By Jeanne Sager
COCHECTON — June 21, 2002 – Kristen Drobysh thinks she has the answer to the top question on most teenage guys’ minds.
Just how big is Jennifer Lopez’s rear end?
“She’s got a really big butt,” the Sullivan West/Delaware Valley fifth grader giggled.
And she should know. After all, Drobysh and her 13-year-old brother Joseph spent a whole day in Yonkers last week with the Latina music sensation.
The Cochecton youths were filming a movie with Lopez, Ralph Fiennes and some of the other big names of the business – courtesy of two small parts cast by mom Susan’s childhood friend.
Susan Drobysh grew up in Queens with a girl who later went on to become a casting director, choosing stars to fill the roles on television shows such as “Seinfeld.” Now she’s in charge of finding people to play different parts in movies shot in the Manhattan area.
“I usually send her pictures of my kids, just because she’s my friend,” Drobysh noted. “But she didn’t even tell me she was submitting them.”
When filming of “The Chambermaid” was set to begin down in Yonkers, Drobysh’s friend heard about a part for two children – a real brother and sister who could convincingly play the role of relatives.
When the Drobysh children’s pictures were submitted, they quickly won the parts. They got the call on a Thursday that they were going to be appearing on film, and by the following Tuesday the Drobyshes were headed down to the city for filming.
Joseph, a seventh grader at Sullivan West/Delaware Valley, got a speaking role with just nine words, and his sister got to get in an elevator with him and the two stars playing their parents – the Lefferts.
According to their mom, Joseph and Kristen’s characters served as a diversion for Lopez’ character as she attempted to get on the elevator.
Joseph got to whine to his “father,” “Dad, you said you’d take us to Niketown.”
It was a great experience for the children, Susan said.
“It was a lot of fun,” she said, “and for the most part, they actually behaved themselves considering they’re really brother and sister.”
Kristen admits it wasn’t all about brotherly love behind the closed doors of the elevator, but the job was worth it. She got to meet Lopez, and each of the youngsters paused for a photograph with the star.
Plus Mom got to stand for a picture with Fiennes.
According to Kristen, the experience was a lot of fun, but it was a little tiring.
“It took a whole day to shoot one scene,” she explained. “It just wasn’t right for them.”
The youths got up early in the morning to make the trip from Cochecton down to New York City. Then they had to wait in their own dressing room until the makeup artist could get them ready for the day’s shooting. And Joseph’s lines were changed two different times.
But, Kristen said, they were able to walk around and see how the sets were designed, and they spotted a lot of famous actors.
“It was fun,” she said. “If you’ve never been there, you wouldn’t know what to expect.
“It was this big warehouse, and all the stars were just sitting around,” she added. “They all knew what to do, and we didn’t know.”
The kids have been bitten by a bit of an acting bug. Joseph wants to grow up to be an actor/comedian or pursue a career in robotics. Kristen has considered modeling and would enjoy being featured in another film. Both are looking forward to saving up money for their own cars (and Kristen has agreed to set some aside for college as well).
Their mom has already put the word out that they will be available on their trip to California this summer for another role in a movie, and her friend has her ears open.
And according to Kristen, the siblings would like a shot at another Jennifer Lopez film – or at least she’s sure her brother would.
“I think he likes her,” she added with a giggle.
Kristen and Joseph are also the children of John Drobysh of Cochecton.