Mom Admits to Spending $160K for Daughter's Acting Dream
Sandra tells Anderson she spent about $160,000 in the last seven years while living in Los Angeles and trying to launch her 14-year-old daughter's career.
Sandra's daughter Megan, who changed her name to Presley Cash, tells Anderson she is living her dream and feels lucky to have a mom like Sandra. The two have been living in the Oakwood Apartments in Burbank for the last seven years and reveal they don't have a bed, and they eat rice and beans to keep costs down.
"Top Model" judge Kelly Cutrone chimes in, asking, "How can you spend $160,000 and not have a bed? Can you please just answer that question for me?"
When Anderson asks if Sandra has a college fund set aside for Presley, she replies, "No, I don't."
Click here to see more of Sandra and Presley in "The Hollywood Complex."
Comments
I have worked personally with both Sandra and Presley, and after much debate about posting here, I decided to put my thoughts out there. Let me start by telling you who I am because I detest anonymity and frown upon those who hide behind it. My name is Heather Broeker and I work with ChildrenInFilm.com, a company dedicated to the positive employment of children in the entertainment business helping parents successfully launch their child's career. I mentored and coached Presley in a variety of our programs where I saw her learn and grown as a young person and as a performer. To those of you who believe that Presley's career is driven solely by her mother, I have to disagree. She genuinely desires a career in entertainment and she is, in my opinion, a true performer at heart regardless of whether that performance mentality gets her an award at the Oscars, a part in a small-town production, or simply the skills to pitch to a client. Should her parents put more focus on family? On education? In my opinion, yes, but it is just that - my opinion, not my decision. There are laws in place in California to protect child actors from the industry and, sad as it seems, from their parents if necessary. We need to further advocate those laws and, in this "reality-tv based world," fight for laws in other states that currently have no regulations. But I digress. Presley is sweet, good-spirited and like all children, has her own set of talents and goals. And Presley has a quality that some girls sadly lose at her age: she adores and respects her mother. Yes, in my humble yet educated opinion, her mother has made a few mistakes that may, especially when in the public eye, exacerbate Presley's struggle. But what parent hasn't made mistakes? It just happens that the media puts "the drama" in the spotlight because drama and negativity sell and, guess what, we as a society eat it up. Shame on the media for choosing to highlight the negativity. Shame on us for allowing it. Where were all the Children In Film success-story families when this episode's concept was pitched? Probably at home having a normal family dinner after a day of school and auditions. Those stories exist too! My advice: to those of you looking to break in to the industry, do it the right way, follow the process, know when to say no, stay true to yourselves, and parents be parents first. Surround yourselves with the right people and the right team. Don't know what types of positions make up "a team?" You have homework to do. Use the right resources. And to those of you who want to spread hearsay and perpetuate drama, at least have the guts to sign your name to it.
~Heather Broeker
I'm appauled at how you and Kelly treated Presley & her mother - Where are the athletes & their parents who spend thousands of dollars for their kids olympic gold dreams - or families who get torn apart because their child went to a Ballet Academy? or are on Broadway? I've spent thousands of dollars on my kids ambitions in life - We created our own Teen TV Show that aired on TV for my daughter who was 17 years old at the time. My son is a dancer who we are flying to Hollywood, KC or Dallas for dance conventions & training for a professional career - My other daughter wants to do pageants which I hate but do for my kids - I have friends who travel on a weekly basis for their kids who play baseball all summer on traveling teams spending way more than I do - I also know parents who spend thousands on tuition at prestigious private schools buying food from the dollar general so they can have a competitive edge for Ivy Leauge schools - Presely & Her mom are not dupped or trying to scam anyone - They are doing what thousands of parents do every year - You should have attacked those modeling scam companies not tear down a family who has sacrificed so much for their kids future - Just because they don't wish to persue a college degree doesn't make them wrong - Get Brittny Spears mom on the show and ask her how many thousands of dollars they spent before making it in the industry. The entertainment industry or professional sports industry doesn't just find miraculous people off the streets - that's a rare occasion - Every athlete or performer dancer, musician or actor had to find a struggle with support of their parents - And yes there are some parents who take things too far- I've seen burned out athletes & kids who have been pushed too far by a wannabe parent - But I watched the documentary Hollywood Complex and yes it is an extreme you can pursue but I also was friends with athletes as a teenager who are now in the WNBA and their parents did just as much if not more for their kids dreams - it doesn't make them bad parents and how dare Kelly disrespect Sandra like that calling her white trash or trailer trash? Give me a break! The only one who looked like trash to me was Kelly for not even asking what success they have gained - Maybe you should have asked instead how much she spent on rent since we all have to spend on rent to survive - how much success has she gained so far? and was it worth it for their family? Kelly was rude!
7yrs 160...,000 not shocking at all especially in a large city as LA and she said it was mostly on living expenses. As a parent I have for years spent money on a car, mortgage, food, sports, dance lessons, singing lessons so I spend money too on my family. BIG DEAL WE ALL DO!. P.C. is a very talented singer actor and works. Its a shame the show never tells you her success only bad mouths them. And it is not up to a parent to pay for college. No one has to go to college it is a choice so there for not being a right a parent doesnt have to pay. If that was the case divorced people would still get child support while their child was in college. So do what you want with your money its yours so spend it however your family wants to! Its not up to us to judge and you cant take it with you so keep showing your daughter what supportive parents are! Besides she is 14 like most people when college roles around you make it work and you can save for 5 yrs. Who said she wants to go anyways?
Are you joking?Does this mother really have 160...k to spend on something like t hat which her daughter probably won't be in movies.Whats wrong with this mother?Does this mother have a house and bills to pay?The daughter should get a job.
I understand what the parents are going through wanting to help their kids have their shot at fame. Two years ago I sold my home and moved to Atlanta where my daughter was promised a record deal and a whole lot more, needless to say all did not not work out.My daughter is now very disillusioned at this point and her core has suffered from this this experience. We will be getting back into to the business, She will just have to be very careful how. Scamming is rampart in the entertainment business, and buyer beware. We are wiser now. I was present at all meetings, with the exception of a couple of recording sessions, in the end the guy we were dealing with turned out to be a total crook. Yes we had recording deal... Which was financed by several backers this person lost all the of the funds and shelved my daughters contract. So we have a complete CD just ready to go just sitting somewhere out there. A lot of hard work for nothing, If that doesn't break your spirit nothing will.