There are many sides to Madalen Mills.
The first time we saw the curly-haired, melanin starlet was in the 2020 holiday film, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, which earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Role in a Motion Picture.
Fast forward, two years later the now 13-year-old is sharing with fans a bit of her dramatic side and range in the movie The Tiger Rising.
Based on the children’s novel by Kate DiCamillo, the movie is about a North Florida boy named Rob Horton, played by Christian Convery, who carves wood figures and uses his imagination to deal with the loss of his mother. He discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home.
Mills plays Sistine (as in the Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel), a spunky, hot-tempered girl from Philadelphia who recently moved to the town with her mother.
She called her character a “tough cookie,’’ who is loud, has a sassy attitude and is a bit of a bully.
“I feel like that really stems from her own hurt and pain and loss that she’s going through,” Mills said. In the movie, Sistine’s father cheated on her mother, which prompted the family to move down south. But throughout the movie, Sistine believes her father will come back for her.
“She’s just not dealing with her emotions in the best and healthiest way. And so that hurt,” she added.
The two become friends after Convery’s character defends her against bullies and together gets attached to the tiger. Without spoiling the end, which is bittersweet, the kids grew closer and are left with a deeper understanding of friendship, growth, and trust.
“I think there are quite a few messages that people can take from this movie,” Mills explained. “Different messages resonate with different people. But one thing that definitely resonated with me was the importance of friendship.”
Mills also talked about the self-care themes the movie highlights, which could resonate with both kids and adults.
“Looking out for yourself, your mental health, your well-being,” she shared. “And being the best version of yourself and learning how to express your emotions in the best way.”
The observation aligns with the vision of director Ray Giarratana, who explained the symbolism of the cage, that the tiger was kept in. It represented “the cages we build to protect ourselves from hurt, loss, and pain.”
“Madalen was 10 at the time and yet completely understood what we were trying to do,” Giarratana reflected in a press release. He added, “I wanted to see if Madalen could encompass all of that — because a lot of times with younger actors, it’s easy to just see one note in their performance. But Sistine is a much more complex character, and Madalen could absolutely go there.”
The movie also stars Katharine McPhee, Dennis Quaid, Sam Trammell, and Queen Latifah. Working with the legendary hip-hop artist and actress was the cherry on top of the treasured experience for Mills. She referred to the experience as a dream.
“Just being able to be in her presence, first of all, you’re in awe,” Mills recalled. “But she’s so cool, she’s so cool, so down to earth.
“She has this swagger about her when she just walks into the room. I really look up to that because she just is so cool and confident and nice and kind and is such an amazing actress,’’ she added.
Her latest project shows a side of Mills we are hoping to see more of in the future as she evolves in her craft.
The Tiger Rising, rated PG, is in theaters now and will begin streaming on Feb. 8.
