'Ociee Nash' star young and very confident

Skyler Day has a definite career plan, which includes being an actress in feature films and recording musical albums.

Of course, Skyler is only 12 years old — but she's already completed phase one of that plan. She's starring in her first feature, "The Adventures of Ociee Nash," an independent family drama that opens in local theaters today.

"I know where I want to go, what I want to be doing for the rest of my life," Skyler said matter-of-factly. "And when I set my mind to something, I'm going to keep trying until I get it done.

"And that's only the start of things. You haven't seen the last of me."

She might sound a bit cocky, but Skyler says this with such confidence that it's hard to doubt her. "You just have to believe in yourself and not be afraid," she said during a telephone interview. "Sometimes you'll fail, but you can't let that stop you."

That also seems to be the motto of her film character, Ociee Nash, a young Mississippi tomboy who is sent to stay with her aunt in North Carolina. Her subsequent adventures bring Ociee into contact with such historical figures as the Wright brothers, President William McKinley and Nellie Bly.

The turn-of-the-century film is loosely based on Milam McGraw Propst's novel "A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street," which was based on the life of her grandmother, whose real name was Ociee Nash.

Skyler said she felt a certain responsibility in playing the character, out of respect to Propst, who was involved in the filmmaking. "I wanted to convince her that I was bringing her grandmother back to life."

Initially, she had to convince filmmakers Amy and Kristen McGary that she was right for the role. Up to that point, Skyler had done only local theater in Georgia and a handful of television commercials.

"I'm pretty sure that I nailed the audition," Skyler said. But the McGarys continued open-casting calls and kept her waiting for a couple months. "I think I probably drove my mom crazy, asking why they hadn't called or when they were going to call."

When she got the call, however, Skyler says she got a little too worked up. "I was jumping on a trampoline when my mom told me I had gotten the part. I got a little excited and jumped around a little too much, and I nearly fell off. That would have been bad," she said with a laugh.