Jadyn Krouse has been cast as an extra in scenes “everyone is going to be talking about”
Medford resident Jadyn Krouse is making a breakthrough in her acting career at the age of 13.
Her mother, Nicole, stumbled upon a casting call for “The Walking Dead” that was posted to Facebook in July. After sending in Jadyn’s resume, they were notified she had been cast as an extra for the ninth season, which starts airing on Oct. 7 on AMC.
Jadyn, Nicole and Jason Krouse (Jadyn’s father) set out for the trip to Senoia, Ga., where Jadyn’s first day on set was spent being fitted for her costume. The following day consisted of countless crew members passing by, doing touch ups on her hair and makeup and adjusting the lighting and props for the scenes she was a part of.
Although Jadyn can’t discuss any specifics from the scenes, she noted “they’re the scenes everyone is going to be talking about.”
This may be her first time being a part of a television production, however, she is no stranger to the spotlight.
Jadyn’s interest in performing dates back to when she was 7 years old, when her mother signed her up for voice lessons. She found an interest in musical theater and was soon cast as the role of Miss Hannigan in “Annie” at the Music Training Center in Marlton.
She returned to the stage at Medford Panther Players at age 9 as Enid Hoopes in “Legally Blonde” and again the following year as LeFou in “Beauty and the Beast.”
While reflecting on her past, Jadyn noted that filming for television was incomparable to any of her previous acting experiences.
“It was totally, 100 percent different from anything I’ve ever done before,” Jadyn said. “A lot of things I’ve done have been for theater so this was very intense, and I’ve never seen a crew that huge before.”
Her involvement in “The Walking Dead” is not only paving the way to achieving career goals, but personal goals as well.
Last year Jadyn was diagnosed with Scheuermann’s kyphosis, which Jason described as “a family member of scoliosis, where her spine was curving forward.”
In November, she underwent a 10-hour surgery where two titanium rods, 18 screws and two hooks were put in her spine. Jadyn stated that, although the recovery process is ongoing, she now knows her limits on when she needs to take time to rest.
Despite these physical challenges, Jadyn had recovered enough to attend Stagedoor Manor for a three-week summer training session in Catskill, N.Y., in July, where she was cast as a lead female role of Veta in “Harvey.”
Next summer, Jadyn plans to return to Stagedoor Manor, which is the place Natalie Portman, Zach Braff, Robert Downey Jr. and several other successful actors got their start.
As far as her future, Jadyn has hopes of attending New York University to study musical theater, and she stated there is a possibility for her to one day be asked to return to the set of “The Walking Dead.”
“I am so excited that she was given such a unique opportunity at such a young age,” Jason said. “She’s been through so much and as a parent the most important thing is her happiness.”
