Laura and Vanessa Marano starred in, and produced, their upcoming film adaption of Saving Zoe.
If you don’t know, the movie is based on the book of the same name by Alyson Noel, which centers on Echo, who gets a very different picture of her murdered sister Zoe after reading her diary. Zoe’s secret world, forces Echo to uncover the truth behind her secret life so that she can start to rebuild her own.
“It was really important for us to paint a picture about how sex trafficking can happen to anyone, because it’s not something that’s talked about,” Vanessa shared in a new interview with Equality Now. “We want to inspire a young audience to make a difference and to do something about these issues.”
She also opened up about why they wanted their next project to be focused on teens and young adults.
“We wanted to gear it towards a younger audience, because it seems that it’s them who are paying attention,” Vanessa added. “They want to hear about the hard subjects…this is a generation right now that is screaming for information, that is screaming for change.”
The sisters’ mom Ellen, who co-produced the film with them, continued, “People do not want to talk about things like sex trafficking – they are very fearful about it. Denial is very powerful, so one reason to do this film was for us to stop denying what’s going on. That’s why telling these stories is so important.”
Laura Marano steps out in style for the “Hope Lives in Every Name” event in Los Angeles on Wednesday (June 6).
The 22-year-old actress/singer was joined by her older sister, Vanessa, and actress Ashley Rickards at the event, which was a celebration with Equality Now and Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
Laura was one of the many celebs reacting to the devastating passings of designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain this week.
“We all have problems that can seem impossible to solve. If you are feeling overwhelmed by yours, please talk about it to someone,” she wrote. “It’s okay to feel overwhelmed; it’s not okay to keep it inside.”
So upset about Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade this week 💔 we all have problems that can seem impossible to solve. If you are feeling overwhelmed by yours, please talk about it to someone. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed; it’s not okay to keep it inside ❤️❤️
The former Switched At Birth star has been cast in the pilot of the upcoming anthology series DOT, Variety reports.
The series “will tackle women’s issues across the United States. Each episode, without taking sides and inspired by real life news stories, will dramatize a personal story as it relates to the cultural, political and legal environment in each of the fifty states.”
In the pilot episode, “Texas,” Milla Hart (Marano), a high school senior who is a few weeks pregnant and living with her conservative parents in the heart of Texas. Her boyfriend, Lucas Cruz (Danny Ramirez), wants to be part of deciding what their future will be, but ultimately the two come to disagree on what to do. With the state antagonizing their options and beliefs, this young couple’s decisions don’t come easy.
Vanessa most recently guest starred on the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Station 19.
In the video below, the three stars of the flick open up about breaking and bending gender stereotypes in the flick, hoping that it shows more young girls that they can be anything they set out to be.
“It is absolutely important to show girls succeeding in technology, math and science,” Vanessa emphasizes.
Sarah J adds, “The film is focused on two strong girls and they are capable of doing anything.”
Check out the clip below and get Daphne & Velma on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD TODAY, May 22nd!
Directed by Brad T. Gottfred, Confessional takes place after two mysterious deaths at a college on the same night with seven students receiving invitations to a confession booth hidden on the campus.
Their confessions slowly unveil the truth behind not just the deaths, but the booth as well. The mystery is entirely confined to the video confessional booth.
