Lights, camera, action! Charli D'Amelio has landed her first starring role, in the horror flick Home School.
In the upcoming movie—which will serve as the first in an eight-film franchise of supernatural thrillers—the competitive dancer will play a 17-year-old named Mira who moves to a different town to live with her aunt after her mother dies. According to the movie's synopsis, "After arriving in what seems like the all-too-perfect town, Mira discovers that her mother's death and her own future are intertwined supernaturally."
After she landed the game-changing lead, Charli, 17, exclusively told E! News how much this role means to her.
"Acting has actually been a goal of mine for quite some time now," she said. "But I really wanted to take the time to look at a lot of different genres, scripts, and roles. I am a huge fan of horror and thriller movies, and as soon as I read Home School, I knew it was for me."
As Charli puts it, elements of her on-screen character felt eerily familiar. "I connected with the character, Mira, the story, the script, and the team," she explained. "I couldn't believe it when I actually got the part. I know it will be challenging, but it will be fun to make and to watch."
Of the movie's plot, director Javier Gutiérrez shared in a statement, "With its compelling visuals and a strong psychological element, I think Home School has the potential to be a modern classic, adding that he "can't wait to work alongside Charli."
After posting videos of herself dancing to TikTok in 2019, Charli's career has grown immensely: She landed a voice role in the 2020 animated film StarDog and TurboCat and in 2021, she and her family starred in the Hulu docuseries The D'Amelio Show, which has already been picked up for a second season.
Home School is slated to be a family affair with Charlie's parents, Marc and Heidi D'Amelio and older sister, Dixie D'Amelio, all serving as executive producers.
Production for the horror movie is set to begin July 2022.