A local actress has had her dreams come true as she played a role in the 2021 film Flag Day that included some start-studded actors.
Dryden resident Shirley McLean was chosen to play a background role in the parade scene in the movie. The film featured Hollywood actors Sean Penn, his daughter Dylan Penn, and actress Julia Roberts husband Daniel Moder as a cameraman, which McLean said was a highlight of her career.
“Everything was like OMG this is so cool this is happening, this is out of my control and I just could see Sean Penn standing there. Everything just exploded to the greatest experience ever,” said McLean.
“The excitement for me was I had to play professional also because you want to talk to these people and you want to say hi to these people. I’m getting to work with Hollywood people it was so exciting, and breathtaking, sometimes you were in awe, and then sometimes you were in a professional mode,” added McLean.
She said she never applied to play the role but the production company reached out to her by phone and email.
The film was shot in Winnipeg and is based on a father (Sean Penn) that lives a double life as a counterfeiter, bank robber, and con man in order to provide for his daughter (Dylan Penn). The parade scene, which McLean was in was shot in Beausejour, MB. She was playing the role of a 1980’s American woman.
The film is out in theaters in Winnipeg now.
Her journey to becoming an actress was an interesting one as she never took part in any drama, theater, or filmmaking growing up.
“What got me into acting was a friend of mine took me to the Firesong auditions, she was auditioning I wasn’t but then their director asked me to audition and I did just for moral support for her. I got the call to be in the movie but she didn’t
McLean said they are the best of friends to this day and there are no hard feelings between them.
She has played several parts throughout her acting career most notably in the 2015 movie Firesong where she played the speaking role of Janice. Firesong was filmed in Northwestern Ontario. Her role in that movie gave her the opportunity to go to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2017 where she got to walk the red carpet.
She also played a role in a mental health First Nations course where she played a role with someone from Kenora. McLean also was asked to play a role in the movie Ice Roads that starred Liam Neesom but wasn’t able to take part due to COVID-19.
Moving forward Mclean wants to have more experiences with other Indigenous people and she hopes that will open more doors for her.