Kidsday interviews actress Alyson Stoner

BY GUSTAVO ANGEL, ANGELIQUE HAGERMAN AND SAMANTHA MOYSE
Kidsday Reporters, Ages 10 and 11, Bay Shore

July 4, 2008

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.

Do you go to school or your home school?

I went to a regular school my whole life up until sixth grade, and the other kids treated me the same, somewhat differently because sometimes I would get asked about a project I was working on or sometimes I would get made fun of because I was doing something different from what they were doing. Once I started home schooling, it has made it a lot easier because I can do my work on set.

Did it really hurt when you fell off the stage in "That's So Raven"?

Oh my gosh, yes. In "That's So Raven" I had to do a stunt where I fell off the stage, and we actually had a huge padded mattress so I could fall into it after I fell off the stage. It was a little complicated and I did hit my nose. I didn't break it like I did in the show.

What do you do with your spare time?

In my spare time I am either writing music or playing basketball. I used to play on a tournament team and we would go around to different areas of California and play against other teams. Sometimes people would recognize me on the other team and ask me for an autograph even if we beat them.

Do you like watching yourself in some of the movies you have been in?

Sometimes. I think it weird watching myself on TV because I am very critical and I want to make sure every line is perfect. It is kind of surreal that people all over the country and all over the world are watching me at the same time.

How was it starring with Lucas Grabeel?

Lucas is so nice. He is so artistic and always writes what he is feeling today. He paints and plays guitar. He is very talented.

Do you like playing Isabella on "Phineas and Ferb"?

Isabella Garcia Shapiro, that is my character's name on Phineas and Ferband she has the token line "Whatcha doin'?" and I think it is very catchy. So people really really respond to her character, so it has been a blast.

What do you do on the set when you are not filming?

When I am not filming I am usually doing schoolwork because we are required to do three hours of schoolwork every day, and I have to cover the same amount of work that you do in regular classrooms. If I am not doing that, sometimes I have another interview or I am in hair and makeup.

Do you play any sports?

I do. I love playing sports. Basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, even racquetball, softball, volleyball, I love.

How was it working with Dylan and Cole Sprouse on the "Suite Life of Zack and Cody"?

Dylan and Cole Sprouse are the craziest twins you will ever meet. They are always pulling pranks on each other, and they are completely sweet and we had a lot of fun filming each episode.

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