Local actress finding niche in Hollywood

Hayley Marie Norman

Actress Hayley Marie Norman, 23, is a rising star in the entertainment industry.

She is best known for the NBC show "Deal or No Deal" and is currently starring in the indie film "Trailer Park of Terror," which will be featured at the 2008 Slamdance Film Festival. Soon, Norman will be shooting a lead role in the Sony movie, "Fired Up" and this summer she will be starring with Will Smith in "Hancock."

Norman was born in Thousand Oaks and raised in Agoura Hills. She started modeling as a pre-teen and realized her passion was in acting. At seven, she became a member of the Screen Actors Guild. She worked throughout her childhood in various commercials, including Mattel's Barbie campaigns.

She attended Louisville High School in Woodland Hills, an all-girls private school, for two years and then transferred to a magnet school with a focus on performing arts. Norman graduated in 2004 from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Norman studied with acting coaches such as Eric Morris, Ivana Chubbuk, and Brian Reise. She also studied at The National Theatre Education Space in London, The Santa Monica Playhouse, and she was part of the CalArts summer program as a California Arts Scholar.

"When you create a character, it comes from within yourself," Norman said. "Nobody knows you like you know yourself. So I use what works for me from what I have learned and have made my own method to creating characters. The most important thing, however, is following your instincts, and you will never ever go wrong."

In 2006 and 2007, Norman appeared on TV shows such as "The Young and The Restless," "Shark," "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Sons & Daughters," and acted in films, including "Norbit" and "Cordially Invited." She had cameos in "Jelly" and "Broken Windows" will also be released this year.