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On par with her older, more seasoned co-stars, Bailee garnered the entertainment industry's attention with her 2009 performance in Brothers, starring Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, and Jake Gyllenhaal. As the young daughter of a war veteran (Tobey) who was thought dead, then returns home changed, Bailee steals the scene filmed at the dinner table. Her character's heart- wrenching anguish is not only heard in the delivery of her lines, but seen in her glassy eyes, trembling mouth, and piercing stare. "I remember filming that like it was yesterday. I was only 8... Because it was a Friday, I was able to work till midnight…and it was maybe 11:56 and they just set up for my close-up. I think I was able to do one or two takes. I remember just being like, Oh gosh, I hope we get it. It was a really fun scene to do. Tobey is such a genius in that movie and sitting across the table from him and when he's in that state, was a moment you're like, I'm going to give it as much as I can. But that movie was a real blessing to me after it came out, with what it was able to do for me." The dramatic role brought Bailee copious accolades and nominations, including a Critics Choice Movie Award nomination for Best Young Actor/Actress, OFTA Film Award nomination for Best Youth Performance, and Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. In a business that tends to pigeonhole actresses, Bailee has managed to seamlessly volley back and forth between film, television, and every genre under the sun. "God's been so good since the start, I will always say that, with the people that he's surrounded me with and the projects that have come on our desk. Really fortunate to have a family that reads everything that's sent to me and approves everything…and a team that's constantly searching for projects that, in fact, don't pigeonhole me. My mom and I, still to this day, have the mentality: This could be my last job, so let's enjoy every second of it." That mentality as well as humility was ingrained in Bailee from the age of 5 and is something that she continues to hold on to. Bailee is always looking for her next role, particularly ones that challenge her. So, when The Strangers: Prey at Night (in theaters March 9th) came her way, she jumped at the opportunity. "I'm so excited for Strangers to come out, because this is a project that I fell in love with since the first page. As a woman in this business, you try and find a project that speaks to you in a female way, that's powerful, strong, and has a strong voice. I could check that off the moment that I read it, but what I could also check off is that all of these characters —Christina Hendricks, Martin Henderson, Lewis Pullman— we're all really smart and we will not go down without a fight, so I think the whole audience will be able to cheer us on as we struggle to survive." The Strangers: Prey at Night premieres ten years after the original debuted with Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. To prepare, Bailee watched the first film about six times. And while there is no connection between the two films, the second serves up many "tip-of-the-hats" to the first film. "My character [Kinsey] is not the greatest kid. They're shipping her off to boarding school, you realize in the first few minutes of the movie, and they stop along the way to stay at this abandoned trailer park, retirement home. They get in there and hear three knocks on the door and everything starts from that moment." Florida Spots (Bailee splits her time between Los Angeles and her hometown, Ft. Lauderdale when not on location.) "Laspadas Hoagies, number one spot, usually by the time that I land. I'm friends with everyone in there. I walk in and they're like, 'Bailee!' And they're throwing their hoagies around and making their amazing sandwiches. Country Ham and Eggs is my other spot (they've named a waffle after her!). And then Kilwins, we always walk down at night to get caramel apples with the family and we go back and cut them up and eat them and talk around the counter." Free Time "I love a good playdate with my nieces and cooking sessions with my mom and my sister in the kitchen. Or a movie date night with my boyfriend –really fun. But I love reading scripts and I love figuring out what I can do next. It's fun for me, it really is. It's not work, it's what I love to do." Favorite Shows "This Is Us. I always watch it on the plane because that's my only free time to watch something and I am always sobbing. I love it because it's a straight-as-a-line, clean show. Any age can watch it. How cool is that? I love that a network is giving a show like this a chance and a platform to talk about real issues in a family way. Plus, The Good Place, do you watch that? Kristen Bell's show. It's really great. I love Riverdale. Everyone is just really solid on the show —it's my guilty pleasure." When you watch these shows, are you ever like, 'I want to be on this show!'? "If anyone will have me and if something speaks to me, I would love to be a part of an episode, an arc. I love good writing. People ask all the time: Do you prefer movies or TV? I prefer whatever is the good script…if you're given the opportunity to work with amazing writers, I'm all for it and humble to take it. Yeah, if Riverdale wants me. If This Is Us needs a friend… If they wanted me to pop up and be at the dog shelter when she buys a dog, I'll be there! My mom hasn't watched it yet. I tell her every night to watch it. You start watching This Is Us, I start taking 15-minute naps," she laughs. "And Designated Survivor. Oooh, I met Kiefer Sutherland on the plane the other day and I freaked out. Really, really great show."