Ex Lancaster University student's hooray for Hollywood

An ex-Lancaster University student is rubbing shoulders with Hollywood star James Franco as she shoots a hoped-to-be blockbuster.
Amy Harvey, Lancaster.Amy Harvey, Lancaster.
Amy Harvey, Lancaster.

Amy Harvey is living her dream as an actress out in Los Angeles.

Big blockbusters and red carpets are now in sight for Amy who moved to LA a year ago to make a name for herself.

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The 23-year-old is currently starring alongside Hollywood man James Franco, who is best known for his role in Spiderman and 127 hours, in The Mad Whale.

Amy Harvey, Lancaster.Amy Harvey, Lancaster.
Amy Harvey, Lancaster.

Amy said: “James is much less intimidating than I thought. He was a quiet but powerful presence on set, you know he’s there watching every detail but trusts his crew and lets the show run around him. He’s really lovely and encouraging and clearly so skilled at what he does, he makes it look so easy.”

The Mad Whale is set in Massachusetts in the 1890s and is based around a mental asylum and an underground female fight club.

Amy stars as one of the female fighters, whilst Franco takes the main lead. The film is due to be released this summer.

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As well as The Mad Whale Amy has also been flown out to New Mexico to star in HOPE – a film about sex trafficking directed by Elizabeth-Blake-Thomas.

Amy Harvey, Lancaster.Amy Harvey, Lancaster.
Amy Harvey, Lancaster.

Amy said: “We have big hopes for this film and we are going to submit it for Sundance Film Festival. My role is as the girl who entices in the younger girls to the ranch where they are kept and vetted. It’s been a big change for me to play the villain but I’ve enjoyed this project a lot.”

A very fast-paced lifestyle greets Amy every day and she now has more contacts than ever before, and also met Lewis Hamilton at her church one Sunday.

Amy has a lot of advice to give but still misses Lancaster.

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She said: “I have grown so much as an actress. Lancaster is so special to me, I miss the university and the city centre and especially Hustle nightclub and Sugarhouse!

“I also went to St Thomas’ Church and miss that very much too, the people in Lancaster are so lovely and I will be visiting soon!

“Make sure acting is exactly what you want to do as otherwise you’re going to waste a lot of money! You have to have a thick skin. In LA everyone is beautiful and talented and you’ll be used to getting yes after yes in a small place like England, and then you’ll be a tiny fish in a huge pond and get said no to more times than you thought was possible, but all it takes is one yes.”