Interview3

 

What was it like for you playing a completely different character than "Matt" in Lizzie McGuire, in the movie A.I.?
He was kind of a bit mean... was it hard for you to act that way?
I really don't see Martin (my character in A.I.) as a jerky-type brother. You have to think about it. Here I am, I'm going to die and my parents tell me good-bye and I am frozen for five years. When I come back to life with a cure for my illness, I find a robot boy has been trying to take my place in my family. These are my parents. I'm not going to share them with a robot boy. You see, I think Martin was just jealous that he was going to lose his parents in some way. Given that situation I think every child would have reacted the same way. Get this robot out of here! But you do have to remember, at the pool scene Martin stood up for David and defended him. Plus there were about 5 other scenes of mine that didn't make it in the movie that I think would have added a lot to the character. As far as playing a part like that...it was different, I would have rather been more heroic, but the character is what he is and someone had to play him. At the same time I was shooting the first Lizzie episodes, so one day a week I would go to Hollywood and be funny shooting Lizzie and then be in Burbank for 4 days a week being devious with Steven Spielberg.

 Can you tell us anything about an upcoming Lizzie episode?
In an upcoming Lizzie....Matt sings! I hope they put the song out on CD. Aaron watch out, here I come! On other stuff....there is a lot of talk about a lot of stuff from a cartoon version, a TV movie, a book on my life story, me running for President....oh, sorry those last two were dreams.

What do you have in common with "Matt"?
Matt and I are a little alike. I do not get in trouble at home like Matt does though.

What was the first day like on set for you?
The first day of filming Lizzie was either (a) if you are talking about the pilot (Lizzie doesn't go to a waterslide party and instead hangs in the backyard with Gordo tie-dyeing sheets) then it was about 3 days of work for me. We shot at the real house where they filmed American Beauty. I didn't really know any of the kids and really only worked with Hilary. If you look at that episode, Matt doesn't do much of anything. OR (b) If you are talking about the first days of filming after we got picked up (which was 5-6 months later)... Lizzie started shooting the same week A.I. started shooting. What lousy timing! So Lizzie producers "shot around" me by pushing all my scenes into one day a week. That went on for about 3 months. So I didn't get to really know everybody until I wrapped A.I. and then I was on the Lizzie set almost everyday. Plus, in the episodes that we started shooting on the soundstage (the house and school sets are side by side on a soundstage at Ren Mar Studios) Lizzie has her big story going on and Matt has his smaller story going on.

How well do you get along with the cast?
I get along with everyone really well. Of course there are so few guys in the cast that Adam and I often pass ball or play basketball, etc.

When did you figure out that acting was what you wanted to do?
It wasn't so much that I wanted to be an actor as that everyone in my house was nuts! I just wanted to entertain. I plan on doing this the rest of my life but my parents keep telling me I WILL have a good education I'm thinking the University of Tennessee or Harvard. Those are my two favorite colleges at the time.

What kind of music do you listen to?
I like the Beatles One CD. I listen to it a lot. Also, Smashmouth. I met Weird Al at a Super Bowl Party in Hollywood and I already had a few of his CD's. I love his song parodies. They crack me up!

What's the best part about being an actor?
The best part of being an actor is getting to be another person for a while and getting to run through craft services and eat all the candy you want.

What was it like working with Aaron Carter?
Aaron Carter was only on the set for like 4 hours. It was quick. We did go to a private birthday party for him in Santa Monica a few months earlier. He was nice.

Who are some of your inspirations?
My mom and dad are my inspirations. They are great actors, but they don't get as much work as they should. Plus one of them has to always be with me so that makes it tougher for them to work. We've done plays together at a theater in Beverly Hills. My dad would write the scripts and act. My mother would play the greatest characters. There is nothing like being on stage to scare the crap out of you.

Who's your favorite actor?
My favorite actor and one I'd love to work with....Jim Carrey. That would be crazy.

How did you react when you found out that Lizzie McGuire was the #1 Disney Channel original series and is going to be on ABC?
We're #1! We're #1! We're #1! It feels great! We're going to be on ABC? What? Oh yeah, I knew that. It's very cool. My dad says that about 1-2 million people see Lizzie on the DC, but being on ABC Saturday morning adds about......35 MILLION PEOPLE! WOW!!!! Now I'll never be able to go out of the house!

 

(Source: http://www.geocities.com/jaimie_martinez2001/interview2.html)