SHAREEKA EPPS DISCOVERED IN SCHOOL

Newcomer Shareeka Epps was discovered at a Brooklyn performing arts school to play the part of Audrey the young student who inspires Ryan Gosling’s drug addicted history teacher to pick up the pieces of his life in Half Nelson. Shareeka talks about what it’s like to walk through the halls of her high school and how the other students treat her now that she’s made a movie.

In the film Ryan Gosling encourages his inner city students to learn by not using the school curriculum and going off the book. Shareeka says she had a special teacher who inspired her.

“I don’t know. They really honestly didn’t know about it too much until this year. People are stopping me in the hallways. It’s kind of weird to be in high school now but I’m still trying to be a normal high school student. I try and run from everyone. I’m hiding from the hallways; that’s how I do it.”rn

Ryan and Shareeka continued their schooling off the set visiting learning establishments like the New York Hall of Science, and going bowling to develop the special bond they have on film. Half Nelson opens Friday.rn

“My main inspiration was my music teacher. I think her name was Mrs. Warren and we did a lot of theater and it was just a lot of fun. That’s why I wanted to come to school.”