Tiffany Franke '02

Imagine what it would be like to play a role in a major movie, or to work with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Elizabeth Gropman '04 has done just this, and is here at Deerfield to tell the tale. If she seems familiar, it may be because she had a small role as an orphan in the recent blockbuster hit Cider House Rules.

Gropman comes to us from Millrift, PA, population 200. She attended public school, and lived at home with parents. seven year old brother, and dog. Gropman comments that her brother Yale, is "very dramatic, and really cute." Both her parents attended Yale University (claiming no connection to her brother's name) and have pursued careers in theatre and film, specifically production design (art direction) and film set creation. Growing up and traveling with her parents to various movie sets has been a common past time for Gropman. "It's just an occupation, "she says, "just like if someone's parents were both lawyers. Their kid would be accustomed to the life that a lawyer leads." When referring to others in the business, Gropman adds, "you can't lose sight that they are all normal people." Some of the celebrities she has met and worked with include George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Cane, John Travolta, and Johnny Depp. In fact, Gropman became well acquainted with Carrien Moss when her father worked on a set in London.

Although she most recently appeared in Cider House Rules, Gropman has a history in film having also played small roles in 1993's Searching for Bobby Fisher, and 1989's Mr. and Mrs. Bridge.

Although Gropman has connections in the movie business through her parents, she enjoys acting and takes it very seriously. "I love acting, and the whole environment. Each set becomes like a family," shares an enthusiastic Gropman.

So what exactly is involved in getting a part? First there is an open call, where anyone can audition. "If the director likes you, but not enough for one of the leads, they will call you back for one of the smaller roles, and you become an extra," explained Gropman. If children get a part, a required amount of tutoring is necessary, so they don't fall behind in school.

Gropman's dad worked as production designer on the set of Cider House Rules, so when she made callbacks her family decided to rent a place to live in Northampton for six months. The actual filming spread out over fifteen months, from August to November. Gropman described a typical workday as ranging from 2-6 hours of work starting at six-thirty in the morning.

"We would arrive, eat breakfast, get makeup, and wait, said Gropman. "The hospital set up in Vermont would get really cold when we had to wait around towards the end," she explained. In one of the final scenes, the camera focuses on Gropman in prayer with the other children at the orphanage.

So why did Gropman decide to come to Deerfield? Being dedicated to her schoolwork, and liking the sounds of our drama and arts programs, she decided that Deerfield might be a good fit. "I came on second visit day and the people seemed so friendly, the environment so inviting," said Gropman. Although she's playing soccer this fall, Gropman plans to try out for one if not both of the school drama productions this year. Singing and dancing are two other interests Gropman hopes to pursue during her time at Deerfield. Currently, Mac III is providing a fun home away from the glitz and glamour of the movies and she looks forward to the upcoming year.

As for future plans and aspirations, Gropman hopes to attend a performing arts school, who knows, maybe even Yale. She's currently torn between theatre and film and will have to "test it all out" when the time is right.

About the whole issue of possible fame and dealing with the press, Gropman says she doesn't like how they "dissect and tear apart" the lives of the movie stars, constantly "prying into their personal lives.... People just assume that celebrities like all the attention." Gropman explained that her love for the whole atmosphere of movie performance and production is her driving motivation.

Gropman aspires to be like role model Audrey Hepburn.

As published in the October 4, 2000 issue of the Deerfield Scroll, the monthly newspaper of Deerfield Academy.