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TEENAGE ACTRESS KAY PANABAKER FINDS FAME

The line between real life and movie fiction has been blurred of late for the 19-year-old acting veteran. She’s part of the young 10-member ensemble cast in the 2009 remake of "Fame,� the musical drama that follows a talented group of dancers, singers, actors and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, where they learn how much sweat, dedication and heartbreak are involved in shooting for the stars.

It’s the kind of education Panabaker’s been getting since she was 10, when she made her movie debut in a straight-to-DVD crime drama with Keifer Southerland and Anthony LaPaglia called "Dead Heat.� "I played a 10-year-old girl who smoked and cursed and just didn’t have a good family life,� Panabaker said in a phone interview from New York City last week.

From the upbeat, well-mannered sound of her voice, she was definitely playing against type in that first film role, and she’s played a variety of parts ever since, including in the Disney Channel telefilm "Read It and Weep� and a recurring role on "Phil of the Future.� She’s also recognized by many for her angst-ridden teen, Nikki Westerly, on "Summerland� and as the daughter of Marg Helgenberger’s character on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.�

Her other guest-shot credits include "Medium,� "Ghost Whisperer,� "Boston Legal,� "Two and a Half Men� and "Weeds,� plus the role of best friend George to girl sleuth "Nancy Drew� in the feature adaptation of the book series, and the title character in the family film "Moondance Alexander.�

But the struggling up-and-coming actress she plays in "Fame� is a lot closer to who Panabaker really is, and she can vouch for the film’s accurate depiction of aspiring young performers’ experiences.

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KAY PANABAKER

She started acting at various community theatres in Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Atlanta, Georgia. Her older sister, Danielle Panabaker, is also an actress. In Naperville, Illinois, Kay attended Crone Middle School for sixth grade, and moved to Los Angeles, California at the start of seventh grade.