You may know actress Chelsea Makela from the Wayans Brothers comedy Dance Flick, but what you may not know is that she was a child cancer survivor, and she wants to help other kids battling cancer with her True Beauty Doll project. Find out more about Chelsea in her Kidzworld Q&A!
KW: How old are you and where are you from?
- Chelsea: I am 22 years old and from the San Francisco Bay Area.
KW: What made you want to become an actress?
- Chelsea: I've always loved acting. I started doing school and community plays when I was 10 years old and moved on to tour with a choir around the nation as a teenager and then went on to do film and TV in Los Angeles.
KW: What is your favorite on-set memory?
- Chelsea: My favorite on-set memory is probably filming and rehearsing all of the dance numbers. We learned something like 5 routines, and only a few made it into the movie. But rehearsing with the cast was always so much fun and then performing for the producers was so rewarding and exciting. I loved it.
KW: You were in the movie Dance Flick, are you working on anything now?
- Chelsea: I am working on a couple of things right now. I am in the process of designing my own fashion line for young girls, teens and college students and am currently finding a place to launch that, I have a television show that is being shopped around studios right now called "Aloha", and the project I am most excited about is my doll and book set for kids battling cancer. I have launched a Facebook page you go to where you can "Like" the idea and get more information about it. And of course any and all stories families and patients want to share on the page are welcome and very appreciated.
KW: When you were a kid you battled cancer, can you tell us about that experience?
- Chelsea: Yes, when I was 8 years old I was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. It caught my family completely off guard. I was brought into the ER for something else and they fortunately found it. From there I was taken into surgery, and went through Chemo [radiation therapy]. This all went on for about 4 years. I was officially considered cancer free as of 2002 and have been for 10 years now.
KW: How did your family and friends react?
- Chelsea: My family was my strength. I was surrounded by very positive friends and family. My parents made sure everyone around me was positive and helpful, rather than sad or down. I was already hearing so much from doctors, my parents wanted to make sure my home was a happy place. I was very lucky to have such a strong and positive team around me.
KW: You’re working on a new project to help other kids with cancer, can you tell us about it? What will the book and dolls be like?
- Chelsea: It's an interactive book and an accompanying doll set. The doll that I have designed will feature physical features that many cancer patients experience. Cancer treatments involve much more than simply being bald and while that will be a feature, I have designed many more accessories which will allow girls to relate to their doll on a much more personal level. The book is an interactive companion book for kids and their siblings. I'm very excited about it. I have various companies interested in manufacturing and publishing the set however they first want to see if people support the idea. So I set up a Facebook Fan Page for people to go to and share their thoughts of it and to click "LIKE" on the page to show support and share it with their friends and family. I'm very excited to find an official home for this and allow it to be available to kids battling cancer.
KW: What are some of your hobbies?
- Chelsea: I love working out I recently got back into shape and lost 100 pounds since Dance Flick. So working out has become one of my favorite hobbies. Aside from that I love playing with my dogs, dancing and writing.
Your Fave...
Color: Pink and purple, what can I say I'm such a girl
Movie: Mean Girls and Girl Interrupted
Book: As a kid I loved the Nancy Drew Series, now I enjoy various novels
Food: Fruit & Mexican food, not together though
Have Your Say
What do you think of Chelsea’s True Beauty Doll project? Let us know in the comments section below!
For more info on Chelsea and her True Beauty Doll project check out the Facebook page!
