Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Sunrise in Heaven’s Caylee Cowan

Rising star of the stage and screen Caylee Cowan is an exciting young actress who’s making her feature film debut in Sunrise in Heaven. Based on a true story, Sunrise in Heaven follows a love story that spans a lifetime between Jan, the daughter of an overly protective militant father, and Steve, a young GI in the air force.

Pop Culturalist spoke with Caylee about Sunrise in Heaven and how reading led her to discover her passion for acting.

Sunrise in Heaven Questions

PC: How did you prepare for your role in Sunrise in Heaven?
Caylee: This is my first project in L.A.! I auditioned for a ton of things this year, but this was one that attracted me as much as I attracted it. It’s set in the 1950s, which is something I was immediately interested in, and is based on a book. The character that I play is a living person, so I actually got to meet her. I took her out for lunch. I wanted to take the characteristics that I observed from her, and use them for my performance.

I know that some actors prefer not to meet the person they’re playing, but with this being an indie movie, I felt it was really important that she felt like she was part of the process. She was on set with her granddaughter and everything. It’s her story and it means a lot to her.

PC: What did you learn from meeting her that you didn’t realize the first time you read the script?
Caylee: When I got the audition, I immediately read the book. Any time I get an audition, I always want to know what the story is based on. That’s part of the reason why I was interested in becoming an actor—I wanted to tell these stories.

When I met Jan, she told me about the first time she met Steve and the very specific look she gave him. I wanted to make sure that was portrayed while filming and it was an added bonus that Jan was there. It felt like I was fulfilling her story.

PC: You’re one of two actors who are playing the same character. What is that collaboration like? Did your decisions affect the other actress who’s playing the older version of Jan?
Caylee: It’s crazy! I never actually met the older actress playing Jan until we did ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement). The whole process was really quick; we shot our movie in eleven days. It was really quick, and I wasn’t there for any of the older scenes, so I didn’t get to see it all put together until ADR.

The casting was all done by Lindsay Chag, who’s an angel. She put my tape in front of our director, and that’s what got me the role. Before this, I didn’t have any credits besides theatre.

PC: That’s so interesting! Like you said, this is your first feature film. What surprised you the most about the experience?
Caylee: I have a theatre background and I’m used to a lot of rehearsals. I love to do a lot of takes because I’m a perfectionist, but with this being an indie film, we had to do a bunch of scenes in one take on one given day. That was definitely an acting muscle I had to work on while shooting. You have to give it your all and then move onto the next thing, and trust that the director got what he needed. Our director, Waymoon Boone, was great at juggling everything.

PC: The film comes out in April. What do you hope audiences takeaway?
Caylee: I hope they enjoy the great American love story. It’s a look into a love that’s once in a lifetime.

Career Questions

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Caylee: My passion for acting came from reading books. Growing up, I couldn’t read and had difficulty in school. I actually couldn’t read until the third grade, so I was in remedial classes. I didn’t come from a lot of money, but my mom always instilled in me how important it was that I know how to read. If you want to become anything, you have to read.

When I started reading, I fell in love with those dystopian universes, like The Hunger Games, and literature like The Book Thief. I related so much to those characters and felt like their memories were my memories. These stories really made me exercise my empathy muscle. Then, I started exploring theatre, discovered scripts, and learned what it takes to make a movie.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Caylee: Friends

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Caylee: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

PC: Favorite book?
Caylee: The Book Thief

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Caylee: Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Caylee: The Eagles

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Caylee: Stranger Things

PC: Hidden talent?
Caylee: All my fingers are double jointed.

To keep up with Caylee, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and catch Sunrise in Heaven in theaters now.