Victoria Hester

Victoria Hester was born on Father's Day in June 1996 in Alabama. She was her parent's first child and the family moved to Tennessee before Victoria's first birthday. Her brother, Labon, was born just before Victoria turned two. Just after Victoria's third birthday in June 1999, the family moved once again, this time to Malawi, a small country in Africa. One of Victoria's favorite things about living there was getting to see all of the animals in the wild. Weekend safaris were a favorite pastime for her family. The Hester family returned to Tennessee in April of 2001. Victoria began kindergarten that fall. It was during her kindergarten year that Victoria went on a fieldtrip to see the play, "Peter Pan." She left the theater saying, "I want to do that!" Her family decided to home school her in the fall of 2002 and that afforded Victoria the opportunity to act in shows that had daytime performances. It was then that Victoria auditioned for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and was awarded the role of Gladys Hurdman, one of the "worst kids in the whole history of the world." She was the youngest member of the cast and the youngest to play this role at Germantown Community Theater. In the spring of 2003, Victoria was cast as Young Kim in the Poplar Pike Playhouse rendition of the musical "Showboat." Once again, she was the youngest member of the cast. In the fall of 2003, Victoria once again tried out for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and was asked to reprise her role as Gladys Hurdman. Through a contact that was made while working on this play, Victoria, her brother, and her mom were asked to be in the independent film "Sheriff." Her mom actually played her mother in the film and Labon Hester (her brother in real life) played her brother! This trend was to continue when the three were cast in another independent film, "Chosen." Victoria's mom played a housewife and Victoria and Labon were her kids. Each of them morphed into horrid characters with Victoria becoming the most evil of the three. Next was the indie "Rookie Bookie" in the spring of 2004. Victoria's mom played the wife of a corrupt judge. Victoria and Labon were once again cast as her children. Victoria returned to the stage in May 2004 in "Seussical the Musical" at Poplar Pike Playhouse. She played one of the Little Who's. Victoria just could not seem to shake being typecast in film when she got a part once again as her mother's child in the independent film "The Streaker." They cast two friends to play her older brother and younger sister in this film. In June 2004, Victoria auditioned for the feature film "Walk the Line." In mid-July, she received a phone call saying that they wanted to use her for the role of Carlene Carter. She was especially excited to learn that Reese Witherspoon (and not her real mom!) would be playing her mother in the film! The phone call came just three days before she was scheduled to start filming. The same friend who played her sister in "The Streaker" was asked to play her sister, Rosie Carter, in "Walk the Line." Victoria has taken dance since 2001 and also took voice last year. Victoria also takes karate. She took gymnastics for three years but has taken a break from it and from voice to free up a bit more of her schedule. After all, she needs some time just to have fun! She enjoys singing, riding her bike, swimming, and playing with her brother and friends. Victoria also loves animals.