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| 7/29/2008 8:37:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Second-grade Gattis Elementary student Landon Henninger stars with Lisa Kudrow in “Kabluey” which opened in theaters Friday. Henninger is also slated to appear in another film next year. |
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Going to the movies
Only 7 years old, local boy makes film debut
LAURI ZACHRY
Education Reporter
Round Rock parents Justin and Deahni Henninger joke around with their son, Landon, if he misbehaves.
Instead of calling him by his given name, they revert to the name of his most recent portrayed character - "Lincoln" - a spoiled brat of a child.
For the most part, Landon acts wise beyond his 7 years. Landon, a second-grade student at Gattis Elementary, stars as the younger, and little too-spoiled brother Lincoln in "Kabluey," a film featuring Lisa Kudrow, Teri Garr and Chris Parnell.
"Kabluey" premiered Friday at the Dobie Theater in Austin off Guadalupe Street near the University of Texas.
Most of "Kabluey"was filmed in residential areas of south Austin and at a city market.
The concept of the film centers around producer and director Scott Prendergast, starring as Salman, trying to help his sister-in-law (Kudrow) with her two, nonstop ruckus-driven brats, Lincoln (Landon) and Cameron (Cameron Wofford), while her husband is away in Iraq.
Salman ends up getting a seemingly useless job as a guy who dresses up in a huge blue, faceless suit and hands out flyers promoting office space for rent. The blue, faceless suit gave producers the creativity behind the movie's tagline - "Every family has a black sheep. This one is blue."
Lincoln and Cameron are based on Prendergast's real-life nephews, Wilson and Logan.
Landon's favorite part of the movie was "getting to be the brat" and hitting his Uncle Salman in the head with a toy in the movie, he said.
"Kabluey" was produced by Whitewater Films. Prendergast, a former Groundlings student, also wrote and directed the short film "The Delicious" and was a staff writer on MTV's "Celebrity Deathmatch."
"Kabluey" premiered originally at the Los Angeles Film Festival in summer 2007 and was first shown in Texas in October 2007 at the Austin Film Festival. The movie is set for DVD release in September.
Deanhi Henninger said the producers of "Kabluey" were good at telling Landon and Cameron not to act in person the way they acted in the movie.
Landon and his family could relate to some of the story line in "Kabluey." Like Landon's father in the film being deployed to Iraq, so was Landon's real-life Uncle Trevor.
Cameron Wofford stars as Lincoln's older brother, Cameron. Wofford attended Forest Creek Elementary two years ago before he and his family moved to Houston.
Landon will also star with Kudrow in the movie "Rock On," to be released next year. "Rock On" was also filmed in Austin. Landon's scenes as Rory, a student, were filmed at the Austin State School in March.
Along with starring in two movies already at the ripe old age of 7, Landon has filmed several television commercials (for the Texas Department of Health and for CPS Energy in San Antonio) and a radio public service announcement (for BMW of Austin) in the Central Texas area. He has also starred in a music video for Austin musician John English.
Landon recently returned from taking three weeks of acting lessons in Dallas.
Landon got his start in acting by accompanying his aunt, Kalyssa Petersma, an actress in the Dallas area, to a meeting with her agent. Petersma's agent wanted to visit with Landon at that time, but it took a little while later to set up an official meeting, Deahni Henninger said.
"At that time, we didn't know what we had gotten ourselves into," Deahni Henninger said. "Things went from 0 to 60 so quickly."
Landon's favorite school subjects at Gattis are math and his talented and gifted classes.
Deahni Henninger said Landon also sees acting as a hobby and wants to be an actor in movies and TV shows when he grows up.
"Since this first experience with acting went well Landon and we have this attitude of what's not to love," Deahni Henninger said. "This has been such a great experience. The people you meet on the sets and the experiences that you have are amazing."
Contact Lauri Zachry at 255-5827 or by e-mail at education@rrleader.com.
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