ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
September 25, 2009
Rising Star
Asher Book takes center stage in a remake of the 1980 hit movie Fame, now playing
Asher Book is earning his fame. The 21-year-old performer has sung and danced in musicals like Beauty and the Beast and Oliver. He has had roles in the ABC Family original movie Pop Rocks and Nickelodeon's Zoey 101. And he's a member of the up-and-coming pop group V Factory. Now, Book is making his way onto the big screen as well.
 |  SAEED ADYANI—MGM Aspiring singer Marco, played by Asher Book, gets schooled in fame. |
Book stars in Fame, an updated version of the 1980 Oscar-winning movie musical. It follows a group of students at the New York Academy of Performing Arts, in New York City. Book plays Marco, an aspiring singer from an Italian-American family whose good looks and charm have helped him breeze through life. It's also made him popular with the girls! But does Marco have what it takes to achieve true fame?
TFK asked Book about the music that inspires him and what his V Factory bandmates think about his new role.
TFK:Had you seen the original Fame before you got this part?
BOOK:I did see it, and I loved it. It was one of those things where I had to do my research. So, I sat down with my family and watched it. It's a classic!
TFK:What do the guys in V factory think of your acting career?
BOOK:Well, it's funny. At first I didn't want to do anything to take away from the group. But when this part came up and the group saw that it involved lots of singing, they just thought it was the coolest thing. They were 100% behind me and super supportive.
TFK:How close is your character, Marco, to you?
BOOK:Very similar. We both went to the original "Fame" school. That's where I spent most of my middle school years. We both grew up singing, we both come from a very good family, and his humor is very similar to mine. That made it easier for me to bring some more of my personality into the character.
TFK:What is the main message of the movie?
BOOK:To inspire kids, whether you're into singing, acting or dancing. It shows you how to push things to the next level and what this business is really like. There are ups and downs. You're not always going to get an audition, and you really have to search within yourself and push yourself to success. It shows what actors really go through.
TFK:You started off performing in theater. What shows inspired you when you were young?
BOOK:A lot of the classics. Growing up, I loved all the Disney productions and was inspired by The Lion King and other shows like The Phantom of the Opera. When I finally got into the theater world, I learned more about what's out there.
TFK:What music inspired you when you were growing up?
BOOK:I grew up listening to the Beatles, Elton John and Billy Joel . . . and I was a big fan of Michael Jackson.
TFK:Out of singing, dancing and acting, which is your favorite?
BOOK:That's hard! I've been doing them all my whole life, and I think I enjoy them all equally. They all bring a special joy.
TFK:Do you have any advice for kids who want to perform?
BOOK:If it's your dream and you're willing to put the time into it, you shouldn't let anything hold you back. Whether that means getting vocal lessons, acting lessons, dancing lessons, putting yourself out there to make yourself more competitive, whatever it takes to be the best-you have to have that desire. If you have the dream, follow it!
