Biography:
Haley must have been in quite a hurry to start living because her entrance into this world came 5 weeks early. At 3 she started dancing in local studios and by the time she was 7 she was choreographing her own freestyle dances at school talent shows. Her love of center stage led to enrollment in acting classes and, at the recommendation of a teacher, her parents began looking for an agent.
Almost immediately, she signed an agency contract and at 7 years old she began auditioning for commercia...
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ls and independent films in and around Texas. Haley loves to break down a character and, whether it was for a commercial or film role, her sharp acting skills and ease in front of casting directors got her noticed. National commercials and print work for Hasbro and Dell Computers were booked right away followed by roles in short films and independent features like the thriller "Seventy-8" that premiered at the Hollywood Film Festival.
Acting was a blast for Haley and her family was extremely supportive. Because Texas has a small commercial and film industry, the auditions were far and few between and barely caused a ripple in the family's schedule. Between bookings and auditions Haley had time to perform with a local dance group and attend acting classes and workshops. Always close to Max, her older brother, she spent much of her spare time at his hockey games.
By the time she turned 11 it was apparent that she needed to be in a larger market. Haley urged her family to let her try and make it in Los Angeles. Unbelievably, at such a young age, she knew that acting was the career she wanted.
The decision to divide the family between Texas and the West Coast was difficult for her parents. It would mean leaving her dad and Max behind and embarking on an unknown path with her mom. Up until this time, her fledgling acting career had not upset the family dynamic. This was going to be a huge change. Encouraged by her local agents and her long time acting coach, and after many long discussions, the family made the commitment to let her try L.A.
After finding a manager and spending just 6 weeks in L.A. she booked small guest roles on C.S.I. and Yes, Dear. Those television roles were followed by two national commercials. Then she booked what was to be her feature film debut in "Rumor Has It." The Rob Reiner directed film went through script rewrites and her role as "the young Jennifer Aniston" was cut to merely still shots. Adopting a "that's show business" attitude, Haley was undaunted.
The following month she booked the role of Brittany Loud in the Jodie Foster thriller, "Flightplan." Haley spent an educational 10 weeks working with Jodie and other talented actors such as Erika Christensen, Peter Sarsgard, Kate Beahan and Sean Bean. Director Robert Schwentke taught her much about the film business.
Just a few short months after completing "Flightplan" she booked the role of Kelly Beardsley, Dennis Quaid's daughter, in the comedy "Yours, Mine and Ours." It was another great opportunity to work with phenomenal actors. Dennis, Renee Russo and Jerry O'Connell proved to be great role models with strong work ethics.
Haley continues to work in L.A. and has made many great friends since arriving. Her Texas roots are never far behind, though. She's been known to hit the Country and Western button on the car radio when she needs a taste of home!
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