McMinn County native Casey McCullum has a part in "Baywatch."Casey McCullum, a 2007 McMinn County High School graduate, moved to Los Angeles last October chasing her dream of being an actor. She has small roles in several projects this summer, including "Baywatch," starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron.
McCullum graduated from Cleveland State Community College and got her MBA from Middle Tennessee State University before leaving her day job to chase her dream. In addition to "Baywatch," she is in "Dog Years" with Burt Reynolds and is starring in an online series called "I Just Can't Life Right Now" that is set to finish shooting this summer.
She took a moment to answer some questions about her busy summer, her time in Hollywood and what she misses about McMinn County recently on local radio show "Press Row," which airs 3-6 p.m. weekdays on ESPN 105.1 the Zone.
Q: The first question: How do you go from McMinn County to Hollywood?
A: Oh my goodness. It's been a really fun journey. My bachelor's was in speech and theater at MTSU, and I always had a passion for it. This was the next next step, and LA is where it's at, and I needed to make the big move.
Q: What was kind of the big break?
A: One of my dear friends runs a production company (Jane & June Entertainment), and she's been telling me for years, 'When you are ready to do acting, just let me know." She's always believed in me, and I finally reached that point where I was ready to leave my full-time job and leave my family and we moved. We're roommates now, and we are going strong and have a couple of projects on the way. She was definitely the pusher.
Q: This is a huge year for you.
A: I've been so blessed and been able to meet amazing people and make amazing connections that have landed me some of these roles. "Dog Years" was such a fun set to be on. I was in a scene with Clark Duke, who you may remember from "The Office" All this networking and getting to know people has really helped.
Q: How many roles in these movies have speaking parts for you? How do you go from being another pretty face to being a respected actress?
Casey McCullumA: I think that I have used a lot of what I have learned from school, going to Cleveland State, getting my master's from MTSU. I apply those business principles to acting and the professionalism that comes along with that. I'm a hard-working person who always shows up on time and does what they are supposed to do. That's been a really good platform for me to launch everything. It's all stepping stones and building relationships, and it started in Tennessee, and I'm tickled to bring it out to Hollywood.
Q: You are billed as "Bikini Babe" in "Baywatch." How many people tried out for your one, nonspeaking role?
A: I have no idea, but I can tell you that the women I worked with were fantastic. It was incredible to be on the beach and be with the other "Bikini Girls," and Zac Efron was hilarious in his self-tanner he's got going on. It was really cool. I'm definitely a taller, bigger girl, so it's really exciting to represent some of our plus-size females.
Q: Did you double-take at Zac Efron's abs?
A: I did.
Q: What is your most memorable moment from the "Baywatch" set?
A: "Baywatch" was so fun. It was my first large-budget movie experience. We were shooting at Tybee [Island, Ga]. The bikini girls were awesome. Zac was funny. On the first day we were heading to the catering tent, and I passed one of the trucks that had this gigantic Paramount logo on it, and it stopped me in my tracks and took me a moment to process it. And I just thought, "How cool is that." You grow up wondering what it's like to be on a movie set, and there I was.
Q: Do you have any limitations as far as what you would or wouldn't do if you were asked for a movie?
A: Absolutely. I have had to turn down already a couple of roles. When I set out from home, I said I was going to do this with God or not at all. It's not worth it if I can't have him by my side through all of it. There have been a couple of roles that I have thought would not represent my faith or my family well, so I thought, "I'll go ahead and turn this down." I plan on keeping that the rest of my career.
Q: Who was the actor or actress you most admired growing up?
A: Patrick Swayze.
Q: Take family and friends out of it - what do you miss most about Athens, Tenn.?
Casey McCullumA: The beautiful mountains and trees.
Q: Actor or actress you were in awe or intimidated by when you met them?
A: Annette Bening.
Q: Most famous person who has hit on you in Hollywood.
A: I went on a date with one of the guys who wrote "Baywatch." That was cool.
Q: Favorite movie of all time?
A: "Pearl Harbor."
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6273.