Columbus, meet your youngest movie stars.
Scarlett and Summer Atkinson went to Jackson on Wednesday to film a scene or two for “The Hollars,” a feature film being made in the capital city.
Of course, their parents served as chauffeurs of sorts: Scarlett and Summer, who are twins, are only 6 months old. But they’re about to grace the big screen.
It happened like this.
The twins’ mother, Marcie Atkinson, has an old high school friend who earlier this summer let her know via Facebook that people involved with the movie’s production were looking to cast a set of Mississippi infant twins. The movie is a romantic comedy being directed and starred in by John Krasinski, a television and film actor best-known for his role on the NBC sitcom “The Office.”
On a whim, Atkinson, who works at the Social Security office in Columbus, emailed in one picture of her girls to the movie’s executives. That was in June. In July, she heard back. Her girls had been chosen to play a baby named “Quinn.”
On Wednesday, Atkinson and her husband, Justin, who owns the Old Country Store in Steens, drove the girls down to the set in Jackson.
Marcie Atkinson was told that the movie executives needed one of her girls to play a “grumpy” baby, and the other to play a “happy” baby. Scarlett played the grumpy baby. Summer played the happy baby.
Asked if the roles fit their personalities, Atkinson said, “Oh, majorly.”
The shoot itself lasted roughly 30 minutes — from about 8 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday — and the family, after eating a catered meal with the movie’s stars, drove back to Columbus.
The girls will be in two different scenes, both with Krasinksi.
Deadline.com described “The Hollars” as a mix between “Steel Magnolias” and “Garden State.” It is expected to be released in 2015.
“I’m excited for them,” Atkinson said of her girls.
“They only got paid minimum wage,” she added with a laugh, “but it was a neat experience.”
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.