Copyright ©2006 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved.
Posted:
December 17, 2006.
If
Candace Kroslak looks familiar, you may have seen her between the pages of
your favorite magazine. As a model, she has done numerous shoots for
magazines like Maxim. She was even in the Sports Illustrated
swimsuit issue. However, she no longer is content to just be known
for striking a pose.
The acting bug bit her quickly and unexpectedly. “I started out modeling,
so I did a lot of traveling from there,” Kroslak says. “When I came back
to Chicago I did a little part in a movie called Soul Survivors.
It sparked my interest. I moved to LA and immediately started working.”
How does Kroslak feel her background in modeling helps her as an actress?
“It’s definitely more freeing. I know my angles.” Kroslak laughs, “It
sounds kind of cheesy, but you learn your spots and to move with the
camera. So I think it makes you a little more natural. Also, it
definitely keeps you in shape. Let’s put it that way.”
In
the meantime, she has been learning the craft of acting through
experience. Her first major project was a small role in Tim Burton’s
remake of Planet of the Apes.
“I
was only there for a few days,” she admits. “I just had a small part.
But it was neat to work with Tim Burton, because obviously he’s like a
huge director idol. It was incredible. Being one of the first things I
did it was a little shocking. Overall, it was a huge production. It was
a lot of fun. It definitely made me want to do more.”
Now five years into her acting career, Kroslak has done those films and
guested on TV (CSI:
New York,
What About Brian?)
She also was the star of a syndicated series filmed in
Miami called
Ocean Ave, which also starred former Saturday Night Live
comedienne Victoria Jackson and model Victoria Silvstedt. The
series was somewhat notorious for its lightning fast shooting pace – they
filmed over 120 episodes in one year. This speed and the low production
budget made the show get rather unimpressive public reaction. However, it
was an important experience for her.
“Basically,
Ocean Ave. was
actor boot camp for me,” Kroslak laughs. “123 episodes in nine months.
It was a lot of work – pretty much an episode a day. It was just a really
good experience for me, learning-wise. Just working with other people
consistently, and having to be up at a certain hour every day. It was
really good for me. It was like acting school crammed into one year.”
Just
a few weeks before this interview, she was able to stretch her acting
muscles, again taking a small role in the acclaimed sitcom How I Met
Your Mother.
“That was fun. It was a quick take that day, but of course I got to work
with some great actors again. It was a different part for me – it was
kind of like the virginal girl,” Kroslak laughs. “So, it was pretty cool
to play another different part for a day.”
Now she has her largest role yet, playing the female temptation role on
the straight-to-video fifth film of the American Pie franchise –
American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile. Kroslak plays Brandy, a
gorgeous former bartender who meets the main character, the virginal Eric
Stifler (John White), on the weekend of an annual college party where the
entire student body strips down and runs a mile across campus. Eric has
been given a free pass for the weekend from his girlfriend (Jessy
Schramm), who is not ready for sex, so she allows him to do it with
someone else that weekend with no recriminations.
Kroslak liked her character from the very beginning. It was also a thrill
to be part of such a well-known comedy series.
“I
love the American Pie franchise,” Kroslak says. “I think it’s one
of the best teen comedies. So, I was really excited to do that. The
naked mile part kind of scared me, but I also thought it was a great
opportunity to liberate myself. So, I went out on a limb. I was so
excited during the whole filming how comfortable it was and how close you
get to your cast. So, it was a really good experience.”
Part of this good experience stemmed from the fact that most of the
actors, like Kroslak herself, are not exactly well known. The fact that
the video was a big break for most of them gave the set a camaraderie
which most projects never reach.
“Because we’re all new, everyone is pretty humble still,” Kroslak
says. “Also, we all of resonate on the same level. You all
bond, like, ‘Oh, wow, this is the first real big thing.’ Everyone there,
we’ve all become really good friends and stayed in touch, because it was
such a breakout situation for all of us.”
Of
course there was one cast member who has serious acting credentials – and
the one person who appeared in all five of the American Pie films.
Kroslak only got to do one scene with legendary comic actor Eugene Levy,
but she walked away totally impressed.
“You really see where it’s like a divine gift with certain
people,” Kroslak says. “The timing, definitely improv-ing a lot of it, so
natural and so funny and he’s got his thing going on. I really looked up
to him, like, wow, one day maybe I can be like that. It was just really
great.”
Levy
was there as Mr. Levenstein, once again there to have uncomfortably frank
conversations with the teen stars about their love and sex lives. It
turns out that he was the founder and master of ceremonies for the title
sequence –
the naked mile
– in which
thousands of students streak across campus. It almost seems like a
screenwriter’s creation to hang his story on and
guarantee lots of gratuitous nudity. However, it turns out the
ritual has a basis in fact.
“It’s real,” Kroslak says. “In New York and Michigan they used to do
that. They used to run the naked mile after midterms. All the
sororities, fraternities, college kids, whoever, would get naked in one
run through the quad, just wanting to celebrate the end of exams.”
Of
course, it’s one thing to be one of hundreds of people running anonymously
through the dark on a small campus. It’s another thing entirely to do it
on camera for the world to see. However, Kroslak screwed on her courage
and took the plunge.
“It’s funny, because I’ve been modeling for eight years and I’ve never
done nudity or anything like that. But it’s just not me. It’s the
character. That’s what made my decision. I was like, look, I feel
comfortable with myself. It’s not like it’s Candace running down the
street.” Kroslak laughs. “So, it wasn’t that big of a deal. I said this
is an opportunity. I really want to do it. At the time in my life I was
just trying new things, and I thought, well, let me just get naked for one
minute.”
Maybe the main scene was built to titillate, and like any
film that has the American Pie name there is more than its share of
sexual and disgusting humor on display in the video. The interesting thing is despite all the
sensational laughs – much like the first (and best) film of the series,
The Naked Mile actually centers on sexual uncertainty and the
emotional commitments of the act. This is most specifically in the main
romantic triangle. It was this undercurrent more than anything that sold
Kroslak on the script.
“Because the movie is kind of naughty and it’s so nuts, I think we
needed to bring that element into it,” Kroslak says, “to bring a little
balance to the picture. It was a serious story. This does happen. There
are feelings involved and there is heart.”
In
the end, Kroslak’s character was the big temptation for Eric Stifler to
stray from his girlfriend, but it wasn’t played like the typical other
woman role. Yes, she was willing and she told him she had a thing for
virgins; but unlike some of the other characters in the video, you could
tell that their characters had made some kind of personal connection as
well.
“It was really important to me to make the distinction that she’s not this
slut that just does all these things. She actually is genuinely
interested in this person and she wants to help him break out of his
little virginity thing,” Kroslak laughs. “But at the same time, she’s not
a malicious person. She has no other ulterior motives. She just wants to
have fun and cares about this kid. I thought that was kind of important
to show both sides.”
The
same week that American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile is released to
video stores, Kroslak has a guest starring role on the TV series
Las Vegas. A good
week for any actress with two big releases at the same time, so
it has Kroslak feeling she has made the correct decision with her life.
“It’s extremely exciting. I really don’t even know what’s going on right
now,” Kroslak laughs. “It’s all at once and it’s so fun and I’m
definitely enjoying the ride and just trying to do my best.”
She is also enjoying the opportunity to delve into both comic roles and
ones that are more dramatic.
“I
really appreciate both of them,” Kroslak says. “You definitely have to do
preparation for both. I tend to feel really comfortable doing comedy.
But I also like to work and do drama. I like both, but I love to have fun
everyday on set, so comedy is something I really enjoy doing.”
Kroslak is happy that her modeling background provided an entrée into the
acting world. However, just because she is beautiful does not mean that
Kroslak is willing to coast on her looks. Nor will she be put up with
being underestimated for them – she wants people appreciate her talent as
well.
“We all have to start somewhere and I feel really happy about where I
started because it was just a really fun experience for me,” Kroslak
says. “Growing up from here; I’d like to do more serious things. Be
taken as an actor, not a just a hot chick. I don’t like how people just
stick on that. I’d love [to have a career like] Meryl Streep.” She
laughs. “Sally Field. Or Debra Messing would be amazing. Or even
Heather Locklear and being on TV shows constantly. [I’d like to be] just
someone who is serious about their craft and isn’t just doing it for
whatever, but does it because they love it and they’re good at it.
That’s what I want to do.”
So
now that she has gotten her feet wet in her first major starring role,
what is next for Candace Kroslak?
“I
can’t talk about it yet.” Kroslak laughs. “It’s in the works, but all I
can say is it’s just going to be a really good year.”
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