Grand Rapids skaters roll ‘em in Drew Barrymore movie “Whip It!”
August 13, 08 by AngelicRachel Bockheim was taken aback when Ellen Page recognized her.
“It should be the other way around,” Bockheim said, laughing.
Best known as skater Jackie Daniels for local roller derby league the Grand Raggidy Roller Girls, Bockheim has landed a gig in front of the camera for Page’s roller-derby film “Whip It!” which is filming in the Detroit area. And Bockheim was surprised when the Oscar-nominated “Juno” actress complimented her on her skating aptitude.“She and (co-star) Juliette Lewis saw me skate at a tournament in Los Angeles,” Bockheim said. “It was so cool that she recognized me as a skater.”
It’s a major pat on the back for Raggidy girls Bockheim and Shawn Varner — aka Dot Matrix — that their skills on skates set them apart from dozens of hopefuls vying for a part during an open casting call in June. “Whip It!” director/star Drew Barrymore brought the production to Michigan to take advantage of the state’s new tax-incentive package for filmmakers.
Bockheim and Varner have been commuting to the east side of the state since mid-July and are committed to four-plus weeks of filming. The two women don’t have speaking parts, but are likely to have significant face time in the film.
“We’re in that shady area between extras and actors,” Varner said. “We’re skating on the track (alongside the actresses). The neat thing is, we get to keep our skate names — we’re in the movie as Dot and Jackie.”
Bockheim and Varner have been commuting to the east side of the state since mid-July and are committed to four-plus weeks of filming. The two women don’t have speaking parts, but are likely to have significant face time in the film.
“We’re in that shady area between extras and actors,” Varner said. “We’re skating on the track (alongside the actresses). The neat thing is, we get to keep our skate names — we’re in the movie as Dot and Jackie.”
Three other Grand Raggidy girls were chosen as extras: Vicky Lenox (a.k.a. Tamara Hurtsworse), and Press reporter Tricia Woolfenden (The Vindicator) and Press photographer Katy (Shutter Batdorff Speed).
“Whip It!” which is based on real-life skater Shauna Cross’ novel, “Derby Girl,” started shooting July 26, preceded by a week of rehearsals. The movie is part of the recent popular resurgence of roller derby; the Grand Raggidy Roller Girls formed in 2005 and have competed in regional and national tournaments for nearly two years.
According to the IMDb.com, Page plays Bliss Cavendar, a Texas teen misfit who finds an outlet for her angst when she joins a derby league in Austin. The characters’ colorful names conform to roller-girl customs: Lewis plays a skater named Dinah Might; Kristen Wiig, of “Saturday Night Live,” is Malice in Wonderland; rap star/actress Eve plays Rosa Sparks; and stuntwoman/actress Zoe Bell stars as Bloody Holly.
Barrymore and “SNL” vet/soon-to-be late-night talk-show host Jimmy Fallon also have roles.
Filming will continue in Michigan through mid-August, which means local derby fans won’t be able to see familiar faces in “Whip It!” until it hits theaters sometime in 2009. But they will be able to watch Varner and Bockheim in action when the new Grand Raggidy season kicks off Sept. 13 with a bout against Colorado Springs’ Pikes Peak Derby Dames at Rivertown Sports in Grandville.
Both local skaters have upended their lives to accommodate the shooting schedule and be part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Sometimes, I get a call the night before they want me on the set,” said Varner, 36, a computers teacher at West Catholic High School. “It’s the best summer job I’ve ever had. … I’d pay to be able to do this. A lot of girls would give their left knee to be a part of this.”
“I’m grateful to still be hanging on to my job,” said Bockheim, 29, a production manager at Square One Design. “My employer has been really supportive.”
Varner and Bockheim are contractually obligated to not reveal details about plot and characters. But they freely commented on the level of authenticity Barrymore is committed to bringing to the production.
“The actresses take their jobs very seriously,” Bockheim said. “They’ve done a lot of hard work and research and have been training as much as, if not more than, a real skater. They want to accurately represent the athleticism of our sport.”
This week, Varner filmed a choreographed sequence with Bell, best known for starring in “Death Proof,” Quentin Tarantino’s half of “Grind House.”
“Most of this entire experience has been completely surreal,” Varner said. “I’m just now getting over the feeling that someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I have no business being there!”
Source: Mlive
