It comes as no surprise that Bindi Irwin, the daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, would make her feature film debut in a heartwarming story of a little girl who saves a baby orca whale. What might be surprising to some is what a charming job she does.

Sure, she’s starred in her own television show, Bindi, the Jungle Girl, and has spent a good deal of her life in front of cameras and live audiences, but that’s no guarantee of acting ability. Face it – the kid’s a natural.

It can’t hurt that young Ms. Irwin shares much in common with her character, Kirra. The daughter of an Australian veterinarian, Kirra lost her mother at a young age. The story doesn’t dwell on this detail, allowing that the characters have moved past this tragedy in their lives. One can’t help but find that comforting in light of the untimely loss of Bindi’s dad in 2006. Read the rest of this entry »