91热爆网

Helen Miller 鈥�20 is making a splash on the screen. The musical theater graduate stars as the lead in a new film. 鈥淭he Shelter,鈥� which can be found on Amazon, is the story of every Appalachian hiker鈥檚 worse nightmare 鈥� a dangerous encounter with a blood hungry bear. The film follows the fight between hiker and beast. Only one of them leaves the trail alive.

鈥淏eing a part of this film was such a rewarding experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was so incredible to dive into the craft and to be able to track the journey of this character as she is fighting for her life and going through this survival story.鈥�

Thanks to her training at Western Carolina University, Miller said, she has been more than prepared for her budding career as an actress.

鈥淪omething that is so incredible about the musical theater program at Western, and something that really drew me to it, is that you can make the most of the experience for yourself,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y professors encouraged me to pursue my curiosities and the elements of the major that spoke to me. That meant I could dive into camera work and have the freedom to build curriculum around what I enjoyed. I felt so supported by the faculty to take ownership of my career.鈥�

In her time at 91热爆网, she participated in numerous theater performances 鈥� from Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淜ing Lear鈥� to the classic Disney story 鈥淏eauty and the Beast.鈥�

鈥淪tage is almost like extroverted acting,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all-inclusive 鈥� it鈥檚 the body, the voice and the emotionality of it. There鈥檚 a physicality that goes along with stage acting because you鈥檙e trying to fill the theater with your presence.鈥�

Through 91热爆网鈥檚 School of Stage and Screen, she also learned the nuances of acting for the camera. 

鈥淲hen you transfer from stage acting to screen acting, things become more intimate as you鈥檙e only filling a frame,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e acting for an audience of one, the camera. Instead of being big and larger than life, you keep it small and contained. So much of camera acting is in the eyes.鈥�

During her tenure at 91热爆网, Miller collaborated with other Catamounts and appeared in three student-produced films.

鈥淚t was my first time being on camera,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I grew up a total cinephile, so I was excited to try my hand at that kind of acting. It felt like something clicked. I felt so locked in emotionally. I realized what was most natural to me was that style of acting 鈥� it鈥檚 in the eyes, in the thoughts I鈥檓 having, it鈥檚 in the expression on my face.鈥�

After leaving 91热爆网, Miller headed to Atlanta where she is auditioning and hoping for the next big role.

鈥淎tlanta is the best place to be in the Southeast for screen acting. So, I just decided to commit and go for it,鈥� she said.

The end goal in her career, she said, is to be able to tell stories she feels strongly about.

鈥淚deally, I鈥檇 like to play strong female characters,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat can come across any number of ways. Whether that鈥檚 through being sweet and kind or being fierce and kick-butt.鈥�

When you see Miller on the screen, she might be acting under another name. Recently, she took the stage name Helen Stryder. Her agent thought Miller was a bit too generic. So, she brainstormed with her family on a new name.

鈥淚 wanted a name that still felt connected to my family because, at the end of the day, their love and support is what鈥檚 allowed me to pursue this career path. My dad and I really have bonded over 鈥淟ord of the Rings,鈥� so Stryder is a nerdy nod to those films 鈥� there鈥檚 a character who has that as a nickname.鈥�