Darby Camp Shines on "Clifford the Big Red Dog"

The young actress stars alongside comedian and actor, Jack Whitehall, in one of the best films of the year.

Photo: Emily Sandifer

We were so excited to see you on Clifford the Big Red Dog. Were you a fan of this iconic franchise before you were cast?

Definitely! My MawMaw and Nana had always read the books to me because my parents had copies still laying around their houses from when they were young. I am a huge dog lover, so of course I was drawn to books about a giant dog! I was always very jealous of Emily Elizabeth for having Clifford. Never in a million years did I think I would get to one day BE her!

The movie gives a unique message about the importance of friendship and being kind. What did you personally learn while filming this project? Was it hard to act with your co-star being CGI?

I definitely gave me more thought to how kids my age respond to being bullied or even just ignored in school or social settings. I knew how it made me feel, but it encouraged me to talk about it with others and it’s interesting how people deal with their hurt in different ways. Not everyone is going to handle it well or respond in healthy ways. I hope this movie shows kids how to get their feelings out with trusted adults and move on in healthy ways by spending time with people that bring out your best and setting boundaries with people who make you feel or act in negative ways.

Working with a CGI co-star was challenging at times, but not as hard as you might think because we had 2 very talented puppeteers controlling a giant Clifford look alike and they were very easy to connect and interact with.

Fans of Big Little Lies will recognize you as Chloe. How’s it like to be on set with great actors such as Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman?

I live in North Carolina so it’s funny when people recognize me. Most of the time they say I just remind them of Chloe, or they ask things like, “did I teach you gymnastics” or something like that. Most people are shocked to find out it really is me because they would never expect to see me in our small-ish town. Working with big name stars has been a huge gift. I feel like those 2 especially invested in me and wanted me to learn how to be an advocate for myself on set and allowed me to be a kid and have some fun together at appropriate times.

Photo: Emily Sandifer

This year has been so busy for you. How are you staying present and enjoying the moments that come with all these exciting projects?

When I am home, I love to have a couple of friends over and work on little art projects or just chill and watch movies. I have started learning to play the electric guitar and started skateboarding some. I am now in high school full time so, cheering for football and basketball has kept me busy. I love it because my older sister plays basketball and it’s like a whole family affair for those game days. Last night, we had a whole theatre in my hometown filled with just my teachers, friends, and their parents to see Clifford together. It was pretty special to share that time with them. I really feel blessed to have such a typical teen life here in NC but with some extraordinary experiences in major cities given to me through acting and promoting projects. It’s been a rollercoaster of mostly fun, but also hard work and sometimes lonely and isolating days, but it’s all worth it! I really do feel so fortunate to do what I get to do.

We love knowing what actors are watching at the moment. Which show or movie are you currently obsessed with?

I’m currently watching Dead to Me and it’s sooo good! I really loved watching Tick, Tick, Boom with my mom because she’s fun to watch musicals with. But I’ll always be obsessed with Friends and The Office. Those are my classic favs. And because it’s the season, I start watching ELF around Halloween and will probably see it a dozen times before Christmas. My dad showed me the Back to the Future trilogy when I was pretty young, and I loved it so much I had to name our dog Marty McFly!

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Clifford the Big Red Dog is out now in theaters! Make sure you follow Darby Camp on Instagram to stay up to date with her latest projects.