Rachel Boudwin Talks About Her Childhood Dream And Breakout Film Role In ‘Boot Camp’

She’s about to become a household name!

Rachel is quickly making her way to the front of the acting industry, especially since she’s the lead in one of the most highly-anticipated movies of the year, the film adaptation of the iconic Wattpad novel ‘Boot Camp.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Rachel about the behind-the-scenes of making the movie, her advice for her aspiring actresses, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in acting?

R: “Ever since I could remember I always wanted to perform. Whether it was acting, singing or dancing. I just couldn’t help myself, so I started performing in school plays throughout elementary. Yet, saying you wanted to be a movie star in my hometown was like saying you wanted to be a rocket scientist. Ironically now I’m an actor and my brother works at SpaceX. So I guess we took that saying more seriously than I thought. My brother and I were also obsessed with movies. Since we didn’t have cable, we had a vast array of VHS tapes. Practically every weekend we would have movie marathons with films like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Back to the Future. That’s where my obsession started with the mythical land of “Hollywood” where it seemed like anything was possible. It wasn’t until high school when I started taking film classes that I learned about how movies were really made. It was then that I knew I had to pursue my childhood dream, all or nothing.”

Tell us more about your highly-anticipated role in ‘Boot Camp’.

R: “Gladly! I play Whitney Carmichael. This film is a summer camp movie of course, but at its core it tackles Whitney’s coming-of-age, self love, friendships and romance. She enrolls in a body-empowerment boot camp in an effort to redefine who she was in high school. Along the way she runs into old enemies, new friends and a hot new trainer.”

Do you think you have anything in common with your character Whitney?

R: “I probably have more in common with Whitney than I have differences. When reading the script for the first time I remember sitting back and thinking, “This is me”. Whitney goes on a journey that I experienced similarly in my own life. It felt very reminiscent of my experience moving to LA at 18 and trying to find myself. We both had the urge to completely change our lives for the better. When I was a kid I was deeply insecure and had a tendency to be introverted. At my own summer camp I would skip out on the ropes courses because I was afraid of heights. I would stay on the beach during swim time in my clothes because I was too scared to get in the water and too insecure to show my body. Similarly to Whitney, after high school, I decided to face those fears and take control of my life. There’s a line that is featured in the trailer where Whitney says, “To go after what you want, knowing you might fail, I know just how scary that can be.” That was the line that made me put down the script and cry. I knew that if by some crazy chance I got the opportunity to play Whitney, I would see her as my younger self.”

What was the filming process for the film? Any funny/interesting moments you can share?

R: “While filming we all got very close and it felt like we were actually at summer camp so there were plenty of funny moments. The entire summer we all got our battle scars in bug bites and bruises. Even in the prom scene, my corsage flower cut my hand so you could say we put our blood sweat and tears into this film.

Like Whitney I also got to face my fear of heights. Whitney, as her alter-ego Irabel, jumps off of a podium and into the air. I had one take, an amazing stunt double and a ton of adrenaline to get me through it. 

In the scene where I got a splinter, Drew inspects it and turns to lead me to his cabin. While filming my coverage, his back was to the camera so when he flipped around to leave he hit his head and fell back. That had to be one of the times I’ve laughed the hardest in my life.”

Have you seen the ‘Boot Camp’ Wattpad? If so, what did you think of it?

R: “Since receiving the role of Whitney I had the absolute pleasure of reading Gina Musa’s original book. It wasn’t hard to see why I related to Whitney as well as 27 million other readers. For a lot of them, Boot Camp was the first book they read on Wattpad. Now that audience has grown up with us and I’m especially excited for those fans to see the film.”

As this is your first leading role in a feature film, what is your best piece of advice to aspiring
actresses who are auditioning for their big breaks?

R: “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read the responses to this same question from my favorite actors. It’s a “pinch me” moment that I even get to be able to answer this. Firstly, everyone has to start somewhere. Get as much experience as you can on a film set. Whether it’s being a production assistant for a friend’s short or working as a background actor. Any experience is good to have because you will learn about how a set functions, other people’s jobs and how an actor fits into that. Secondly, act as much as possible. It’s like a sport and you have to keep your muscles warmed up. Make a music video with your friends, study a monologue or try out new classes. And lastly, when it comes to auditions, take risks. Don’t let yourself get confined with the pressure of getting the part. At the end of the day, you just want casting to see what you can do. When I loosen up and have fun, that’s when I see the best results. Don’t forget about that younger version of yourself that just wanted to play pretend.”

Since you are the lead in an adaptation movie, what book do you personally think also
deserves the movie treatment?

R: “I am an absolute sucker for a novel-to-film adaptation. Another reason why Boot Camp was a dream come true. But I would have to say two very different books. “Better Than Movies” by Lynn Painter was such a fun read, especially being a movie lover myself. I first heard about it through my online friend, Caroline. It’s perfectly written to be adapted for film and I think audiences–similar to Boot Camp readers–would thoroughly enjoy it. 

“The Lion in Winter” is a play written by James Goldman. I first discovered it when an acting teacher of mine recommended I perform a monologue by Alais. My dad and I watched the film adaptation from 1968 starring one of my favorite actresses, Katherine Hepburn. It was adapted one more time in 2004 but I think it’s due for another interpretation.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

R: “You can follow me on my instagram and tiktok @rachelboudwin. As well as my YouTube page where I’ll be posting a BTS journey of how I got Boot Camp.”

Make sure to watch Rachel make her mark in ‘Boot Camp’, in theatres on August 2!

Photo Credit: Wattpad WEBTOON Studios

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.