Ayla Brown: Yes, I Starred In A Movie Called ‘Cowboy Spirit’
In 2012 I acted in an independent movie called 'Cowboy Spirit.' How did it happen? What was the experience like? Did my co-workers make fun of me.... yes.
Back in 2012 I, Ayla Brown from Wrentham, starred in a movie called Cowboy Spirit. When I think back on that experience it makes me chuckle. Me in a movie? Why me? Here’s the story.
I was approached by the director of Cowboy Spirit named Bill Miller. He was an experienced cameraman who had dreams of directing movies. I heard that he had a few projects in his repertoire (Jonathan and Jim told me exactly what those projects were if you listen to the podcast below). Bill knew my mother and asked me to take part in a movie about a bull rider.
Before you assume that I was the bull rider, I certainly was not. My official role was “Mother.” I had the lead part in this independent movie as a mother who had a daughter with cancer. You can read the full description of the movie on IMDB.
“Ted has it all, a great job, a beautiful fiancé, and a wonderful life ahead of him, but a twist of fate leads him to rely on the lessons he learned in the summers of his youth with his grandfather – a former champion rodeo cowboy. To save a dying young girl, he must make the ride of a lifetime.”
Cowboy Spirit Movie Trailer
What The Experience Was Like ‘Starring’ In Cowboy Spirit
I had never acted before, so when I was asked to be in Cowboy Spirit I was a little hesitant at first. I knew memorizing the lines wouldn’t be a huge problem. But I wasn’t sure about tapping into my emotions. I wasn’t a trained actress, and certainly didn’t know how to cry on cue. Here’s the thing, I was willing to give it a shot. By the way, my scene where I was forced to “cry on cue” was SO bad. I still cringe when I watch that scene back.
The filming only took a few weeks. We went to multiple locations like Downtown Boston to the financial district. Then we went to the Marshfield Fairgrounds to get shots of bull riders. We also filmed at someone’s house, which was “my house.” These are memories that I barely remember, but it’s still humorous to think that I was in a movie.
I don’t know if there’s a place where you can buy or watch the movie. I used to sell copies of the DVD’s at my music shows. I know still have a few underneath my bed at my parent’s house. But feel free to search for yourself to find a copy somewhere to watch.
Throwback Behind The Scenes Photos
Related:
16 Massachusetts Movies Ranked Worst To Best
Massachusetts Movies!
We’ve all been there. Watching a random movie and seeing something familiar. Was that the Esplanade by the Harbor? If you were watching Free Guy, Ted or Blown Away yes it was! Or maybe it’s a house on a chilly windswept beach. IS THAT IN SICHUATE?! If you were watching the recent Academy Award Winning film American Fiction, yes it was! There’s no doubt that there are a lot of films that have been made in Boston and Massachusetts. But which of these Massachusetts Movies is the best?
My Mission
That’s what I set out to find out after watching American fiction, which is primarily set in Boston. It’s an Academy award-winning movie, but is it the best movie set in Massachusetts? My criteria was to go to rotten tomatoes, which has the aggregate score of every major movie critic as well as Audience voted scores. And I also used Wikipedia to find a list of every major film set or shot in Boston and Massachusetts.
My Criteria
There have been literally hundreds of movies set or shot in Boston. Not just the obvious one’s like Good Will Hunting or Fever Pitch. Other ones like The Firm and Mermaids (do you even remember that Cher movie from the early 90s? I barely did. I remember the song from it more). The reason so many movies are set here is kind of obvious when you think about it. 30% of movies are based on books and Boston and Massachusetts have long been known for their higher education as well as literary traditions. Couple that with the, let’s say, unique nature of the culture in the Bay State and you have a place that makes for a perfect backdrop for a lot of movies.
The Best Massachusetts Movies
But back to the question. Which Massachusetts movies are the best? And maybe even more important which one is the worst? Well check out the list below to find the answer!
Quick Note: Some of these are not in actuality set in Boston/Massachusetts but were filmed there. For instance Amity Island in Jaws is supposed to be in New York. However it was filmed on Martha’s Vinyard. Also not all of them take place entirely in Boston or Massachusetts but have key scenes in the area.
Ayla Brown has been an on-air morning show host with Country 102.5 since 2018. Before taking this once-in-a-lifetime job, Ayla was (and still is) a country music singer. In 2006, she placed 13th on American Idol. In 2012 and 2013 she celebrated her Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium debut, and over the years she has visited 13 countries overseas to sing for the American Troops.
Country music is in Ayla Brown’s soul. Not only does she sing it, but she gets to talk about it every day on “Country Mornings with Jonathan and Ayla.”
Ayla is happily married to singer-songwriter, Rob Bellamy, and they welcomed a son named Barrett in August of 2022. In her free time, she loves to sew baby bibs and experiment with new recipes in the kitchen. She also loves to travel and try new foods. Ayla writes about Boston area happenings, parenting, holistic lifestyle and living, and travel.
