Who's News
December 17, 2003
Meet the Stars of Cheaper By the Dozen
TFK Kid Reporter Danny gets the scoop on this family movie
 Danny poses with Piper Perabo |
Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and Kate Baker (Bonnie Hunt) star as the parents of 12 (yep, 12) kids in Cheaper by the Dozen. It’s a movie for kids of all ages starring kids of all ages.
Tom Baker gets the coaching job of his dreams so he and the family move from a small town to the city. Kate Baker finally publishes her book, Cheaper by the Dozen, and leaves for New York on a book tour. She leaves the job of taking care of the kids to her husband. While Kate is gone, total chaos breaks out.
 |  Piper Perabo, Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt in a scene from the movie. |
TFK: What do you like about acting?
Piper: I like story telling. Trying to understanding why people make the choices they do.
TFK: What was it like to work with Tom Welling?
Piper: He was so galant! He was really good at entertaining the 5-year old twin boys.
TFK: How about Ashton Kutcher? Was he good with the kids?
Piper: He causes more trouble. He was more like one of the kids so he like kicked the beehive. He would just sort of stir it up. If there was a game going, he would think of a way to make it slightly more dangerous!
TFK: Do you have anything coming up?
Piper: I am auditioning for a couple of plays in London. My original training was in theater. There is such a great history of theater there.
Now, to Tom Welling:
TFK: How do you feel about your fame?
Tom: It’s pretty neat, nothing to be taken lightly. I am glad it is for a good reason rather than a bad and for characters I am proud of.
TFK: Were you dreaming of it?
Tom: No, I didn’t start in this business with that being the goal. It’s still not the goal. If it comes along with the work that I do then so be it.
TFK: You have had such tremendous success in your role as young Superman on Smallville. Are you worried about being typecast?
Tom: Any actor who plays any role runs the risk of being typecast, especially if what you do is a success. When you play a superhero, because of the wardrobe more than anything else, you may run a higher risk.
TFK: How much longer do see yourself playing that role?
Tom: I don’t think 10 years from now. I think we’ll go three or four more years.
TFK: What qualities do you have that contribute to your success?
Tom: I work hard, I try to do my best, and I try to keep things fresh and interesting and I try to turn in a good performance for people to be entertained.
Now, to Bonnie Hunt:
TFK: What is your favorite part of the movie?
Bonnie: I guess my favorite scenes were when I was with the kids. I mean I love working with Steve Martin. That’s a thrill because I’ve always wanted to work with him. You know the movie is about experiences and moments, and there were a lot of great moments.
TFK: How was Cheaper by the Dozen different from your other acting roles?
Bonnie: I approach work the same way every time. I have a certain way I’d like to play the character at the top of my intelligence, they have kindness and self dimension, but it was different because it was hard to have a lot of improvisation because there were so many kids that had to be controlled.
TFK: Which do you prefer your TV show Life with Bonnie or doing movies?
Bonnie: As a writer and director, I prefer doing films because people choose to come in, sit down and actually pay attention to the story. In television, it’s harder to hit. Your writing with commercial breaks in mind and keeping the audience interested, so it’s a different creative process.
Read TFK's interview with Cheaper star Liliana Mumy!
