Miami Living Magazine

Danielle Campbell

Miami Living Magazine features the best Miami has to offer. Click on any magazine below and enjoy. You can download our free app on iTunes. Ideal for iPad and iPhone users.

Issue link: https://digital.miamilivingmagazine.com/i/1056773

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 143 of 209

Today, the diminutive actress is outfitted in all black –a turtleneck and jeans— aside from the slate-blue fedora atop her head and striped scarf looped around her neck. Danielle bears a striking resemblance to a young Angelina Jolie fused with Katie Holmes. Unquestionably gorgeous, her face straddles the line between innocent and sultry —with those steely green eyes and bee-stung pout— making her the perfect choice to play the fiery Kayla, aka Little Red Riding Hood, in Tell Me A Story. Created by Kevin Williamson, best known for Dawson's Creek, The Vampire Diaries, and Scream, Tell Me A Story is a new CBS All Access original series based off the Mexican crime drama, Érase una vez. "Ours is a lot different from theirs though." A psychological thriller with fairy tale elements, also starring Kim Cattrall, James Wolk, and Dania Ramirez, the show is nothing like ABC's Once Upon A Time as there are no supernatural aspects to it. Tell Me A Story is based in modern-day New York City and follows the intertwined lives of the Three Little Pigs, a trio of pig-masked bank robbers; Hansel and Gretel, a figuratively lost brother and sister; and Little Red Riding Hood, who lives with her grandmother, portrayed by Kim Cattrall ["Which is amazing to be in New York City with her! It's awesome. She's been amazing to work with," Danielle shares.]. However, in this tale, Red isn't as innocent as you remember. "You see the red cape come out in different ways. She's angry and she's almost the wolf in some matters. New York is kind of a very dangerous place for all these characters, but it's really interesting. I think that a lot of people are going to gravitate to it." And don't expect your typical ending. "Kevin does a great job at keeping you on the edge of your seat." Fraught with drama, excitement, unexpected twists and turns, each episode has you wondering, what's going to happen next? Though Danielle never aspired to be an actress as a child, she immediately developed an affinity for show business. "I fell in love with the camera and being on set with people. We were shooting in a prison, which was the coolest thing to a 10-year-old. It was really amazing," she recollects about her debut role on Prison Break. Growing up, Danielle's family (her father is in real estate and her mother is in interior design) lived everywhere from Illinois (where she was born) to Singapore and Southeast Asia to New Jersey, then back to Chicago. While back in her home state, she was discovered by an agent while in a beauty salon with her mother. "I was obnoxiously talking to everyone in the salon and someone asked if I would take a meeting with their agency." She credits her gregarious nature to her early exposure to different cultures and countries. "I think that forced my brother [Jay] and I to kind of talk with people a lot and be used to new people and cultures." Navigating high school was something else though. Right before the start of her freshman year, Danielle flew to Los Angeles to film Disney's TV movie, StarStruck. By the time she returned to Chicago, the school year was halfway through and everyone was already acquainted. "I was kinda known as the girl that weirdly was not there because I had been shooting, so I was very quiet in high school, much more so than I am now, mostly because I didn't want the added attention that I already knew came with acting." However, Danielle is grateful that her parents didn't take her out of school. "I loved my friends that I grew up with and my teachers really, really helped. Honestly, I'm kinda surprised that it went as smoothly as it did, 'cause it could've been a lot more difficult — I've heard stories." The summer before high school ended, Danielle jetted off to Atlanta to shoot the pilot for The Originals, a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries. "That was my college experience, so to speak," she says with a laugh. Set in New Orleans, The CW series followed Klaus —the most powerful immortal, supernatural being in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals universe— and his family. "I played Davina, who was a witch in the French Quarter. I had some of the best memories shooting on that show. I did about three seasons fully and then went back for episodes through the fifth season. I'm still really close with all the cast, the creators. And Atlanta was a blast to shoot in." The Originals went on for five seasons and aired it's series finale this past April. Danielle's phone rings, putting our conversation on a brief hold. It's Jay, Danielle's younger brother, who just arrived in New York City from Los Angeles to accompany her to the premiere party. She gives him directions, then returns to our chat. Childhood anecdotes are injected throughout our conversation, illustrating the siblings' close bond. With Christmas (Danielle's favorite holiday) a few weeks away, I ask about her upcoming plans and traditions. "When I was really young, we used to go out to Utah and go snowboarding and spend it with my mom's side. Over the last couple of years, we've either been in my parents' house in Chicago or back in Utah. I love being in the mountains and I love the snow —those are some of the biggest traditions, just on that end. We always do a massive dinner for Christmas Eve and a massive dinner for Christmas." The Campbells love to cook, and playfully compete against one another in the kitchen. "I'm looking forward to making chocolate soufflé at home for Christmas — that's one of our other traditions. Two years ago, my brother and I and my grandmother and my mom, we did

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Miami Living Magazine - Danielle Campbell