Christa Watkins

Christa was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, and grew up in Delta, Pennsylvania, where she primarily resided with her grandparents, Aubrey and Margaret Brackenrich. She moved back to Maryland with her parents at the age of 16, and began a short-lived music career soon after. When faced with potential opportunities to take her career further, she decided it wasn't for her. About the same time, at the age of 21, she gained legal control of her grandparents' estate. She sold the house, using the funds to purchase a computer and a pickup truck, with the remaining funds supporting her while she decided what she wanted to do with her life. (During a recent conversation, she disclosed that she still hasn't figured it out, and has happily accepted that she never will.) She found an office job at MarylandSources magazine and worked her way up to designer, Assistant Editor-in-Chief, and Director. In 1998, she moved to Nashville and took a part-time job as a concessionist at a movie theatre. Soon she moved up to management, and the "real job" she was avoiding cornered her. While working a slow day shift, she met Read Ridley, who was interested in using the theatre to screen a film. The screening didn't happen, but they stayed in touch, and the following year he offered her the role of Billie in his film, Dodge City: A Spaghetto Western. She's quite proud of the fact that she coined the term "spaghetto" while sitting on his couch one day as they reviewed the script. She is still working in management for the same company. At various times she has done graphic and web design jobs on the side, as well as consulting, as has kept one foot in the film industry. She is pursuing screen writing, and is looking forward to doing more acting in the future.