Buzz grows for local ‘superstar’ actress
Not only did Central Floridian Brooklynn Prince win a Critics’ Choice Award on Thursday — she quickly became the talk of showbiz media.
Buzz over the young Winter Springs resident’s win for her role in “The Florida Project” continued to grow in the days after the televised award ceremony.
People magazine called the actress a “breakout star” and said she “stole hearts.”
“The real winner of Thursday’s 2018 Critics’ Choice Awards was a 7-year-old superstar,” proclaimed “Entertainment Tonight.”
“First she made moviegoers cry with her powerful performance as Moonee in ‘The Florida Project,’ and now 7-year-old Brooklynn Prince is tugging at heartstrings again with her emotional acceptance speech,” wrote Entertainment Weekly.
And TheBlast.com proclaimed: “Brooklynn Prince basically won the entire Critics’ Choice Awards with her adorable speech.”
Filmed locally, “The Florida Project” follows adventurous children who live in the shadow of Walt Disney World, finding shelter in the cheap motels of the tourist district. Brooklyn plays the leading role in the film, which also stars Willem Dafoe as a kindly motel manager and Bria Vinaite as Moonee’s dysfunctional mother, Halley.
Brooklyn’s award for Best Young Actor/Actress came from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the largest filmcritic organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics.
Brooklynn, who started acting at age 2, already had been widely acclaimed for her performance and named one of the 10 best actors of the year by The New York Times Magazine — which put her in the company of Nicole Kidman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
After her father walked her to the stage on Thursday, Brooklynn charmed the crowd with a tearful acceptance speech in which she suggested all the nominees in her category meet for ice cream. Then, she touched hearts by referencing the serious side of “The Florida Project” — the scourge of poverty and homelessness.
“I would like to dedicate this award to all the Halleys and Moonees out there; guys, this is a real problem,” Brooklynn said. “You need to go out there and help. Thank you so much.”