Her famous uncle, one of the most famous comedians out there, also has strong local ties. He lives just outside of Yellow Springs.
Sumayah portrayed 9-year-old Bree Palmer, who struggles with physical and emotional changes that accompany womanhood.
Wright State School of Film senior Brittany Shyne directed “The Painted Lady,” which was made about two years ago.
Sumayah was pleased with her performance after seeing the film for the first time on the big screen.
“I think they did great casting choices,” Sumayah said. “They had some super-duper awesome talent putting that (movie) together. I had no idea what the outcome would be like.”
Sumayah filmed for about a week in the Dayton area.
“I’ve been interested in acting for a while; it is the best feeling I could ever have,” she said. “When you’re living, you’re the same person with the same story, but when you’re acting you can be a whole new person with a whole new story. You can feel that character and be that character.”
“The Painted Lady” was Sumayah’s second film, which she worked on at age 9. She also appeared in “Spades,” along with her mother, Bianca Stone Chappelle.
“It was a sci-fi film,” Bianca Chappelle said. “I had one of the lead roles, and she played a queen.”
Sumayah also participates in school and community plays.
“With theater you have to do it perfect, but with film if you mess up you can just redo it,” she said. “In theater you get to perform it more than once. With film all you do is shoot the scene and you’re done with it.”
Sumayah is working to find an agent.
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