Grace (Selena Gomz, center) is an ordinary girl who becomes an accidental heiress when a trip to Paris turns into the fantasy of a lifetime. (Photo: Larry Horricks, TM and © 2011 Twentieth Century Fox and Regency Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.)
Selena Gomez Goes to Monte Carlo
Teen star plays two roles in new movie
When Selena Gomez was seven years old, she had her first acting role on The Barney Show. Since then, she's been in four movies: Ramona and Beezus, The Wizards of Waverly Place movie, Another Cinderella Story, and The Princess Protection Program. She's also starred in her own show, Wizards of Waverly Place on The Disney Channel.
Now she's playing a dual role in Monte Carlo, a new movie for teens hitting movie theaters on Friday.
"Monte Carlo is a great fit for me," Selena said in a recent interview. "I play two roles. Grace is a shy, ordinary girl from Texas, and Cordelia is a mega-rich, not-so-nice European heiress. It's not every day you get to act naughty and nice all in the same film."
In the movie, Grace (Selena), her best friend Emma (Kate Cassidy), and her new stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester), plan a girls' getaway to Paris to celebrate Grace's high school graduation. They quickly realize that they are the victims of a vacation scam. But when the staff at a five-star Parisian hotel mistake Grace for Cordelia, a visiting British heiress, the girls decide to capitalize on their good fortune.
Soon, they are whisked away to Monte Carlo where Cordelia is scheduled to host a ritzy charity ball.
"In the role of Cordelia I got to wear some amazing outfits," Selena said. "At first they wanted to dress me like Paris Hilton or Posh Beckham. But the director is really into movie classics so he wanted a more classic, nostalgic look."
"I worked with a dialect coach," she continued. "But I was still pretty nervous about doing Cordelia's British accent."
Filming in Paris and then Monte Carlo would be any girl's dream, and it was no different for Selena.
"Shooting in Europe was amazing," she said. "I felt like I was in another dimension. The culture, the food, the people, the fashion – it was all really fun and I felt like I grew up a lot."
Growing up is something many actresses have to do quickly on the set. And Selena drew on her own experience when it came time to act as Grace.
"I was very awkward and quiet in high school," she remembered. "I wore the same outfit every day with a matching ribbon. I wasn't really confident and I never had a graduation. So I imagined Grace's graduation in the film is how I would have felt – shy and awkward."
When she's not making movies, Selena is like most other teenagers — very busy.
"I'm an ambassador for UNICEF, and I do a lot of community service projects in my spare time," Selena said. "I could relate to my character Grace because even though she is in Paris and Monte Carlo, she's still nice and caring for people."
She also has a clothing line, Dream Out Loud. Her idea for the line was clothes that were comfortable but chic at the same time.
But for now, Selena is busy getting the word out about Monte Carlo. It's a movie filled with humor, action, romance… and a twist ending that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a must-see for summer 2011!
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The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary (revised and expanded Edition)
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The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary (revised and expanded Edition)
by Jeff Kinney and Jeff KinneyThe first Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie opened on March 19, 2010, and earned over $75 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful films of the year. With The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary, author Jeff Kinney shared his Hollywood experience on the set and explained to readers how a major motion picture gets made. That was just the beginning of the story. Now, in this revised and expanded edition, Jeff Kinney fills in the rest of the moviemaking process with more inside stories, new artwork, and exclusive images. Also included is a special sneak peek at Rodrick Rules, the new movie coming in March 2011. This revised and expanded edition of The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is the perfect companion to the bestselling series.
About the Author:Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. In 2009, Jeff was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.
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The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
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The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
by Jeff Kinney and Jeff KinneyGo behind the scenes with Jeff Kinney and the making of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie! If you've ever wondered how a movie gets made, you're not alone. Author and illustrator Jeff Kinney didn't know either, but when his bestselling series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, was turned into a live-action movie by 20th Century Fox, he learned how a book gets adapted into a major motion picture. Complete with photographs, script pages, storyboard sketches, costume designs, and original art by Jeff Kinney, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is the perfect companion to the bestselling series.
About the Author:Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. In 2009, Jeff was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.
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Today Show Interview With Jeff Kinney
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