Keisha Castle-Hughes Struggles With Latest Role

Juan Rico/Fame

Portraying a young mother on-screen is no stretch for Keisha Castle-Hughes, who welcomed her first child – Felicity-Amore, turning two this month – at the age of 17. That’s where the similarities end for the now 19-year-old actress and her character in Piece of My Heart, however. In the made-for-tv film, unmarried pregnant women are forced to put their children up for adoption; The script left Keisha feeling “shocked, angry and excited.” ”The act of having to give up a child was hard to portray,” she admits. “It’s not an easy place mentally and emotionally to take yourself.”

While it was difficult to allow herself to visit such a “place of hurt and loss, especially as a mother,” Keisha says it was nonetheless important that she do so. ”As an actor and mother I can’t imagine anything more hurtful, something that would completely destroy me and my identity,” she explains. Her real life status as a mom did offer some other unique insights into the character, however.

“Obviously, playing pregnant was a lot easier for me. Although the physicality of a pregnant woman is quite tricky to pull off when it’s a big strap-on mold of foam.”

Felicity-Amore is the first child for Keisha and her fiancé Bradley Hull.

Source: Sunday News

– Missy

Comments

She seems to have a really good head on her shoulders; I like her a lot. And her daughter is adorable! There’s a part of me that would love to see more pictures of Felicity, but at the same time I’m glad that Keisha keeps her out of the spotlight and gives her such a normal life.

- alice jane on April 5th, 2009

agreed! I think she’s an awesome girl.

- Jane on April 5th, 2009

This movie was shown on tv in New Zealand last night. Keisha, along with the other actors, did a very good job of portraying life for unmarried pregnant young women in the 1950′s and 60′s. It also dealt with the unresolved feelings of despair and loss felt by the girls decades later.

- Kresta on April 5th, 2009

she’s a great actress, loved her in Whale Rider.

- moviefan on April 5th, 2009

Hmm.. I really have nothing to contribute to the conversation other than that I loooove her daughter’s name. Hyphenated names are so difficult to pull off without seeming tacky.

- Annabel on April 5th, 2009

Alice Jane, I completely agree with you. It’s always refreshing to see teens, at whatever stage of the teen life they are in, have such a solid stance in life with the smarts to go along with it.

- Harley on April 6th, 2009

I watched this on TV the other night. It was really good. The acting was fantastic.

- Clare on April 6th, 2009

lol how are hyphenated names tacky ? I have a friend who has both names hyphenated for cultural reasons (no boys and she is carrying the family name).

- Aya on April 6th, 2009