Little Manhattan, RV, and Bridge to Terabithia star Josh Hutcherson's all grown up -- and starring in the first film from the Cirque du Freak Saga called The Vampire's Assistant. He chats exclusively with J-14 about evil vampires, werewolves, and his celeb pals.
J-14: What kind of vampire do you play in The Vampire's Assistant?
Josh Hutcherson: My character Steve is a vampaneze, which is basically an evil vampire. And the difference between the vampires and vampaneze is that the vampires live by a certain code -- they can't kill, they can't do certain things, and they only drink blood to survive. But the vampaneze just do whatever they want. So my character is the reckless type and that was really fun to play. It's definitely different than anything I've played before because I haven't ever really got the chance to play the bad guy kind of role.
J-14: What was the most evil thing you had to do?
Josh: There's a big fight scene between me and Chris Massoglia, who plays Darren. We became good friends during the movie and I literally have to throw him across the room because the vampires and vampaneze have super strength. I throw him and he lands in a pile of chairs and then I was like, "I'm sorry, I don't really mean this," but you gotta do what you gotta do! It was fun playing the bad guy -- you really get to let loose and just be mean and aggressive.
J-14: So how do the vampaneze compare to the Cullens from The Twilight Saga?
Josh: The vampaneze are much more hardcore and open about being vampaneze. The Cullens are kind of shy and reserved and they don't want anybody to know. But the vampaneze are out there like, "Aah! We're vampires! We're going to do whatever we want and drink everybody's blood and go crazy!"
J-14: At first, your character Steve is reluctant to become a vampire, but he does it for his friend. Have you ever done anything like that for a friend?
Josh: For me, my friend recently tried out for American Idol. We had to get up at 3:30 in the morning and drive out to Pasadena's Rose Bowl. We had to sit on the blacktop for like four hours before we even got to go in. Then we got inside and had to sit there in the boiling sun for like another three hours until he got to audition, so it was really hectic. I can't sing, so I didn't audition. He didn't make it past the first round, unfortunately -- he's actually a really, really good singer, but it really depends on what they're looking for. But it was crazy -- and you see a lot of crazy people there.
Josh: We all like a lot of the same things -- we all like going to the movies, we like the same kind of music, and we're all pretty easygoing people. It just seems to work -- we hang out all the time. We actually love laying on the floor listening to old records. We have this rug in my house that's the softest rug you've ever heard of. So we lay on that and listen to records that were handed down from my parents. I think we're all just really compatible with each other and that makes for a really great friendship.
J-14: And ironically Victoria is playing a werewolf in an upcoming Nickelodeon movie. So who do you think would win the werewolves vs. vampires battle?
Josh: Honestly, I think that the werewolves would. Werewolves just seem so strong, big, and powerful. Vampires are really strong as well, but I think there's something about a wolf, like the wolf integrity. I think they would prevail, unfortunately. Victoria and I haven't had a chance to duke it out -- werewolves and vampires yet -- I'll let you guys know when that happens!
Photos: Courtesy of David Lee / Universal Pictures
Blake Lewis stopped by the J-14 offices and took part in our series, "When I Was 14..."! No surprise, his fave moment from back then still had to do with music -- so fun!
Have you been able to travel to another country yet? What fun trips do you get to take with your school or extracurricular groups?
American Idol alum Blake Lewis drops his sophomore disc, Heartbreak on Vinyl, today! In honor of his album, Blake stopped by the J-14 offices and performed an original beat box just for you -- check it out!
If you could have any star write a song just for you, who would you pick?
Seattle native Blake Lewis will drop his second album, Heartbreak On Vinyl tomorrow, October 6, so we had to get the scoop on the new songs straight from the American Idol alum. The dance-pop singer also filled us in on touring with Lady Gaga and why he wants to be a part of Twilight!
J-14: Your first single, "Sad Song," has an '80s vibe -- is that what you were going for?
Blake: No, I didn't go for it at all actually -- it just comes naturally. I'm a big '80s kid. Usually I never set out to have a song sound a certain way -- I'm just trying to make a good dance record and pull it off. I'm very excited about it. "Sad Song" is an anthem for the heartbroken. It's not necessarily a sad song. I have people that are like, "Is it sad?" No, it's not! I got out of a very big relationship for the first time, and I was heartbroken. I've had heartaches [before], but this time I was really sad. But Heartbreak on Vinyl -- the actual album title and title track -- has to do with indie record stores closing down, not heartbreak. I'm heartbroken that these record stores are closing down, because I'm a big audio fan. I buy vinyl and I shop for records -- I don't go online.
J-14: Which tracks on Heartbreak On Vinyl are the most personal to you?
Blake: As far as personal, probably "Rebel Without a Cause" is the story of me. It's the story of "Why'd I leave? Why'd I have to be so rebellious?" I'm always been very independent my whole life. "Left My Baby For You" totally explains me breaking up [with my ex-GF], moving to California, and then me trying to go back to Seattle and win her back. That's when I get heartbroken. I know that I was wrong. Then "The Point" is the tail end of the breakup, when you're trying to hold on and there's no point.
J-14: If you could perform with anybody, who would it be?
Blake: Probably Sting, Bono, or Prince. I couldn't say one person. I would say Michael Jackson if he was still [alive], and Prince is the last great performer of that era.
J-14: What was it like to do a few shows with Lady Gaga?
Blake: She's very sweet. I met her two years ago at a dance function, and she remembered me. She's very professional. She's very serious about what she does and even people who don't like her should respect it. She's one-of-a-kind. We needed something special like her in the music industry to bring dance out in the open. It's funny for me coming from the dance music scene -- we come from the same place. She's always been Lady Gaga. I guess her persona would be Stefani, her real name.
J-14: Are you going to watch Idol this season now that Paula Abdul's not on the show anymore?
Blake: I think it's terrible that Paula left - I'm sad that she's gone. I don't think Kara needed to be an addition to the show. I only watched a couple of episodes -- I've never watched American Idol really. I'd never seen it before I was on it, and I've never seen my season still. I could never watch myself. It's weird to me.
J-14: Did you know they'll be filming the fourth Twilight movie in Seattle?
Blake: (gasps) I love vampires, so anything to do with vampires! I haven't read the books. [But] I'm from Seattle, and I think my song "Rapture of Love" should be on.
Joe Jonas, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry, Shania Twain, Neil Patrick Harris, and Victoria Beckham (pictured above) have all taken a turn as the fourth judge during the auditions for the ninth season of American Idol... but the permanent fourth judge has just been announced.
Joining Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi at the judges' table all season long will be.... drumroll please... Ellen DeGeneres!
Ellen's reaction? "I'm thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol," she said. "I've watched since the beginning, and I've always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I'll save from not having to text in my vote."
Ha! Said true Ellen style!
What do you think about the addition of Ellen to the American Idol judge's panel?
Since Paula Abdul famously quit American Idol, there have been a slew of celebrity judges to take her place during auditions this summer like Victoria Beckham aka Posh Spice, Katy Perry, and Jennifer Lopez.
Next week Joe Jonas will both sitting on the judges pannel to critique the latest set of Idol hopefuls!
Do you think Joe will be mean like Simon? Or sweet like Paula?
For the past few weeks rumors have been swirling that American Idol judge Paula Abdul would not be returning for season nine. And last night Paula posted this on her Twitter:
Are you shocked that Paula is leaving? Who is your favorite AI judge?
Good news, American Idol fans - you'll be hearing a lot more music from three of your fave 2009 contestants! Season 8 winner Kris, runner-up Adam, and fourth-place Allison all just inked record deals this week -- Kris signed with 19 Entertainment and Jive Records, Allison's linked to 19 Records and Jive Records, while Adam is teaming up with 19 Entertainment and KCA Recordings.
Kris can't wait to start recording. "Everyone's been asking me what it's going to sound like," he says. "It will be very similar to what you heard from me on the show -- definitely in the pop/rock genre." Adam can't contain his excitement either. "It's going to be ridiculous! Get ready!" he exclaimed.
But before she records her debut album, Allison is psyched to perform on The American Idol 2009 Summer Tour -- it starts July 5 in Portland, OR! "[There's] going to be a girls' bus and a guys' bus," she explains exclusively to J-14. "The guys are going to be pretty happy that they're all going to be in one stinky bus, and it's only going to be us three girls in the party bus, so that'll be really fun for us girls!"
Tell us -- will you be catching a show this summer? Who's album are you most excited for -- Kris's, Adam's, or Allison's debut?
J-14 rounds up everything you need to know that happened this weekend...
1- The Jonas Brothers official YouTube account was "suspended" temporarily on Saturday, but is now up and running again (and is now up to 3.3 million views and counting!).
2- Fan sites have been following Twilight star Rob Pattinson's every move for the last few months... but he finally got a few days of privacy as everyone wondered where in the world is Robby P.? Did he fly back to London and slip out without being spotted? Turns out, he'd actually been keeping a low profile in New York City and was caught again by cameras this afternoon enjoying the warm weather in the city with his longtime friend Tom Sturridge.
3- Kris Allen continued the American Idol tradition of singing the national anthem at the NBA finals less than an hour ago. Also in attendance at the game were Zac Efron, Rihanna, Diddy, Denzel Washington, Adam Levine, Will.I.Am, and Christopher Mintz Plasse. If you missed it, here's the clip:
5- Rumors are swirling about what really happened to Heidi Montag down in Costa Rica during the filming of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. Stay tuned for details.
6- The Nickelodeon stars all got together too for a big photo shoot, with Keke Palmer, Miranda Cosgrove, and Victoria Justice all in attendance.
7- The Young Hollywood Awards are just about to start out in L.A.
8- How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris is hosting the Tony Awards live from Radio City Music Hall in New York right now... and just mentioned J-14!
9- Tons of celebs turned up today for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation 20th Annual A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival today. Among the heroes were Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Pete Wentz, Miley Cyrus, Sharon Stone, Denise Richards, Vanessa Minnillo, Nick Lachey, Melissa Joan Hart, Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari, Rumer Willis, Selena Gomez (with a new short haircut!), Shenae Grimes, Joely Fisher, Lo Bosworth, Laila Ali, Billy Baldwin, Billy Crystal, Emily Osment, Kaycee Stroh, and Debby Ryan.
10- And last but not least, the JoBros just debuted their new music video for "Fly With Me":
11- Oh, and also this weekend's hottest trend is the new Twitter game, Twitter Vampire. (We're such Twilight fans, we couldn't resist playing!) J-14 readers loved biting us so much that we became the #1 Most Bitten "Tasty Prey" of the day (even beating Twilight's Peter Facinelli, as well as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Ashton Kutcher, and Selena Gomez!).
American Idol winner Kris Allen will sing the national anthem at the NBA Finals on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. This is his first big gig since he won the title on May 20.
Kris continues the Idol traditional of singing at the big sports showdown since the first season of the show. Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, and David Cook have all sang the national anthem in pervious years. After Kris sings, game 2 of the finals will kick off between the L.A. Lakers and Orlando Magic.
Quick Kris Facts:
- Kris got started in music by playing viola in elementary school. He also plays the guitar, piano, and ukulele.
- He once worked as a shoe salesman -- and then called his self-produced 2007 album, Brand New Shoes.
- Kris was in the Arkansas all-state orchestra!
Adam and Kris may still be friends regardless of who wonAmerican Idol last night, but here at the J-14 offices, it's all out war! We are totally divided Team Adam vs. Team Kris! We want to know what's on your minds! Do you think Kris totally deserved it or are you upset that Adam didn't win?? Check out our blogs (Team Adam here and Team Kris here!) for each contestant and tell us what you think!
I get it. Kris Allen is cute. He has fluffy brown hair, spiked oh-so-perfectly. He has puppy brown eyes and strong forearms that flex when he plucks his acoustic guitar strings or when he's manning the piano. He's also humble, genuine, and overall very sweet. I GET IT -- he's Adorable (with a capital A even!)
I also understand that he is talented! I appreciate American Idol's new(ish) take on what a good musician is: someone that actually PLAYS instruments and possibly even knows how to write music. With singer/songwriters like Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga at the top of the charts, it's about time that Idol started celebrating this "trend" -- and Kris is the perfect poster boy for the campaign.
But even with his charm, his sweet melodic voice, and his musical abilities, I don't think he is a star. An "artist," (as Kara has been saying over and over), sure! But if you want to see a superstar -- American Idol win or not -- it's Adam Lambert.
While Kris makes me nostalgic for ex-boyfriends that have serenaded me with Jack Johnson in the past, or local open mic nights, or the dreamy Jason Mraz, Adam leaves me speechless. There's nothing already on my iPod that will satisfy my fix for more Adam! And when someone on the show has made a comparison, they're pinning Adam next to rock LEGENDS. As Paula pronounced, Adam is "iconic."
After watching Kris take the crown as Adam gracefully accepted second place, I think it's odd that we have been dubbing him the "underdog." Really? Maybe he wasn't everyone's first pick (although I know he had a lot of fans in this office), but is it really a big shock that a nice Arkansas boy who plays great covers won American Idol? Where was the adversity that he had to overcome? That people (and the judges) preferred Danny Gokey over him originally? Yawn! Adam had to work past a hateful campaign attacking his personal life circling the Internet and certain media outlets -- talk about tough!
Our votes are at least some part emotional. While there were some that loved or hated the contestants' singing abilities, there were people that hated Adam for something deeper than his American Idol performances. I voted for Adam all along because I thought he was the most talented. But if he had garnered the most votes in the end, my heart would have been warmed in a way it wasn't while I watched our supposed "underdog" Kris take home the grand prize. With Adam, it would have been a different victory, with winnings more valuable than a record contract.
Where are my Adam fans? Were you guys sad he didn't win yesterday? And who do you think will have a better career after Idol?
Come on Team Adam! Let's hear what you have to say :)
Lisa
J-14 Editor
Fun Facts about Kris:
- His favorite female artist is Kelly Clarkson
- Kris tried out for American Idol because "my brother made me."
- He combats stage fright by stretching.
- The first concert he went to was Reba McEntire.
- One thing Kris wishes he could change about himself? "I wish I had chest hair."
What a journey this year's American Idol has been -- from the wacky Norman Gentle (aka Nick Mitchell) and sassy Megan Joy to the heart-tugging Danny Gokey and the err, interesting Tatiana Nicole Del Toro... and of course, the attention-grabbing Bikini Girl (heck, did anyone bother to learn her name?! Ha!).
But the entire way, the quietly charming Kris Allen was the little engine that could. And just hours ago the 23-year-old Conway, Arkansas, student captured the American Idol title that most people predicted would go to the 27-year-old San Diego showman, Adam Lambert.
And to be honest, I breathed a sigh of relief when Ryan Seacrest read out the name. (Okay, I shed a tear of joy too. ;) ). But it's not that I was on Team Kris because I was against Team Adam. In fact, Adam was one of my early favorites -- his unique take on anything and everything was so fearless that I admired him (and wished I could be like him!). He has that one-of-a-kind nature that Blake Lewis did on season six with the music -- plus he can work the stage like no other. I defy you to blink during any of his performances... Adam knows how to get your attention -- and keep it. And he's just so frickin' likable!
But there was just something about Kris from the first time I spotted him in one of those group numbers in the Hollywood round. Maybe it's because I always root for the underdog... or maybe it's because I tend to judge people on how they handle fame and Kris is 110% modest... but when it comes down to it, whether he planned it or not, Kris' strategy on the show was perfect: starting out slow and shy and transforming into a super star -- and that's what American Idol is all about.
Unlike most competitors who have their off weeks -- Kris grew every single week. Sure, he had his not-so-good performances, but his overall projectile was the perfect course and he peaked exactly when he needed to in order to capture that crown. (Seriously, have you ever seen the guy sing his heart out the way he did on Tuesday in "Ain't No Sunshine"?)
Kris comes as a package artist -- you already know the kind of music he's going to bring on his debut album. One part pop, one part rock, with that tinge of country. He'll give artists ranging from John Mayer and The Fray to fellow Idol alumni David Cook and David Archuleta a run for their money since his genre mixes them all together.
I have no doubt that Adam's album is going to be spectacular as well -- yet at the same time have no idea what to expect. Adam is all about the surprise, which is perfect for a show like American Idol, but may not translate so well post-Idol.
Both Kris and Adam are going to be super successful in the next year... we definitely have a Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood on our hands as opposed to, errrr, some other past winners I won't name. ;)
But perhaps the most appealing part of the season was the true friendship between Kris and Adam. Have you ever seen two contestants genuinely support each so much? David Cook definitely seemed to look out for David Archuleta like a big brother -- but this was different. Kris and Adam seemed to truly appreciate and understand each other's talent and be rooting for the other one. Kris even said on Tuesday night they weren't competing!
Yet when it comes down to it, Kris still didn't believe he could win. One of the first things he said after the results was "Adam deserves this! I don't know what to say, this is crazy!" Fellow finalist Alexis Grace confirmed, "[Kris] did look dumbfounded. He was definitely shocked. He thought Adam was going to win!"
And that's why Kris deserved to win... the little engine that could.
Congratulations, Kris on your American Idol win! And congrats to you too Adam on an amazing season!
What do you guys think of Kris Allen's win on American Idol?
Can't wait to hear from you!
Rachel
J-14 Editor
PS- How brilliant was the Jason Mraz, Anoop Desai and Alexis Grace trio sining "I'm Yours"? I would have died to be in Alexis' place! ;)
Drumroll please.... the American Idol season 8 winner is: Kris Allen!!!
His single, "No Boundaries" will be released this week.
Idol finalist Alexis Grace said on the red carpet after the show, "[Kris] did look dumbfounded. He was definitely shocked. He thought Adam was going to win!" And Scott MacIntyre said, "I'm very happy for Kris. He's a great, great guy!"
Congratulations to Kris Allen!
Kris Allen's official American Idol portrait.
Kris Allen jammed with Keith Urban on the final results show.
Kris Allen was shocked to hear he won American Idol.
The newly-crowned American Idol sings "No Boundaries."
Right after the results were announced, Kris Allen posed with American Idol creator and executive producer Simon Fuller backstage.
After a five-month television journey, the American Idol season 8 winner was announced literally a minute ago live on Fox... was it 27-year-old Adam Lambert from San Diego, California, or 23-year-old Kris Allen from Conway, Arkansas?
Out of respect for those who haven't seen it, we are NOT posting the name on our home page yet. However... if you'd like to know, click here to find out who is your new American Idol. And don't say we didn't warn you... click at your own risk. ;)
If you want to know who won American Idol, click here.
Adam Lambert and Kris Allen arrive at the American Idol finale.
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