We met actress Alyson Stoner at Dave & Buster's in Times Square recently. She has a new DVD out,
"Alice Upside Down."
It also stars Lucas Grabeel from "High School Musical" and Ashley Drane from "That's So Raven." In this film Alyson stars as Alice who daydreams a lot, and that can sometimes lead to lots of adventures good and bad. Alyson was also in the new Disney movie "Camp Rock;" she stars as Caitlyn.
Are you anything like Alice in real life?
I think everyone can relate to Alice in real life because she is not so sure of herself and being this age we have a lot of pressure to fit in and be like other girls and guys.
Do you ever daydream and go off in your own world like Alice does in the movie?
Yes. Alice does tend to imagine and visualize all this stuff going on that she wishes would happen in real life. Sometime when I am doing my homework, I doze off into the story and start imagining that I was the character. Other days I am just really tired and I start thinking what if I was a super hero.
In the movie you have a singing part. Do you like singing in real life?
Yes. In the movie Alice is not that talented as a singer. She actually sings quite awful. In real life I have been taking vocal lessons. I do hope to pursue a career.
What is your favorite movie that you have done?
"Alice Upsde Down," because it is my first dramatic role. There are the crying scenes and the happy scenes and since I was the lead, I had to be in every scene and constantly working. So it was more of challenge and I love challenges.
Does your family support you with the movie business?
That is one of the most important things to have in the business, because if you don't have a family backing you, it is really tough to make it on your own and in real life. You know when you are at a baseball game or a dance recital you always want their support, and as long as they are cheering me on and I am doing something that is clean and kid-friendly, they are happy to be a part of it.
Do you ever get tired of acting?
Not necessarily tired of acting, but I get tired from working days after day and week after week. But I think, once I realize how lucky I am to be in this position, I think it all goes back into place and I realize this is awesome.
Do you enjoy acting?
I do enjoy acting. It is one of my passions. I started as a dancer first and once I got out to Hollywood, I pursued auditions for theatrical things like films and that kind of job. I think I have learned to love it more and more every day.
How old were you when you started acting, and did you like it right away?
When I first started acting I had just turned 7 years old and at that time it was just something to do for fun. I thought of it as a hobby like playing sports, but now it has grown into something more of a passion that I want to pursue the rest of my life.
Is starring in a movie a complicated process?
It is a lot of work. I have to balance school and work at the same time. I would say it is challenging because I don't always get to do what my friends do on the weekends. Sometime I have to study a script instead. But since it is something that I love to do so much, I don't mind having to sacrifice that.
