Rumer Willis Steps into the Spotlight
By Marla E. Schwartz
Rumer Willis, the daughter of acting legends Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, made a stunning entrance on the red carpet at the Miami International Film Festival 2012. This elegant and very gracious young woman appeared in a Hervé Legér signature bandage-style-dress. She stepped into the spotlight with fellow cast members promoting the World Premiere of their new film The Diary of Preston Plummer.
The film stars Trevor Morgan, a young man who has been acting since childhood, as Preston Plummer, a Chicago college student who wants to avoid the typical American graduation day rituals. Instead of showing up for the graduation ceremony he meets Kate Cather, portrayed by Rumer, and on a dare impulsively drives her from Chicago to the hotel owned by her parents in Amelia Island, FL. He falls for Kate and responds to a request for a meeting with her estranged grandfather played by the exceptional Robert Loggia (BIG, Prizzi’s Honor, Scarface, etc.) Kate is angry over this meeting as dark family secrets are revealed. This very touching film was written and directed by Sean Ackerman and produced by Jane Kosek, both of whom were in town for the event which also paid tribute to Robert Loggia’s career.
- Rumer Willis on the Red Carpet at the Miami International Film Festival 2012. Photo by Marla E. Schwartz.
The on-screen chemistry between Rumer and Trevor is just as evident as their friendship that was displayed on stage as cast members answered questions about the film after this coming-of-age story was screened. Rumer was friendly, warm and kind to her fans and displayed the type of maturity usually reserved for someone who has been in the business for years. It was refreshing to see a young woman with so much poise and confidence as she spoke to the audience at the Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts.
“This entire project came together so nicely with a wonderful script about people who are broken and manage to fall in love and when you read the script and see how much integrity and depth are involved there’s no way that you wouldn’t want to be a part of it,” Rumer said.
Clockwise (from Top Left) – 1. Rumer Willis and Trevor Morgan in The Diary of Preston Plummer at MIFF 2012. Photo: Wonder Entertainment. 2. Rummer Willis and Trevor Morgan from The Diary of Preston Plummer on the Red Carpet at MIFF 2012. Photo: Marla E. Schwartz. 3. The Diary of Preston Plummer cast and producers with MIFF Director, Jai LaPlante. Photo: Henry Perez. 4. Rumer Willis in The Diary of Preston Plummer at MIFF 2012: Wonder Entertainment.
Rumer’s career highlights are already impressive, including roles in films, From Within, Hostage, The House Bunny, Sorority Row, Striptease, The Whole Nine Yards, Wild Cherry; and television shows, 90210, Army Wives, CSI: NY, Medium, Miss Guided and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. This very busy actress graciously took the time to answer some questions for us.
AroundWellington.com: How you were cast?
Rumer Willis: It was actually over a Skype conversation. The director Sean and I talked for a bit and then he asked me if I wanted to be a part of the project.
AW.COM: Describe your character?
RW: Kate is spontaneous, fun, and has an effortless charm but she is also very broken which I found to be really interesting trying to balance both sides of her.
AW.COM: What is it about this film that inspires you the most?
RW: The fact that it was a project that came together fully out of a love and passion for the project from the entire cast and especially Sean our writer and director.
AW.COM: How did you and Trevor find the courage to jump into the ocean and do your scenes knowing you were going to be surrounded by Hammerhead and Bull sharks during mating season; what was the water temperature?
RW: Well actually our director didn’t tell us it was mating season for the sharks until our last day of shooting at the wrap party. Trevor and I both had to give him a bit of a jab after hearing that. The water was pretty cold most of the time especially during those night shoots.
AW.COM: Are you a method actor?
RW: I think the character comes to life as you’re shooting and goes from being someone on paper to a fully fleshed out person with a history and life.
AW.COM: Do you have a favorite scene in the movie with Trevor?
RW: It’s hard to say because we all really had such a great time working on the film.
AW.COM: What was it like working with writer/director Sean Ackerman?
RW: Sean was great. We all joked around with each other on set a lot so it was a really comfortable, fun work environment.
AW.COM: Did anyone pull pranks on the set?
RW: Yes, but we’ve all been sworn to secrecy.
AW.COM: Let’s say, just for the sake of imagination, that a sequel is made and it’s named after your character and it’s called THE DIARY OF KATE CATHER, what do you think the story would be about?
RW: Well I think the story is really about both of the characters and their journey to find themselves and find each other so I can imagine the film would be quite similar to the first.
AW.COM: You studied opera at Interlochen Arts Academy, a boarding high school that prepares young artists for rewarding careers located in northwest lower Michigan – do you like to sing?
RW: I love music. It is really one of my greatest passions besides acting. On set we were all pretty big music lovers.
AW.COM: Do you think in the future you may be interested in trying your hand at directing, writing or producing?
RW: I would love to explore other aspects of the industry at some point in my life.
AW.COM: Is this your first visit to Miami? Will you have time to socialize outside the festival? If so, what do you like to do while you’re in Miami?
RW: It is but unfortunately it is only a short trip.
If you want to know more about Rumer, check her out on Twitter, @TheRue.
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A Toledo, OH native, a graduate of Kent State, Marla E. Schwartz is a Senior Writer for Miami Living Magazine, a freelance writer for Lighthouse Point Magazine and the a cultural arts columnist for AroundWellington.com. Her photographs have appeared in these publications, in many Ohio periodicals, as well as in The Miami Herald, The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and The Palm Beach Post. She has had numerous plays published and produced around the country. Her short play, America’s Working? was produced in Los Angeles at both the First Stage and the Lone Star Ensemble theater companies, in Florida at Lynn University and at an Off-Broadway playhouse in NYC. Her piece, The Lunch Time Café, was a finalist for the Heideman Award, Actors Theatre of Louisville. Please check out the re-prints of her interviews with authors Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson and Dexter novelist Jeff Lindsay in the October 2010 issue #2 and Chris Bohjalian in the April 2011 issue #3 of Duff Brenna’s ServingHouse: A Journal of Literary Arts at www.servinghousejournal.com. You can contact her at marlaschwartz@att.net.