Chelsea Ricketts: Rising Star

By: Lynn Barker

Are you a girl who would you be stoked to play a sport better than the guys and still be idolized by them as a hottie? Sounds appealing? This was the case for young actress Chelsea Ricketts both in real life and on screen when she co-starred in the feel-good sports movie Crooked Arrows.

Chelsea plays Nadie Logan, a Native American high schooler who is an expert at Lacrosse and takes no guff from the guys on the team who would all love a hook up with her. When on set in the Boston area, the actress was the only girl in the middle of a “team” of actors coached by handsome Brandon Routh. Not too shabby!

This fall she will be added to the cast of “Secret Life of the American Teenager” as the “mean girl” but we’re in Hollywood now with Chelsea who is the opposite of mean.

Kidzworld: The team in the movie is played by real Native American Lacrosse players. Did you talk to them on set and are they tired of “Indian” stereotypes in movies? Seems like since “Twilight”, everybody expects hot Native American guys to turn into werewolves.

• Chelsea: (laughing) Oh yeah, we definitely talked about the stereotypes and “Twilight”. I think one of the most important things in this movie was staying true to the Native American culture. A majority of the cast is Natives and they are beautiful! We talked a lot about that. They had a lot of input. We changed a lot of the script to make sure that we were doing them justice. 

Kidzworld: Why will kids and teens enjoy seeing Crooked Arrows?

• Chelsea: This film has something for everyone. The guys will love the sports and so will the girls, and they’ll love the hot guys. There are a bunch of hot guys. You can go see it with your dad or grandpa and not feel uncomfortable. It’s this great wholesome, feel good, fun movie and it’s quick moving. Even if you aren’t into sports you’ll love it. My sister saw it and she is soooo not sporty. She’s girly and she loved the movie.
  Chelsea Ricketts

Kidzworld: Do you have Native American ancestors?

• Chelsea: I do on my dad’s side. We don’t know a lot about that side but I do know my dad’s grandpa had Blackfoot roots. I wish I knew more.

Kidzworld: Did you do any research into the Native American culture for this film? Was it the Seneca tribe?

• Chelsea: In the movie, it was Senequot but most of the players were Onondaga or Mohawk. I’ve been in three native projects so I’ve been introduced to it. You can research it all you want but when I was with them for two months, that’s how I learned more than anything.

Kidzworld: Where did you shoot the movie? It looked beautiful.

• Chelsea: It was outside of Boston, a place called Danvers and then we did some re-shoots here in L.A.

Kidzworld: Did you do a training camp for learning Lacrosse? Any injuries?

• Chelsea: I was even given a Lacrosse test before I was even cast to test my athletic ability. Then, once I passed that and was given the role, I was sent to Boston two weeks early just to train in Lacrosse. I’d played other sports but I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and it wasn’t big in school when I was growing up. Now it is. It was all football. Now Lacrosse is all over Texas.
• Nobody got hurt. We’re lucky that nobody was hurt in the movie because all the players did their own stunts. It’s a rough game. It’s hard but a lot of fun.

Kidzworld: It is so great that your character Nadie is very feminine but she’s a forceful, take charge woman as well. Did you like that about her character and how are you like her?

• Chelsea: I loved her. I was obsessed with her. I’m a lot like her. I’d like to be more like her. I feel that she’s that tough, cool, strong chick who can hang with the guys but they also have a crush on her. I was the only girl, which I love.
• She’s very passionate. I’m like her in that I’m kind of tough and pretty quick and outspoken. I had no problem handling all the guys and could put them in their place when they picked on me. They were respectful and fun. I’m sporty but still girlie.
  Chelsea glammed up

Kidzworld: Girls wanna know… How was working with gorgeous Brandon as your big bro in this? He’s pretty handsome.

• Chelsea: I know! I didn’t know what to expect. I’d seen his Superman movie. He’s super tall.  As a person, he is absolutely amazing. He’s the most kindhearted, down-to-earth person I’ve ever worked with or met so it was great. From the minute we met, the bond we created was brother and sister from day one. That was really nice because sometimes you have to work on that but we just clicked as brother and sister.

Kidzworld: Any fun or funny stories on set or after.. did the cast hang out?

• Chelsea: The boys are constantly dancing. It is unreal. We were the most hyper bunch of people. All the guys do is dance and goof around. We were all in the same hotel so we would go back and hang out. We became such good friends. We would go outside and play Lacrosse, even though we were doing it all day. I still talk to them on a regular basis every day.

Kidzworld: Date question. If a guy is going to get a second date with you, what must he never do on the first date?

• Chelsea: I hate it when they try to be too cool. I will like you so much more if you are yourself and you’re goofy and fun and I hate when they try to put on this “Yeah, I’m cool” act. I won’t like you. Just be yourself.

 

Kidzworld: Good advice. There was a very cute guy in love with your character in the film? What is that actor’s name?

• Chelsea: Tyler Hill and he is absolutely amazing. He was kind of the leader of the boys and they all looked to him for advice. He was very focused and learning the business.

Kidzworld: What did you take away as an actor and a person from doing this film?

• Chelsea: It’s a very inspiring film. The biggest moral I took from the movie is it’s okay to break tradition but stay true to who you are and your culture. It’s modern day, not a period piece, which is interesting.
• I learned that their culture is very spiritual and Lacrosse is the medicine game. I learned Lacrosse and the culture and the theme of the movie was what I took. The Crooked Arrow theme is if you stay true to who you are and follow your own path, you’ll hit the target.

Kidzworld: What kinds of movies would you love to do in the future?

• Chelsea: I would love to do a period movie and a horror film. I want to definitely be the crazy killer!

Kidzworld: You’ve done a lot of TV for young people and aren’t you on a show now?

• Chelsea: I’m doing “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”. I work with Cierra Ramirez (from Girl in Progress).

Kidzworld: We just interviewed her.

• Chelsea: Great. I adore her. I’m her new best friend/the mean girl at the school. My name is Jody. None of my episodes have aired yet but it’s me and Cierra all the time. She is the coolest girl.