PORTLAND, Texas — Local actor Bailey Roberts from Portland provided another update about his feature film debut "12 Mighty Orphans,:
The 20-year-old has been around the Coastal Bend acting in local theaters. He stars in the upcoming film as Miller.
“It is a true story based off the book by Jim Dent, '12 Mighty Orphans,'" said Roberts. "My character had a brother and a sister and they went to that orphanage when they were pretty young. He was kind of the brainiac."
“The coach Rusty Russell showed up, took the job and these kids I mean were extremely poor," Roberts said. "Instead of a football they used like a flour can wrapped in a sock and that was their football because they didn’t have anything, they didn’t have equipment.
"But, they had the passion to play, the want to and this coach was an orphan. He kind of instilled in these kids just because you are here doesn’t mean you can't go somewhere."
When asked how he adjusted from acting in local theater to film, Roberts replied, “I would just sit back and watch them and soak up everything. And, of course, I had the training and everything and the audition process so I had been in front of the camera multiple times. But, I would read someone's scene and say "OK, if I were in this position how would I do it?' And I would think about how I would do it and I would watch them and I would say 'Oh, OK they didn’t do this as big.' I would just watch and learn really.”
Roberts had some direct advice for other young actors.
"Don’t give up, as cliche as it sounds," Roberts said. "They’re cliche for a reason. Don’t give up, keep pushing. And, in the meantime, make sure you are getting better. Don’t stay stagnant count it as a blessing and as an opportunity to get better."
"12 Mighty Orphans” began appearing in theaters on June 18. You can watch the movie's full trailer here.
To see an earlier full interview with Roberts, check here.
