Pinon Hills actress stars in horror short film, 'Smile,' at Hesperia's Outpost Cafe

What happens when a customer at a small High Desert diner annoys an overworked waitress who’s on her last nerve and on the brink of snapping?

Actress Destini Sharp, 21, of Pinon Hills, said the answer lies in her short horror film “Smile,” currently being filmed at the Outpost Cafe in Hesperia.

“I play a waitress who meets a rough-neck trucker who comes into the diner and is really mean,” Sharp told the Daily Press. “The trucker pushes her to the limit and then — I guess you’ll have to watch the movie.”

Sharp, who wrote the film’s script, jokingly admitted that her inspiration came from dealing with “certain customers” when she worked at a café in Wrightwood.

Sharp said the “filmmaker behind the camera” is her boyfriend, Carson McCabe, 21, a Colorado native who moved to Los Angeles and owns Pushing Up Daisies Films.

More local films:Red-carpet screening of 'UNSHADOW: Hiding Place' draws praise from Apple Valley sci-fi fans

Carson also works for the motion picture equipment company Panavision, which made available the gear for the short film project, Sharp said.

“We’re just two young filmmakers trying to make a name for ourselves in this fast-paced and competitive film industry,” McCabe said. “We’re trying to put our names and faces out into the industry and show everyone what we got.”

‘Hemophilia: The Musical’

Sharp and McCabe met in New York City in November 2018 when they were among 25 students selected to perform in “Hemophilia: The Musical.”

The musical was considered a first-of-its-kind theatrical production written and performed by students who had unique experiences in life with a bleeding disorder.

“Out of thousands of kids, we were selected for the all-expense-paid trip to New York City,” said Sharp, who graduated from Serrano High School in 2019 and later from Victor Valley College. “We met, started talking and we really hit it off.”

Acting with family

Because the movie has a small budget, some of Sharp’s family members were recruited to fill roles in the film.

“My mom plays another waitress; my uncle, Rocky, plays the cook; and my boss from Lions Camp at Teresita Pines, (David Garry) plays the trucker,” Sharp said. “I also get to do something that I love — special effects and prosthetics.”

Besides her acting role, Sharp’s mother, Debbie Leonard, helped design costumes for the film.

“I designed a mountain of costumes for Destini back when she was a little girl,” Leonard said. “Let me tell you: she won a lot of Halloween costume contests.”

Nearly 12 years ago, Leonard attended an open casting call in downtown Victorville for extras in the 2011 sci-fi/Western film "Cowboys & Aliens."

“I’m not really an actress, but Destini was shy and I wanted to show her how to get over her shyness by trying to get a part in the movies,” Leonard said. “I also wanted to show her that you’re never too old to do anything.”

Though Leonard didn't get cast, the experience was fun and exciting for her as she attended the call with hundreds of people, she said.

Though Sharp was interested in acting, the COVID-19 pandemic reset her focus from acting to pursuing her education.

“Just before COVID hit, I had the opportunity to start acting instead of going to college,” Sharp said. “I had my foot in the door with Disney until the pandemic shut everything down.”

After the COVID-19 shutdowns were lifted, Sharp said she was pleased that she took college courses. She also came away with a new perspective.

“The main thing that COVID taught me is that life is too short and that I need to pursue my dream of acting,” Sharp said. “One day, I want to look back at my life and say that I at least tried.”

Dealing with bleeding

Leonard explained how her daughter was diagnosed with Von Willebrand disease, a lifelong bleeding disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly.

“It was her freshman year in high school when Destini donated blood, then started feeling strange, like she was totally out of it,” Leonard said. “After a few blood tests, the doctors at Loma Linda told me she had the disease.”

Sharp said she has to be cautious of hurting herself and that she can’t overdo certain activities that place a strain on her joints, especially her left knee and ankles.

Hemophilia and Von Willebrand disease are the most common congenital coagulation factor deficiencies, physicians say.

Hemophilia mainly affects males, while Von Willebrand disease affects males and females and is usually milder, the Mayo Clinic says.

Von Willebrand disease can cause excessive bleeding from an injury, surgery, or dental work. Also, frequent and long-lasting nosebleeds, heavy or long menstrual bleeding, easy bruising, blood in urine or stool and heavy bleeding during labor and delivery

Hemophilia patients experience both internal and external bleeding symptoms, such as bleeding, bruising, swelling, hemorrhage, and nerve compression, according to physicians.

Sharp said she has medication on hand in case she develops a serious bleed. One medication, Aminocaproic acid, controls bleeding during surgery.

“Whether it’s at work or during filming, I’m always careful,” Sharp said. “You have to take care of your health while you pursue the future.”

"Smile' is expected to be released this fall on several social media platforms, including Instagram @destini.sharp and @carson_beddows or by searching Carson McCabe on YouTube.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Horror film in High Desert diner shows what happens when a waitress snaps