(Posted 6:30
a.m., April 4)
Navan miss nominated for young actress award
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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 Nine-year-old
Tori Barban from Navan has been nominated for a Young Actress Award for her role
as Emily in the made-for-TV drama "The Christmas Hope". File photo
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It's been
an exciting year for nine-year-old Tori Barban. The Navan miss made her acting
debut in the made-for-TV movie "The Christmas Hope" and made enough
of an impression to earn a nomination for the 2010 Young Artist Awards.
Tori
is up against a pair of Hollywood icons in Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato in the
category Leading or Supporting Young Actress, along with fellow newcomer Patricia
Raven who starred in "Dear Harvard".
Gomez
and Lovato were both nominated for their roles in the Disney family comedy the
"Princess Protection Program".
The
award ceremony will take place at the Beverly Garland Universal Studios in Los
Angeles on April 11, complete with red carpet.
Although
it's unlikely the big name stars like Gomez and Lovato will attend the event,
Tori is understandably excited about going to her first Hollywood awards ceremony.
"I'm
really excited especially with all the touring and stuff we plan to do,"
says Tori who is making the trip with her parents and 11-year-old brother. "The
only bad part is it won't be televised."
Televised
or not, Tori plans to look her best for the big event. When she went dress shopping
with her mother, she managed to narrow 12 dresses down to two.
"I'm
going to bring both of them to Los Angeles and decide at the last minute,"
says Tori.
Tori's
rise to stardom has been nothing short of meteoric. Her only previous acting experience
was with the Orleans Young Players Theatrical School. Her aunt, who is a creative
director for an advertising agency, got her an interview with a leading child
agent in Toronto in the later part of 2008.
A
month later she was asked to submit her first audition tape to the producers of
“The Christmas Hope”. A second audition tape was then requested followed
by a live audition which landed her the part, but only after the producers managed
to convince the network to use an unknown actress in the lead role.
The
movie tells the story of a young couple who recently lost their son in an accident.
The mother, who is a social worker, takes Tori's character in for the holidays.
Emily was recently orphaned when her single mother was killed in a car accident.
The precocious young girl ends up bringing the social worker and her husband closer
together when she runs away. Their reunion is a measure of healing and faith.
It
aired on the Lifetime Network in the United States and the Vision channel in Canada.
Since
filming "The Christmas Hope", Tori has also starred in "Made, The
Movie" which was filmed last year and is still waiting for a release date.
She's
done a number of auditions, but hasn't received any parts yet. Not that she's
all that worried about it.
"I'm
not one of those big stars who are like "Oh my God, I have to get this part.
If I get another part that's great. If I don't that's okay too," says the
level-headed youngster.
When
she's not starring in a made-for-TV movie or jetting off to a Hollywood awards
ceremony, Tori is just a regular Grade 4 student at Heritage Public School in
Navan
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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BLACKBURN FUN FAIR next to the Lois Kemp Arena in Blackburn Hamlet with activities for the whole family include a free concert by SOS: The ABBA Experience on Saturday, June 6 at 9 p.m. on the man stage. Fun Fair parade down Bearbrook Road starting at 10 a.m. on June 6. For more information visit 
CUMBERLAND BLOCK PARTY from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Cameron Street in Cumberland Village. BBQ by Meatings BBQ. Ice Cream and desserts from Black Walnut Bakery. Wood-fired pizza by Firebox Pizza. Live music.
TRIVIA NIGHT from 7:30 p.m. every Monday night at the Royal Oak Pub Orléans. Free to play. Prizes for the winning team! The Royal Oak Pub is located at 1981 St. Joseph Blvd. near Jeanne d’Arc. For more info visit 
TRIVIA NIGHT from 6:30 p.m. at the Stray Dog Brewing Company. Exercise your grey matter before it turns to mush over the holidays. Reservations are a must to secure your spot. Send your team name and number of people to info@straydogbrewing.ca. The Stray Dog Brewing Company is located at 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park.
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