Lacey Caroline is an 18-year-old rising star from Charlotte, NC who has captivated audiences since she began performing at the age of 12. With her part-Japanese heritage and a foundation in competitive cheer and dance, her skills led to her performing as mini Hugo (mascot for the NBA Charlotte Hornets) at the French All Star Game in Paris where she thrived in front of a crowd of over 25,000. Lacey seamlessly transitioned into acting, quickly making her mark. Best known for her role in Hallmark’s A Christmas Love Story and as the lead in the critically acclaimed short film Worm Radio, Lacey’s talent has earned her accolades including Best Actress at the LA Under the Stars Film Festival. Her upcoming independent feature, SUGARCANE, is one of the most anticipated releases of 2024.
HEY LACEY! CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR JOURNEY IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY SO FAR?
I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC and have been acting and performing since I was very young across many different activities. I found theatre in my elementary school’s production of “Annie, Jr.” where I played the role of ‘Molly’ and realized I loved the stage. When I found out I could be on tv and in movies, that became my focus. My journey in the industry so far has been one of hard work and dedication, with some success but I have much further to go and I know that the best is yet to come!
YOU BEGAN PERFORMING AT THE AGE OF 12. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START SO YOUNG, AND HOW DID YOUR EARLY EXPERIENCES SHAPE YOUR CAREER?
What inspired me to start so young was truly being influenced by other actors I saw on tv and in movies. I was fascinated by the notion that this could be a career and was determined to become an all-around performer. I was very fortunate that within the first few years, I booked some amazing projects and these projects helped me set a bar for professionalism as a young actor that otherwise would have taken me longer to learn.
HOW HAS YOUR PART-JAPANESE HERITAGE INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO PERFORMING AND YOUR CAREER IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY?
I am proud of my part-Japanese heritage but still have much to learn. My dad was born in Okinawa and moved to the United States when he was a young child, but we have recently spent some time researching the Japanese side of our family. We learned that my grandmother, Hideko, left Okinawa for Tokyo to pursue higher education which was not typical for Japanese women in the 1950’s. I see that same dedication and determination in how I approach my career.
YOU TRANSITIONED FROM COMPETITIVE CHEER AND DANCE TO ACTING. WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE DURING THIS TRANSITION, AND HOW DID YOUR BACKGROUND IN CHEER AND DANCE HELP YOU IN ACTING?
The largest challenge I faced during this transition was realizing that I couldn’t do it all. I had to choose what I wanted to focus on and I knew I had to give up something I loved, for what I wanted to do in the future. It also made me realize that acting is a full body process- it’s not just in your face but includes how you hold yourself, your tics and mannerisms. All of that is heightened when you are on camera, and my cheer and dance background gave me great body awareness.
PERFORMING AS MINI HUGO AT THE FRENCH ALL STAR GAME IN FRONT OF OVER 25,000 PEOPLE MUST HAVE BEEN EXHILARATING. CAN YOU SHARE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE?
Performing as Mini Hugo at the French All Star game was so incredible, but to be honest – I think I blacked out. I remember tumbling to center court, dancing with my Dad (who was performing as Hugo the Hornet) and then finishing the routine in a split. It was special to see the crowd’s reaction to a mini mascot, as they had never seen a mini before, and after the game I spent a lot of time taking pictures and signing autographs – right alongside the professional basketball players.
YOU’VE PLAYED DIVERSE ROLES, FROM HALLMARK’S A CHRISTMAS LOVE STORY TO THE LEAD IN WORM RADIO. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR SUCH VARIED CHARACTERS, AND WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE ROLE SO FAR?
I am proud of the diversity of the roles I have played which have helped broaden my creative reach, and helped diversify my abilities. To prepare for this range of characters, I cherish a partnership with the director to understand and develop the backstory and then sit with the character to figure them out. I also make a playlist for each project that I listen to in preparation and during filming to make sure I am in the character’s headspace.
YOUR UPCOMING FEATURE, SUGARCANE, IS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED. CAN YOU GIVE US A SNEAK PEEK INTO WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THIS FILM AND YOUR ROLE IN IT?
I am excited for the upcoming release of SUGARCANE and while I am proud of my performance in the project, I hope that it will help shed light on human trafficking in the online spaces. The subject matter is dark and a bit graphic, so I recommend an older audience.
YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT LITERACY, ANIMAL WELFARE, AND FASHION. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THESE INTERESTS WITH YOUR ACTING CAREER, AND HOW DO THEY INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?
Literacy and fashion directly correlate to my career. Since part of developing a character is analyzing a script, my passion for reading and writing has assisted my creative instincts when it comes to my performances. And fashion is crucial to everything! A character’s clothes tell you everything about them, so when auditioning I try to find clothing that I know would resonate with the character. And personally – I love a strong wardrobe. As for animal welfare, that does not directly influence my work – but influences me personally. Growing up with 3 amazing dogs has made me empathetic to all animals and this is an area I want to expand upon in the future.
WITH 30.3K INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS, YOU HAVE A GROWING INFLUENCE. HOW DO YOU USE YOUR PLATFORM TO CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE AND PROMOTE THE CAUSES YOU CARE ABOUT?
As of recently, I have worked to rebrand my Instagram and I hope to speak more in depth about the causes I believe in in the future! Having just turned 18, I want to make sure I am speaking on these subject matters from an educated point of view and with elegance.
