Academy of Cinema and Television Event Featuring Actress Madison Pettis

The Academy of Cinema and Television concentrates on preparing a select group of naturally talented young people to enter the entertainment industry. Celebrities often visit the campus to share their TV or film experiences with eligible students. Madison Pettis and her mother will be the special guests at a meet and greet event on the Phoenix, AZ, campus.

The Academy of Cinema and Television will host an event at their Phoenix, Arizona, campus on Sunday, March 30, 2008, where eligible students and their parents will meet nine year old Madison Pettis and her mother Michelle. Madison Pettis is a series regular on Cory in the House, co-starred with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in The Game Plan, and will be starring with Will Smith on his next film.

This very special school event will give parents and students insight into the industry from a young actress who began her career at age 5 and is now one of Hollywood’s most sought after juvenile stars.

Madison Pettis was born in Arlington, Texas, the daughter of Michelle and Steven Pettis, who works for Lear, a GM supplier. When Madison was 5, Michelle Pettis entered her daughter in an annual cover search held by FortWorthChild, a free monthly parenting magazine. Madison was chosen for a cover. The photographer was so impressed with Madison that she put Michelle in touch with a modeling agency in Dallas, which led to modeling jobs and eventually commercials for Madison.

Madison and her mom are the perfect duo to speak to the serious acting and modeling students at A.C.T. because the private academy only accepts students that possess natural talent. Madison has always been a natural talent. According to her mother Michelle, she was carrying on conversations with strangers at the grocery store when she was 2, and when, on the set of The Game Plan, Madison was on a first name basis with everyone.

At nearly the same time as filming started on The Game Plan, she was cast on the Disney Channel show, Cory in the House, where she has become famous for her role as Sophie Martinez.

Madison and her mother Michelle will be sharing the realities of the life of a child actor in the entertainment industry at the school’s event. Most students may not realize that Madison often acts for up to five hours a day, has three hours of schooling and takes a 30-minute lunch. And, then spends her evenings memorizing her lines and doing schoolwork. There is also the element of travel connected to film and television work, a good example is when Madison and her mom were in Los Angeles filming Cory in the House in the summer and then spent the fall in Boston filming The Game Plan.

Michelle will also share from a parent’s perspective at the school’s event and her own philosophy of not putting pressure on Madison to perform. Parents and students will be able to ask questions and receive tips from this very talented child actor.

The Academy of Cinema and Television (A.C.T.) is a private institution with cutting edge training centers that have revolutionized performance education in on-camera acting, modeling, singing and dancing. A.C.T. is constantly evolving to meet new technologies, new formats, and new approaches to on-camera training. The selection process at all their school locations is by invitation only. The academy concentrates on preparing a select group of talented young people to enter the entertainment industry. Class size is kept small to optimize the learning environment.

Contact Information

Jack White

Academy Director

Academy of Cinema and Television

Contact via E-mail