Interviews

Interview with Jesse MCCARTNEY

'It has been an awesome, awesome ride.'
Worth the wait. Summerland's Jesse McCartney takes time out from season two to fill you in on his surfing, singing and the wild ways of his WB character Bradin.

On his bad-ass new 'do:
"I think longer hair matches the surfer look and the character. Myself and a few other people collectively decided: Yeah, we need to grow this hair out. It was too short the first season."

On getting tubed:
"Surfing in real life is cool. I am not nearly as good as the character but that's why stunt doubles were invented."

On the evolution of Bradin:
"The dude is a pimp! I am telling you. If it was that easy, man, I don't know what I'd do. Seriously, he is having a really good time."

On living the dream:
"Working on the beach is a dream come true. The whole cast, the whole crew, from Lori Loughlin to the production office are completely awesome. It has been an awesome, awesome ride."

On workin' overtime:
"How do I do it? Red Bull! Red Bull, no sleep, and Espresso."

On being a not so idle idol:
"Right now, the album is doing pretty well and I've been touring on weekends.

On making it to the big screen:
"I've got a couple of film projects up in the air. I'd prefer to do a drama. I am a dramatic dude. I love comedy but as far as acting goes, something like Basketball Diaries would be my ultimate dream."

The Making of A Heartthrob

As a pint-sized soap star, Jesse attended the 2001 Daytime Emmy Awards
TEEN PEOPLE: Have you always known you wanted to be an entertainer?

JESSE MCCARTNEY: Yes. I started out on Broadway, which is all about entertaining, whether it’s acting or singing. I thrived off of getting the loudest applause I could get. Since I was seven, it’s all been about making people happy.

TEEN PEOPLE: Rumor has it there was a lot of drama during the days of Dream Street...

JESSE: I don’t even know what happened. I was so young and a lot went on. All I know is that it was a huge learning process -- in the studio and on stage, in front of an audience; traveling and maintaining my health. It was all a big stepping-stone for me of what was to come.

Interview - Jesse McCartney

By: Sindy

Jesse McCartney, the multi-talented singer/actor drops by Kidzworld to give you the lowdown on his CD and his hit show, Summerland. Find out what this blond hottie has to say about finding the right girl. Who knows, it might be you.

Sindy: Describe your very first professional acting audition. Was it nerve-wracking, or a total breeze?
Jesse McCartney: Auditioning has never been nerve-wracking to me. I've just always tried to do my best but if I don't get it, I figure it just wasn't meant to be. My first professional acting audition happened when I was 9 1/2 years old. I lucked out because they wanted me to do an english accent for the part of Louis in The King and I. I had already done a run of Oliver in community theater with an english accent so I nailed it and got the part.

Sindy: What has been the coolest experience in your career so far?
Jesse McCartney: Being nominated for an Emmy was definitely a high point. Also, hearing my first single "Beautiful Soul" on the radio was also a thrill.

Sindy: How's it feel to be recognized by screaming fans when you're just hanging out with your friends?
Jesse
Kidzworld interviews multi-talented actor/singer, Jesse McCartney.
Courtesy of The WB
McCartney: It really hasn't happened. I mean, people recognize me sometimes but fans just don't scream unless they're in a big group (like an audience at a concert). People are usually very cool and low key if they recognize me. I'd be totally scared if someone screamed at me when I was with my friends at Starbucks. Yeah, that would be weird.

Sindy: Which actor/actress would you like to work with, and why?
Jesse McCartney: Kate Hudson would be cool because I think she's beautiful but seems down-to-earth. And Robert DeNiro, because I think he's the best actor and I'd want to learn from him.

Sindy: How are you different from your Summerland character, Bradin Westerly?
Jesse McCartney: Bradin and I have some similarities but the big difference is, fortunately, my parents are alive and well. I think Bradin gets involved with the wrong kind of girls, I'm a little smarter than that. Mostly, Bradin has way more free time than I do!

Sindy: Have you always been a surfer, or did you learn to surf for your role in Summerland?
Jesse McCartney: I learned to surf for the first time for the Summerland pilot in 2003. I still have a lot to learn but I'm getting better.

NW interview

NW chats to Jesse McCartney about his love life, brush with Paris Hilton and his many varied talents.

Did get any tips about Australia from your Summerland co-star Ryan Kwanten before you arrived?
Ryan totally was like, “Dude, when you’re in Australia and you’re 18 you can do anything and have the time of your life.” And he’s right so far.

What have you been having fun doing?
I’ve just been walking around and being the little tourist with my digital camera, shooting everything in sight. I haven’t gotten to do a lot because I’ve been so busy but I want to come back – hopefully with the whole band – and do a tour of Australia. That would be so fun.

Well your single Beautiful Soul recently hit number one here…
I know! Dude, I’m so excited to be here – I can’t believe the success of the song.

So given your Aussie success, have you been recognised a lot since you got here?
Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. I didn’t think … I did a gig yesterday and there were over 3000 people there and I had no idea that would ever happen. I thought it would be a more intimate show. Wrong.

What’s the strangest place you’ve been recognised?
In the bathroom. I’ve been doing my thing and it’s like, “Hey man. I think my daughter knows you. Aren’t you that guy on TV?” And he’s standing in the stall next to me doing his business. I’m like, “Yeah man, that’s me.” Right there in the bathroom!

How hard are you finding it to juggle your TV career with your singing commitments?
It’s a pain in the butt. As far as balancing everything out it’s really hard because they have me as a principal role in Summerland and I’m shooting five days a week, 12 hour a day. However on the weekends that’s when they have me going crazy travelling around to perform. It can be very stressful and tiring but that’s what I want and I want it bad enough. It’s the gig.

Do you still find time for a social life?
Yeah of course. I have a beautiful girlfriend who’s an awesome person and the greatest girl – she’s my best friend. And my parents. I have a great support system and I’m fortunate enough to have my family – well, half of my family – in LA with me. I definitely have a great social life.

Darn, we thought you were single. How long have you been dating your girlfriend?
I’ve known her for four years but we’ve been dating seriously for five months now. So it’s still fresh.

Still on your social life, we’ve heard a rumour that you’re friends with Paris Hilton …
We’re acquaintances. We’re not good friends by any means but I’ve met her, like, four or five times. I’ve presented awards with her and stuff so yeah, I have her number and she has mine. I’ve talked to her maybe once or twice on the phone. We know each other.

Hope your number wasn’t outed when she lost her mobile phone recently …
My old number was. But it wasn’t under Jesse and it was old, so … But Taylor Cole (Summerland’s Erica), her number was on there and she had to change her number. She was getting 600-700 calls a night. Literally no joke, non stop, one after the other.

Will your Summerland character, Bradin, sing Beautiful Soul on the show?
You know, they approached me about singing on the show and I really, as nicely as possible said, “Absolutely not. There’s no reason to do that.”

Why not?
As far as I’m concerned Bradin would hate Jesse McCartney and would want to fight him. I don’t think he’d be into that kind of music. He’s kind of a punk ass and he loves punk music and rock – he’s not into pop and R&B. He’s kind of a jerk. He’s a surfer, he loves to play ball and he’s unfortunately really heavy into the whole teenage scene – the alcohol and the drugs. He’s ridden with angst.

Well it wouldn’t be an Aaron Spelling production if there was no teenage angst, would there?
No, of course not. You gotta have the drama. Aaron knows his drama. Summerland is his 77th show.

If you could have a part on any Aaron Spelling show in the past, which would it have been?
Beverley Hills 90210. I probably would have wanted to play Dylan. That was my jam. That show was my time and those were the years. I remember watching that show and thinking how cool Dylan was. He got all the ladies – he was just cool.

Do you play any musical instruments as well as sing?
I played piano for four years. I know a few chords on the guitar. And, strangely enough, call me a nerd, for eight years I played the alto saxophone. You know what? My girlfriend likes it. If you’re good at it you can be really sexy with it. Onstage, for my type of music, it doesn’t work but it is a great instrument.

So do you serenade your girlfriend with it?
No, I can’t do that. Are you kidding? She’d slap me and break the instrument!

So you sing, you act, you play the sax … Is there anything you can’t do?
Dude, that’s basically all I can do. Everything else I suck at!

Oh, come on, you must have one hidden skill.
I don’t want it to sound like bragging – but I will because I know I’m good – waterskis. I love to ski, my father is a champ and we go double slaloming all the time.