Meet Scout: ‘Mockingbird’ actress Mary Badham to appear at Asheboro’s Sunset Theatre

Mary Badham speaks at Birmingham Southern College. Adapted from a photo by Thecoiner License CC BY-SA 3.0

ASHEBORO – Actress Mary Badham, who played Scout in the classic 1962 film adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, will appear at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at the historic Sunset Theatre in downtown Asheboro.

Badham will share her experiences making the film, reflect on the book’s message of tolerance and compassion, and take audience questions.

Her appearance is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, the City of Asheboro and The Courier-Tribune. It’s free and the public is invited.

Prior to Badham’s appearance,  a free showing of the film will take place at 2:30 p.m. at the Sunset for those who have not seen it or want to see it again.

Badham was chosen for the role of Scout at age 10, with no prior acting experience. She was nominated for a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for her performance.

After appearing in two other films, including This Property Is Condemned with Natalie Wood and Robert Redford, and TV shows Twilight Zone and Dr. Kildare, she left acting as a teenager to pursue her education.

She currently maintains a busy schedule talking to audiences internationally about the book and the film, and has twice appeared at the White House. Her interest is in expanding knowledge about the film’s message of social injustice and to insure that each generation of students can experience the film’s impact.

The Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Ave. For further information, contact the Asheboro Public Library at 318-6803.