In February 2019, Schroeder announced that she would be joining the United States Army. She attended Officer Candidate School, graduating with a commission as a Second Lieutenant on September 20, 2019. She is currently an Infantry Officer with the rank of Captain.[1]
Schroeder was born in Valparaiso, Indiana. Carly's younger brother, Hunter Schroeder, is a former actor; he appeared with her in Gracie and Eye of the Dolphin prior to his current career in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her parents Paul and Kelli currently reside in Ventura County, California. In 1993, while accompanying a cousin to an acting audition, the casting director asked if the cute three-year-old would consider working for them.[citation needed] Initially, her mother was hesitant about the question, but things such as money for a college education began to appeal to her. After her first job as a child print model, she began doing print work in Chicago for Sears, Roebuck and Company, Kmart, Spiegel, Lands' End, Chuck E. Cheese's and many other print advertisers. Two years later in 1995, child director Bob Ebel asked her to do a few television commercials. One of her first commercials was for Birthday Party Barbie in 1998.
In 1997, American Broadcasting Company (ABC) hired Schroeder to play Serena Baldwin on Port Charles. She was twice nominated for a Young Artist Award for her work on the show; once in 1999 and again in 2000, as well as a Young Star Award[2] nomination in 1999 for Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program. Schroeder then appeared as Melina Bianco in The Disney Channel's Lizzie McGuire. Originally booked as a one-time appearance, she shot twelve episodes of the show and also appeared in The Lizzie McGuire Movie in 2003, in the same role.[citation needed]
In 2003, Schroeder auditioned for her first feature film and won the role of Millie in the thriller Mean Creek. The movie won wide acclaim for Schroeder and the rest of the cast, winning the Humanitas Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and also being awarded the 2005 Independent Spirit Festival[3] Special Distinction Award for best ensemble cast.
Gracie was Shroeder's next film role, in 2006. In order to win the role, she began an intense three-month work-out that included a daily regimen of not only physical fitness, but also of training in advanced soccer skills with professional athletes and trainers.
While Gracie was in theaters, Schroeder's other movie, Eye of the Dolphin, was receiving attention, winning two awards from the 2007 International Family Film Festival:[4] a Best Child Actor win for Schroeder, and a Drama Feature win for the movie. The movie has been well received and continues to receive honors, including being named as an Official Selection for the Tribeca Film Festival, Delray Beach Film Festival, Kids First! Film Festival, Tiburon Film Festival, USA Family Film Festival and the Worldfest Houston Film festival.[citation needed] At the 2007 Kids First Awards[5] in October, Schroeder received the award for Best Emerging Actress, while the film received the Best Feature Award (ages 12–18).
Her other movies are Forget Me Not (2009), and Slightly Single in L.A., which completed filming in 2009 and was released in 2012. She was also featured in Creepers (2011) and Prep School (2015).[citation needed]
