Christians in Cinema

Female Lead - “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl”

Though only 12 years old, Abigail Breslin has already taken Hollywood, and the rest of us, by storm. Her roles reveal her comic ability (Definitely, Maybe), a dramatic flair (The Ultimate Gift), and an ability to take command of a complex role within an adult story (Little Miss Sunshine).

Her leading men have ranged from Mel Gibson (Signs) to Gerard Butler (Nim’s Island), and she’s carried her weight with actresses like Catharine Zeta-Jones (No Reservations) and Kate Hudson (Raising Helen).

Her most recent role, Kit Kittredge, is one that millions of girls around the country can relate to, for she is one of the “American Girl” dolls come to life.

It was a lot of fun to get to work with so many kids.

“All of our stories are told through the eyes of our heroine; a nine-year-old girl who turns ten in the story,” says Ellen L. Brothers, president of American Girl and a producer of “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.” “In this film, you’re seeing the Great Depression through the eyes of a very confident nine-year-old girl. And that’s what makes this story so special.”

The day before the Hollywood premiere, I joined a few other writers to meet and interview Abigail. In person, she is just as charming and engaging as she appears on-screen. Like any twelve-year-old, there are a couple of things she’s asked her mom for, and during the interview, she reminded her mom that they were still on her mind.

Your castmates have been saying good things about you . How did you enjoy working with them?

Abigail:    Everybody was really nice there. They were all a lot of fun. And they all looked like their characters perfectly, so it was really kind of cool.

A lot of movies these days are all about the girls being pretty and popular. This seems like a great movie because it’s about how to help other people, and how to help your community. Did that mean anything to you as you were choosing this project?

Abigail:    Yeah. I really like all the American Girl dolls, so that was one of the things I was really excited about. I also think that Kit is very cool and she’s very, very brave. You know, she’s always trying to help people. She does things that, even though she may not want to do them, she does them and does them happily. I think that’s one of the cool things about her.

This movie was set in the Great Depression, which was quite a long time ago. What makes Kit relatable to other girls that are growing up now?

Abigail:    Well, I think that Kit is really different from some people now, because she doesn’t have an iPod, or a cell phone, or things like that. Kit is a lot more brave than I am, and she definitely really cares about her family. She takes care of them and takes care of animals. She cares about her friends.

That’s one of the things I like about her, and I think one of the things we have in common.

You play a reporter in the movie who didn’t take “No” for an answer, and I’m wondering about a time when you personally didn’t take “No” for an answer? How persistent are you as an individual?

Abigail:    I’m always asking for another puppy. (At this point, she looks over to her mom and to the little puppy someone has brought into the room)

All the kids in the movie are the heroes, and they all see things that they think the adults don’t see. I’m wondering how you feel that’s true in life. What do you think kids see and catch that the grown-ups around them are missing?

Abigail:    I think grown-ups know a little more than I do. But I guess my parents can’t really see why I want a puppy!

When I was a little kid, I remember thinking there were certain things I never wanted to do as a grown-up. I would try to hold onto them, thinking, “I don’t want to forget this as an adult.” Is there anything you specifically want to remember as you grow up?

Abigail:    Most of the stuff that I do that’s really fun I don’t want to forget.

Are you into the American Girl Dolls? Have you read the books?

Abigail:    I love the American Girl dolls! I collect them all, and have since I was eight or something. Kit was always one of my favorites, so it was cool I got to play her.

How many do you have?

Abigail:    I have all of them except for Ruby. All the ones I want to get.

You said Kit is a little more brave than you are. What are some of the things you fear?

Abigail:    I’m really afraid of heights. I had to do this one scene where I was on this tree. Me, Stirling (Zach Mills) and Ruthie (Madison Davenport) were on this tree, and I hated it. But I did it, and now, it’s a great story to tell.

…There’s some point while you’re actually filming that it becomes like your favorite character.

You’ve been really busy in the last 3 or 4 years, doing a lot of films. They’re really different characters. How do you move from character to character so quickly?

Abigail:    I just have fun. I love making movies and everything, and I think it’s really fun. I really get into each one as I do them.

Was this more fun because you got to be with a lot of other kids and not be surrounded by so many grown-ups?

Abigail:    It was a lot of fun to get to work so many kids. But everyone on the movie was really, really nice. We had a lot of fun. Me and Madison and Zach would get together after work every day. We’d go out to dinner and go to the mall and everything, so it was really fun.

Of all the characters you’ve played, which one do you think is most like you?

Abigail:    I don’t know which one I’m most like, but I think there’s some point while you’re actually filming that it becomes like your favorite character. You sort of start acting like them, so I guess at some point, they’re all like you.

During the movie, you and Ruthie are extremely close and you get to go forward while a lot of kids are getting made fun of because they’re losing their homes and have to work for extra money. Has that ever happened to you that you’ve been made fun of or lost a friend because of what’s happening in your life?

Abigail:    No. You know, my friends don’t really care about that stuff. And we don’t really fight that much to the point where we say, “Oh, we can’t be friends any more.” If something happens with me and my friends, we’re like “Oh, I’m sorry.”

We don’t really stay mad at each other for that long.

What kinds of things do you like to do with your friends? You don’t have a secret club do you?

Abigail:    No. I like to video-chat with my friends. We show each other lip glosses and stuff like that, which is really fun.

You are in almost every scene of the film. How do you learn that much dialogue, and what kinds of things did you do to prepare for this film?

Abigail:    My grandma grew up during the Great Depression, so she told me about that. She told me things like they would put sugar on their tongues and drink their tea over it. Everybody was living in the same situation then, she said.

She said the clothes looked really authentic, so that was good.

Any funny or secret stories you could tell us from the set?

Abigail:    I fell twice on set, which was kind of embarrassing. We were running toward the hobo tent, and I fell. Then I fell again coming down the stairs. Definitely not my best performance!

One of the funny stories would be that me, Madison, and Zach had nicknames for each other we’d use every day on the set.

Do you think you could live through what your grandmother experienced?

Abigail:    She didn’t have a cell phone, and I don’t know if I could live without my cell phone, my iPod, and all that stuff.

Would you trade it for a puppy?

Abigail: I would! I really would.