Jason Earles: Staying Grounded While Shooting for the Stars

By: Susan J. Yeager

He co-stars on the most popular show on the planet, is part of a world-wide phenomenon, plays brother to one of the most talked about stars of the past year, and draws hundreds of teen girls and their mothers to his personal appearances, but you would never know it from meeting Jason Earles. The actor who plays "Jackson Stewart" on the Disney Channel runaway hit "Hannah Montana" comes across as more of that cute, smart and funny guy that sits next to you in English class (that you would so have a crush on) than Hollywood actor type who goes to work every day with THE Miley Cyrus.


Case-in-point, when I walk into the lobby of the hotel a few minutes before our scheduled interview time, I barely even notice the guy standing by the front desk waiting patiently for the staff member to help him. But after taking another look around, I thought, "That guy looks familiar." Surely, an actor in town to make a public appearance wouldn't just be waiting in the lobby all by himself. "That can't be him," I thought. He was completely alone and the lobby was starting to fill up with people checking out or needing help at the front desk, including two teenage girls who didn't seem to notice him either. Once I realized it WAS him, I was starting to get nervous for the guy who was probably seconds away from being mobbed.

After I introduced myself, Jason started to get concerned that it was taking too long for the front desk to complete his transaction. Not because they were keeping him waiting, but because it was cutting into our interview and he was afraid that I wouldn't have enough time. He also didn't want to be a minute late to his mall appearance. Apparently, the girl behind the desk had no idea who Jason was and that you probably shouldn't keep him lingering in the lobby like this. Just across the street at the mall, hundreds of people had started lining up hours earlier just to see this guy, and now she had moved on to helping not only the next person in line, but two more people after that without finishing Jason's transaction. I wanted to scream at her "Don't you know who this is?" and I hate that line! The coolest part of the whole thing was that it didn't seem to bother Jason at all. I don't think he has any clue that he's kind of a big deal either.

Photos by Charles W. Armstead

Jason stumbled into acting in the third grade and stuck with it when he realized that it was his way of getting attention in a large family. "The very first play I was in was 'Hansel and Gretel' in the third grade," he tells us about his first acting experience. "I come from a very large family. There's five kids and then my Mom and my Dad and it's a constant struggle for attention. So when I did that play my parents came and watched. All of my brothers and my sisters were in the audience. It was the one thing that I did that I knew I would get all of the attention. So, from about the third grade on… I knew that it was a really good way to get noticed. That was when it first started for me."

Photos by Charles W. Armstead

His family was completely supportive of his decision to try acting as a career. "I've always taken education very seriously," he says of easing his parent's mind about such an unsteady career choice. "I'm a really good student, mostly A's. My family always said, 'if you're gonna give it a try, it's better to try it earlier rather than later.' When you're older and have responsibilities, it's harder to get away and chase your dreams. They were very supportive. They thought 'Go! Give it a whirl.'"

He found himself doing Summer Stock Theater with the Virginia City Players and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. "That was the first time I actually got paid to do something that I really liked," he recalls. "I thought, 'if I could turn this into a career… this is a good thing.'"

Later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting and soon landed a job that would make his face and name known world-wide. It was a job that he almost didn't even audition for. "I got a call from my agent saying you have an audition for a pilot called 'Hannah Montana,' he says, when asked about the first time he ever heard those fateful words. "I said 'that sounds like the stupidest name for a show of all time,'" he says laughing and shaking his head at the memory. "Now, it's so part of the vernacular that you don't even think about it anymore. You don't think about how silly the name "Hannah Montana" actually is."

"I almost didn't go to the audition," he continues. "A lot of people don't know that. The character was originally very introverted and he didn't know how to deal with the success of his sister. He had this big orangutan hand puppet. If you asked me a question, I would be sort of shy, but I would be sassy with the orangutan hand puppet. And it was ridiculous. I almost didn't go because I thought it was so stupid. I ended up booking the pilot. We were two days from actually shooting the pilot and we did a scene where it was Billy Ray, Miley and myself, as a family and we were interacting and there was no puppet and the writer's said 'you know what? That family dynamic is so much more interesting than the stupid hand puppet.'"

It was a change that the actor welcomed. "I can't do two or three years of talking with this hand puppet!" Jason remembers thinking. "I just can't! I just can't do it! Just that hand puppet alone I think would have made the show just a silly kid's show and not the good family show that I think it's turned into."


Hand puppet free, Jason has helped create a wonderful, entertaining show for the whole family to enjoy watching together. Next year, the "Hannah" gang will not only be seen on the small screen, they will take over the Big Screen too when the "Hannah Montana" feature films rolls into a theater near you. As excited as the actor is about the project, he just can't divulge too much information just yet. "It's finished!" he says laughing when asked what he can say about this movie. "We finished shooting it this last week actually. We spent two months in Tennessee and three weeks in Los Angeles shooting it. So it was a pretty long shoot. I think that people are really going to love it because even if there was no show, it is a great stand alone, family-oriented movie. I get very messy and do the things that I do in the show. You know, fall down, get hurt and that sort of stuff. It's sort of a return to your roots story for Miley. We take her back to Tennessee so she can sort of remember where she came from. So you get to see more of the extended family and sort of where this wacky family came from before they moved to Malibu."

In terms of hobbies and downtime, Jason sounds like your brother. "I like to snowboard. I play video games probably more than I should. I try to offset that by going to the gym and trying to stay active. I watch a lot of movies. I watch a lot of television. I justify that by saying it's research, but I'm just a big fan of movies and TV."


Not that downtime is easy to come by. Having just finished the film, Jason heads back to the studio this week to start filming more episodes of "Hannah Montana." He can also be seen in the upcoming film "Dadnapped" on the Disney Channel. "Emily Osment from our show, Moises Arias from our show is in it, Phill Lewis from the 'Suite Life' is in it, David Henrie from 'Wizards of Waverly' is in it," he explains. "There's a lot of familiar Disney faces but we all play roles that are different than what we play on our shows. So it will be fun to see the familiar but the different all in one."

And last but not least, there's the project where Jason will be heard but not seen. This is one project that has literally gone to the dogs. "Then I did a voice in this movie called "Space Buddies," he says, wrapping up the list of upcoming things to keep an eye out for. "It's a sequel to the 'Snow Buddies,' sort of franchise of talking dog movies. I do the voice of 'Spudnick' the Russian Dogbonaut. All the little buddies, they go up into space and they have a little adventure up there. That should come out on video a little later this year towards the holidays."


The ever-busy actor will spend some upcoming weekends traveling around the country to meet with hundreds of fans at personal appearances. He loves talking with the people who keep him working and talking about the show. If they asked for advice on becoming an actor themselves, what would Jason tell them? "I would say that perseverance is the key. You will be told no a hundred times for every maybe. And you need 50 maybes for every yes. That one yes feels better… you add up all of the bad from the hundred no's and it outweighs that. It's just a matter of sticking around long enough that you get your chance."

If you have the chance to write Jason a note and tell him how much you enjoy seeing him on TV, you can send it to: Jason Earles, c/o Hannah Montana, The Disney Channel, 3800 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91505.

Jason flipped through the latest issue of "EnterTeenment News" after our interview. We laughed when he opened it right to the page that featured Miley and Billy Ray hosting the CMT Music Awards.
Photo by: Charles W. Armstead


Jason On:
Realizing that you are part of a phenomenon…

"It's something that slowly builds. We shot for probably six or seven months that first season before we actually aired any episodes. We were doing it for so long. It felt like doing summer theater where you would shoot an episode in a week, and then it was over and then you would sort of forget about it. As soon as it aired, the next day, you would go outside and you'd go to the mall and people would be like 'you're that guy from 'Hannah Montana.' Since it's aired, it seems like every couple of months it sort of takes another step as far as the way people recognize you. At first it was 'that's Hannah Montana's brother.' And then 'That's Jackson!' And then it's 'That's Jason Earles.' So once they get to the point where they actually know your name, then that's about the time that I realized we've been around long enough that they actually know us and not just the characters."


Filming the Show…

"Every episode takes one week to shoot. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are rehearsal days and then Thursday we pre-tape anything that is sort of complicated. If somebody is going to get really messy, or if there's special effects we do that because it would take too long to shoot in front of a live audience. Then Friday, we do our live audience show. We'll come in about 12:00, we'll camera block all the scenes, do a little bit of fine-tune rehearsal, and then about four o'clock, we load the audience in. Four thirty, we show them an episode that either leads up to the episode that we're getting ready to shoot or sort of pertains to our story that week in some way, then at 5:00, we do the live audience show until about 8:30."

His Favorite Episode…

"I've got a bunch of episodes that when people ask me, I think about, but the one that I probably say is my favorite more often than not is there is an episode where I take the candy away from Rico, who's like my arch nemesis in the show and then I eat it myself. I have a little bit of sugar addiction problem. I get really, really hyper and just a little out of control. A lot of the kids say that's their favorite episode. And I liked it just because there were some really over the top, silly things that we did in it."

Guest Stars…


"Uncle Earl"

"I don't know if a lot of people know that's David Koechner. He's in 'Get Smart' and a bunch of the Will Ferrell movies. Incredible funny, improvisational actor. He's one of my favorite guest stars."



"Season two sort of became the season of the guest star. Vicki Lawrence is awesome. She's very professional, super prepared… brings a lot of her own sort of sensibilities and comedy to the role."

"Somebody like Larry David who came on and did the show… it was one of the times where everything just stops and everybody crowds around the monitors and we just watch and see what he does, because he improvs so much. Every take was just gold. I think it would be hard to pick the one you want to use because everyone was different and everyone was hilarious."


What he's known for among Family and Friends:

"I'm the tension breaker. When things get too intense, I am the one that usually makes light of whatever the situation is and helps diffuse an intense situation."


His Dream Role:

"I love the funny stuff so I would have to do a funny feature or I would build s sitcom and I would love to have Michael J. Fox in it because I have always looked up to him. I sort of hope that my career path will be sort of like his. I think we have some of the same characteristics. I think Joey Fatone is just silly, funny. I think it would be fun to go to work with somebody like Joey everyday. I think the person that I always think of that I just really respect is Michael J. Fox. A sit-com with Michael J. Fox would be great."



For more on Jason and the whole "Hannah" gang... head to Hannah Montana at DisneyChannel.com




Photos Provided by: The Disney Channel



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Photo Provided by: Webster PR

Deal or No Deal: LoCash Cowboys are Making Their Mark on Country Music

Ask anyone in the honkytonks of Nashville about the LoCash Cowboys and you will likely hear that they are two of the hardest working performers to call Music City their adopted home. Preston Brust and Chris Lucas relocated to the area several years ago (Preston via Indiana, Chris hails from Maryland) and the two joined forces while teaching line dancing at the famous Nashville tourist attraction, The Wildhorse Saloon. It didn't take long to see that this dynamic duo had that "It" factor that whips crowds into frenzies. Seeing their live show can make a lazy Sunday afternoon feel like a wild, Friday night.

Picking up immediately on what these entertainers had to offer, top Nashville booking agency, Buddy Lee Attractions, added LoCash to their roster and immediately put the boys on the road. Last year, the guys and their band played over 200 shows and will surpass that mark again this year. This time around, however, they have a little help. In twelve cities, Redman and Maxim are literally rolling out the red carpet for fans and other VIPS to get introduced to LoCash Cowboys. Maxim representatives are on hand to take pictures of everyone as they stroll down the carpet and dancers are also mingling to teach everyone the latest in line dancing. The whole set-up definitely adds a little spice to ordinary weekend plans.

The guys have already developed a huge legion of fans that is growing in large numbers after every show. Preston commented recently about seeing familiar faces in the audience. "Where do I start? They travel as much as we do (Ha!) and that's a lot! I can't say enough about how devoted and truly amazing our Locash Family is. I've seen some of our fans make 13 & 15 hour drives just to catch one of our shows! Sometimes, that's further than we travel to perform at the same show. They always lift us up when the road gets tough and they're always there to celebrate with us when cool things happen! We always try to make sure they get the show they are counting on when they arrive as well. They deserve the best we can do every night...no excuse! If that means singing a song that's a little tough cause our vocals cords are tired or me jumping off a two-story roof just to get a crazy but cool photo op for everyone... we always try to give it to them. We been to so many concerts where the artist just half-heartedly gets through the night to fulfill the contract and it leaves us feeling empty, so we always try to remember that EVERY NIGHT, EVERY SHOW matters! No matter what!"

Not being able to say enough about the fans, Preston continues. "Can you believe some of our fans have been to over 100 shows?" he says in disbelief. "That might be more than us!" he jokes. "We were in Evansville, Indiana back in April '08 and we brought one of our fans who had been to 100 shows up on stage and gave her the guitar strap right off of my guitar! I've used that guitar strap in over 300 shows so it was a very special piece of LoCash history, but you have to know the rest of the story," he teases.

"After I gave it to her she wanted it signed so Chris and I took a silver sharpie and signed the strap. About a week later we were rockin' a BIG CONCERT for the MAXIM / REDMAN Tour and I forgot to get a new guitar strap. Of course, our dedicated fans were in the audience so she grabbed the guitar strap out of her car and let me borrow it back for a night (which turned into a week, which turned into a month...and I finally got unbusy enough to grab a new guitar strap for my guitar). With that said, you can see how amazing our fans and friends are. Oh yeah," he continues, "and as soon as I see her at another show, I'll be giving her my guitar strap for the second time." To sum it up, Preston concludes, "The Locash Family is on this crazy roller coaster with us and it feels good to run out on stage every night and see the LoCash Family rockin' out like it's their very first LoCash show ever!


Photo Provided by: Webster PR

It's not only the fans showing love for the performers, a lot of VIP's in the industry have gotten on the LoCash train, as well. The Country Music Association invited the guys to perform at their CMA Awards After-Party and have asked them to take part in the CMA Music Fest three years in a row. LoCash took to the River Stages for a second consecutive year this year, a feat that they are sincerely grateful for considering most of the other acts that appeared are on major labels now.

That brings us to the only piece of the puzzle that doesn't quite add up. With so many shows drawing good crowds and corporate support and sponsorships, why hasn't a major label seen the light and signed LoCash to a deal? It's something Chris and Preston hope will happen soon but they aren't stopping the music for it. "It's not that we don't want a deal," Chris says honestly, "but, we are not going to stop, and sit around and wait for one. We like to work and stay true to our fans and friends."

Having been building small successes every step of the way, LoCash knows that eventually, they will find the right company to take them even further. "We have a great team in place right now," Chris continues, "and I feel when the time is right, and the right deal comes along, it will just add gasoline to the fire that is already burning. [We'll be] one, big, happy family!"

Both Chris and Preston are quick to rattle off a few of the highlights of the past year because they feel so blessed at just being able to make music as a career. Preston sites the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas as one his favorite memories. "NFR brought us out to Vegas for the Finals," he exclaims. "INCREDIBLE! And [they] even sent us HUGE framed posters autographed by all the participants. I think I even saw autographs by some of the bulls," he jokes.

Other highlights for the duo include having their song "Boom Boom" used as the theme song for TNA Wrestling and getting the opportunity to perform it live on the "Slammiversary" Pay-Per-View special. Mostly though, they are just happy to get out in front of the fans almost every night. Chris says, "It's been a great year and I hope if the good Lord's willing, we will keep it going."

Having seen the LoCash Cowboys perform on more than one occasion, we're in awe of the amount of excitement that two people are able to generate. They make it look so easy when in reality, they give their hearts, souls and lives just to be given that time on stage. It's just a matter of time until a record executive sees them and realizes they've found hidden treasure. Their story brings to mind a biography on that one performer who tells of being misunderstood and passed on by every label in town. You might have heard of him. His name is Garth Brooks.

To see and hear more on these exciting performers… visit www.LoCashCowboys.com.

LoCash Cowboys can be found on the front and back cover of the lastes issue of EnterTeenment News! To order your copy... Head to The Order Page!




You never know who will stop by the "Dance on Sunset" set and bust a few moves. Fergie is just one of the superstar guest who appears on the show this season.
Photo provided by: Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon's "Dance on Sunset" Showcases Today's Hottest Movers and Shakers!

by: Bessie Sorge

Nickelodeon's new series "Dance on Sunset" is dancing down the runway and about to take flight! With an impressive array of guest stars lined up this season (Ashlee Simpson, Akon, Miranda Cosgrove, Naked Brothers Band, and Janet Jackson, to name a few), "Dance on Sunset" is guaranteed to keep you entertained with its multi-talented cast and special guest star appearances. EnterTEENment was invited to the set to give its readers a sneak peak of what the show has to offer in its debut season. Get up-close and personal with Tony Testa, Quddus Philippe, and a talented group of dancers known as the "Nick 6."

The Nick 6 and Tony attended the Kids Choice Awards together.

Tony Testa - Choreographer

Tony landed the role of choreographer by going through the typical audition process. "I didn't have a huge long resume," he explained. "So they kinda took a chance on me." We must say that it was definitely a chance worth taking. If you haven't tuned into the show, then you are missing out on some hot moves!

While Tony choreographs most of the routines seen on the show, there are a few solo numbers to look out for in episodes 3 and 10. In these episodes, Tony gives the Nick 6 a specific style of dance to do and they are able to showcase their personality through creating their own dance moves. "We all get a chance to be creative, and it's a very fun and open environment," he explains.

Tony started dancing when he was 8 years old. It wasn't until his early teenage years when he decided to become a choreographer. "I was 14 years old is when I got bitten by the choreography bug," he confesses. He started going into the studio and teaching students how to dance under the direction of his mother, who was an aerobics and hip-hip instructor.

Some of his favorite dance movies are West Side Story, Tap, and Singing in the Rain. His inspiration to dance comes from "tap dancers like Gregory Hines, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly."

When he's not busting out dance moves on the set or in the studio, you will most likely find Tony on the golf course, "I'm a golfer! That's my favorite sport."

Tony and Quddus talk shop with Fergie.
Photo provided by: Nickelodeon

Quddus Philippe - Host

Quddus is best known for his role on MTV's Total Request Live (or as we like to call it, TRL). A lot of his hosting experience derives from live television. When asked about the biggest difference between a live and taped television series, he claims that live TV is "quicker to do, but also not as good." Because Dance on Sunset is not filmed live, per say (they do have a studio audience), the crew is able to have greater camera angles, can incorporate the audience, and basically they have more time to get things right. "By the time you watch it," Quddus explains, "it's just like a glorious experience."

In his downtime, Quddus is involved in various charities including the Make A Wish Foundation, Children at Heart and Boys & Girls Club. He also volunteered with the YMCA. His drive to help others was a result of his parents. "My mom actually met my dad when she was down in Haiti working on third world projects trying to building up schools," he explains.

Karen Chuang - Dancer, Nick 6

Karen began dancing after seeing the Nutcracker. "I wanted to be a ballerina," she told EnterTEENment, "and just like all little girls I wanted to be the sugar plum fairy." Given her love for the Nutcracker, it wasn't a surprise to learn that Karen's favorite dance style is modern and contemporary. Some of the artists she likes to dance to is Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson. "I love dancing to mellow music," she explains.

The choreography on the show oozes with a cross between the latest popular moves and hot new moves. And Karen feels that "Tony is a Mastermind," when it comes to making up these routines. "Dancing is such a great activity," she explains, "it's from your soul, kind of expressing your emotions, so it's a great way to express yourself."

Nick Bass who is one of the dancers for Justin Timberlake, is someone that Karen looks up to and would love to work with. "He's so inspiring," she explains, "I would love if he could come on the show and be a guest."

When Karen's not in the dance studio or filming the show, you will most likely find her sitting at the piano serenading her family and friends, or applying her leadership skills which gave her the title of Associated Student Body Vice-President at her high school.

Aubree Storm - Dancer, Nick 6

Aubree started dancing at the very young age of two and is already enjoying a reputable career. She has appeared in "High School Musical: The Concert," "Disney 365,"and is enjoying her time as part of the Nick 6. One of her biggest inspirations in dance was Gene Kelly, "he was a director, a dancer, a choreographer, an actor, a singer and he did it all," she explains.

Dance was such a passion for Aubree that she studied every type of dancing she could, "I love hip-hop, it's definitely my favorite. But, I'm trained in ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, tap," she explains. All her training paid off when she landed a spot as one of Ashley Tisdale's dancers on her tour. "We were on the tour bus for two months," she says. "She's so much fun."

Aubree admits that the audition process for the show was a long and tedious one. With numerous callbacks and each one requesting a different element, whether it was to dance, act, freestyle and other talents besides dancing. Every week Dance on Sunset has a special celebrity guest. "I would love for Gwen Stefani to be on the show," Aubree admits, "I just want her and her dancers to be on the show because I love their performances." Calling Gwen Stefani . . . EnterTEENment concurs with Aubree's request!

Outside of the dance studio, Aubree is known to be quite an artist, "I am a very creative person, I like to make stuff," she explains. In fact, she recently made bowls out of record albums by melting them in the oven. That's impressive!

You can see Aubree in the upcoming film Step Brothers starring Will Ferrell.

Johnny Erasme - Dancer, Nick 6

Johnny is known as the "resident jokester" of the Nick 6. His inspiration of dance came from Michael Jackson, "Billy Jean is probably one of my favorite songs," he tells us. When dancing, he likes to play music by Chris Brown.

His favorite style of dance is hip-hop, "I love krumping, popping, locking," he explains. So, how well are the Nick 6 at Dance Dance Revolution? Being able to dance and freestyle is one thing, but when it comes to the required hand-eye coordination, "It's a hard, hard game," he explains and Aubree agrees.

Johnny loves to dance, but he also has a passion for acting. "I actually started acting when I was eleven," he recalls. "Acting is definitely a thing I want to do." If you are a fan of The Game and 50 Cent then you probably saw him in the music video Hate It or Love It. He also landed the lead role of the hit made-for-TV movie, Making of a Dream.

What you may not know is that Johnny is a huge sports fan. He loves to play football, basketball, track, and bowling.

Shane Harper - Dancer, Nick 6

Shane's dance career was strongly influenced by his sister, who is a dancer at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. He would sit in the dance studio while she took lessons and one day he decided to take a dance class. He was just nine years old. He likes to perform all styles of dance including hip-hop, lyrical and jazz, but admits that "it's hard for me to choose a favorite because I love all styles."

Working with Tony Testa has been a huge impact on Shane. "He's a huge inspiration now," Shane states. "He's contributed so much to our dancing ability."

When Shane isn't on the dance floor he is probably sitting somewhere with his guitar, singing and writing songs. "I would love to make an album," he explains, "I love music and my dream would be to be a music artist."

Shane's advice to those who aspire being a dancer is to enjoy yourself and have fun. "It's not about winning or being the best, it's about enjoying yourself and having fun. That's what dance is about and that's what we're trying to show the kids on the show."

Hefa Leone Tuita - Dancer, Nick 6

Hefa began his dancing career after watching Michael Jackson videos. "I always wanted to dance and sing just like him," he explains. After training for many years in dance, Hefa finally found his niche. "My favorite style would probably be R&B. Because I feel like I could groove." One of the most prominent influences of his dance style today is Usher, "I really look up to him in what he does, singer, dancer, and he even acts."

Not only does Hefa dance, but he also plays the keyboard, guitar, ukulele and drums. His dream is to write his own music and perform it for others. We can only hope that we will see Hefa showcasing his musical talents on the show, as well.

Hefa left the readers with a little bit of advice on how to break into the dancing business, "You should start taking all dance styles. You should learn the basic dancing, which is ballet. Guys especially. No guys are too good for ballet."

Ashley Galvan - Dancer, Nick 6

Ashley is known as the "girly girl" on the set. She started dancing when she was two years old. "I was at a wedding and my family noticed that I could dance," she explains, "so they put me in dance classes." Her parents never thought she would stay in dance, but little did they know she was hooked. "My influences would have to be my dance teacher, Rebecca Miner," she explains. "I just look up to her as a dance teacher and a friend."

Tony Testa works a lot with the lyrical style of dance on the show, and Ashley is a big fan. "I feel like I can express my feelings through the moves," she explains, "it's just a great experience to go out there and show everybody that you can actually dance what you are feeling."

Acting is another passion of Ashley's and she would like to do more of that in the future. Some of her favorite pastimes aside from dancing are biking, skiing, riding horses and swimming.

The advice she would give to those who want to break into the business to go for what you believe in. "Don't be afraid," she says. "Don't let anybody bring you down because what you believe in is really something that you need to go for."

"Dance on Sunset" airs on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. Be sure to tune in and learn some great new dance moves!

To find out more about your favorite cast members and special guest stars, visit www.Nick.com






Meet "'Til Death" Stars Kat Foster and Eddie Kaye Thomas
by: Susan J. Yeager

Like most new television seasons, this year has seen hits and misses and it's only October. One of the new comedies going strong is the Fox network's new series "Til Death." Though the series stars one of TV's favorite actors (Brad Garrett formerly of "Everybody Loves Raymond"), the two younger cast members are creating a buzz as well. Kat Foster and Eddie Kaye Thomas play "Steph and Jeff Woodcock," a just married couple who move in next door to "Eddie and Joy Stark" (Brad and the ever funny Joely Fisher). "Eddie and Joy" have been married, well… forever and the contrast between the couples often makes for great comedy and discussions about how to keep communication open after you have been living with someone for years.

EnterTeenment News recently caught up with the Kat and Eddie to talk about working on the series, the pressures of show business, and what it takes to be a working actor these days.



Kat Foster

Although Kat Foster is a relative newcomer to the big and little screen, she has an extensive background in theater that started when she was just 8 years old. "In third grade we had a circus teacher come to our school," Kat begins when asked about discovering her inner-actress. "She was just a circus teacher, I mean we would toss a bunch of balloons around and then she gave us monologues, which is pretty precocious actually for an eight year old. I did a monologue from George Bernard Shaw's 'Saint Joan.' I'm eight year's old and I'm doing the 'light your fire' speech. You know where she's about to be burned at the stake? But I kind of liked LOVED it. My circus teacher was like 'She needs to do this!' My parents pretty promptly put me into ACT, American Conservatory Theater's young training program. I was doing it every summer and I just kept doing it."

As an Oakland, California native, it was a bit of surprise that Kat would choose to study all the way across the country in New York as opposed to her home state that had a lot to offer as well. "I did theater all through high school and then I went to NYU and majored in their theater program. UCLA has a great training program and I could have easily stayed in California. I'm from the West Coast. It kind of would have made sense. Interestingly, when I was four years old, I went to New York and I kind of always knew that I wanted to be there so that was a huge part of it. And also, my background has really been in theater and also I had a really strong interest in keeping up with academics. NYU has a really great Liberal Arts Program along with Conservatory style training which really appealed to me."

Though the young actress was totally comfortable on stage, segueing into television acting wasn't exactly easy. "Well, my very, very, very first ever TV appearance, I don't even think you can find it on IMDB, I did a guest spot on this show called 'The Education of Max Bickford.' It starred Richard Dreyfuss. It shot in New York and he was like this professor at this High School. It was a great cast. My first day, I had never done it before and I was terrified!!! This fantastic producer kind of, I think, sensed it. I had like one line. It was like 'Professor Bickford, how can you say this and this in class?' It was that easy. He took me aside and was like 'It's just like theater.' He's like 'Ground down on your heels. You find the ground. You breathe, you listen and you just go!' From that moment on, I just felt so much better that day. It was really exciting."

From there, Kat eased in to guest spots on "Law and Order" and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent." She also landed a couple of pilots that unfortunately didn't get picked up and then found herself acting along side Aidan Quinn and Ellen Burstyn in a guest spot on the series "The Book of Daniel."

In January, the New York based actress packed her bags and headed to Los Angeles. "I've been in New York for ten years, so this was my first time in Los Angeles for pilot season. I've had sort of limited pilot seasons from New York. I decided to come out for three months and give it a try," Kat tells us. "I got here in January and I spent three months. I had 52 auditions. I was auditioning five at the minimum and fifteen at the maximum per week. I tested a few times for other things and then this came about. I went on the original audition and it went well."

Kat says that she wasn't really nervous when she went to screen test for the part. "Going in to the test, I found out I was testing for it, I had no thought that I was going to get this part because Steph Woodcock is very different from me. I was pretty convinced that this girl was going to be cast as sort of cute, blond, young… tiny, just sort of not me. There was some sort of crazy relaxation that kind of took over when I got to the test cause I was so sure that I wasn't going to get this part. I was having a great time with it. I think that taking the pressure off me in that area cause I was sure that it was going to come down to it not being my type, I was just really able to have fun with the audition." Needless to say, she nailed the audition and landed the role.

The new job brought mixed emotions for the actress. "Obviously, I was very excited at first. In my view, what acting is… is literally conquering your fear every single day. This is the scariest business because it's entirely unpredictable," she confesses. "You're literally putting yourself out there in your work about which you feel super passionately, you're putting it out there to be judged by the world, the producers, the network… everything. This whole process from start to finish has been one totally terrifying thing. It's taken a lot of courage and a lot of bravery. There are lots of people who have a lot to say about what you're doing…how you're performing. I feel like that's how I like it. That's what I'm in it for. I learn so much about myself and about my life. I just develop so much strength from putting myself through it everyday."

One thing that has helped ease the fear is the support of a professional and genuinely nice cast. Kat couldn't say enough nice things about the people who are now her friends and colleagues. "Brad is super professional. He's really dedicated to the work," she begins, when asked to describe her co-stars. "He's really heavily involved in the scripts themselves also. He really works a lot with the writer's to make them make sense as far as the continuity of the characters. So he's fantastic. And also just like insanely generous and hysterical, constantly making everyone laugh on set… off set. The man is amazing."

"Eddie and I are actually pretty serious," she continues. "We like do the crossword puzzles. Actually, Joely walked into my dressing room the other day. We're sitting there; Eddie was on the phone and I was on the internet. We were just sitting there like co-existing. And Joely was like 'Oh my God, you guys are like actually married.' We do kind of have a very understated relationship. We can sit next to each other and like do crossword puzzles or do sudoku or watch TV or whatever. So that's kind of nice. He's great. He's totally funny but also kind of quiet."

"Joely is a Mom. Her kids come to set all the time. I think True is almost a year now and her daughter Skylar is five. So she's really involved with her family. She's also awesome and fun. I really feel blessed to be working with such a fantastic cast both personally and professionally."



What's another favorite part of the show? The cast getting in front of that live audience. "I really love being in front of a live audience," she gushes. "I'm used to it from my past history and I do really feed off the energy. It completely changes everything we've been doing in rehearsal. The lines are the same but the whole feeling is just very different because you have a whole other character that you're acting with essentially. Actors on stage listen to the audience just as the audience listens to the actors on stage, so there's a whole other scene partner. You're acting with the people that you're working with, Brad or Joely or Eddie Kaye, and then there's also this whole other 'people' there that really inform the work that you're doing and your timing, your delivery and just everything. It's exciting. When the audience gets there, it naturally makes it feel more organic because it's all new. It's something that you've never done before." Working on the show and settling into her new Los Angeles digs have kept Kat pretty busy lately. She told us that she is usually so busy auditioning and trying to find work that having a steady job has actually opened up more down time which she isn't quite sure how to fill. She admits that she works out a lot and makes time for Grey's Anatomy, and was looking forward to getting hooked on shows like "Kidnapped," "Studio 60," and "The Class" this fall.

Having "Til Death" run a long, long time would be just fine with the actress who will never leave theater far behind. When asked if she had advice for teenagers who might have been bitten by the acting bug, Kat offered these words of wisdom, "First of all, they need to study. I'm still studying. Like I just bought Anna Deavere Smith's book 'Letters to A Young Artist.' Just read everything you can. A friend of mine wrote a book that I'm actually heavily quoted in. It's called Acting as A Job. Not just because he's my friend but because it really gives a very comprehensive view of what it's like to go and try and become an actor. It's super, super hard. Everyone always said if you can picture doing anything else than do it. I just totally believe that. If there's anything else that will make you happy… if you think like 'Oh, I can be a therapist. Maybe I should be a therapist?' Or 'I can be a lawyer, maybe I should be a lawyer.' If you think that, than do it. But at the same time, if you are driven, if you are passionate, if you are addicted to the theater and you think that it is something that it would kill you to stop doing… if you feel on some level that you MUST be acting, than you should absolutely follow your dreams. The most important thing is belief in your self. If you think that you can do it, then you can do it." Kat is accomplishing her dreams and conquering her fears one week at a time. Be sure to tune in to "Til Death" to take the ride with her. If nothing else, you'll have a good laugh and all of her hard work will be worth it.



Eddie Kaye Thomas

Like Kat, Eddie Kaye Thomas got his start very early on and it was also in the theater. "I started when I was 7 years old," Eddie tells us. "It started as an after school thing that was cheaper than a babysitter for my parents. It was like a free theater group in New York. I just kind of never stopped. Almost 20 years later and I'm still doing it." A manager happened to catch some of Eddie's theater performances and approached him about representation. "From there I just started auditioning, doing commercials, whatever plays I could get and whatever little jobs I could get. I was really lucky." Incredibly lucky considering that acting didn't really run in Eddie's family. "No one else in my family really did it. I had a distant cousin who I think went to Yale drama. We never knew him." Though he was showcasing unique talents for the Thomas family, the actor's parents were one hundred percent on board. "It made me happy so it made my parents happy," Eddie recalls. "It was kind of just always accepted and they were always there for me. They were always really wonderful about it." Eddie spent the early part of his career just trying to figure out what this acting thing was all about and "Trying really hard to act like I knew what I was doing," he laughs. "I remember when I was like seven or eight… I was doing some play some where. I kind of got there and my parents dropped me off and everyone was sitting around or whatever and I just started crying cause I had no idea what to do. I was just sitting there. I was like 'I don't know exactly what I should be doing right now.' It's funny cause now I feel like when you see someone who is just starting out or hasn't been doing this for awhile and they're on a set or at an audition or something, you can see them trying really hard to know what they're doing and it just seems like so much more fun to not know and to go with the flow. I wish I could have embraced that when I was younger. But I always wanted to be really professional."

Obviously his way worked because the teenager soon found himself appearing on Broadway opposite Natalie Portman in "The Diary of Anne Frank." Television guest appearances soon followed (he's appeared on everything from Felicity to CSI) and movie roles slowly emerged as well. In 1999, Eddie appeared in the incredibly popular "American Pie" movie and then two of its sequels.

Honing his skill on a short lived WB series (Off Centre), more guest appearances, and of course, more theater, Eddie left Los Angeles last year to get back on stage. "I actually lived here for seven years," Eddie says about being back in California. "Then last year I went back to New York. I kept my place in L.A. but went back to New York and did the play. [I] was going to try to settle down there and then the show happened. So now I'm just trying to kind of go back and forth as much as I can. It's working out very well."

"The show" is "'Til Death" of course… a topic that Eddie is eager to discuss. "Pilot season for an actor is the busiest time of the year if you want to be on TV. All the new shows are casting so you gotta kind of read as much as you can and hope to get in on as much as you can and audition," Eddie tells us when asked how he first heard about the new Fox series. "I was actually doing a play in New York and I auditioned for it. They asked me to come out to L.A. to test for it and I did. I got lucky enough to get it. It was one of those things that I really enjoyed the script. It was kind of exactly what I wanted to be doing. I was really hoping to be able to do a sitcom… something fun. And then when they said Brad Garrett might be involved, that's even more exciting. It really worked out wonderfully for me."



What also worked out wonderfully for Eddie was the casting of the other actors for the series. "Me and Kat… we hit it off well really quickly," he explains. "She's from New York and we knew a lot of the same people in New York. It was instantly very comfortable on the set which was nice. Even with Brad and Joely, they're such pros and experts; they've been doing it for so long. It's nice that it's just the four of us on the show and we can bond really easily. They're so inviting and wonderful."



Working with seasoned actors is another perk of this job and Eddie is determined to make the most of it. "As much as I try to pick Brad's brain, whether he means it or not, he's always saying 'Well please give me your advice. Any ideas you have, please let me know.' And that means so much. I honestly think in terms of comedy on television right now, it doesn't get much better than him. He's just absolutely wonderful and a pro at it. [He's] someone I admire and hope to become like. When he makes an extra effort to really listen to what we have to say it means so much and creates a really nice environment which I hope bleeds out into the show. Everyone's trying their best to make the best show possible and everyone really cares about it."

Being on the show has caused Eddie to question whether art is imitating life or life is imitating art. "It's definitely not totally opposite of me," he offers with no hesitation when asked if he is similar to "Jeff." "I definitely have that in me. Doing a sitcom feels like an office job. I enjoy that. I enjoy the routine of it. I just moved in with my girlfriend. We're kind of domesticating. We do gardening. We had a dinner party last night. That's crazy for me. That's a big change for me. I don't know if it's the show or just me but there's a lot of 'Woodcock' in me."

"I think the environment of the show feeds into that," Eddie continues. "I have a friend who's on 'the Class' and I went to see him after his taping. It's all very young people on the show. I noticed how different the environment was when you have eight twenty-somethings compared to a show with two older actors and two twenty- somethings. I think it really feeds into the show that there's still that excitement there and the dedication to the show but it's done differently. There's more experience behind Brad and Joely and they've done it so many times that combined with me and Kat being very much younger and a different excitement about it, I think it feeds into the plot of the show and the making of the show."

Eddie is thrilled that he is also now a part of the sitcom legacy and easily admits that he was influenced by "all the sitcoms I watched growing up… 'Three's Company,' 'What's Happening.' A wonderful thing about doing sitcoms is you remember that it's comfort food for people. Even if you weren't thoroughly invested in the plot or what was happening in the show or even laughing that much… it was comfortable and it made you feel good to watch it. It was a big part of my childhood. That's what I hope to create."

The actor also tells us that he watches TV differently now. "When you're a kid, I think there is a time in between when you get home from school and when you have to start your homework that you just kind of turn on the television and stare at it, which thank God, I'm not doing too much of anymore," he states. Watching now from a professional standpoint, the actor catches a few shows now and then. "I'm checking out all the new shows. I think there's some great stuff on this fall."

When he's not working, Eddie "plays music with my friends." Watches baseball, loves to play softball and tries to write when time allows. The weekly grind of the TV series keeps him busy but you won't here the actor complain. He's worked too hard to get to this point to start griping now. In fact, when asked for advice to pass on to aspiring actors, Eddie is quick to remind them that even the ugliest part of the process is still a valuable part of the process. "If you're enjoying a high school play or you watch television or movies and you think it's something that you want to do… try it. If you really, really think you love it, know that rejection is part of the ride. It's not an end of it… it's part of it. The more rejection you get, it make the acceptance that much sweeter. I've gotten to work with people who have been very successful very quickly and people who have worked very hard for many years, and I gotta say, the people who struggle, I think not only appreciate it more… know how to do it. Know what it takes to succeed. You can get a role and be the new lead in a Steven Spielberg film but it can be very difficult to know how to act beyond that to the crew, to the people. To know what it is. I think without the struggle it means nothing. To not let a struggle bring you down because for me it's been the best part. The struggle that I'm in now… it's still happening. I'm lucky to be a working actor but it's still something that you work for. I love it. The feeling of a success is made all the better by having been through the rejection. I just hope that kids will try it and embrace the struggle instead of getting scared off by it."

Now that you've gotten to know Kat and Eddie a little better, you should definitely check out "Til Death" on Thursdays at 8:00PM on Fox. See for yourself what these actors bring to the sitcom format. You'll laugh! We promise.

Missed it on Thursday? Don't sweat it! Head over to www.Myspace.com/Fox and catch a few episodes there. It's easier than ever to keep up with your favorite Fox shows now.





For more information on "'Til Death" visit www.Fox.com

Photos Provided by: FOX






Hollywood Newcomers "Step Up" to Big Screen Challenge
by: Susan J. Yeager

Movie going audiences are always looking for new, crush-worthy stars to dream about and watch rise to success in the movie industry. "Step Up," the latest dance movie to take center stage is so full of crush-worthy talent, everyone is going to have a hard time deciding which super talented performer to admire most.

The story begins when "Tyler" (played by the luminescent Channing Tatum) and his childhood friends vandalize the theater of the Maryland School of the Arts. "Tyler" is the only one caught by security and subsequently punished by being sentenced to 200 hours of community service at the school.

Spending time at the school opens his eyes to the fact that there are some kids his age that not only know exactly what they want out of life but are also working their butts off to reach their goals. "Nora" (played by actress/dancer, Jenna Dewan) is one such student who is so focused on preparing her Senior showcase dance piece, that she barely has time to notice anything else going on around her.

Jenna and Channing recently filled us in on their roles in "Step Up" and what it was like to show off some awesome dance moves on the big screen.



Jenna Dewan

Like her character "Nora," Jenna has been involved with dancing most of her life but her training didn't come from a Professional Arts High School. "I'm from Texas and I actually went to a regular high school," she begins when talking about her teenage years. "Every day after high school I would run to dance class and practice a lot. I felt like I was at a performing arts school but I wasn't. Actually, doing this movie… it opened my eyes to performing arts schools," she continued. "I think it's a great thing if you're a creative person. I think it's great to be around people that support that and are into it like you are."

While dancing and going to school, Jenna turned most of her attention to winning spots in dance competitions and conventions. "In high school, I did a thousand competitions and conventions. Conventions were the biggest deal, because you could audition for scholarships and scholarships would take you to L.A. One that I remember off the bat was… I auditioned for this dance troupe called 'Dance With the Force' and it was at a convention. They picked like two people to go to L.A. and be on this team together. It was pretty intense. You're competing with the best of the best and I was picked!"

The talented performer eventually moved to L.A. full time and found herself dancing in several music videos for today's hottest artists like Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and P.Diddy. Though she appreciates the opportunities for learning that the videos presented to her, she is thrilled to have made the leap to feature films. "Music videos are notoriously long, not fun, grueling and you're known as a dancer. It's kind of sad because dancers are in a lot of ways under-appreciated. They don't necessarily treat you in a nice way when you're doing a music video," she says honestly.

"Me, I was fortunate enough though to work with Janet who treats her dancers amazing. I didn't have necessarily that bad experience. On a movie, it's just so much more in depth and you're there for three months versus two days. You're in front of the camera but it's more about the character and the scene and not so much about nailing a dance step. Even in our dance performances, I would want to do the steps right but it was more about making the partnership and the connection and the story of 'Tyler' and 'Nora,' which is different from a video as well. You know but it helps, coming from a dance background definitely helped me move into acting because you're more comfortable in front of the camera. You understand movement."

Ask her co-stars, director, the movies writer's, they will all tell you that Jenna was perfect for the part of "Nora" in "Step Up." "I don't know how I would have done it without her to be honest with you," Channing tells us when asked about Jenna. "I was nervous for the partnering but I actually got the partnering better than some of the other stuff. It's easy for a guy to be a partner, especially if he's working with someone who knows what they're doing like she does. I don't know how much partnering she's done but I don't know how we would have done it without her."



Since Channing was cast first, it was important to find an actress that had chemistry with him but could also hold their own in the dance scenes. "We were auditioning other actors that didn't know how to dance," Channing continued. "It just would have never worked. It would have never worked in a million years because they'd had to get a dance double. It just would have been fake and unbelievable. She walked in and gave an amazing read but then after she danced, it was over. They just closed the door and we're like 'Okay, cool. So we've got our 'Nora' now.'"



Channing knows that the search for the perfect female lead was not an easy one. "'Tyler's' a little easier to find because you can kind of find an actor that… maybe it wasn't for them… I don't really know but in my mind you can find an actor that knows how to dance or freestyle a little bit but as far as an actor that has done professional, technical stuff that you have to learn from 6 and on up that was a huge, huge thing. She had to do some of the most technical stuff in the movie. 'Tyler's' stuff is very like… he takes a technical thing and kind of makes it his own. So I could manipulate mine. Hers had to be dead on."

So how exactly did Jenna come to hear about the movie anyway? "My manager actually sent me the script when I was shooting 'Take the Lead' in Toronto. I fell in love with it. I thought it was a really good story and a great dance movie. I literally got off the plane and the next day auditioned for it."

After nailing the audition, Jenna joined the cast and crew in Baltimore, MD for filming. "We had four weeks of rehearsals ahead of time so we did dance rehearsals eight hours a day. On top of that, we had scene rehearsals with the director and the cast and stuff." Then came the little matter of creating "Nora's" story. "For me it was just creating a character and creating the layers of the character. Even though it was very similar to me at 'Nora's' age, there were a lot of differences that I wanted to create. I did a lot of scene work, a lot of back story and character development."

Complicating matters was the fact that the script wasn't written in stone. "The script changed so many times," Jenna states matter-of-factly. "At one point my Dad is dead, my Mom is dead, my Dad wanted me to dance but my Mom didn't want me to dance, so I had a back story and a character development for every situation. I was prepared. I know what 'Nora' does if this happens. I know what she does if this happens."



The fact that she was working with a first time director (Anne Fletcher) didn't deter Jenna from the project at all. "I wasn't concerned. I was actually, if anything… put at ease about it. I thought 'Oh gosh, finally they're doing a dance movie with somebody who knows dance. For me, I would watch all these dance movies and A - I'd know the actress wasn't dancing or B… I could tell that the director skipped over parts that would have been amazing if they would have captured that moment. So I was really happy as far as dance goes. And then as the acting goes, as soon as I met her and I understood where she came from… she was an actress, so she knows a lot about acting. She was just like a dream. She had a really clear vision for every scene for what she wanted. I just trusted her."

"I really believe that now in Hollywood, the lines are blurring as far as being only an actor, being only a dancer, being only a singer. People are more willing to see someone in all different aspects and respect them for it because they are entertainers," Jenna says about being an all around performer in the movie industry. "Back in the day it was great to be a triple threat. Then it kind of went away and now it's kind of coming back. I don't sing. I'm not a serious singer but I would love to do a musical so I would get singing lessons in a heartbeat. If my path took me that way, I would go there."

"I'm not giving up dance by any means to start acting," Jenna says adamantly. "But it's kind of like acting is this new passion for so I'm continuing with that. I'm sure that dance will help me again in the future."



As for her immediate future, Jenna has some high profile projects poised to launch soon. "I did a movie called 'The Grudge II' that's coming out in October. Quite a departure from 'Step Up' and 'Nora.' I do some really interesting, crazy and scary things. I'm sort of sworn to secrecy. I signed a bunch of confidentiality agreements. So I can't saying anything. I'm not even allowed to talk about my storylines."

It's a good thing that we are allowed to talk about Jenna Dewan. This hard-working dancer/actress is poised on the edge of stardom and we will be watching her take flight.



Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum wasn't really a troublemaker like the one he plays in "Step Up." "We caught the house on fire once," he says when trying to recall a time that he got in big trouble. "For some stupid reason we thought it was fun to pour gasoline in the garage and light it and ride our skateboards through it. I don't know… I think we had just watched like 'Back to the Future' or something. We wanted to walk through the fire. My Dad is a strict guy and I still wanted to hang out with my buddies. They would have never been allowed over again. So I took the rap for that one."

The common bond between "Tyler" and Channing is that both guys love showing off some serious dance moves. Those dancing skills combined with his acting ability made Channing a natural choice for the male lead in "Step Up." Channing was the only one who wasn't so sure that he was 100 percent perfect for the part.

"I try to block it out of my mind whenever I can because I'm sure that there's the audition tape floating around somewhere," Channing says of his first audition for the role. "I hope it never makes the light of day. I'm not ashamed of it by any means," he states adamantly. "I've come a long way since then. The dancing audition… it was different than I thought it would be but it was still nerve-wracking. Anne, she is the elite of the elite in this whole industry and in the dance world, not even just in film. Everyone knows her. She's Mama. That's what everyone knows her as in the industry. Going in and auditioning for her, dancing was a huge thing for me because I'm pretty insecure about my dancing because I've never been trained before. But I know what I like to do. It's kind of like you painting and someone looking at your work whether they trash it or like it."

Obviously, the director, the studio, and the producers were impressed enough to give him the job. The next step was getting him ready for all the dancing both freestyle and technical. A choreographer was hired and Channing started the daunting task of polishing his skills and adding quite a few more moves to his repertoire. "There are so many different levels of it. For example, I had to learn how to count music," he says about the crash course. "I didn't know how to count music at all. Jamal, my choreographer kind of found a way in for me. He liked to make sounds." Channing demonstrates some moves and sound effects. "And I would remember what I would do for those things. Once you start getting it in to your body and your mind… it's two things learning something. Your body has to learn something and your mind has to learn something and you gotta connect the two sometimes. One of them always remembers it more than the other. Just getting them to work together is the key."

"Aside from that, you learn it in like a closed environment… like in a dance studio by yourself when it's just you and Jamal. And then they throw you out in front of people and you're like 'AW!!!! You all are going to be here while I'm doing this?' It's different from going and dancing in a club. You stand in a circle and you watch people dance. It's nerve-wracking to me. It kind of makes me pinch myself everyday that I did a dancing movie. I haven't even seen the whole thing so I don't know if I will be able to watch it all the way tonight. I'll just be sinking into my chair more and more and more knowing that the final dance number is coming. It was an amazing experience."



Jenna has nothing but praise for her co-star. "He's such a good dancer on his own, he really has so much natural talent. He had done it in clubs and street dancing and stuff. When it came to the partnering and the technical side of dance, Anne was basically teaching him all the choreography. But if we would do, in the partnering session, something that just didn't feel right, I would be like, 'If you move your body this way or if you put your hand here it will help.' So I would help every now and then but he actually picked it up really quickly. It wasn't something that was hard for him. It was pretty fun. We got along great."

Channing was grateful for Jenna's help and input. "Dancer's have apparently found out... 'Make it Work.' I want to make a T-shirt... 'Make it work.' I was falling on my face like every five minutes or just forgetting it and the day of she was like 'You just gotta make it work, you just got to plunder through it. Whether it's good or bad, you just get it done.' You wanna make it as good as possible, that's why you work so hard. I was nervous."

Dancing movies have come before and will come after. What makes "Step Up" different from its predecessors? "I don't know if we're exactly trying to separate ourselves," Channing explains. "I don't think we were ever really trying to do 'Oh, we're going to break ground with this.' Dancing movies are good because they have a formula. You love them for a reason. It's always like the underdog type thing. There's not a lot of movies that don't have the same formula nowadays for one but I think if anything… if I had to pick a special thing [It would be that] we do all of our own dancing. There's not one take in this whole movie that we're not doing our own stuff. Not one. We didn't even have dance doubles much less us not do it."



"There's been certain movies that have excelled in one thing or the other. There have been just movies that were incredible dance movies that had some of the most amazing dancers in L.A. and you're just like hypnotized by them. But some of the story could have been better. Or you have some of the other dancing movies that just don't have that much dancing in them. 'It was a great movie but I didn't see very much dancing.' I hope that we have an even keel. I hope that the story is good and I hope that the dancing is enough."



"We just tried to make it really real. If anything, we didn't want to make an hour and 1/2 long music video. We wanted to have a decent story with no gratuitous dancing. No like silhouetted in the alley… it's raining for some reason and you got your shirt off in slow motion… just for no reason. We didn't want to have that. Most dance movies, [have those scenes] because you love to see those moments no matter how much we make fun of them… I loved it because I was like 'Yeah - I want to dance in the rain! That is so cool!' But it's not real."

"Step Up" is real all right. It's real fun. It's real entertaining. It's a real "must see" summer, feel good movie. You can't go wrong with this talented band of cast and crew members. See it a couple of times to make sure that you are picking the right person to crush on. It might just change every time you see it.





MySpace Page: Official MySpace Page for Step Up

Photos Provided by: Buena Vista Pictures






Orlando Bloom: Where There's A "Will"
by: Susan J. Yeager

Orlando Bloom first caught movie goers attention in the super successful "Lord of The Rings" trilogy and then cemented his place in the hearts of teenage girls everywhere (and their mothers) when he joined forces with Johnny Deep to make pirates popular again in the first installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. Starring as "Will Turner" in "Curse of the Black Pearl" proved to be such a rewarding experience that the Canterbury, England born actor never hesitated to devote two more years to bringing "Will" to life again in two sequels that would be shot back to back.


After months of shooting, the second movie has finally sailed into theaters and Orlando recently chatted with reporters to talk about his experiences while making "Dead Man's Chest." According to Orlando, making the movie magic needed to make the sequel the amazing thrill ride that it is… was not easy.

"Soaking wet, six in the morning with a flaming sword in your hand," Orlando laughs when someone asks at what point during filming does Orlando think the studio might not be paying them enough money. "That's worth every penny. They're getting their money's worth believe me."

"It's hard work man," he continues. "Being like wet and cold. It doesn't matter if you're in the Caribbean those rain machines pump out cold water… big drops! And if it's night time… it's freezing! All the wet suits in the world can't stop that feeling." The actor isn't exactly complaining. He knows that all that discomfort will pay off in the long run. "When you see it on the screen you go 'it was worth every penny. It was worth every moment.' Gore NAILED it. That's what's really happy to see. Cause on a movie like this, you don't really know what you're doing. You've got a lot of gray suits around you. The gray suits are the Davy Jones characters, all those guys… they're all in gray suits. They're going to be painted in later. You don't have a visual. Then you see it and then you go 'I'm so glad I didn't overact.' Cause you could easily."


Now that the movie has smashed box office records and can boast the biggest opening weekend of all time, (135 million for those who are counting) no one is going to accuse Orlando over acting. Though a lot of the movie was "filled in later" with computer enhancement and editing, the actor confesses that his favorite parts of the film were the very real scenes with actual human co-stars. "For me, the real special stuff, honestly was working with Stellan," he says referring to actor Stellan Skarsgard who plays "Will's" cursed father "Bootstrap Bill."


"It's a father/son dynamic… that is a real core through 'Will.' That's his inner battle. The girl or my dad the girl or my dad….what do I do? What do I do? He wants that really. As a young man, you have to have a relationship with your father and He needs that. He knows that. He's fighting for that."

As much as he loved bringing that aspect of the character to life on this film, it was also the camaraderie and learning opportunity that Orlando cherishes. "I just loved hanging out with Stellan. He's a family man. He's a great actor. He's a great guy. He was a great example to me and a wonderful guy to hang out with."

Being a part of such an elaborate and successful production has too many perks to mention and you would think that being on a secluded island paradise would be one of them. However, sometimes the actors felt a little too secluded. "Absolutely nothing!" Orlando laughs when talking about what was on those islands. "It's a paradise in one form or another," he states, giving credit where credit is due. "Some people will go on holiday there. They'll spend two weeks, they'll scuba dive. And at the end of the two weeks, they're like 'Yeah, I'm ready to go home.' You ought to be there for six months, eight months and you can't go home."


The seclusion also created a lot of production problems. "The sword fight on the sand before we go into the wheel sequence that's all on an island in Exumas, Grand Bahamas where the tide would come up so we had six hours to shoot it in a day. You had six hours of filming. By the time we got out to these two huge tankers where the make-up trailers were and everything was, and then we got ferried out on these little boats. The water is as high as this table and then gets lower and lower, then you had to get out and walk in your costume through the ocean. It was an adventure. It was very very cool but very challenging in a good way. Six hours, the tide would come up they'd be like 'we gotta go, waters coming in. Quick, everybody on a boat. Let's go!'"


Speaking of that incredible wheel sequence, Orlando describes it as "An absolute nightmare to shoot! Absolute nightmare! "Being harnessed in that thing…," he says "It pushes you one way as its rolling one way. As the wheel goes back up you're like fighting gravity to keep in the same direction. It was mad. Very uncomfortable!" But again, well worth it in the end.

Serious Orlando Bloom fans will recount for you in detail how at age 21, the actor fell out of a window and broke his back. Does this have any impact on the way the actor approaches doing his own stunts? "[I'm] More careful. I was fearless up until I broke my back. It's not like that disappeared but I just suddenly realized that this physical form that I'm in is mine and I'm going to live with it until I die. I want it to serve me as well as I can. I don't want to be limping and in pain if I don't have to be."


"I've been blessed to be given a great physical form and I want to treasure it. I was very close to not ever standing on my feet again. I was very close to actually dying. The prospect of not being able to walk out of the hospital that I was in would pretty much terrify anybody into really having a new respect and a new lease on life."


The "good fortune" of learning such a hard lesson so early in life is not lost on Orlando. "I was very lucky. I consider myself very, very lucky. I was young enough to have a wake up call that taught me to appreciate my life in a way that probably a lot of young guys don't necessarily get and I was able to walk out of it. I was in a hospital where there was a young guy who was 18, so he was a few years younger than me, he was a soldier, he was in the cadets, he was in the army. He dived into a lake and he was never going to walk again. He had a cage around his head and that was that. He lived for that physical outdoors. He chose a career in the army. That's physical activity. It was a very humbling experience."


With that experience never far from his mind, how does the actor go about doing such breath taking stunts in his films? "It's a controlled environment. A movie set is a controlled environment. I'm not putting myself in danger. If I think I'm in danger then I go and speak to the stunt coordinator. And I say 'You know what? This doesn't feel right.' Then they'll say 'Okay, let's make it feel right for you.' Then I say 'this is what will make it feel right for me.' There's a lot of people employed to make sure that you're safe."


Johnny, Keira and Orlando pose for the cameras during the film's premiere at Disneyland.
Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com Provided by: PRNewsFoto/WALT DISNEY PICTURES

With a three month break before resuming filming the third "Pirates" epic, how is Orlando going to safely spend his down time? Well there's a rumor circulating that he wants to scale new heights. "Yeah I am! I'm going to climb Everest!" he laughs sarcastically. "No!" he states emphatically. "Who told you that? That's rubbish! I mean I'd love to climb Everest but... I read 'Into Thin Air' and that's what inspired me. I said that I'd like to go to Everest base camp. That's a bit different. I'm hoping to do that at some point we'll see. It's funny how stories get picked up isn't it? I wonder what else there is out there?" Seriously though, he might spend the down time working on a movie or "going on holiday."

And then it's back to filming and this time next year, there will be press for Pirates 3 and its release. But then the adventure will come to a close and be just another chapter in Orlando's history. Is it going to be hard to say goodbye? "I will be very sad not to be rockin' off to set or flying down to the Caribbean and hanging out. I mean that was fun, even if it was a long time away from home, girlfriends and sisters and family."

What about saying goodbye to "Will Turner?" Orlando can make himself okay with that. "You never really say goodbye. It's weird. By the time you've done all the press and the movies are released, and they're out in the world and people come up to you and talk to you about it, you never really say goodbye. It's like 'Rings,' I was really sad to say goodbye to that. I don't ever really feel like I've ever said goodbye to it because Legolas is still a part of my life in one form or another. I still think about him. He's still kind of out there and he's out in the world and so is Will. So you never really say goodbye."

When the last scene is shot and the premieres are over, Orlando will go on to make other movies but a little piece of "Will Turner" will always be tucked away somewhere deep inside. "How do you know you're a pirate? You just ARGH!" Orlando laughs. "That was the joke my sister said on set. She came on set to visit me. She walked up to Johnny 'How do you know you're a pirate? You just ARGH!'" And everyone knows, once a pirate… always a pirate.


Johnny and Orlando visit at the film's premiere. In three months, they will be spending more time together, finishing Pirates 3!
Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com Provided by: PRNewsFoto/WALT DISNEY PICTURES

Other Orlando Fun Facts:

"I'm a watch freak! I am a Watch Freak! I love watches. I've purchased a couple of pretty ridiculously expensive watches in my time, just because I love them. My grandfather was a watch guy. Well, he wasn't a watch guy. But he had these watches. When I would visit him and hang out with him… he had two. One was like his dressy watch and one was his low key watch. I just got so fascinated by the intricate movement. It was boring. it was like 'God I've got to look at his watches again?' But actually the detail of the watch… I don't know. I can't explain it!"

His thoughts on the Superman movie?

I just saw that film. It's fantastic. It's great and so is my girl. It's awesome. It's so important that when big movies are made that they are successful because otherwise I think audiences loose faith in big movies or in the movies period. I want them all to do great.

Main Picks From His DVD Collection?

The Hustler
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Taxi Driver
Mean Streaks
My Left Foot
The Boxer
Pretty much anything Daniel Day Lewis has done.
Lawrence of Arabia


For More on Orlando and "Pirates" visit: Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Photos Provided by Walt Disney Pictures
©Disney Enterprises, Inc., All rights reserved.





Two Foot Fred: A Jack of All Trades
by: Kelley Kohus

You may know Two Foot Fred as the guy in Big and Rich's "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" video, Gretchen Wilson's "All Jacked Up" video or as the new backstage correspondent for Nashville Star. But do you truly know Fred Gill? We chatted with Fred recently and talked about entertainment, business and his goals for the future.

Fred knew from an early age that while he loved business, he would also eventually be doing something in front of millions of people. He received a degree from Ball State University where he earned honors for his senior thesis from the University's nationally ranked entrepreneurship program and went on to be quite the business man. "My brother and I own a real estate development company called 'Gill Enterprises' where we own and operate 183 rental properties and we also own a bar called the Funky Monkey in Seymour, Indiana. I personally own a spice company called 'Phat Freddie's Seasonings,' so I've got a lot going on," he explained.

While owning his businesses was always a dream, he also wanted to entertain. He met John Rich (Big and Rich) at "Fan Fair" in 1998, and stayed in contact through the years. When John called and asked Fred to be in the "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" video he jumped at the chance to kick off another dream. Fred comments about his first video experience. "It was awesome, it was fantastic. I had never really done anything of that caliber before, ever, so it was really just amazing to me. I didn't have to be, but I was on set the entire day, opening to finish, just taking it all in."

After that first video he started getting offers left and right to appear in more videos with some great artists. He guest starred in Gretchen Wilson's "All Jacked Up," Cletus T. Judd's "Paycheck Woman," Cowboy Troy's "I Play Chicken," John Mellencamp's "Human Wheels" and Big and Rich's "Comin' to Your City." From there he was also seen on "Blue Collar TV", "Barely Famous," "The Rick Wilson Show" and "Muzik Mafia TV." He also appears regularly emceeing for Big and Rich and just recently started the backstage exit interviews for "Nashville Star."

If you think that's enough to keep a person busy, you're wrong. Fred is very passionate about Podcasting and Video Production. "I am doing the Podcast for 'Nashville Star' called 'Small Talk with Two Foot Fred' and it's going to carry on out of 'Nashville Star' and I am also into Video Production where I shoot and make my own Parody videos. I use the actual song from the artist and do my own little comedy parody. It's something that's really cool and I really enjoy it" Fred says smiling.

Having so many goals and ideas, we asked Fred who his influences are in life. "I am influenced by a lot of people. In the business world you've obviously got Bill Gates and the leadership side of it with Rudolph Giuliani. I just read his book so I am really interested and look up to him. From a musical stand point there is just so many that do it and do it well. I don't think I could really put my arms around that." Fred does have some favorite artists out right now though. "I really, really like Sugarland. Jennifer is awesome. And I like Keith Urban. He rocks. Cross Canadian Ragweed. Their stuff is awesome. And Pat Green. Just everybody."

With so much already accomplished, that is only the beginning. When asked about his goals for the future, he replied, "I want to get into more acting, TV, film, Professional speaking and that whole side of things. John and Kenny know that what I am doing with them can only take me so far and they really want to see me branch out and do my own thing. I am going to keep doing what I am doing until other opportunities arrive."

"Being where I am" is what Fred says his biggest accomplishment is so far. "I've been fairly successful in business and I think my biggest accomplishment is yet to come."

To find out more about Two Foot Fred visit his website at www.twofootfred.com and look for him in the Country Music Edition of EnterTeenment News due out in June.



Keni Thomas - Setting Out to Make a Difference
by: Kelley Kohus

Keni Thomas has a very special personal story that has inspired him to play the kind of music that he plays. We talked with the rising star about what's important to him.

Being a former Army Ranger and member of the elite Task Force Ranger assault unit is something that Keni is very proud of in his career. He fought in the Somalia battle that was the inspiration for the book and movie "Black Hawk Down" and was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. Having that experience has inspired him to give back to the Military whenever he can. Over Christmas, he went on the USO Tour of Kuwait and comments on that trip. "The USO tour was amazing. We went over there during Christmas with Craig Morgan, Mark Wills and a bunch of other people involved. The thing that struck me most was every show that we did the autograph line was never less than an hour and a half or two hours. They would come there just to thank you for coming and I was like you've kind of got that backwards friend. Thank you for being here. It's one of those things that as long as they will let me I'll go back. You will never find a more appreciative more thankful audience. Especially for me putting out an album like 'Flags of Our Fathers' they get it. It's a humbling experience."

Thomas also showed his support for the troops by the 2004 release of "Flags of Our Fathers: A Solder's Story." He wrote or co-wrote every song and each has special meanings for members of the military. Keni talks about a couple of those songs that are his favorites to perform live. "My favorite two live are 'Circle on the Cross' and a song called 'Not Me' which was my first single. 'Circle on the Cross' is just a smokin, rockin track and by far gets the biggest response. We always end our show with it. It's about the Vietnam wall and it's pretty impressive. 'Not Me' is a song I know I will play for the rest of my life because it's just a great song. It doesn't matter if I am talking to a group of high school kids or a fortune five hundred company or I'm standing on the Grand Ole Opry [stage] with a guitar in my hand I will say the same thing. Most of us go our entire lives wondering or at least hoping that we made a difference and it's such an easy thing to do if all you do is lead by example. Because if you set an example for other folks to follow, that team around you takes notice whether they tell you or not and they are watching. They become stronger as a whole and most of the time you don't want that responsibility but you have to deliver even when you'd rather say not me. And that's what that song is about so that is my favorite to perform live." As for a new album, it's currently being worked on and Keni's been writing new songs for the upcoming release. He is working with the Grammy award-winning producer Brent Maher who also produced his last album.

Something near and dear to Keni's heart is the "Hero Fund" (www.herofund.com), which was started to raise awareness for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. It provides college educations for the children of the Special Ops members who were killed in combat or training. Thomas commented, "We are sending over 600 children to college and providing them with educational opportunities their fathers would have wanted them to have." A portion of sales from "Flags of Our Fathers" is also being donated to the fund.


This rising star also has some acting under his belt. Keni and his band Cornbread appeared in the Reese Witherspoon movie "Sweet Home Alabama" and Keni worked on "We Were Soldiers" as a military advisor and made his on-screen debut as a squad leader along side of Mel Gibson. Pursuing acting in the future is something Keni said that he is interested in doing.

Keni just wants to make a difference with his music so he does anything and everything he can to be a good example and is catching the attention of fans worldwide. To find out more about this impressive rising star, make sure you visit his website at www.kenithomas.com and check out the Country Music Edition of EnterTeenment News due out in June.



Photo provided by Janet Van Ham/Nickelodeon

“Just For Kicks”
Get to Know the Stars of Nickelodeon’s Newest Hit
By: Susan J. Yeager

Nickelodeon is about to score big with a brand new series called “Just For Kicks.” The show that premieres Sunday, April 9 centers around four girls from very different backgrounds who end up earning spots on the same soccer team. The quartet not only ends up learning quickly how to work together… they also end up becoming fast friends.

The series features four new actresses who are sure to join the ranks of notable Nickelodeon alumni like Amanda Bynes, Melissa Joan Hart and the current crop of ones to watch (Jamie Lynn Spears and Emma Roberts) as names to remember in the entertainment industry. “EnterTeenment” is thrilled to be one of the first outlets to introduce you to Francesca Catalano, Mallory Low, Katija Pevec and Jessica Williams. You’re going to be hearing a lot more about these girls very soon.

Before “Just For Kicks”


Photo provided by Janet Van Ham/Nickelodeon

Meet the cast! Back left to right: Katija Pevec, Jerad Anderson, Jessica Williams
Front left to right: Mallory Low, Francesca Catalano


Like the characters they play on television, the four actresses have very different backgrounds, especially when it comes to how and why they became involved in the entertainment industry. The only common thread is that they all knew at a very young age that performing was going to be a big part of their future. “Well, my dad is an acting teacher and my Mom is a real estate agent, so they’re both kind of from two different worlds,” begins Francesca when asked about her start in the business. “My Dad always used to take me to shows and I think I went through a time in my life when I was about five, when I was experimenting with what I wanted to do. One day I’d want to be a hair dresser. The next day I wanted to be a ticket cop. My parents were like ‘Oh she likes to perform.’ I would always be performing for my parents… always. I’d always put on little shows. I think actually, when I realized that I wanted to be an actor was after I saw the Broadway show “Les Miserables.” I wanted to be in that so badly. After that, it was like ‘okay, this is what I want to do.”

Jessica can probably relate to Francesca’s story. “I was nine years old and I had always imagined myself acting in movies,” the actress recalls. “Even when I was growing up, I’ve always been a performer. I’ve always naturally wanted the center of attention. It wasn’t until I was nine that I realized ‘Wow, I could actually do this professionally.’ I live in L.A.. So, I was reading a newspaper, and I cut out an article. It said ‘Looking for young actors and actresses.’ So I gave it to my Mom and she scheduled an audition for me.”

Katija has her family to thank for introducing her to performing. “It almost kind of just happened for me,” she says. “My brother did a lot of musical theater. I was born and raised in Hawaii and he did a lot of musical theater out there. I used to watch him when I was younger. I was just like ‘He’s having so much fun!’ she remembers about her brother who is three years older. “He just made it look like so much fun. I tried it and I was completely hooked. It just kind of happened and it just kept growing.”

In a way, Mallory Low owes her start to family too. It was Mallory’s singing that first lead her Mom to take note of her daughter’s interest in entertaining. “I actually have been singing before acting to be perfectly honest,” the outgoing actress tells us. “I was singing since I was two, seriously. I got in to acting by my Mom. That’s how I started acting.”

The girls’ resumes boast everything from theater to commercials to feature films (Katija can be seen in the recently released on DVD feature “Yours, Mine and Ours”). Each of them has taken experience gained at previous jobs and applied it to working on a Nickelodeon series. “I think my first project was this AFI film where I played a bully,” Francesca shares. “The girl that I was bullying was like 6 feet tall and I’m like 5 feet two. It was quite funny,” she says with a laugh. “I did a bunch of independent films and with those independent films I really learned at an early age how to be around adults and be really professional and to know your lines and when you go to work it’s work. There’s a definite line between work and play and I really learned how to do that from a very young age. I learned all the basics like learning lines and rehearsing and just basic things like that. I did a lot of theater so I learned diction and I learned body movement.” Mallory appeared in commercials, did a guest spot on “ER” and appeared in skits on Jay Leno. Jessica is part of her school’s “Comedy Sports Improv” troupe and does tons of theater.

The Audition

Ironically, only two of the girls’ paths had crossed prior to the audition process for “Just For Kicks.” Katija and Francesca attended the same school but didn’t really know each other prior to being cast. Much like the four actresses’ TV counterparts, joining the “Just For Kicks” team made them fast friends. Landing the roles, however, took some time. ” Oh my gosh!” gushes Francesca when asked about the audition process. “It was very long because we auditioned for it and then months went by and we were called again kind of thing. It was so funny cause Katija and I, we knew each other from school, we walked in and we were part of the older bunch. So we thought ‘What are we doing here? We’re definitely not going to get this.’ Because we were 16 at the time and all the other girls were like 13 that were in there. We were very pessimistic about the whole situation. We walked in, I think it was my third or fourth audition, they had me sing and dance and everything when I went in there. What was so amazing is you go to so many auditions where a lot of the casting directors are very tired and not very upbeat. They were so wonderful and [it was] such a friendly place to be that the auditions were actually fun to go to.”

Jessica remembers the auditions very well! “I remember how nervous I was for one,” she says in a matter of fact tone. “I remember the first time I met Katija. That was really funny cause I was like ‘Wow! She’s really cute. She’s really sweet. I had no idea where we’d be now cause now she’s like my best friend. I remember just going in there in front of all those directors and just letting go. I don’t know why I did so well on that audition... maybe because I really am like my character. I was just myself on those auditions.”

Intense is how Mallory remembers everything. “They were narrowing it down by every audition. It was so intense because we had about seven callbacks. I’d see Katija there and Francesca and Jessica. It’s funny because I wouldn’t even think that I’d be working with them.” Mallory took the opportunity of being called back so many times to make some new friends. “I got to know a lot of people in the auditions,” she says.

Once you see the show, it will probably be hard to imagine the quartet of actresses playing any other character because they bring so much to the girls that they end up playing on television. But the part they landed wasn’t exactly the role they thought they were going to get. “I auditioned originally for Vida,” recalls Katija of the early stages of the audition process. “Then I was brought back in for Vida. Then I was brought in for Alexa. Then at the very end they brought me in for Lauren. So I got Lauren. It was a long process. I remember all of girls, we saw each other at one audition, then we saw each other at another audition, then another and then the final cut.”

Landing the Role

Reading for different roles caused some confusion for the girls. In fact, when Francesca was told she had the job, she didn’t even know who she was going to get to play! “I was at school, and I really didn’t think I got it because some time had passed. So I really wasn’t expecting anything. I was in concert choir and my phone was on silent but I kept on getting all these calls from my mom so I thought someone had died. I was really upset. I get out of school and I was like ‘What’s going on?’ and she goes ‘You got it! You got the job!’ It was funny cause I wasn’t sure for what part because I had originally gone out for Lauren. I read for Vida, Lauren and then Alexa. But I read for Lauren the most.” She’s glad that she ended up with the part of Alexa. “I was happy because she’s such a fun character.”

“I went to dinner with my best friend, my Mom, my brother and Dad,” says Katija of how she celebrated becoming a series regular. “We all went out and celebrated. It was so big for me. To have something stable like that is so exciting.”

“Don’t laugh at me,” pleads Mallory when asked to talk about how she found out that she would be playing “Freddie.” “I was actually in the car with my Mom we were just driving to a mall or somewhere. My agent usually calls my Mom first but she usually does this where she says ‘Oh let me talk to Mal,’ so she can tell me herself. I’m like ‘Okay, what does she want to talk about?’ That’s what I’m thinking. So I talk to her and she goes ‘so uhm yeah the audition.’ I’m thinking ‘Oh I didn’t get it. That’s okay.” Then she goes, ‘Well, you GOT IT!” She surprised me! Don’t laugh… I started crying! I’m a very emotional person. I couldn’t believe it. It was amazing. I can remember it like it was yesterday.”

Play Ball!


Photo provided by Janet Van Ham/Nickelodeon


So after the cast was in place, there was just the little matter that the show was about soccer players and though some of the girls had a little bit of previous experience, none of them would be “bending it like Beckham.” The production crew remedied this by sending the girls to “Soccer Boot Camp.” “I played soccer in elementary school and I was horrible!” laughs Francesca when talking about her background in sports. “ It was good because I had played for a couple of years so I knew to kick the ball rather than throw it and stuff like that. I think it was a week before we started filming; we did a week of what I like to call ‘Soccer Boot Camp.’ It was so much fun because what it really did, it helped us with soccer but the four girls, it really made us bond. It was so hard. It was basically a crash course on soccer. Albert, and I can’t remember his last name was our couch and he was an Olympic German soccer player. He has this really thick German accent. It was HARD! I pulled my groin muscle. It was long days doing it but we really got to know what it was like to play hard.”

“I was definitely athletic,” Jessica tells us. “I had played basketball and then right after the show, I just started getting into volleyball. In order to prepare for it, I started watching soccer games because I had never seen soccer games in my life.” But even being athletic didn’t prepare the teenager for the boot camp. “By the first day I was sore. I was completely out of shape. It was intense. The soccer camp was really intense.”

Mallory had played basketball as well, and was eager to learn a new sport. “I actually played basketball before, since I was 7,” she states. “I played on two teams. It was funny,” she says about training before the start of filming. “We had a crash course, one week of soccer before we shot, they would kick me the ball and I would actually catch it with my hands. And then they’d go ‘Oh, oh oh…!’ ‘Sorry, it’s the basketball kicking in! Sorry!’ I love sports though. I learned a lot with the crash course on soccer.”

The Show


Photo provided by Janet Van Ham/Nickelodeon


After boot camp, the actresses turned their attention to developing their characters and filming twelve episodes of the series. Just how much do they have in common with their characters? “I think that me growing up, I was a lot like her,” says Katija of playing well-rounded “Lauren Zelmer.” “I was doing so many things, and balancing so many different things in my life. I was an overachiever. I hadn’t picked something in my life that I really, really wanted to do, until a little bit later. Pretty much when I moved out here I decided what I wanted to do and that was when I was 12. My whole time growing up I think I was a lot like her, trying to be good at every single thing possible.”

“Freddie is very tomboyish,” says Mallory of her character “Freddie Costello.” “She’s like the biggest tomboy you’ll ever know. I was a tomboy when I was little but then I eventually kind of grew out of it. My favorite color is pink!” she laughs, demonstrating that her tomboy days are over. “She’s a klutz! She’s a big huge klutz! I’m a klutz to be perfectly honest. I’ll blurt things out uncontrollably. I’ll drop things. I’ll slip! I am a klutz. I mean I know that for sure. So I guess Freddie and I have some similarities.”

“Alexa and I are very different cause I, in real life, was totally the nerd that during lunch in high school did her homework and loves to read,” Francesca confesses about playing super popular “Alexa D’Amico.” “I would never wear pink. I’m not very girlie.”

“I am similar to Vida in many ways but also I’m different from her,” Jessica tells us when discussing “Vida Atwood.” “I’m similar to her because I am very passionate about my craft. Vida is passionate about soccer and I’m passionate about directing and acting. We’re different because I wish I could be as bold as her. People assume that because I’m taller in stature that I’m as bold as her or just bold period. But I’m not. I wish I was bold as she is.”

With the show about to hit the airwaves, the level headed actresses are on the verge of becoming household names, at least among teenagers. It’s something that the girls aren’t really dwelling on but have given thought to the huge responsibility of possibly becoming role models. “It kind of has crossed my mind,” Mallory admits. “But I think being a role model… it’s nice. Girls looking up to you. I just think you should be yourself. I don’t think that they should try to fit in. I think every girl should be themselves and not try to act like somebody they’re not.”

“I grew up watching role models,” Jessica says. “I grew up loving Oprah, Halle Berry and Sandra Bullock and taller actresses like Geena Davis and Uma Thurman. I grew up admiring those women. When I got the show, I realized ‘Wow, this means that I have a responsibility to the girls that are watching me.’ I just want to represent the different kind of girls on all fronts. I want to represent African-Americans. I want to represent taller girls. I want to represent strong women.”

There’s no doubt that the talented quartet is ready to make their mark in a television legacy that includes “All That,” “SpongeBob Squarepants,” “You Can’t do That on Television” and “Drake and Josh.” The girls are thrilled to be a part of the Nickelodeon family. “I grew up watching Nickelodeon!” gushes Francesca. “I grew up watching ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark” and ‘Rockos Modern Life’ and ‘All That’ and all those shows. When I got the opportunity to be on a show on Nickelodeon I was ecstatic. Nickelodeon is so awesome. It’s such a great channel!”

“I’ve been watching Nick since I was little and being part of the Nick family is amazing,” raves Mallory. “I feel blessed, very blessed.” “You have no idea!” exclaims Katija excitedly. “It’s so cool! Everybody on Nickelodeon that I’ve met has been awesome. I’ve become really good friends with Drake Bell. From the movie, we became good friends. Also, Devon Workheiser and Lindsay, all of them on ‘Ned’s Declassified’ we’ve all really connected with. I’ll go up and visit their set sometimes. It’s so much fun. The camera crew from our set are now on ‘Ned’s Declassified.’ I run into people and I’m like ‘How are you?’ It’s awesome because everyone is connected in some way and it’s so much fun.”

“I feel honored,” says Jessica, summing things up. “I’ve come a long way I think. To be able to be on that show and just being a part of that legacy and knowing that I’m going to be a role model to young girls. I am still in awe. I still can’t even believe that I filmed the series and that I had the time of my life. I’m just enjoying it right now and I can’t wait for it to come out.”

She doesn’t have long to wait. Nickelodeon will premiere the first episode of the series on April 9, at 7:00PM (eastern, 6:00PM Central). For more information on the stars and the show, be sure to visit Nick.com. We had a great time getting to know the girls and introducing you to them. We can’t wait to see what happens as the “Power Strikers” learn how to handle life on and off the field.

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