KYLE, Texas — Two nine-year-olds from Kyle went from playing their favorite video games to being celebrities on campus.
- Two students from Kyle, Texas featured in Microsoft commercial
- Gunnar Franchione watches his best friend Owen Sirmons play video games
- Hope to star in their own TV Show
Blanco Vista Elementary students Gunnar Franchione and Owen Sirmons are featured in the new Microsoft holiday commercial that premiered during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In the commercial, Owen is using an adaptive controller created by Microsoft to accommodate his needs. He was born with Escobar Syndrome.
"And it's an extremely rare genetic disorder so he's had it since birth. It just made him have tight joints and tight muscles. He's had 33 corrective surgeries," Owen’s mom Erica Sirmons said.
But Gunnar sees Owen no different than anyone else, and that's what his mom Rebecca Franchione said is so special about their friendship.
"Gunnar never has asked me a single question about it. He's never said a word. He just said I met this super cool kid and talked about Owen every single day," Rebecca Franchione said.
When the boys auditioned for the role, it was that true friendship that sold the casting directors. It all started in Kindergarten when Gunnar asked to have Owen's Play-Doh, then asked to be friends.
"Gunnar was like 'Hey let's be friends' and I'm like 'Yeah,' and I'm like 'Best friends?' and he's like 'Yeah,'" Sirmons said.
The pair filmed the commercial in Vancouver in October and have already gotten welcome feedback from their fellow classmates, and their families.
"They're just like 'Hey I saw your commercial, that's pretty good,'” Sirmons said.
The next step for these best friends is taking their newfound fame to the small screen. They hope to one day have a TV show called Owen and Gunnar Take On The World.