Angela Shelton facts for kids

Angela Shelton (born December 5, 1972) is an American screenwriter, actress, and producer. She is known for making documentary films and movies. Her most famous works include the movie Tumbleweeds (1999) and the documentary Searching for Angela Shelton (2004).

She also wrote a book in 2008 about her life called Finding Angela Shelton. The book tells the story of how she overcame a difficult past.

Early Life and Career

Angela Shelton was born in Asheville, North Carolina. After her parents divorced, she had a very challenging childhood. She and her siblings were eventually placed in foster care, a system that provides a home for children who cannot live with their parents.

Later, she was returned to her mother. Her experiences inspired the 1999 movie Tumbleweeds. She co-wrote the screenplay with her husband at the time, Gavin O'Connor. The film is based on her life with her mother.

As an actress, Shelton has appeared in several movies and TV shows. She was in the films Comfortably Numb (1995) and The Shrink Is In (2001). She also had roles in TV series like Pacific Blue, Chicago Hope, and Becker.

Important Film Projects

Searching for Angela Shelton

Her difficult childhood inspired her to create the documentary Searching for Angela Shelton (2004). In 2001, she traveled across the United States in a motor home. Her goal was to interview other women who had the same name as her.

She spoke with 40 different Angela Sheltons. She discovered that many of them had also faced very hard times in their lives. During the making of the film, she also met with her father to talk about her own painful childhood experiences.

The film took three years to make. Shelton showed it on TV programs like 48 Hours and The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2006, a version of the film was shown on the Lifetime television channel. It was part of a campaign to help stop violence against women.

Other Movies

Shelton wrote, produced, and directed the 2018 movie The Hammer. It tells the true story of George "The Hammer" Martin, a boxer in prison. He was offered a chance at freedom if he would fight in the 1984 Olympics, but he refused.

In 2020, she made the movie The Eagle and the Albatross. The story is about a young girl, played by Amber Liu, who loves golf. She gets help from an older man, played by Dan Lauria, who also loves the sport.

Author and Speaker

In 2007, Shelton published her book, Finding Angela Shelton. In the book, she shares how making her documentary helped her face her past. She wrote it to encourage others who have had similar experiences to begin healing.

In 2013, she gave a speech called "Use Your Sword" at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana, Illinois. She shared her personal story to inspire others.

Awards and Recognition

Angela Shelton has won many awards for her work.

• She won a regional Emmy Award for her role as Safe Side Superchick in The Safe Side Series, a safety video series for kids.
• Her documentary Searching for Angela Shelton won Best Documentary at several film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival and the Memphis International Film Festival.
• She received a Humanitarian Award from Umpqua Community College in Oregon.

Because of her work, the mayor of her hometown, Asheville, North Carolina, declared April 29, 2005, to be Angela Shelton Day.

External links

• Interview in August 2003 issue of Written By magazine (archived)
• Angela Shelton - official website: http://www.angelashelton.com/
• Angela Shelton - official blog: http://angelashelton.com/blog