The Girls of Comedy

Superbad was certainly a summer comedy targeted at a mostly male audience with its leading actors the kinds of goofy oddballs most guys were in their awkwards teen years. And what better way to tell a tale of boys becoming, well, older boys, than with some lovely young women as the objects of their affections. In any case, we have some extremely talented young actresses who are just coming up in the acting world and who are taking on roles in these kinds of comedies. Check them out below.

Emma Stone
Emma (or should I say Emily) got her start on a little known Partridge Family reality show from Sony, where she gained a small following. From there she became bit by the acting bug, and before long she landed a starring role in the FOX series "DRIVE." While the series itself was short-lived, Emma's talents shined through and before long she was starring in Superbad. Be sure to catch her in two movies due out next year: I Know What Boys Like (Anna Faris/Colin Hanks) and The Rocker (Rainn Wilson/Christina Applegate). I told you guys she was someone to know here...

Kat Dennings
While Kat wasn't actually in Superbad, she is no stranger to Judd Apatow comedy, starring as the rebellious teenage daughter in cult fave The 40-Year-Old Virgin. You might also recognize her as 13-going-on-30-year-old Jenny Brier from a memorable episode of "Sex and the City." This girl has certainly got a great comedic flair that has a real sense of heart. She'll appear alongside Emma Stone in the forthcoming I Know What Boys Like.

Martha MacIsaac also stole some hearts as off-beat and sweet Becca in Superbad. She was joined by Aviva, playing the hot and shallow Nicola who Christopher Mintz-Plasse's Fogell wins over in the end, and newcomer Carla Gallo, who makes the movie's most memorable scene as "Period Blood Girl."

What's great about all of these girls is that they're young, fun, quirky, and most importantly, they really look like high school students. Sure, they're no Megan Fox, but they certainly bring their own style and beauty to the screen and its really refreshing to see.

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

She's legal ya'll! Young starlet Hayden Panettiere celebrates her 18th birthday today, but not before she made this adorable appearance on Letterman last night in NY. I don't know why, but I believe in Miss Hayden. I think she's got a strong head on her shoulders and won't throw her life away like so many other young stars (**cough*Lohan*cough**). And hell, she's spending her 18th birthday working with "Declare Yourself," where she is an official spokesperson spreading a strong political message for people her age to go out and VOTE in the upcoming 2008 presidential election. Go Hayden!

HSM2 Mania!

Disney Channel's "High School Musical 2" broke all kinds of records over the weekend with the highest cable premiere of ALL TIME. It just goes to show you that the tween audience is a force that cannot be denied.

A whopping 17.2 million people tuned in to see what Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and the rest of the gang had to offer. Simply amazing. It was the most watched Friday night telecast in more than 5 years, not to mention the most watched basic cable movie ever, pulling in almost 38% MORE viewers that the previous record holder.

It hit Disney Channel's key demographic perfectly, proving itself to be an incredible marketing machine (most watched TV telecast ever in kids 6-11, and 2nd most watched in tweens 9-14). Now I've been expecting this, having seen firsthand the crazy popularity "High School Musical" garnered. I mean the soundtrack alone last year was the NUMBER ONE SELLING ALBUM OF THE YEAR. This auspicious debut really should come as no surprise to anyone. I'm awaiting the numbers on the encore premieres on Saturday and Sunday night, assuming that it too was capable of breaking all kinds of records.

Congratulations, my friends!! You deserve it!!!

**UPDATE** I was right, the rebroadcasts of "High School Musical 2" (A Sing-A-Long) on Saturday and Sunday averaged a whopping 8.44 and 7.54 million viewers respectively, making Saturday's broadcast the 4th most watched telecast ever and Sunday's the 9th. That's a grand total of 33.22 million viewers in ONE WEEKEND for the made-for-TV movie. Think about that...if this had been a theatrical release with ticket sales averaging around $8, it could have grossed over $265 MILLION. That's significantly bigger than the opening for Spiderman 3, which had the highest opening to date with $151 million. Craziness. Needless to say, this movie bumped cable channel Disney Channel into the No.3 network spot for the week, averaging more viewers than basic cable networks NBC, ABC, or the CW.

Oh Mandy!

There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Mandy Moore. She started out as just another teenage pop star with her single "Candy" back when Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, and Christina Aguilera's bubblegum pop was all the rage. Back then I wasn't too keen on the blond teenage queen...but then she did something interesting. She went back to her natural hair color and landed herself the starring role in the Adam Shankman directed A Walk to Remember. Now, I hate chick flicks, but this one in particular has an undeniable pull, and there's something about Mandy that just radiated off the screen. She then abandoned her popstar status for a more lucrative film career. While she sticks mostly to the romantic comedy genre, I think her amazing on-screen presence could really lend herself to a strong role someday. Plus, I can honestly say that I think she is the nicest celebrity I ever met. Back when I interned at a boutique PR firm I got stuck with wrangling talent onto the red carpet (some of those guys are pretty sneaky). Mandy was so friendly and sweet, chatting with me casually while waiting for her turn with the press flashes. There are so many likeable qualities about Mandy in general... she never "rebelled" as a young teen actress, she never "sluts it out," she is always the epitome of elegance and class, charity and warmth. And she's always SMILING!! Plus, she had a huge arc on "Entourage" playing the former love of Vincent Chase's life, a fitting part indeed. Anyway, I just wanted to shower her with praise b/c its a crime she hasn't already been mentioned on my site.

On another note entirely (no pun intended), Mandy has turned back to singing and released an album "Wild Hope" earlier this year. She is currently on a national tour with Paula Cole and Rachel Yamagata. She, like so many singers this summer, has just released a cover video of the ever-popular Rihanna Song "Umbrella." Mandy's cover of the instant classic song is just lovely. See below:

The Indie Prince: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (famous for his late 90's roles on "3rd Rock from the Sun" and teen cult flick 10 Things I Hate About You) is coming back in a big way, and he's doing it with style. His first recent big break came with Mysterious Skin in 2004, followed shortly after by the indie hit Brick, where he plays the troubled hero Brendan in this modern teenage take on the Film Noir genre. The film is just beautiful and Joseph really shines in its title role. His stunning performances here helped to launch a full fledge indie career, starring in other films like The Lookout alongside Jeff Daniels, as well as the upcoming films Killshot and Stop Loss. He may have really found his niche with indies because most recently he's landed himself back to back starring roles in two more developing films. The first is Siegel/McGehee produced Uncertainty, and the second is the Darren Star directed film The Frog King. I would expect his career to really gain some momentum in the next few years...we may even see some serious thespian awards coming his way in the not too distant future.

Big Girl, You are Beautiful!

This just makes me happy. It's a positive step and fun music to boot.Mika "Big Girls (You Are Beautiful)"

On a similar note, newcomer Nikki Blonsky, star of this summer's much-anticipated musical HAIRSPRAY is getting a lot of positive buzz. Could she be the next Jennifer Hudson? She's pretty cute and sweet as can be. She's so well-spoken, poised, and well, Happy. She's a ball of energy and excitement and is really a joy to watch. A bit of a cinderella-story, 17-year-old Nikki found out she got the part via Access Hollywood cameras while she was scooping icecream at Cold Stone; since shooting she has even been a guest on Oprah.I'm a sucker for a good musical so I'm really excited to check this one out and see how she fairs. Plus, its got my boy Zac Efron in it, so of course I'm gonna be there to support. I really think this could be the big hit of the summer!!

Pictures Worth 1000 Words...and Stars!

So I am on IMDB a great deal, as you can imagine, since I work in casting and all. One thing I've noticed is that there are two photos that have come up in my various searches more times than ANY OTHER PHOTO, and each time I discover someone new and interesting that I perhaps had never considered before. The irony here is that both photos are publicity shots from films that I've never even heard of, let alone seen. I have a feeling neither movie is going to be all that great, but they certainly both have quite the ensemble cast so I definitely need to get on it. Anyway, I thought I'd share my discoveries with you all!
SOURCE: BRINGING RAIN
PICTURED: Niesha Butler, Olek Krupa, Adrian Grenier ("Entourage") ; middle row: Ray Santiago (Meet the Fockers), Paz de la Huerta (Cider House Rules), Larisa Oleynik (10 Things I Hate About You) ; bottom row: Rodrigo Lopresti, Merritt Wever ("Studio 60"), Ryan Donowho ("The OC"), Nathalie Paulding, Alexis Dziena ("Invasion"), Noah Fleiss (Brick)

SOURCE: DOA: Dead or Alive
PICTURED: Devon Aoki (Sin City), Holly Valance ("Prison Break"), Sarah Carter ("Shark"), Jaime Pressly ("My Name Is Earl"), Natassia Malthe (Elektra)

Both pictures contain a mixture of big stars and up-and-comers. I would definitely keep a look out for the unknowns. Who knows, maybe these pictures hold the keys to entertainment success? :)

Two Actresses I Know Nothing About...

TWO ACTRESSES I know nothing about, but I think I should know...are listed below.

ALEXIS DZIENA
Alexis' first big series starring role was in the ABC show "Invasion" that was unfortunately not picked up for a second season. She is positively adorable. I saw her on an episode of "Law & Order: SVU" from a few years ago and her performance definitely caught me attention. She gives a startling and memorable performance opposite Bill Murray as "Lolita" in last year's Broken Flowers as well. She can be seen in 3 upcoming features: Tenderness with Russell Crowe and Laura Dern, Sex and Breakfast with Eliza Dushku and Macauley Culkin, and Fool's Gold with Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey (another romantic comedy with these two?), and Donald Sutherland.

EMMA STONE
Emma was in the failed series (that they're apparently still shooting?) "DRIVE" on Fox. She got her start on some Partridge Family reality show that I've never heard about and gained some popularity there. She's a young cute girl, so hey, I should probably know who she is and thus, so should you. Catch her in the upcoming feature film Superbad starring Michael Cera ("Arrested Development") and Jonah Hill ("Knocked Up").

My Favey Boy-Banders: The Jonas Brothers

THE JONAS BROTHERS
I have to sing their praises because I just adore them so. The Jonas Brothers are a punkish rock group from New Jersey. They're three teenaged brothers (each 2 years apart) who are just as sweet and likeable as can be. Their music has gained huge popularity on the teen set (the boys posted a photo on their myspace during my visit with them that gained a whopping 1000 comments in just under 15 minutes). While they can certainly sing and rock out in concert, it seems that's not the only trick they have up their sleeves. Disney Channel is developing a tv pilot for them where they'll star as a group of crime-fighting rockstars. I'm so excited for them. Honestly, I do not know a more sweet, kind, enthusiastic, and friendly group of teenage boys. They're amazing and you just can't help but love them. Show them some love on their myspace or check this interview below.

Star on the Rise: Christina Milian

CHRISTINA MILIAN
This girl has real Talent with a capital "T," and she's got serious superstar potential. This beautiful young actress of cuban descent isn't new to the scene. In fact, she's been in it since she was a teenager. She started (as so many young'ns do) on the Disney Channel as one of the "Movie Surfers," but that's probably not what got your attention. You see, not only can Christina act, but she can sing, dance, and even produce. This is perhaps how she's best known, being nominated for a "Best Contemporary R&B Album" Grammy Award in 2005. So you're wondering...If she's really got it, then why isn't she big already? Well, I've got a few theories on that. First, she came onto the scene as a DC kid, a pop princess with the bubblegum rep. After a few years of this, she switched her rep around entirely. She became the R&B sexpot whose albums get sold and whose talents get recognized. She became the singer, the rapper's girlfriend with some urban flavor. This worked for her and really helped to skyrocket her music career. But she's older now, and I think this 25-year-old has finally found her niche. She's cleaned up her look, less sex and more glam (ala Angelina Jolie) and I know its only a matter of time before her true acting talents take center-stage. People just don't know the new and improved Christina Milian just yet (I got my first glimpse in the yet-to-be-picked-up pilot 8 Days a Week). She's a name that's never gone away, but one that will certainly start making it on some shortlists once word gets out. There's something to say about a new sophisticated look and when you've got the talent to back it, the sky is the limit.

Look Out For...

RYAN DEVLIN

I've heard this young up-and-coming actor's name more than once in that past few weeks from Directors, Producers, Managers, and the like. He's creating quite a buzz about him. You might recognize him from various guest-starring roles over the past few years on TV, like "The War at Home," "Grounded for Life" and an arc on "Veronica Mars" (creepy rapist guy). He's a pretty versatile actor that can handle the cutesy boyfriend roles as well as some things with more of an edge. He just finished an anticipated pilot called "The World According to Barnes" for The CW, where he stars opposite Autumn Reeser; the series will hopefully get the greenlight sometime this week. Personally, he's a really cool guy with a great sense of humor and a passion for the craft. I hope he finds his way in this hustle-and-bustle business.

The Next Big Thing: Lily Collins

So this post is probably way premature, but I'm not too concerned with that. I think its best to start spreading the words now...LILY COLLINS. Lily is the daughter of famed singer Phil Collins (yay, Phil Collins Sundays!!), and she's not someone to ignore. The 18-year-old high school student has been modeling for awhile now and is just now starting to get into acting (recently inked with UTA). Not only is she stunning, but she's smart and fun too. Moving out from under her parents' roof, she's starting school at USC in the fall (Broadcast Journalism at my Alma Mater) where she hopes to stick around LA and pursue acting a bit further. I wish her all the best and am super excited to see what she churns out. Remember this face because I guarantee you'll be seeing and hearing "LILY COLLINS" again soon. Love her!

Check out how well she holds her own in front of the camera in this brief interview with TROUP, Live at the Viper Room:

From the Small to Big Screen...

It was only a matter of time before The CW's favorite teenage detective KRISTEN BELL made the big leap from television to feature film. As rumors of a "Veronica Mars" cancellation continue to swell, it should come as no surprise that the adorable and talented Bell has seen some activity on the movie side of entertainment. She was recently cast as the lead in a Universal Pictures feature entitled Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Its not too much of a stretch for Bell, considering the lead role of Sarah that she will be playing is in fact a "TV Star". Bell will star opposite Jason Segal of "How I Met Your Mother." This film looks to be your typical light-hearted comedy, but don't let that undercut Bell's full talent potential. She's shown her superior acting, singing, and dancing chops in Showtime's musical comedy "Reefer Madness." In addition to "Sarah", Bell is wrapping up production on MGM's "Fanboys" and an animated film "Flatland: The Movie."

I'm a Geek for GREEK

So, I'm sorry to admit that I was in fact a sorority girl in college...I know, I know...credibility out the window. But I feel that admission is necessary in understanding my obsession with a pilot recently picked up by ABC Family. ABC Family is a network most people know very little about...they syndicate some of our favorite shows of yester-year (TGIF anyone?) and those of the extinct WB. Still, apparently they have some of their own original programming as well, and I'm not just talking about those Christmas movies our parents make us watch each year. If you're into horses, I hear "Wildfire" is pretty interesting. Similarly, their newest shows "Kyle XY" and "Lincoln Heights" have gotten pretty decent reviews. Now, I've never really watched any of these, but the recently leaked pilot GREEK is a whole different ballgame. Its young and hip and fresh. As someone that lived it, it really does grasp the world of Greek life from its greatest moments to its biggest disappointments. More importantly, it does all of this while poking fun at the very things that it also works to promote. Never before have I felt such a sense of accuracy and amusement at this kind of teenage/young adult dramedy. I have to say, it got me hooked, and it does this through its quick-witted writing and really intriguing young cast. Introducing:

Spencer Grammer as "Casey Cartwright." I don't know if its necessarily raw talent, but this girl definitely keeps your intention. She's funny and sharp, and you really can see her as this struggling girl caught up in her own upward social mobility within her greek realm, which conflicts, of course, with her inherent good nature.

Jacob Zachar as "Rusty Cartwright." I'd seen this kid in a commercial or two before getting my hands on the pilot. He's got a unique look and acting style that works well for his socially awkward and yet adorably naive character. Think Adam Brody meets Topher Grace...he's cute, he's weird, and he's oddly relatable on a variety of levels.

Jake McDorman as "Evan Chambers." Jake is perhaps the most seasoned actor on this cast, having starred in decently successful shows and movies like "Quints" and "Aquamarine." He's definitely got a sexy quality to him, and while he might be used to playing a hearthrob, he's really quite good at playing someone with a little bit of a darker side to his all-american exterior. I like it.


Scott Michael Foster as "Cappie." I think this is the real breakout star here folks. Can you say CHARISMA? His lines are the ones that get the real laughs, and yet there's definitely a very human quality to his character. He was the most interesting to watch, for me at least. He's a real guy's guy too, which will help the show win over the male audience.



Clark Duke as "Dale." I told you guys before, this kid has real comedic talent. He serves as the outsider to the whole Greek experience in this series, giving new life to a bible-thumping confederate flag-waving freshman roommate character.



Paul James as "Calvin Owens." His character is definitely something new to bring to cable TV, and Paul tackles this task head-on. He effortlessly portrays the quintessential frat boy who is secretly happily homosexual, and he does it with style. By no means a stereotype, he brings real depth to an already complicated character.

Dilshad Vadsaria as "Rebecca Logan" and Amber Stevens as "Ashleigh." The sorority girls. In the pilot their characters are a bit along stereotypical lines, but I'm definitely interested to see where they end up. Amber is just adorable: she adds real personality to an already invigorating cast. Dilshad is a bit of a mystery to me, so we'll have to see what is revealed through her as the season progresses.

Aside from these series regulars, there is a fabulous supporting cast including some really funny and talented young actors like Aaron Hill (The Beaver), Zack Lively (Heath), Tiffany Dupont (Frannie), and Johanna Flores(Libby). All of which stick out in their own right against an immensely talented cast.

Girls named Spencer

So I definitely got through about 17 years of my life without ever encountering a girl besides my own flesh and blood sister with the name Spencer, and even she went through her "KATY" phase before coming to terms with it. But there must be something in the water these days because its been popping up all over the place, most recently in two hot, young, and talented actresses. The first of which is SPENCER GRAMMER, the daughter of five-time Emmy Award winning actor Kelsey Grammer. It must be in the blood because this girl definitely has something that pops. She was most recently cast as a sorority girl in a picked up pilot for ABC Family, which deserves a post in itself so I'll just stop here.

Which, of course, brings us to my new favorite: SPENCER LOCKE! Much like when I met little miss Hayden Panettiere (pronounced Pana-T-Air if you were wondering)a few years back, I knew instantly upon meeting her that this girl is destined to be a star. Stunningly gorgeous at a meager 15 years old, she's still as sweet as can be and humble to boot (as she showed off her recently purchased Forever 21 top with pride). She's one of those people that can walk into a room and it just lights up a bit. Corny, I know. But true as can be. She's already had her taste of success working with top movie-makers on last year's critically acclaimed animated "Monster House". I expect her career to pick up a bit as she grows into those roles that she's being talked about for already, but dismissed solely because of her young age. She's definitely got star potential.

ShoWest Stars of Tomorrow

For those of you who don't know, ShoWest is an annual film industry convention held in Las Vegas. Past "Star of Tomorrow" winners have included Jennifer Hudson, Jessica Beal, Hilary Swank, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Josh Hartnett, Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, and Johnny Depp. Pretty good company to be with I would say. Congrats!

Male Star of Tomorrow: SHIA LABEOUF
LaBeouf got his start as the bratty younger brother Louis on Disney Channel's "Even Stevens." From there he had a string of pretty big movie roles like those in "Holes," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," and last year's "Bobby." He's a pretty funny guy. He's got that lovable but goofy thing down, yet you get the impression that he can still handle those roles with a bit more depth. You can catch him in three movies out this year : "Disturbia," "Surf's Up," and "Transformers." He's rumored to be in the new Indiana Jones movie as well.
Photo Date: 28 January 2007
Photo Credit: Jeff Vespa
(Copyright ©WireImage.com)

Female Star of Tomorrow: EMMA ROBERTS
Roberts is cute cute cute. I would have loved to get her for a pilot we were casting recently, but at just 16-years-old, she was a tad young. She first caught my attention as the young child of Johnny Depp in "Blow." Her performance was heart-breaking. As she got older, Roberts became prevalent in a handful of the "cute best friend" roles, like in the Nickelodeon show "Unfabulous" and the movie "Aquamarine." Still, I don't think she'll continue to be typecast in such roles because she's already stealing the show (she nabbed a Nick Kid's Choice Best TV Actress nom over the show's star). Look out for her as this year's Nancy Drew in the film by the same name.

Next Generation Ingenues

I've had the pleasure of meeting a handful of extremely talented young actresses who have yet to find their niche in this industry. I'm sure that they will find that perfect part that will sky-rocket them to stardom because they definitely have what it takes. If you get a chance, check these girls out!



Brittney Wilson
Based out of Canada, this girl has some serious acting chops despite being only 15 years old! She's done a slew of tv movies and voice-overs over the years.






Daniella Monet
Sometimes described as a young Marisa Tomei, this beauty can instantly light up any room or the screen itself with her positive energy and spunky personality.




Erin Cahill
This former power ranger is as sweet as can be and talented to boot. She's recently switched from tv to the feature world so I would expect her career to start heating up pretty soon.





Annie Campbell
This girl can act. She was a standout guest-star on Grey's Anatomy this season, which is only the most recent of a string of similar roles. I know its only a matter of time before she ascends the acting ladder.



Danielle and Kay Panabaker
Both young and extremely talented, these sisters are always a positive addition to any project. Moreover, they are extremely grounded and, together or separate, they are just genuinely fun to watch.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho...A Starlet's Life for Me

YoHo=Young Hollywood
Man oh man, do so many young talented actresses go by the wayside before they even reach their 18th birthday. No need to name names, you know the anti-panty, rehab-friendly, foodless crowd. This is my plea to those true talents...Hyde is not your friend. Be smart, stay strong, and no one will ever have to wonder "whatever happened to..."

These are my current faves:

Hayden Panettiere--she's been around for awhile. You probably knew her before, but thanks to the fab show HEROES, you can't miss this captivating young ingenue. She's my #1 because, after all, you save the cheerleader, you save the world.

Photo Date: 15 January 2007
Photo Credit: Steve Granitz
(Copyright ©WireImage.com)

Miley Cyrus--you might not know who this girl is, but I assure you, she's HUGE on the tween set. Barely 14, she's already a singing and acting sensation via Disney Channel. Expect big things from this girl--she's got a really spunky personality and as Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter, she's got superstar in her blood.

Photo Date: 2 December 2006
Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur
(Copyright ©WireImage.com)

AnnaSophia Robb--I don't know too much about this girl and I've never met her, but still there is something about her. At only 13, she's already SO FREAKING CUTE. She was one of the few redeeming qualities of the Willy Wonka remake. Call it a hunch, but I think I'm gonna have to pay attention to this one.

Photo Date: 10 July 2005
Photo Credit: Steve Granitz
(Copyright ©WireImage.com)

Selena Gomez--This Texas native hasn't even popped onto the radar yet. But make no mistake, rumor is she's landed herself not one but THREE disney channel pilots and is a sure star. I personally can't wait to see what she's got in store. Disney has proven itself to be quite the catalyst for young stardom in recent years (think Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan...) and its for that reason that I'm keeping an eye out for this chica.

Photo Credit: Kelsey Edwards