Detention star Shanley Caswell a Florida girl

In Detention, Shanley Caswell plays Riley, a misfit turned hero battling a bandaged-up killer with a big ax and other terrifying things. In real life, growing up in Sarasota where her family still resides, Caswell had a tamer existence. “I was pretty lame, actually,’’ says the 20-year-old. “I was a nerdy and kind of brainiac.’’ Extracurricular activities didn’t include saving the world, as Riley tries to; more like lots of water sports. “I was always at the beach, wave boarding or surfing or kayaking. When I wasn’t studying I was always outside.’’ Life in Los Angeles has taken some adjusting. “I am a Florida girl. I love the ocean. I love the sun. I do like the mountains and snow, occasionally. Occasionally.’’ But don’t look for her coming home anytime soon. Detention — which opens Friday and is kind of like Scream, Heathers, I Am Number Four and The Breakfast Club rolled into one — is putting her squarely on the Hollywood map. She realized the plot was well, unique, a few pages in. “I had read a lot of scripts where the formula’s the same, and you know how it’s going to end. This one kept throwing things at me that I hadn’t expected or heard of. I wanted to be part of something innovative and new.’’ But carrying the whole movie on her not so experienced shoulders was a slight challenge. “I was a little overwhelmed,’’ she admits. “The hours were long, and it was crazy. I kind of had a moment where I said to myself, ‘I don’t think I can do this.’ But the director and [costars] Dane Cook and Josh Hutcherson seemed to have a lot of trust in me. I felt confident.’’ By the way, Detention was shot before Hutcherson shot into the stratosphere in The Hunger Games. “I’m super proud of him,’’ says Caswell. “I knew if anyone could do it, he could. I was a huge fan of the books, and Josh did a great job.’’

This story was originally published April 12, 2012 at 9:04 PM with the headline "Detention star Shanley Caswell a Florida girl."