi-Pro," make Wolfe a full-time actress these days.
"You're always looking for that next role," she said. "But I love it."
Rob Hedelt: 540/374-5415
Email: rhedelt@freelancestar.com
