June 26, 2009

A Royal Adventure

Selena Gomez talks to TFK about her new Disney Channel movie, Princess Protection Program

By Vickie An

Royalty gets a big dose of reality tonight in the new Disney Channel original movie, Princess Protection Program. In it, we meet American tomboy Carter Mason and Rosalinda Marie Montoya Fiore, a true South American princess. The two teens, played respectively by real-life best buds Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, couldn't be a more polar-opposite pair. Carter is a sporty, small-town girl who works after school in her dad's bait shop in Lake Monroe, Louisiana. Princess Rosalinda grew up prim, proper and privileged in her family's palace on the tropical island of Costa Luna.

FRANCISCO ROMAN—DISNEY CHANNEL Real-life BFFs Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez star as two teens from very different worlds in Princess Protection Program.

Rosalinda has trained her entire life to take the throne. But before the young royal can be crowned queen, a power-hungry dictator takes over. Luckily, Rosalinda is rescued by Major Joe Mason, Carter's father. When he's not selling worms to fisherman, he's a special agent in the Princess Protection Program. Mason whisks Rosalinda away to a top-secret location where she's given a new identity, "Rosie Gonzalez." Her temporary new home is the Mason house, much to the dismay of Carter. Will Rosalinda regain her rightful place as queen? And can the girls look past their differences and learn to be friends?

TFK spoke to Selena Gomez about the movie and what it was like pretending life-long BFF Demi Lovato was a stranger. The actress also shares some secrets on the upcoming Wizards of Waverly Place TV movie.

TFK:

What was it like filming with your best friend?

Selena:

It was fun! It didn't feel like work. It was very nice to have someone there to go through it with. It was a good memory, and we'll be able to tell our grandchildren one day that we did a movie together.

TFK:

Can you describe what your character, Carter, is like?

Selena:

She's a tomboy who's very uncomfortable in her skin. She wears baggy clothes and is best friends with her dad. She isn't popular. Imagine putting a tomboy and a princess together -- it's not going to be good! But then it slowly evolves into friendship. It's nice.

TFK:

What was your favorite scene to film?

Selena:

Probably the scene where I had to pretend that I didn't know Demi. I've known her for 10 years, so pretending that I didn't know her was kind of funny.

TFK:

There's a pretty funny yogurt scene too . . .

Selena:

But that was cold! I didn't like that. I had to get the ice cream and shove it on Kevin [Schmidt's] hair. That was too cold for me. I was like, I don't know about this!

TFK:

The movie was filmed in Puerto Rico. Can you talk about that?

Selena:

Oh my goodness. It was amazing. We got to go to the beach, take naps, try the amazing food and tour the beautiful city. And to be able to say I lived in Puerto Rico for four months is pretty remarkable.

TFK:

What was your favorite thing about Puerto Rico?

Selena:

I would have to say the rice and beans. That's my favorite part! They have good rice and beans there.

TFK:

You and Demi performed a duet for the movie, called "One and the Same." What was it like performing together for the first time?

FRANCISCO ROMAN—DISNEY CHANNEL Rosalinda (Demi Lovato) helps Carter (Selena Gomez) find her inner princess.

Selena:

It's always been one of our dreams. When we were shooting the music video, she would hit me and go, 'We're doing a music video together! We're doing a music video together!' To do this together was very empowering, and it was nice to have someone to lean on.

TFK:

What are some of the messages in the film?

Selena:

It's a good friendship movie. A lot of girls look up to me and Demi's friendship, which I think is incredible. All the little girls who have BFFs and say, 'We want to be like Selena and Demi' . . . that's awesome. That's a great feeling for me and Demi. I can speak for both of us on that. This movie is very girl empowering. I think that's a good message . . . to not judge people and to take lessons from others.

TFK:

What will kids like about the movie?

Selena:

You'll get to see some funny parts. You'll get to see Demi speaking French and Spanish. You'll get to see Demi get yogurt all over her face! You'll get to see me throw crawfish around. You'll see us act like we don't know each other after watching us be best friends [in real life].

TFK:

Did Demi have to learn French for this?

Selena:

Yes, she did. She had a whole monologue, and I was like, 'Well, good luck with that!' She did a great job though.

TFK:

The Wizards movie was also filmed in Puerto Rico. What will the Russos be up to in that?

Selena:

This would have to be one of the proudest moments I've had because you get to see a side of all of the characters that you don't really see. You see a side of Alex that's a little more serious. The family goes on vacation, and Alex doesn't want to go. She's not allowed to use magic, which she's not happy about. So, she casts a spell that her parents had never met, and it comes true. But if her parents never met, then she wouldn't have been born. So she slowly loses her family. Alex is very vulnerable without them. You see how much she needs them. We do keep our comedy, so don't think it's a sad, depressing movie! But it's kind of scary to know what it's like to lose your family.

TFK:

What sides do we see of the other characters?

Selena:

You see Justin (played by David Henrie) take the lead. Normally on the show, he's the smart one who always tries to make the right decisions. This time you see him make decisions with his heart. David is a really good actor, and you see a sweeter side of his character, and that's so nice. Jake [T. Austin] is getting so big and he's getting older, so his character is slowly maturing. Our parents have to pretend like they didn't meet. And that's a challenge! David Delouise had to wear a bikini in one of the scenes, and he's a grown man, so that was funny!

TFK:

You're filming season three of Wizards coming up. Can you reveal some secrets?

Selena:

Yes, we got picked up for season three. I have no idea what's happening. The writers are keeping it hush-hush and are surprising us. I'm excited to get back and read scripts. I know all of our [tapings] are sold out, so I'm so happy to get back to the live audience. My favorite thing to do is make kids laugh.

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