Claire Danes
Gebhardt, a senior at Belton's University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, felt her performance waver as she watched tears stream down actress Claire Danes' face while she portrayed an outcast, autistic savant for the upcoming biographical HBO movie "Temple Grandin."
As Gebhardt walked off the set, she said she "felt awful" about the rude comments her character was scripted to say. But she knew it was her talent that had gotten her the role as an extra in the film and so close to the actress she has admired since she watched Danes' performance in the 1996 film "Romeo + Juliet."
"I'm sorry Claire. I didn't mean to make you cry," she lamented after explaining that it was from observing the actress and soaking up the whole experience that brought her dreams to break into the movie business even closer to reality. And it made the years of studying for her major in performance studies worth while.