Caledon, Ont., actress tight-lipped about role as Will Smith's daughter in Suicide Squad
'He acted like a normal person even though we knew he wasn't,' says Shailyn Pierre-Dixon
Despite some prodding, Shailyn Pierre-Dixon won't give up many details about this summer's Suicide Squad — except for her own role in the film.
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The 13-year-old Caledon actress will only say that she's playing Will Smith's daughter (well, the daughter of his character Deadsot) in the upcoming summer blockbuster.
"Keeping the secrets for Suicide Squad is pretty hard because my friends keep asking," the teenager told CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Wednesday.
Staying busy probably helps Pierre-Dixon remain tight-lipped, the young actress is currently appearing on the Canadian television series Between and won a Canadian Screen Award last year for her role as young Aminata in the CBC's mini-series The Book of Negroes.
Pierre-Dixon says the audition process for Suicide Squad was more than a little nerve-wracking.
"I was like shaking, and once I got in I guess all the nerves left but it was still really exciting and overwhelming to see Will Smith in front of me and he's like shaking my hand," she said.
Pierre-Dixon credits Smith with teaching her how to tap into her emotions once the cameras are rolling, adding that when they're not "he's jokes all around."
"He acted like a normal person even though we knew he wasn't," said the young actress.
Mom, acting coach, manager
Pierre-Dixon's mother wears several different hats within her relationship with her daughter, on top of being her mom she's also her acting coach and manager with her own background in acting and producing.
"It's her happiness, her peace, and her childhood first and everything else second," said Christina Dixon about her role in finding balance in her daughter's life.
"I check with her about it, I really want to find out from her 'who am I being with you?' and 'how is that for you?' and 'am I pushing too hard?'" Dixon told host Matt Galloway.
"Shailyn and I have a close relationship where I trust she's being honest with me."
The mother-daughter pair were both ecstatic when they heard that Pierre-Dixon got the part in Suicide Squad, although Dixon admits that she might have been a little more star struck.
