Former “X Factor” contestant Simone Battle show her gutsy side in “We the Party,” a gritty coming-of-age film by Mario Van Peebles. Battle, who plays Cheyenne, said the gateway to her understanding her character was Cheyenne’s grittiness.
“My character’s very studious, very driven. She knows what she wants, and she has a dream. Cheyenne’s so much like me,” she said. “When I was in school, I always challenged myself. I always wanted to get straight As, I always wanted to do my best, and I was a little square at times, so I think I’m similar to Cheyenne. Academically, we are right on the same page and we both have goals and dreams and I’m very ambitious, so I think I relate to my character really well.
Van Peebles is a very well-known name in movies; along with his acting career, he made waves as the director of the film “All Things Fall Apart,” starring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as an ailing college football player. Battle said that working with Van Peebles was a great experience.
“It was a very unique experience for my first movie,” she said. “He tries to conduct everything as if we were family, I really admire that… He was very hands-on, and he was kind of like a role model to me. It was a treat to work with him.
Battle hopes everyone takes “We the Party” as a lesson in success. “I hope that they take away the desire for education to succeed in life,” she said. ‘I hope they can see past all the partying and see the message for having goals and valuing education, [having] self worth and belief in oneself.”
“We the Party” is just the start for Battle’s acting career. “I start shooting a new film this weekend, actually, and I’m in the running to host ‘106 and Park,’ so that could be a new avenue in my career,” she said. She’s also furthering her music career. “I’m always writing and recording music. I have a bunch of different passions and they’re all entertainment related. I’m constantly working and building to get closer to my dream.”
Make sure to check out “We the Party,” which is out on DVD now.
(Photo credit: Nino Munoz / FOX)