Colorado Actress Stars As Surfer Who Overcomes Odds

DENVER (CBS4) - Growing up in Colorado, actress Anna-Sophia Robb didn't get much chance to go surfing. So when she landed the lead role in the new surfing film "Soul Surfer" Robb knew she had to learn the sport quickly.

Robb, who still lives in Colorado, said she began working out in Denver to get ready for the part.

"I trained a lot for it. Here in Denver, actually, I was training for about 4 hours a day," she said.

That was before traveling to Hawaii for four to six weeks of surfing lessons and the filming of the movie.

"I'm sort of a surfer now," said Robb with a laugh in an interview with CBS. "I'm working on it. I'm definitely not very good at it but I love it."

For the interview Robb was seated next to Bethany Hamilton, who she plays in the movie. Hamilton overcame tremendous odds when she began surfing as an amateur again after losing an arm in a shark attack.

CBS4's Greg Moody says the movie is a faith-based, inspirational comeback story that's geared to a family audience.

LINK: SoulSurferTheMovie.com

More About Anna-Sophia Robb

Born in Denver on Dec. 8, 1993 ... Anna-Sophia Robb has had starring roles in two recent popular movies for the younger set -- Disney's "Race to Witch Mountain" and "Bridge to Terabithia." She also played "Opal," the lead role in "Because of Winn-Dixie" and took on the character of "Violet Beauregarde" in Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Robb told CBS4 Morning News in an interview in 2007 that she has been forced to do a lot of traveling since she started acting in movies, but she is happy whenever she gets to return to Denver and hang out with her friends.

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- Greg Moody is CBS4's Critic At Large. His reports on CBS4 News at 6 p.m. are featured on the CBSDenver.com Entertainment section and also don't miss his Moody's Picks page.