Jamie Howard, a senior in the electrical engineering program at Drexel’s College of Engineering, had a role in the critically acclaimed film "Boyhood," directed by Richard Linklater. The film, which takes place over the course of twelve years, is a coming-of-age drama that follows a boy’s life (played by Ellar Coltrane) from age six to eighteen. Howard played the role of the main character’s stepsister, Mindy Welbrock. "Boyhood" recently won the 2015 Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture.
Being her first role, Howard landed the part by having grown up with Director Richard Linklater’s daughter, Lorelei Linklater, her childhood friend, who also happened to play the main character’s sister, Samantha, in the film. “Rick (Linklater) invited me to audition for the role of Mindy in "Boyhood," so I kind of walked into it rather blind, as I had no formal training and I had never auditioned before,” Howard explained. She filmed her role during the summers of 2004, 2005, and 2006, which correspond to years 3, 4, and 5 of the movie.
Howard interacted with many of the actors and actresses on set, especially with Coltrane and Linklater, as well as her on-screen brother, Andrew Villareal, who played Randy Welbrock. Howard also spent countless hours on set with her father in the film, Marco Perella, who played the role of Bill Welbrock, the abusive, alcoholic stepfather in the film. “Contrary to what you might think, Marco is absolutely delightful and loads of fun,” said Howard. “It was also particularly inspiring to work with an actress as real and natural as Patricia Arquette, who plays my stepmother.” Arquette recently won the 2015 Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Howard has not had any acting roles since "Boyhood," and says that she has been keeping busy with other interests, including being a Drexel Engineering student. When asked how her interest in acting relates with her interest in engineering, Howard said, “I do think that there is an interesting balance in allowing oneself to be both creative and scientific, and engineering definitely calls for thinking outside the box.”
Howard feels that an acting career can also coincide with a career in engineering. “Why not both?” Howard said, “Being a part of "Boyhood" was an unforgettable experience. Although it captured much of my youth and the culture of Austin (my home town) on film, it's been so interesting to see its international and cross-generational appeal. Rick (Linklater) has captured growing up in a timeless way, and this film definitely showcases his brilliance as a director, and his fundamental understanding of people and their vulnerabilities.”