inside: Fashion - Florida Wise

HidingVictoriaByMarc ZatorskyHow many times have you felt likegoing to a movie and didn’t becauseyou couldn’t find anything in the theatersworth watching? So you turn to the oldboob tube with its 300 cable readychannels and you discover the sameexact scenario. I often ask myself, whathas happened to the quality of ourmovie industry? Where are all the goodstories?Tattooed Margo Harshman as Victoria WalkerI have some great news. I recentlydiscovered one such well written andinteresting story. It was penned by localBoynton Beach residents Dan and DebiChinader. Over the past few years thishusband and wife writing team hasturned out six screenplays. One of them,Hiding Victoria, was just recently filmed.Shot partially in Minnesota, the majorityof the movie was filmed in Palm BeachCounty. Dan also directed thisindependent film which is currently inpost-production.The film centers on Victoria Walkerplayed by Margo Harshman (Without aTrace and Everwood) who is best knowfor her role as Tawny on the televisionseries Even Stevens. Victoria, a 22-yearoldconvicted felon, isgiven a choice by a judgeto stay clean and soberand get a job or go tojail. All efforts at this taskfail due to her badattitude and demeanoruntil she meets AltheaJeffery, a 77-year-old PalmBeach socialite who takesan unusual liking to her.Over time, Victoriaand Althea played byAnita Gillette(Moonstruck, CS andMad about You) find outthat each of them ishiding a dark and secret past and thatthe power of forgiveness is the real keyto life.Margo, who is the youngest castmember, talked to me about what shehates most about being a Hollywoodactress. “The worst part would have tobe all the drama and gossip thatconstantly goes on. I try to keep tomyself and not get caught up in theHollywood scene.”I asked Anita the major differencebetween a large budget Hollywoodproduction and a smaller independentproduction. “The experience level ismuch less. It’s more of a group effort onthe part of the crew andcast.”Michael Wiseman(Planet of the Apes, X-Files and Boston Legal),who plays Lenny, theoverprotective neighbor ofAlthea, told me hisrationale for leavingHollywood to come toPalm Beach and be apart of this independentfilm. “The script is whatbrought me here,” he toldme. “There just aren’t toomany roles like this thatare available.”I spoke with Avery Sommers (B.L.Stryker and The Man from Left Field),who plays Victoria’s probation officer,and asked her how her characterperceives Victoria. “I see Victoria as agirl who has had a real rough life.However, I can also see that there is alot of good in her and it causes mycharacter to become more of a motherlyL to R Dan Chinader, Anita Gillette, Michael Wiseman and(back to camera) Margo Harshmanfigure toward her.” Rounding out thecast is Todd Sherry (The O.C. and Willand Grace) who unfortunately wasn’t intown during the interview.I was curious where they came upwith the idea for the film and DebiChinader explained, “It started with achance encounter I had with thisbeautiful young girl who had her facecompletely covered with a tattoo. I wasintrigued why such a pretty girl wouldhave something so extreme andpermanent done to her face. I wanted toknow why she would do this to herself.What was the rationale?”I hate to use this cliche but I couldn’tMargo Harshman, Michael Wiseman and Avery Sommersbelieve the closeness I felt that the castand crew had. They were a trueensemble and I can’t wait to see theway that this transfers to their film.When a release date is set, I will letyou know. Until then, don’t give up. It’sgood to see that quality films are stillbeing made, sometimes, in our veryown back yard. ❂FloridaWise Magazine 19