Listen closely, because I am going to tell you one of the best kept secrets of Eastern University: there’s a movie star on campus. I’m serious. She’s acted in three projects on the East Coast, met and spoken with Tilda Swinton (“Doctor Strange”) and Lily Collins (“Rules Don’t Apply”), rubbed elbows with Paul Dano (“Swiss Army Man”) and Jake Gyllenhaal (“Southpaw”), been on the set of “House of Cards” and had a name role in the unreleased production “Reins of Hope.” She even has her own IMDb page. Her name is Lynnae Stine, and you should get her autograph while it’s still free.
Stine is a sophomore here at Eastern University, and I recently had the opportunity to speak with her about her up-and-coming film career. Stine says, “The amount of work, time and individuals it takes to make a film is astonishing. I have worked on projects where there were only 10 members in the crew, and I have also worked on projects where there were over 50 members on the crew. It is truly remarkable how much work goes into making a complete and successful film.”
Unlike the majority of movie stars who come from California, Stine’s upbringing took place on the East Coast.
“I am from a very small Pennsylvanian town where there is little to no opportunity for a film career,” Stine says. “So when I arrived on the outskirts of Philadelphia I wanted to take that as a blessing and a step stool to jump into the film atmosphere. I auditioned for my first feature film in the spring of my freshman year, and I was cast as part of the main cast. I cannot express how full of pure joy, happiness and excitement I felt. I know that God had His hand in that decision.”
Stine’s first feature film was an independent inspirational film: “I started my career with ‘Reins of Hope,’ where I play horse trainer Naomi Foley. This film is in the editing stage right now, and the director is talking with people about distribution. The director is planning on turning ‘Reins of Hope’ into a TV series, hoping to get the pilot picked up by Lifetime, Hallmark or another family-friendly channel.”
Stine has also been a part of the new Netflix production “Okja,” and she had a wonderful time on set. She says, “While filming ‘Okja’ in Manhattan, I was able to share a moment and talk with Tilda Swinton (‘Doctor Strange’), who is an angel. We were filming in the middle of Wall Street with temperatures reaching high 90s, and this beautiful soul told her assistant to give her personal fan to me.”
Stine has not only worked in front of the camera, but she has also been part of the crew behind the scenes, sharing, “I recently worked for the Neighborhood Film Company in the art department building props and making up the set for their short film ‘Cage.’” Stine has also performed in a few theatre productions here on campus: “On Eastern’s stage I also have fond memories from last year’s ‘Rhinoceros’ (where I played a man, Botard) and from this year’s fall production of ‘Waiting for Lefty.’”
What makes Lynnae Stine a true hidden gem is that she is following her passion and using her dream to better people. She says, “I was always inspired by movies, and I love how they can touch audience’s hearts. I want to be a part of that inspiration….Actors are story-tellers, and there are a lot of stories to be told that can impact an audience….I loved how Marc John Jefferies (‘The Haunted Mansion,’ ‘Nerve’) once stated, ‘Do not try to play a character as another actor; if they want Eddie Murphy, they will get him.’ So my advice for aspiring actors is to just be yourself, bring to the table what you have, always keep learning and have confidence. Have the confidence that you have an amazing gift that God gave to you, and what you do with that gift is your gift to God.”
Source: Lynnae Stine