Isabelle Fuhrman
The minute Isabelle Fuhrman took the big screen, she dropped the jaws of the audience sitting in their seats. She is recognized as the young ghost on Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Ghost Whisperer." Now, the 12-year-old actress can be seen as a psychotic and mysterious girl named Esther in the new thriller, "Orphan."
A smile that could brighten someone's day, Fuhrman hardly looks like a scare. With a make-up team that could do wonders with prosthetics, Fuhrman was turned from the innocent 10-year-old into a 33-year-old with fake teeth, contacts, and new skin. Not only does sitting for hours get tedious, but she had to perform with the pounds of make-up. " It’s hard enough wearing all that wrinkly stuff on your face! But I loved it!"
Though Fuhrman has a face of an angel, she was drawn to the character because Esther was so "conflicted and troubled." Fuhrman went on saying, "It was the challenge of Esther’s character, her journey and her secret that drew me in."
She was just 10-years-old when she booked the role. "When I read the script, I was blown away. I loved it and I thought it was very well written." An original plot by David Johnson, Esther's secret may slap you hard like sharp wind against glass. "I really wanted to know what happened in Esther’s life to make her like that. This is a woman who never experienced love in her life. I didn’t judge Esther, I wanted to get to her soul."
To earn the role, Fuhrman "dressed up" in an old fashion dress and curled her hair. Esther is from Russia, so Fuhrman "practiced the accent." She wanted to "make her character real yet frightening." Along with Esther's dark side, her tantrums often occurred. Fuhrman didn't feel awkward screaming and kicking. "I actually never knew I can pull off a tantrum like that!"
Her most favorite scene to shoot was the underwater scene. "I had to be in the water fully dressed and in make-up." Though the scene guaranteed a heart-thumping ache, she had fun shooting it. "I didn’t want to come out of the water."
Behind the scenes of the psychological thriller, the cast enjoyed their time together. Fuhrman loved working with her co-stars, especially Vera Farmiga (Kate Coleman). "I love Vera like a second mother! She is so sweet and I was lucky to have her in my first film." Her mother and father in the film are people she "looks up to." Fuhrman's 'siblings' "were lots of fun to play with. We would go and swim at the hotel or play in the snow sometimes."
Fuhrman's red carpet debut included a lovely midnight blue dress designed by Mademoiselle Charlotte. "I knew it was perfect!" All eyes turned to her as she strut the carpet runway.
Despite taking the lead in the movie, her friends loved her new film. "They thought that it was one of the best movies they’ve seen." And besides her own movie, Fuhrman is anticipating many others including "Iron Man 2" and "Julie and Julia." She would love to work big name actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and Meryl Streep. " I’m really looking forward to seeing [Meryl] in Julie and Julia."
Orphan is currently playing in theatres nationwide. Fuhrman calls it "artistic and original" and promises "you will be pinned up against your chair!"