Vanessa Hudgens Talks Bandslam - Video Interview

Vanessa Hudgens has decided to branch out to an edgier character type in her role as Sa5m (pronounced Sam, the "5" is silent) in the movie Bandslam which has only recently opened in theaters.

Gone is the squeaky clean image she portrayed as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical trilogy.

As Sa5m, Vanessa plays a moody, loner type, and her character is still stuck in high school. You cannot expect a more mature role for Vanessa because she is only 20-years-old herself, and her fan base are the tweens and teens who supported her so strongly in High School Musical 1,2, and 3.

In Bandslam, Sa5m falls for Will Burton (played by Gaelan Connell), who is a transfer student to Sa5m's high school and is also an outsider like Sa5m.

Sa5m must compete for Will's attention with Charlotte Banks (played by Aly Michalka), who gets Will to manage her rock group for an upcoming battle of the bands contest called Bandslam, naturally.

Vanessa recently gave an interview to Kam Williams, which we have partially included here:

KW: Hi Vanessa, thanks for taking some time out from your hectic schedule to give me an interview.

VH: Of course!

KW: I know you're in the middle of making a public appearance right now, and it sounds like you're being mobbed by fans as we speak. Are you okay?

VH: It's a little crazy, but it's all good.

KW: Great! Well, what interested you in playing Sa5m in Bandslam?

VH: Just the fact that she was different from the character I was stuck playing in High School Musical. Hearing "introverted" and "deadpan" in the same sentence was interesting, and that was what I was looking for.

KW: How was it working with Todd Graff as a director?

VH: He was great. It was nice having him as a director, because he used to be an actor as well. So, he was totally there for the actors which was really nice.

KW: And how did you get along with your co-stars Gaelan (Connell) and Aly (Michalka) and the rest of the cast?

VH: It was a blast! We had so much fun. Aly's an amazing girl. We went shopping, and South by Southwest (Music and Film Festival) was going on in Austin while we were shooting there. So we went to see Willie Nelson, and we saw a bunch of movies with the cast, too. It was just fun, a lot of fun!

KW: I knew that you played piano, but is there any truth to the rumor that you do your own guitar playing in Bandslam?

VH: Yes, I learned how just for this movie.

KW: Are you going to keep playing guitar?

VH: I guess that's kind of a given, but I haven't really picked one up again yet. I should, and wish I had, but I haven't.

KW: I understand you received classical voice training as a child.

VH: Yeah, my professional training was in opera.

KW: You sing, dance, play instruments and act. Which is your favorite?

VH: Umm.... Acting is the one that I've always pursued the most, though I do miss dancing like crazy.

KW: What type of message do you think Bandslam is trying deliver to its audience?

VH: To not be afraid to try new things. I think this movie really breaks it down to show how easy things can be if you really just give it a shot.

KW: How did it feel to be named to People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in the World List two years in a row, last year and again this year?

VH: [Giggles] It's nice... It's flattering... But it's weird in a sense, too. [Laughs] I don't really think about it every day.

KW: You're a beautiful mix of many different ethnicities. Is there any one with which you identify the closest? (Vanessa's father is Irish and Native American, while her mother is Filipino, Japanese and Latina. Thus the jet black hair.)

VH: I was pretty much raised American. Parts of my mom's Filipino culture I love, but I'm pretty much American.

KW: You also made Forbes Magazine's High Earners under 30 List. So you were named both the most beautiful and most successful while still in your teens.

VH: It's bizarre. It's a crazy thought. I think that if I really stopped to think about it too much, it would get a little overwhelming. But honestly, I don't dwell on it, so it never really sinks in. Therefore, I genuinely don't have a reaction to it. I hear about it, but I'm generally too busy going through the motions.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

VH: No, I think I've been asked every single question in the book over these past four years. [Chuckles]

KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?

VH: Everybody gets afraid.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

VH: I'm extremely happy.

KW: The Teri Emerson question: when was the last time you had a good laugh?

VH: About five minutes ago.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

VH: I'm reading Cannery Row by John Steinbeck.

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What music are you listening to nowadays?

VH: The Kings of Leon.

KW: What would you say has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?

VH: There've been plenty of things. I think just being in the business there's so much to overcome. I'm still overcoming things now. For example, getting a different type of role after High School Musical was tough. I've really had to work hard to get the parts that I've gotten so far.

KW: Tell me a little about your two upcoming movies, Beastly and Sucker Punch.

VH: Sucker Punch is a fantasy-action and Beastly is a modern interpretation of Beauty and the Beast. It's a bit edgier. It's about a vain guy who gets turned into a creature by this witch played by Mary-Kate Olsen. He has to find true love, but it's sexy and edgy, and I'm really excited for people to see it because it has a great message.

KW: Speaking of vanity, when you look in the mirror, what do you see?

VH: I see a reflection of myself. [Chuckles]

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

VH: My favorite dish to cook? Honestly? Whole wheat toast with almond butter and jelly. [Laughs]

KW: The Laz Alonso question: How can your fans help you?

VH: By watching Bandslam on August 14th!

KW: Thanks again Vanessa, and best of luck with Bandslam and all your other projects.

VH: Thank you very much. You take care. Bye-bye.

Sucker Punch is an action movie that is due out in 2011, and Beastly is a teen romance flick scheduled to release in 2010. Beastly is based on The Beauty and the Beast. Guess which part Vanessa plays.

In the following video Vanessa Hudgens discusses her new movie Bandslam on Jimmy Kimmel Live:



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Ashley Tisdale Dishes on High School Musical 3 Senior Year - Video

Ashley Tisdale plays the arrogant, domineering drama queen, Sharpay Evans, in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which is still drawing the teens and tweens in droves to the movie theaters.

The Disney produced film has so far earned $209.8 million worldwide as of 11/23/2008 as the film continues to captivate its young audiences.

Ashley recently dropped her blonde bombshell look for a more serious brunette style. In this video interview, she chats about working for the Disney Channel and about her friendship with co-stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, who portray Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez in the film.

Ashley also dishes about her Hollywood neighbors, the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

Watch the Ashley Tisdale interview now:



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Monique Coleman Talks High School Musical 3 - Video

In a TV interview Monique Coleman talks about film making, romance and High School Musical 3: Senior Year. Since HSM3 has not slowed down much at the box office, we thought we should see what one of the films' stars, one who is not interviewed quite as much as Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are, has to say about the film trilogy.

Monique, who turns 28 years old on November 13th, plays Taylor McKessie in the HSM trilogy. Taylor is the best friend of the brainy Gabriella Montez, who is played by Vanessa Hudgens.

Even though she is 28, Monique can easily pass for a high school senior, which is essential for her role since HSM takes place at East High School.

Monique boasts an extensive singing and dance background so she definitely fits right in with the rest of the HSM cast. Monique also insists that she is not dating Corbin Bleu, like so many of the tabloids claim.

But enough talk, let Monique tell it to you:



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Eva Mendes - Hot Homewrecker in "The Women"

The comedy/drama The Women was released into theaters on Friday with a blockbuster cast starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing, Cloris Leachman, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen, Carrie Fisher and several less notable women actors. No significant male roles made it into the film.

The film’s female director is Diane English, who also wrote the screenplay, while the producer is none other than Mick Jagger. The movie is a remake of George Kukor’s The Women from 1939, which naturally was updated to the 21st century, including the role of Alex Fisher, a lesbian. Jada Pinkett Smith nails that character perfectly and steals many a scene with some of her outrageous comments.

Most of the cast’s careers are on the downward side with the exception of Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith and Debra Messing, however, Meg Ryan and Annette Bening are generally still strong box office draws.


Eva Mendes stars as Crystal Allen, a part that was originally played by Joan Crawford in 1939. Mendes plays her usual bad girl role in this film working at Macy’s behind the perfume counter and is derisively referred to as “the spritzer girl” by the so called “good girls” in the film.

Mendes is having an affair with the husband of Meg Ryan, who plays Mary Haines, a role that was played by Norma Shearer in the 1939 version. Mendes is totally open about trying to steal Ryan’s wealthy husband away from her.





















The film is receiving mostly poor reviews from movie critics, and I read one review that especially criticized Eva Mendes in the Crystal Allen role. However, most of the negative reviews compare the 2008 The Women to the 1939 version and also compare the 2008 actors to the 1939 actors.

The 1939 version featured Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell, all of whom were at the peak of their careers back in ‘39. If you watch the film while forgetting that the ‘39 version ever existed, it can be very entertaining.

Candice Bergen, Bette Midler and Cloris Leachman are excellent in their roles, and I, for one, am also an Eva Mendes fan. So I do not believe that she deserved the pan she received from the imdb.com web site.






















Eva has been in the news quite a bit this year, first for stint in rehab at Utah’s Cirque Lodge back in January and then for her posterior nude shot for an ad for the animal rights group PETA.

However, her most controversial move was a totally nude TV ad for Calvin Klein during which her nipple is exposed for all to see. The ad was banned by network television, but the ban simply added fuel to the fire, creating a ton of publicity for Calvin Klein and for Mendes.

To his credit, Jay Leno showed the ad on his show, but the nipple exposure was deliberately blurred out.

Mendes has been working her career just right so far in the supporting parts she has played. Her remarkable beauty will undoubtedly help land her a major starring role soon. When it does, look out, because Eva Mendes is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the film industry.

The following is the trailer for "The Women:"



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High School Musical 3: Senior Year Release Near - Zac, Vanessa, Ashley Pics

The release of High School Musical 3: Senior Year in theaters is not far off. The date to remember is October 24th in case you live on some other planet than good ol' planet Earth and were not aware of the upcoming release.

With the movie's release so near, we decided to do a release of our own of some recently discovered photos of the cast and provide a little info to boot. Most of the photos are newer, but there are a few that we simply have not published before now.

Of course, you already know that the main cast from the two previous releases will be starring in HSM3, and Disney is including 10 new songs in the film.

Zac Efron will again play Troy Bolton, Vanessa Hudgens will star as Gabriella Montez, Ashley Tisdale appears as Sharpay Evans and Lucas Grabeel plays Ryan Evans, Sharpay's brother.

All of the cast have been quoted in interviews that this release of HSM3 will be much bigger and offer many more whistles and bells than the other two productions, which were released on the Disney channel rather than in theaters, as you undoubtedly know.

To get started we have added the trailer from HSM3 just in case you have somehow missed seeing it:



And we have found many newly released photos of the cast. Below is a composite of Zac Efron when he was caught romping on the beach.

Next is Zac Efron as he will appear on the cover of Teen Vogue magazine in the October 2008 issue along with a couple of the runner up cover photos.





Then we have a couple of Vanessa:



Here are Zac and Vanessa in a few racy shots taken at the beach:





Vanessa looks especially good in that gray bikini.

Finally there are several shots from Ashley Tisdale's 23rd birthday party. Ashley was born on July 2, 1985:






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