News

October 17, 2008
 
Local actress talks about her career
Meet Christy Lee Hughes. She's a professional actress, dancer and voice-over artist. She has an undying passion for the arts, particularly acting, but she actually started her career as a paralegal.

"I was working in a law firm, and I happened to go to a bookstore, and I saw a posting that needed extras for a film, and I decided to show up to that and they used me, and I just fell in love with it. It's so much fun," she said.


That fun continued into acting roles for television.

"I started out as a dancer on MTV on a show called Direct Effect as a hip hop dancer, and my first on-camera role on HBO in a series called Autopsy where I got to play a dead body," said Hughes.

From there she moved on to playing living, breathing characters, winning a Critic's Choice Award at the 2007 Ed Wood Film Festival for her performance in "Amerikan Partizan." She also recently played the role of juror number five in the New York State Theater Institute production of "12 Angry Jurors." This live stage acting has a different feel than film or television.


"It's bigger and you're more alive, and you're in character, and it's in front of a live audience, and it's so energetic and fun," said Hughes.


And while Hughes has a special feeling for performing on stage, she also had an experience that she'll never forget -- working with Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise on the film "War of the Worlds."


"I never thought so early in my career that I would get to work with them. I just jumped for joy everyday, and I still can't believe it. I look at the photos from the movie. It's just amazing, and I'm so grateful," said Hughes.


And what is it like to work with fellow actors?


"I felt safe on the stage with my cast I felt supported, and I felt encouraged, and I felt as if we were working as a team to get the job done, and the audience really responded well," said Hughes.


And while Hughes is enjoying today, she has more plans for tomorrow.


She said, "I have a couple of independent films that I'm looking at right now to be produced next year, so there's always something going on. It's never a dull moment, but I'm really grateful, and it's a lot of fun."


Both on and off the stage.