How does it feel to know that all your hard work is paying off?
It feels awesome!

Do you get recognized more now that you’ve been in Haunting Hour?
Yes, a lot more. The fans are always so sweet. I was at the Kids Choice Awards yesterday and got mobbed by fans for two hours before the show started; signing autographs and taking pictures. At certain points, there were so many kids shoving their pens and paper in my face that I almost got poked in the eye. The kids are also very good a quoting my lines!

Brittany on the set of Legally Blondes

You’ve got some great movie coming up in 2008 and 2009. Can you tell us a bit about each?
In 2009 MGM is releasing Legally Blondes, the third installment of the popular Legally Blonde franchise. I play Tiffany Donohugh, the rich queen bee. This year I have Diamond Dog Caper coming out, a hilarious family comedy. The Adventures of Food Boy in which I star opposite Lucas Grabeel (High School Musical) is due out this year. I also have The Uninvited coming out this year. It is a horror/thriller in which I play a tormented teenager who has psychological issues. Of course, my Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Drake and Josh episodes are always playing on Disney and Nickelodeon.

What did you most enjoy about the film, Diamond Dog Caper?
I loved working with the director, Mark Stouffer. He has such a personal connection to his work, his passion is contagious. Also, working with French Stewart (“3rd Rock From the Sun”, Home Alone 4), Kevin Farley, and Kelly Perine was incredibly fun. They are truly comedic geniuses. The first day we filmed a scene together, I could barely keep my composure, they were just so funny! The first shots were just on the three guys, so all you could see was the back of my head. I literally had to close my eyes when I recited my lines, so that I wouldn’t laugh and screw up their close-ups! Fortunately, by the time it was my close-up, most of the funny had gone away because I had seen it so many times. But still, I had to avert my eyes from looking at Kevin because he just made the most hysterical facial expressions.

Any memorable moments from set that will stay with you forever?
The Diamond Dog Caper world was a very fun, happy, and carefree world to “live” in. The friendships I made with some of the cast and the director are really special to me and I love spending time with them. Then there were the wonderful, adorable fans. The house scenes were shot in a beautiful neighborhood outside Spokane, Washington. Tons of kids lived around where we were shooting. Once the word spread they began flocking to the house. One day a couple cute little girls walked a mile to my trailer, but I was in hair & make-up, right next door. They waited for an hour, but I was rushed out by a crew member and put right in the van because they needed me on set immediately. Those dedicated girls walked a mile to the set and waited to meet me. When I got a break I made sure I spent time with them. I just love my fans!

What was the hardest thing about playing Lilly?
I wanted to make sure that I didn’t fall into the trap of acting like the heartless over controlling big sister. The audience will discover more and more throughout the film that Lilly really does care about her little brother and they have a close relationship. I tried to play it as much like my real life sister-brother that I could. My real life younger brother, Ryan, and I are really close and that’s exactly what I wanted to portray on screen.

Can you tell us any secrets from set?
Yes! When you see the movie there is a scene when my brother is using a homemade contraption that shoots newspapers. Well they had to do several takes so it went in the right direction. The funniest one was when a newspaper accidentally, at high velocity, hit dad right in the butt!! Funny! But, you’ll have to watch the movie to see if that’s the take they used!!

Moving on to The Uninvited. This was actually a horror/thriller. Was the tmosphere on the set different because of it being a serious movie?
The atmosphere was SO MUCH different than most of the projects I’ve worked on. We filmed a lot in a basement and mostly had night scenes. So, during a good part of the filming, it was pretty dark; which was good because for me as an actor it really increased the creepy atmosphere. My character Helena is very tormented and has psychological problems. So, naturally my state-of-mind was altered when I was on set. I couldn’t stray too far away from Helena’s darkness because it’s so hard to fall in and out of a character that’s so drastically different than me. I am very happy and at peace whereas Helena is not(to say the least).

Do you think dramatic movies are harder to act in than comedies? And why?
Wow, that’s a really hard question. There is no black and white answer. I mean, it just really depends on the individual project. For example, if I were to compare “The Suite Life” to The Uninvited, I’d have to say that at the end of the day I was far more emotionally tired after The Uninvited because of all the crying and high-stakes emotions. But on the other hand, being funny all day and coming up with quirky, original ways to deliver my lines for “The Suite Life” is not an easy task either. Of course, it’s because of these “challenges” that I do these parts. It wouldn’t be fun if it was mindless and easy.

Brittany Curran

Can you tell us any set secrets?
Throughout the course of the film I looked pretty disheveled. My character’s eyeliner and mascara is constantly smudged and running. Because of this, most of the crew members didn’t know what I actually looked like. Well, one day I showed up to set early and went where the crew was setting up for the first shot - to say hello to them. Some of the guys didn’t recognize me at first because I wasn’t in my character’s tormented make-up!

What was it like playing Helena? Are you anything like her?
I loved playing Helena. She has such deeply rooted issues and was so interesting to portray. Fortunately, no, I’m nothing like her. Helena is disturbed. She is so profoundly wounded both mentally and physically. Finding that dark place within me and allowing it to surface and play out was quite fun and intense. I remember one day I was shooting a scene with the other lead actress, Marguerite Moreau (Queen of the Damned). It was a particularly intense scene, and after I exited every take I would stand in the hallway and cry until the director was ready to shoot the next take. Once we completed the scene I actually couldn’t stop crying. Marguerite took me aside, talked to me, and calmed me down. I really enjoyed spending time and working with her.

When preparing for your roles, what do you do to truly find the character within you and make her realistic?
When I book a movie the first thing I do is read through every part of the script my character is. I like to let the character just resonate within me for a few days before I make any big choices. That way, any character choices made will be organic, like in real life. Nothing is contrived or forced. Once I’ve just casually lived in the character for a few days, then I’ll start writing notes on my script or in a notebook. That’s when I start making concrete decisions on how the character will be portrayed; what makes them laugh or sad or blush, or what ticks them off. It just has to be real. Because I have the foundation and solidity of the choices I’ve already made, when I get to set and start filming I’m freed up to react to the other actors and allow my spontaneity to take over.

Which has been the hardest role so far in your career to play? And why?
Maybe my character Shelby in The Adventures of Food Boy; she wasn’t “hard” to play by the time I got to set, but when I was working on the script alone at home trying to figure her out I did have one struggle. She was just so straightforward, which in one respect is what I love about her, but on the other hand I didn’t want her to be boring. I wanted to make sure I made her interesting, and not flat. Once I acknowledged what I had to achieve I just relaxed, breathed in the script and her lines, and found the truth in her story and the natural quirks of life. From there I got to run free and have a blast filming.

Young actors have been getting a bad reputation lately due to the behavior of some people. What is your opinion on the subject?
Here’s the thing, kids from all backgrounds, living all over the planet who aren’t actors are doing the same exact things(and I’m sure worse in some cases) as these poor young actors who are put in the spotlight at very young ages. No, these young actors should not be taking part in certain self-destructive acts. But, the reality is that most of us child actors are very down-to-earth, health-conscious, with supportive, loving families. Honestly, I think society is too smart to deem all young actors as being reckless and wild just because a small group who are, are splattered across the magazines and press. If someone’s naive enough to condemn an entire group well then so-be-it, can’t make everyone happy. I just hope that the young actors whose lives are out-of-whack, become surrounded with good, caring people and get their lives back on track.

What are your views on Hollywood? Is it too fake?
There are certainly elements of Hollywood that are fake, just like any other part of society(i.e. high school, politics, etc.). But, Hollywood can also be very real and truthful, and be brave enough to shed light on issues concerning the world; whether it be an intimate human experience or some tragic crime of the century. Just take in the real and let the fake be blown away in the wind. If someone thinks Hollywood’s too fake, then never go there. Just watch the movies and enjoy their honesty and commentary on life. Maybe then one can see the truthfulness of a Hollywood that’s often hidden behind the glitz and glamour.

Fame seems to be extremely important to some people. As an actor, do you think fame is important?
I’m not gonna lie, fame is somewhat important, it’s important to all actors whether they know it or not. Getting free gifts, walking red carpets, being paid to travel, and getting into exclusive parties is very fun and will stay fun as long as it’s always kept in perspective. For me, the work, filming long hours, reading a brilliant script for the first time, finally discovering the secrets of a new character I’m playing, now that’s where the real fun is! I much prefer the work over the fame.

You have kissed quit a few rather handsome actors throughout you career. Is it ever awkward?
Never! I love it! Maybe I’m being a little too honest here. The cool thing is, the handsome boys I’ve kissed in films and TV shows have all been very professional(and so was I) which made it a very safe, comfortable environment. I’m not saying I didn’t get butterflies in my stomach right before my lips touched Drake Bell’s or Lucas Grabeel’s lips, it just wasn’t awkward! The ironic thing is, other than when I was five, I’ve never kissed a boy in real life! I’m seventeen but just haven’t found the right boy to have my first real kiss. I’ll make a deal, when I do finally kiss someone off-screen, I’ll let you all know!!

Complete this sentence.
Acting to me is...

The light that illuminates the truth of humankind.

You’ve also done some singing. Are you planning to continue singing as a career or focus on acting?
Acting will always be my focus, it is my first love. But, I do really enjoy singing. My dad is a brilliant songwriter and we write some songs together. I would love nothing more than to sing our songs someday. Right now we do have one of our songs on itunes that I sing; it’s called “Quiver.” A Halloween song that anyone can purchase on itunes. But if we could really do something serious with our music someday that would be so awesome. Honestly, I’d rather see him succeed as a songwriter than see me succeed as a singer. But I can’t lie, if I could do a film musical someday, that would be amazing.