How to Become a Child Star
Aug. 2, 2006 — -- What does it take to become the next Hilary Duff or Justin Timberlake?
Several kids who live in the Oakwood apartment complex just outside Hollywood, Calif., hope to find out.
They are part of a kind of acting boot camp, where the likes of Tom Cruise and Jennifer Love Hewitt first reached for the gold ring of stardom.
"Primetime's" Cynthia McFadden met with some of the aspiring actors in 2005, and "Good Morning America" recently followed up with two of the kids to see where their acting careers stood now.
In April 2005, Zach Green was a precocious 11-year-old, living in the Oakwood apartments to chase his dream.
"I think that my parents, if they wanted to be vicarious with me -- I just love that word, 'vicarious.' … I mean, my parents are psychologists. And I know that they're excited for me. But I know that they didn't push me into this," Zach said.
Zach, the new kid on the block, had been at the acting camp for two weeks without a single audition, until he received an exciting call from his agent.
He'd been called to an audition to play the lead role in a major movie.
Suddenly, the dream seemed within reach. Heading to the audition, Zach couldn't stop practicing and hoping. If he got the part, Zach said, "that will just feel great."
Diandra Newlin, who was 13 at the time, and her mother, Donna, had lived in the apartment complex on and off for about a 1.5 years.
Also on hand were the private acting and voice coaches to help the wannabe stars.
Diandra landed a part in a small independent film. "This is really a good script," she said. "I think it's one of the best scripts I've read."
