In 2006, Camilla Belle starred as Jill Johnson in When a Stranger Calls, an American psychological horror film directed by Simon West and written by Jake Wade Wall.
Camilla Belle in her pivotal role as Jill Johnson in the suspenseful thriller ‘When a Stranger Calls’ (2006) (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
The film is not based on a true story. It is a remake of Fred Walton’s 1979 horror film, which Walton wrote and directed, and Steve Feke co-wrote.
Rejection and Acceptance: How Camilla Belle Came to Star in the Film
After Evan Rachel Wood turned down the part, Camilla Belle accepted it despite her dislike for horror films.
“There’s really no script that a female character so young is able to play and to carry a film. There’s really no roles like that around, it’s very rare. So I wanted to take on that opportunity and see if I could pull it off,” she told Horror in a 2006 interview.
Intense moment captured in ‘When a Stranger Calls’ with Camilla Belle alongside young co-stars Madeline Carroll and Arthur Young (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
Camilla’s Perspective on Her Character and the Film
In another interview with Radio Free Entertainment, she revealed that it took some convincing before she accepted the role.
He’s very right. I was really skeptical about doing it…and I was like, “No, I don’t want to do a horror movie. Not my thing.” And then my agent was like, “Just go meet with Simon…I think this is a little bit different than what you think it’s going to be.” So then I met with him, and I read the script, and he was telling me the type of movie he wanted to make. “I want to make a psychological thriller. I don’t want to make a horror film…And we really want to make it like Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn.” I was like, “Oooh, okay! Well, if that’s the type of movie you’re going to make, I’m fine.” [laughs] I had a couple concerns about the setup of the character and whatnot, and he agreed, and we just got along really well. We had the same ideas about the film and we kind of clicked, and then I just decided to do it.
How Old Was Camilla Belle in When a Stranger Calls?
Principal photography began on January 1, 2005, and was completed on February 28, 2005, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Born on October 2, 1986, in Los Angeles, California, she was 18 while filming the movie and celebrated her 19th birthday on October 2, 2005.
When a Stranger Calls was theatrically released on February 3, 2006, and was a moderate box office success despite negative reviews from film critics.
A youthful Camilla Belle on the set of ‘When a Stranger Calls’, captured during the filming phase when she was just 18 (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
Celebrating a Milestone: 10 Years After ‘When a Stranger Calls’
In January 2016, Camilla Belle attended the grand opening of Jennifer Lopez’s new Las Vegas residency, “Jennifer Lopez: All I Have,” held at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
Camilla Belle exudes confidence with a poised expression at the premiere of Jennifer Lopez’s Las Vegas show ‘All I Have’ on January 20, 2016, at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
Ten years after the release of When a Stranger Calls, the then 29-year-old actress walked the red carpet in an intricately beaded black dress by Ralph Lauren.
The dress had a vintage feel with its fringed hem, but the plunging v-neckline kept things modern.
Camilla Belle graces the red carpet in a stunning flapper-inspired Ralph Lauren dress at Jennifer Lopez’s Las Vegas show opening (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
Camilla let her flapper-style dress do the talking by keeping her accessories to a minimum.
Detailed view of Camilla Belle’s vintage-inspired beaded Ralph Lauren dress, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
The Lost World: Jurassic Park actress teamed the dress with a pewter clutch and black sandals. She completed her look with fiery eye makeup and straight locks.
Camilla Belle teams her fringe-hemmed dress with a clutch and black sandals (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
A Night of Style: Camilla Belle at the Jennifer Lopez Official After Party
Later that evening, Camilla Belle joined other celebrities at the after-party at the new Mr. Chow at Caesars Palace.
Camilla Belle’s feet in simple black sandals (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
Before her arrival, she swapped her black frock for a floral embroidered dress from Monique Lhuillier’s Fall 2015 collection.
Camilla Belle enchants with a radiant smile, wearing a lace dress adorned with floral sequins at the Jennifer Lopez Official After Party Red Carpet held on January 20, 2016, at Mr. Chow inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
The “Open Road” actress kept the vintage vibe in the purple, silver, and blue mini dress. It also featured a high neck, cap sleeves, and a thigh-skimming hemline.
Camilla wore the same accessories, hair, and makeup as before and topped off the look with metallic sandals.
Camilla Belle wears a vintage-inspired Monique Lhuillier mini dress (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
Camilla picked the Tamara Mellon “Frontline” sandals in metallic silver for her feet. They have transparent side straps that create the illusion of floating straps, back zip fastenings, and about 4.5-inch heels.
Camilla Belle’s feet in silver Tamara Mellon sandals (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)
You can check out these sandals in different versions on Amazon.
Tamara Mellon Frontline Sandals, $595
In December 2019, she attended Brooks Brothers’ Annual Holiday Celebration to Benefit St. Jude at the West Hollywood EDITION in Los Angeles.
The American actress styled another pair of Tamara Mellon shoes with a sequin embroidered cotton dress and coat from Tory Burch.
Camilla Belle attends Brooks Brothers Annual Holiday Celebration To Benefit St. Jude at The West Hollywood EDITION on December 07, 2019, in West Hollywood, California (Credit: DJDM / Judy Eddy / WENN / Instar)