Finding the right path to take in life is difficult for most, but junior Chloe Reyes has known from a young age that acting is her passion. Now, Reyes is starring in Diamond Bar High School Drama department’s spring play, “Les Miserables,” and also has an opportunity for a role in the national traveling company of the musical “Miss Saigon.”

Reyes’ love for acting started when she was young, when she would mimic the characters she saw in movies and TV shows.

“I’ve always been acting. At a young age, I was fortunate enough to have parents who had little restrictions with the movies or content I watched, for the sake of its quality. I was able to respect movies and the characters in them,” Reyes said.

When Reyes was nine years old, a talent scout approached her and her parents at a mall. This encounter sparked her interest in the acting field. After this, Reyes auditioned for some commercials, but it wasn’t until she came to DBHS that her work as a performer truly began

Five years prior coming to DBHS, Reyes wanted to pursue a career in martial arts. But that changed once she began to work with the DBHS theater staff, who inspired her to embrace her talent and take acting seriously.

Reyes, who has been a part of many DBHS productions in the past three years, will star as Eponine in “Les Miserables.”

“Myself, four years ago, would only dream about performing ‘On My Own’ in its entirety. It is already incredible that we have the opportunity to do a production this big,” Reyes said.

Additionally, Reyes  placed first in the musical solo performance category at the annual California Thespian Film Festival for her performance of “Your Daddy’s Son” on April 1. She also scored highly on the London Academy of Musical and Dramatic Arts exam, which is the British version of the AP exam for the arts. She earned bronze level and passed with merit.

Reyes had a role in the fall production of “The Skin of our Teeth,” as Sabina, which lead to her recognition by the California Educational Theater Association. This association gave her many opportunities to further her career in other countries, such as the Philippines.

“With the permission of my parents and our fantastic school, I often make visits to the Philippines where I am building myself through the performing industry there,” Reyes said.

Reyes’ love of performing keeps her motivated throughout all of her tryouts and performances.

“There is this something about being on stage and putting yourself in a different reality. It takes me away from myself and puts me in a different perspective,” Reyes said.

She hopes to continue to pursue acting in college. Reyes believes her experiences at Diamond Bar will prepare her for her work ahead.

“Performing is what makes me happy, and with every new project I have the luxury to take, I learn more,” Reyes said.

She heard about the opportunity for a role in “Miss Saigon” from her mom one day after “Les Miserables” practice. Out of over a thousand people auditioning, Reyes and two other actresses received a call back. She is waiting to hear the results.

“Everyone was very talented and had just as good of a chance as I did. I guess the gods were in my favor because I was able to make it to call-backs and perform in front of the producer Cameron Mackintosh,” Reyes said, “It was an amazing experience. One I could, and will never forget.”