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HMB Exclusive Interview: Challen Cates (Nick’s Big Time Rush) Proves TV’s Newest Boy Band Momager ROCKS!

Posted on28. Aug, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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Photo by Jennings Paige

I’ve known Challen Cates for almost two decades now but until our interview last week the most I could tell you about her is that she is from Virginia, is a talented actress and as you can see in these amazing accompanying photographs taken by Jennings Paige – She Never Ages. Just like the character Mrs. Knight she plays on Nickelodeon’s break out hit “Big Time Rush,” I’ve learned there is much more to Challen than meets the eye. Television Star? Yes. But she also proudly plays the real roles of wife, mother and advocate for the prevention of childhood sexual abuse. Oh, and she’s really funny too.

HMB: Looking at your body of work, I’d said your acting background is varied, some prime time TV guest spots, independent film roles, even producing. What attracted you to the role of Mrs. Knight?

CC: I was actually watching a competing show and I said to my husband, ” I’d like to play the mom on a show like this,” et voila that’s exactly what happened. Be careful what you wish for, right?! I love comedy and I really love working on a broad comedy. Mrs. Knight is such a cool and trusting mom and she’s a single mom. I have an incredible amount of respect for single mothers so it is an honor to play one.

HMB: Did you have any hesitations about becoming a series regular or was it more like a dream come true?

CC: This really is a perfect job for me at this point in my life. It’s great that I am working on a show that shoots 15 minutes from my house and a show that my kids like to watch! However, I am an actor and as much as I love playing Mrs. Knight there are also other roles that I want to experience. I love playing against type. Anything that involves totally losing myself in a character that is a departure from me.

HMB: What process did you go through to get the role on “Big Time Rush?”

CC: Besides the obvious sexual favors? Just kidding. Oddly enough, it happened through normal channels. I didn’t know anyone involved with the project. No nepotism. I just auditioned and got the part. As an actor, you go on so many auditions. Sometimes you walk out of the room feeling great and sometimes not so great. This time is just felt right. I was completely at ease with the character, even though we have different backgrounds and lifestyles. I think Mrs Knight and I approach life in much the same way–with a healthy sense of humor to get you through the day.

Challen Cates with Husband Aaron MacPherson, son Colton and daughter Jasper. Photo by by Jennings Paige

HMB: Every actress has to ask herself when the right time is to go from ingenue to more mature roles. Is this the first time you’ve played a mom?

CC: Ha! Moving from ingenue to mature roles wasn’t something that I decided, it was sort of decided for me. But really, aren’t mature role more interesting and multi-faceted!
I’ve been playing a mom for a long time. I’m just better at it now because I have real experience to draw from. And honestly, I think that having children has made me a better person and a much better actor.

HMB: When the show debuted, it was a huge ratings score for Nickelodeon garnering more than 6 million viewers, making it the top premiere in Nick’s history. How rewarding was that for you and the other cast members? Did it put any unexpected pressure on you to continue that kind of ratings success?

CC: We are all very excited that the show came out of the gate with such a bang. The ratings continue to perform incredibly well and we are all very proud of the show. And of course there is pressure to keep the fans in our new season. The creator of the show is Scott Fellows and I think he is sort of the John Hughes of television. He just speaks kid. I guess it helps that he is a father of 4. He really understands kids, their language, their humor. As long as he can continue to tap into that wavelength I think the show will continue to be a success.

Kendall Schmidt and Ciaro Bravo

HMB: What is the biggest challenge of playing mom to Kendall Schmidt and Ciara Bravo?

CC: Um well it is probably that Kendall is so cute and funny it’s hard not to break down and laugh in the middle of a scene. And that Ciara is so darn cute I just want to scoop her up and squeeze her! She is also so sweet and innocent that I feel a natural maternal instinct to protect her. My own kids are only 2 and 5 so I am learning a lot about teenagers!

HMB: Your character is hilarious. I read a description online that Katie (Ciaro Bravo) is “always shown to have more tricks up her sleeve than her mother, who is portrayed as being very naive with regard to Hollywood machinations.” What’s your take on your character? Do you think she’s really that naive?

CC: Scott and I discussed this and we agreed that Katie gets her antics from her mother but Mrs. Knight just can’t see that. I mean seriously, this is the mother who attacked another mother at an audition, dressed up in a chef’s uniform to get an autograph for her daughter, knocked the maintenance man out with a frying pan, and pretended to be a hotel manager so that her kids could stay in Los Angeles. I love it and I can’t wait to do more shenanigans. Mrs. Knight does come from a more innocent place and perhaps she wants to hang on to some of that naivety because she wants her kids to be happy, and like every mother, hopes that they won’t grow up too fast.

HMB: Admittedly, this is me being an armchair writer/director but I would love to see Mrs. Knight have a larger role and more of a good cop/bad cop relationship with Gustavo Rocque (Stephen Kramer Glickman) who plays the boys manager, sort of reminiscent of the relationship Mrs. Partridge (Shirley Jones) had with Reuben Kincaid (Dave Madden) in “The Partridge Family.” It would be a kick to see more of Katie and Gustavo play off each other too. Any chance of this happening?

CC: Will you please call the show and pitch your ideas?! It would be great to go toe to toe with Gustavo. I don’t think he has a clue how fierce a mother can be when protecting her cubs. Right?! Katie is great with him and of course it’s hilarious because she is such a little peanut. I think that in the future there will definitely be more interaction between family and business. Watch out Mr. Rocque. And Griffin too!

HMB: Speaking of Shirley Jones, how does it feel to tackle the iconic role of “Mom of the Band?” How would you like to see your character develop?

CC: I love it! I just wish I could sing like Shirley Jones. I would like to see Mrs. Knight take a bigger interest in Kendall’s (and the guys) future as a musician and singer and in Katie’s future as an entrepreneur. I would also like to see Mrs. Knight be more involved in Kendall’s personal relationships as well. Heck, I’d like to see Mrs. Knight have a first name!

Photo by Jennings Paige

HMB: I love the fact that your family and the other boys are all transplants and end up living in a hip version of the Oakwood Apartments. Have you or any of the cast members ever stayed in the Oakwoods during your own acting careers?

CC: I almost moved into the Oakwood when I first moved to LA but at the last minute I stumbled onto a beautiful apartment on Crescent Heights in West Hollywood. The drawback was I shared the apartment and bathroom with two testonterone laden young guys. And apparently it’s come full circle!

HMB: How has life changed for you since Big Time Rush? Do kids recognize you wherever you go?

CC: Yeah I get recognized when I’m with my kids on the playground and at Colton’s preschool. Some of his friends are huge fans of the show which totally ups my cool factor. It’s hilarious. I love kids who are fans of the show. I especially love it when they know more about the show than I do. They can recite my dialogue, sing the songs, and correct me on the minute details of the show.

HMB: And an obvious questions, are the boys swarmed with fans?

CC: Oh gosh, yes they are all swarmed with fans and are getting an enormous amount of attention which all seems to be evenly distributed. Kids (and adults) love to tell me who their favorite guy is and I have to say it is very even. It was obviously great casting because there is a btr boy for everyone. The guys are all amazing and they are handling fame beautifully. They are all very close with their real parents which I think really helps keep them grounded.

HMB: You’re a mother and wife in real life also. How do you balance that with your shooting schedule?

CC: I am a mom in real life to my son Colton who is 5 and my daughter Jasper who is 2. My schedule on the show varies so we take it one week at a time. Every night Aaron (Challen’s husband) and I discuss our plans for the next day so that we can make sure that everyone is covered. It can get pretty tricky since both of us are actors and Aaron is also an acting coach (www.aaronmcphersonstudio.com). My kids have a wonderful nanny who helps us when Aaron or I can’t be there. Even when I’m not working on the show I am still running around this crazy city going to auditions and working on other projects. Sometimes I take the kids with me to auditions, especially commercial and voice over auditions. We just make it work out and we try our best to make it a fun adventure.

HMB: What do your kids think of their mom starring on Big Time Rush?

CC: Colton and Jasper just think it is completely normal. Colton says things like, “How was work today mom? Are you going to see Kendall today?” They love to come and visit me on set. They love the cast and crew and the awesome sets. They are also big fans of the show and the music. I love that it is actually a show they can watch. Nothing horrible happens to me on Big Time Rush. Thank goodness!

Challen Cates with Husband Aaron, son Colton and daughter Jasper. Photo by by Jennings Paige

HMB: Do you think either of your kids have the acting gene? How would you handle it if they asked to become child actors?

CC: I don’t know. It’s too soon to really know. At this point Colton seems like a director and Jasper is my little comedienne. It is just such a hard profession. It is hard emotionally. The rejection is brutal and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. However, if they decide they want to be actors, we will do everything we can to support their decision and give them the encouragement and help they need.

HMB: What other projects are you involved with or have slated for the near future?

CC: I did a feature called Foosteps which should be coming out soon. I play a mom in that as well but it’s a chilling thriller and definitely not something my kids can watch. I am actively reading scripts because I would love to produce another feature but it really comes down to finding the right material.

Challen also works closely with the charity Darkness 2 Light, the world’s leading non-profit working to prevent child sexual abuse.

CC: I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and so it is a cause that is very close to my heart. One is 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused. We need to increase awareness and educate adults and children in how to prevent childhood sexual abuse.

ABOUT the Darkness to Light Organization

In 2000, Anne Lee, Darkness to Light’s President/CEO, developed and implemented a strategy for a non-profit primary prevention program with the mission of reducing the incidence of child sexual abuse through public awareness and education. With tremendous community support, over $100,000 was raised and an award-winning Darkness to Light media campaign was developed and launched in June of 2001. Darkness to Light’s public awareness campaign seeks to raise awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse. Their ads are a “call to action” encouraging adults to call or go online for free materials that educate adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Darkness to Light is also actively educating adults through its newest initiative, Stewards of Children, a sexual abuse prevention training program that provides frontline training for organizations and corporations that serve children and youth.

Love these Pictures? Photographer Jennings Paige can be reached at jenningspaige@yahoo.com

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Reminder to Round Up The Kids! It’s Time To Make a MOVIE at Valley West Actors Studio’s SUMMER CAMP!

Posted on02. Jul, 2010 by Hollywood Mom.

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Update: There are still a few spots left for this awesome SFV camp – call and get your Valley girl or boy enrolled today!

Preparations for Acting For Film & Television (AFFT) Summer Camp are underway at Valley West Actors Space. Have fun and gain great experience acting in front of the camera! AFFT is for kids who want to act in film and television either for fun or for a career! During their 2 week summer sessions, each day will be split up into a morning and afternoon session.

In the morning, each child will receive coaching in various areas of acting including…

Cold reading
Improv
On-camera work
Scene study
Audition techniques

After lunch in the afternoons AFFT kids will shoot a short film, that is directed, filmed and edited by industry professionals who work in feature films, commercials and television. And this all culminates in a RED CARPET PREMIERE! Dust off the tux and Vera Wang gown! At the end of the session, VWAS will host a gala red carpet premiere with interviews, screaming fans (also known as parents) and paparrazi (we call them friends) at the Valley West Actors Studio in Woodland Hills!

Session 1: Ages 8 – 12 Monday July 5 – July 16. Time: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily Tuition: $450 per session

Session 2: Ages 11 – 16 August 2 – August 13 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily Tuition: $500 per session Space limited to 12 kids per session and all classes will be taught by Sara Wood.

For more information or to enroll, go to their website and pay via paypal link. $100 deposit is non-refundable after June 21, 2010. Full payment due by June 30, 2010. Email: valleyactors@gmail.com, phone: 818.222.7484.

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From the Momager Trenches: An L.A. Baby’s First Modeling Job

Posted on21. Jun, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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Cash actually made his first modeling appearance as a baby bump in this ad for Pezdor Swimwear.

Yes, I admit it. I am an aspiring Momager trying my best to help my son Cash and daughter Shelby smoothly break into the world of baby modeling. Cash started modeling young, really young – in utero to be exact (photo right) when I did my first and only paid modeling gig for international swimwear company Pezdor of Barcelona, Spain. Cash’s first modeling assignment outside the womb was an unpaid job for Zuzii Footwear, a developing infant footwear company. We took this particular job for fun as well as experience, and it went extremely well.

I stumbled across a Craigslist posting seeking babies in his age range to model infant shoes and decided to give it a shot. Be forewarned, many Craigslist postings seeking baby or children models are a scam. Ads will lure you in with lines like, “DO YOU HAVE THE CUTEST KID?” Then after your initial contact with the advertiser, they waste no time requesting your attendance at *free modeling seminars* or *interviews.* They will then undoubtedly ask for money to put your child on their casting site or for professional pictures. I happened to get lucky and find an honest company that was planning a legitimate photoshoot for their product. Again, I stress the luck part. Craigslist is definitely not the place to look for castings for your children.

About one week after sending in some basic snapshots of Cash, Zuzii responded, saying that Cash looked like a happy baby and that they would love to shoot with him. In exchange for our time, they offered him 3 pairs of shoes, custom-made for his little tootsies! They even came out to our neck of the woods and met us at a local park to take his measurements. I liked this because I had the chance to meet with the Creative Director and feel out the situation in advance of the shoot. I signed a release form, giving them full usage of the images for their promotional use. Had I not met with them that day, I would have been very nervous about going to the actual shoot. This initial meeting allowed me to see that they were professional and legitimate.

Baby Cash becomes a professional foot model!

Trying to avoid being photographed herself backfired. "I actually look like I hate my baby," Michele notes of this picture.

Zuzii rented out the beautiful Studio 13 in downtown LA for the photo shoot. They were extremely organized and accommodating. Every baby was booked for an individual time slot in order to give each one undivided attention. Since Cash was so young and couldn’t sit up on his own, I sat out of the shot and propped him up most of the time. They did have me hold him for a few shots, in order to get a different angle on the shoes. For some reason, I assumed that my face would not be in those pictures. Unfortunately, it was. This is so unfortuate because not only was I assuming that I wasn’t in the shot, but I was actively trying not to be in it, as well. This combination made for some very interesting facial expressions on my part. I actually look like I hate my baby in a few of them (photo right). Oh well, lesson learned, I suppose.

Cash gives his best Zoolander "Blue Steel" Impression.

If someone walked in on a baby photoshoot and did not see the baby, they would be completely justified in assuming that the adults there were possible mental patient escapees. I don’t know what looked sillier – the photographer, myself, and Cristin, the Creative Director, all simultaneously blowing raspberries at Cash or the three of us doing a jolly little jig together. It was a tough job, but it was all worth it when we got the perfect shot of his happy little baby smile. Although, he did break out his best ‘Zoolander’ face for the money shot of the day (photo left).

Baby Cash grows like a weed so unfortunately he never had the chance to wear his awesome new custom-made shoes. In the amount of time it took from the measurements to us receiving the shipment, his little monkey toes were already hanging over the edge of the sandals. Luckily, his 4-month-old cousin, Cole, was in the market for some new kicks, so we happily handed them down.

At a mere 3.5 months old, Cash was surprisingly cooperative and enjoyed being the center of attention. I chose to do the shoot for experience – not just for him, but for me, too. I liken it to a warm-up shoot. Now when (notice I say when and not if) we book our first shoot, I will have that much more confidence in the situation. Whether it will be on a much larger scale or in a small and intimate setting similar to this shoot, I will at least have a little experience under my belt and not be walking into the situation completely green and blind. Overall, a great experience and that was really enjoyable.

Written by HMB Contributor & Product Reviewer Michele Dahl. Follow her foray into the world of baby and toddler modeling here on HMB! You can follow Michele on Twitter @MomNamedElle

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MOMAGERS: Life is No Ice Cream Cake Walk for Dina Lohan

Posted on17. Jun, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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In trivial and unbelievable Momager/Child Star news today, the latest “scoop” at Carvel Ice Cream is that the Lohan Family’s Carvel Black Card has been Black-listed. For those unfamiliar, a “Black Card” grants the holder free Carvel ice cream for 75 years.

RadarOnline reports that Dina Lohan, the momager of tabloid staple and former child star Lindsay Lohan, claims that a Carvel ice cream shop employee reported her to the police after she used daughter Ali Lohan’s free ice cream card. (Carvel states that the card was issued to Lindsay Lohan.) Dina went to a Carvel ice cream store in East Meadow, New York, to pick up a birthday ice cream cake for her son Cody’s 14th birthday party and wanted to use a special Carvel “Black” card which she believed guarantees her and her family “free ice cream for 75 years.” However, when Dina went to the ice cream store, she didn’t have her own card and instead used her daughter Ali’s card. “I didn’t think it be [sic] a problem,” Dina told RadarOnline.

Dina alleges that the Carvel employee grabbed her arm, took her Black Card and “held it hostage.” She further claims that the employee called the police who then sent over a police helicopter.

If this is true, about the police helicopter, all I can say is that people in Long Island take their ice cream very seriously. Very. Seriously. Or maybe they just hate the Lohan family.

The employee eventually returned the card, but refused to give Dina Lohan a free cake. Dina states that “it just shows how we get treated so much worse than regular people.” She says, “Just wait until Lindsay and Ali hear about this [...] when Ali gets back, I’m going to bring her in everyday to this store–and you can print that!”

CARVEL’S VERSION OF EVENTS:

In their own statement to the press today, Carvel Ice Cream said the following:

“As part of Carvel’s 75^th Anniversary celebration last year, we issued 75 Black Cards to celebrities. These cards were issued in the celebrity’s name and require the card holder to be present at the time of use. Many celebrities have enjoyed their cards at our Carvel Ice Cream shoppes and have shared their excitement with being included in the celebration.”

(Editor: Please note that the following verbiage is clearly printed on the Black Card in question:)

Carvel's Chocolate Mascot, Fudgie the Whale

“Unfortunately, the Lohan family has been abusing the card. While the card was issued in Lindsay’s name only, her extended family has repeatedly used the card without her present. At first, we graciously honored their requests while explaining that the Black Card was not a carte blanc for unlimited Carvel Ice Cream for the extended Lohan family and friends. After more than six months of numerous and large orders for ice cream, we finally had to cut off the card and take it back. Dina Lohan reacted badly and called the police to have her card returned. The police responded and did return the card to Dina with instructions not to use it again. This is an unfortunate situation where certain people feel entitled to use a celebrity’s name for their own purposes. We regret that the Lohan family is upset and hope this matter is put behind us quickly.”

Rest assured, it will only be a matter of minutes before we spy “Team Carvel” and “Team Lohan” t-shirts adorning teens at the local mall, although my money is on the former boasting better sales. Let’s just hope we can forgo the obligatory rubber bracelets emblazoned with “What Would Tom Carvel Do?” or worse yet, “What Would Fudgie Do?”

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HMB Exclusive: Parenting Hollywood Style with Kathy Ireland, Ed Begley Jr., Tony Dovolani & the Original Celebrity Momager, Shirley Jones

Posted on18. May, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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By Contributor Diana Marcketta

Celebrity parents gathered in Beverly Hills this past weekend in support of their friend and fellow celebrity parent, Kathy Ireland who hosted a Mother’s Day reception at Geary’s, a leading retailer of fine luxury gifts, in honor of the launch of her new jewelry line produced by Elan Luxury Collections. The collection includes diamond-studded hoops designed to hang straight without an uncomfortable swing effect, artful crucifixes [pictured on Kathy below], dinner rings and a variety of bangles and bridal items which provides Ireland’s customer with high quality items at a variety of price levels, which begin under $200 but expand to several thousand.

Among Ireland’s guests were the original real life and television momager, Shirley Jones, her husband Marty Ingels, Ed Begley Jr. with wife Rachelle, and Tony Dovolani of “Dancing with the Stars.” HMB Contributor Diana Marcketta had the opportunity to glean parenting tips from each of them, beginning with Shirley Jones who raised a pack of devilish Cassidy boys in the city of Angels. When it comes to parenting in the fast-moving world of Hollywood there are no easy answers, say several of entertainment’s leading moms and dads, but some solid, hard rules can be helpful.

The original Hollywood Mom, Shirley Jones (left), attends Kathy Ireland's celebrity-studded Mother's Day Event at upscale gift shop, Geary's of Beverly Hills. Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

Shirley Jones, the “television” mother of the 1970’s sitcom “The Partridge Family” and the real-life mom of three sons (former “Hardy Boys” teen idol Shaun Cassidy and brothers Ryan and Patrick) and one stepson (David Cassidy, former teen star of “The Patridge Family”), was in attendance with husband, comedian Marty Ingels.

Having grown up in a community of 800 in rural Pennsylvania, Jones, whose own decades-long acting career began on Broadway and then led directly to the silver screen in “South Pacific” and “Oklahoma,” says she worked diligently to instill the same kind of small-town values in her children. In fact, she took the role on “The Partridge Family” so she could be home with her children. The father of Jones’ children was the late Jack Cassidy – an highly-renowned actor who died in 1976. She divorced Cassidy in 1974, two years prior to his death, and later married Marty Ingels [pictured above].

Jones recalls that the family originally moved to Beverly Hills because, at the time, the school district was one of the best in the country. What she didn’t anticipate was the peer pressure her sons would experience living in such an upscale community. Shirley immediately felt challenged by the material demands and expectations of her sons. “They would say, ‘That kid has a Rolls-Royce. Why can’t I have a Rolls-Royce?’” says Jones, “I said ‘You can have a car, but you have to pay half [and] I’ll pay half’,” said Jones. “Then I would tell them to go down to [local grocery stores] Von’s or Ralph’s and get a job boxing groceries. At least, they could do that to earn some money.”

With a houseful of boys – stepson David Cassidy, sons Shaun Cassidy, Patrick Cassidy and Ryan Cassidy – Jones endured her share of teen-age antics. “I had a list of rules for each of them written on yellow legal paper stuck to the refrigerator,” says Jones. “So that any time I was out-of-town, or working late, there was no doubt what the rules were. No girls spending the night,” says Jones of some of yellow, legal pad, written rules. “No screwing girls in the car parked in the garage.” And despite Jones’ pleas, each of them followed the family tradition, pursuing careers in show business.

“I begged Shaun not to go into show business. I pleaded with him to go to college,” says Jones of her oldest son. “But [into show business] he went, right after his brother David.” Ryan and Patrick are also involved in the entertainment industry. In fact, Jones was so vigilant in her pleas for her oldest to get a regular job, Shawn reminded her of it immediately following his very first performance at Madison Square Garden. While Jones waited with several family members in an alley way for her son following the performance, she recounts, “He pulled up next to me [in his limousine], rolled down the window, and said, ‘Now do you think I should be boxing groceries?’” says Jones. “[Then] he rolled up the window, and drove away.” Jones says the best advice she could give any parent is to be vigilant about knowing what’s going on in their children’s lives. “You have to stay on top of them,” says Jones.

Ed Begley & wife, Rachelle Carson at Kathy Ireland's Mothers Day Celebration at Geary's Beverly Hills. Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

TV actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. and his wife Rachelle Carson, who star in Discovery’s Planet Green series, “Living with Ed,” share similar parenting views with Jones. “We try to spend as much time as possible together as a family,” Begley says of life with their 10-year-old daughter, Hayden Carson. “You can’t let life get in the way of being with your children. There’s always social networking. There’s always that email to send out. You know how it goes, ‘Just a minute, let me send this out,’ and then 10 minutes later, you’re still at the computer. You simply have to walk away and be really there with your child.”

Begley says he makes sure his schedule gives him lots of time at home with his family. “When I’m there, I’m really there with her,” Begley says of parenting Hayden. Begley and his wife monitor their daughter’s behavior, as well as her friends’ behavior. “You want to make sure your kid is hanging out with the right crowd,” says Begley.

Being active with your child is also an important part of being a parent today, says Begley. The distraction of television, the Internet and in some cases cell phones, makes children sedentary, says Begley. “Participate with them,” he suggests. “I’ll go riding bikes with [Hayden] or go swimming, or maybe it’s not a sport I’m into, but she’s into it. Just as long as they’re staying active and you’re staying active with them. I think that’s important.” Begley says because of he and his wife’s environmentalism, his daughter has also had the added benefit of experiencing a garden and understanding where food comes from.

“She’s not afraid of worms. She’s never afraid of worms in the garden, “ says Begley, who taught his daughter Hayden about worm’s role in the supplying needed nitrogen for the garden soil’s benefit. “She knows that food doesn’t come on the Safeway bus nor grown on the Von’s tree.”

Tony Dovolani at Kathy Ireland's Geary's Mother's DAy Event Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

Tony Dovolani of Dancing with The Stars and father of three says life moves in the fast lane in Hollywood, not just for adults but for kids as well. “There is a lot of peer pressure to having everything now,” says Dovolani, who lives in Connecticut with his wife and children when not shooting ABC’s hit dance show. “I don’t understand why they don’t want to experience life. Life is a wonderful experience. Experience life as it comes. It doesn’t all have to be now.”

He’s often shocked by teenage girls’ desire to have breast augmentations and lip-pumping injections, and to seek public attention. “Everyone seems to be publicity hungry even if they’re no one,” he says. “It used to be that fame and notoriety came because it was talent-based. Now people want to be famous for being famous and for blogging about nothing. That influences our children, our teenagers, in a negative way,” he says.

Dovolani sincerely understands the concept of hard work. He came to the U.S. under political asylum when his family fled their home country of Kosovo. “We came here with nothing,” says Dovolani, whose father was formerly CEO of a large computer corporation in Kosovo. “But it was too dangerous for us to stay [in Kosovo]. We would not be alive today had we not come to the U.S., but we left everything behind to do that.”

Dovolani says he and his wife have long established a united front in parenting their children…even before his wife Lina became pregnant with their first child more than four years ago. “In our house, the parents are the parents,” he says. “The children do not make the decisions. We do. If we have a disagreement about how something is to be done, we don’t share that in front of the children. We discuss it alone. We share each other’s views. Then when we speak to the children, we speak to them as one.”

Tony learned his communication skills from his own family. “We never fight,” he says of his extended family. “We listen to each other’s views. We may not agree with each other. But instead of getting angry, my father will say, ‘Did you look at it this way?’ and then ask you to consider your opinion from another point of view.” Dovolani additionally shares that he and his wife rely on the comfort and support of extended family that live nearby in New York. But the most important relationship, Dovolani feels, in raising children is for parents to be supportive of one another. “It takes a team,” he says. Dovolani will soon appear on the TV talk show “The Doctors” to share his views about parenting.

Kathy Ireland Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

More About Kathy Ireland:

When former supermodel Kathy Ireland, now 47, ended her famous career at 27 or 28, she was anxious to begin her own business.

“I had tried all throughout my modeling career to start my own business, “ says Ireland, who is founder and owner of the brand Kathy Ireland Home and Kathy Ireland Jewelry, both part of the multi-product marketing site KathyIreland.com. “But I kept failing. I tried one business after the other, and it failed.”

“When I ended my [modeling] career, I could dedicate myself to the business,” says Ireland, whose first success in launching the Kathy Ireland brand came in the design of socks for women. “I was turned down time after time,” says Ireland. “They told me I was too dumb to do this, that this wasn’t the right product, that I didn’t know what I was doing, why did they need me, I heard everything. Then I hit my millionth sale in socks…a simple item that women need. Women bought it. I knew I had something.”

What Ireland found was that it was her connection with women, and her deep understanding of their needs as a working mother and wife herself that helped build her success, she says.

“KathyIreland.com is dedicated to finding solutions for the busy Mom,” says Ireland, who has more than 15,000 products to service her customer. “I listen to her, to my customer. She knows what she wants. She communicates to me what she wants, and I respond.”

Ireland reads through emails she receives daily from mothers like herself, who often manage a career, a family and marriage. She penned a book released in 2009, “Real Solutions for Busy Moms; Your Guide to Success and Sanity,” to provide guidance to a population of women whose daily schedules are often packed full of work, children and maintaining a home. “It is heroic for a woman to make it into a store,” says Ireland of most mothers’ busy schedules, “I want them to have a wonderful experience when they do.”

Ireland says she began her business career as a child growing up in Santa Barbara with her sister, Mary. The two would gather rocks, paint them and sell them at a price of 5 cents or 10 cents as paperweights or interesting sculpture pieces. Ireland says her sister made more money by selling her rocks at a higher price, but her own artfully painted rocks were more creatively designed with painted flowers and rainbows. For years, she says, her grandmother kept one of her painted rocks in her purse as a weapon should she be approached by unwanted strangers. “That taught me a lesson in quality,” says Ireland. “That people will hold onto things that are well-designed of a high quality.”

Her own jewelry line, produced by Elan Luxury Collections, includes diamond-studded hoops, ingeniously designed to hang straight without an uncomfortable swing effect, artful crucifixes, dinner rings and a variety of bangles and bridal items which provides Ireland’s customer with high quality items at a variety of price levels.

“At first, she, my customer, told me she wanted something that doesn’t have any fluff. Sometimes my customer tells me she needs a solution to traveling, and we find a solution for that. But now she’s ready for something more romantic with a little luxury, ” says Ireland. “We designed the jewelry line as a solution for people in love.”

Ireland says her days as an entrepreneur for KathyIreland.com vary. “Sometimes it’s about design, sometimes it’s about human resources, sometimes it’s about distribution,” says Ireland, who worked to discern her own strengths and weaknesses in building her business. “I have strengths. I know what they are. I have my weaknesses too. They are many. So I built a business family to support the areas I was weak in and now I feel we have a very strong network. I have a very strong, supportive business family.”

Although Ireland, who gained notoriety for her appearances as the cover swimsuit model for Sports Illustrated is grateful for her modeling career, it’s business that has always been her passion. “When you have a passion for something, it’s not work,” she says.

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SAG Young Performers Know How to Party!

Posted on26. Apr, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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In celebration of the launch of the SAG Young Performers’ website, SAG Young Performers hosted an indoor carnival at SAG headquarters on Wilshire, Saturday, April 24, 2010. I took my daughter, actress Kortney Nash, to check out the day’s events.

With a mini-disco ball spinning and the dj playing fan favorites, the first floor was turned into a fun zone. I love SAG events! The ones I’ve attended in the past have been very informative and educational, because of my daughter’s age, I usually get more out of them than she does. The free carnival was right up her alley.

Each SAG department, Legal, Stunts and Safety, Credit Union, etc. hosted a booth where kids played carnival games like ring toss or bean bag toss and win a little prize. Parents were given brochures and flyers to learn more about the departments within the Screen Actors Guild. There were also cotton candy and popcorn stands, a Wii lounge and a photo booth. Kortney revisited the photo booth several times; she has a thing for taking goofy pictures.

Picture: Kortney Nash with SAG Young Performers committee chair Justin Shenkarow

As a parent, I thought it was a great way to connect with the organization. So often, we don’t take full advantage of the different opportunities or educational tools they offer because we forget or we’re not aware of them. It was nice to be able to put faces to the departments and learn what they have to offer. I’m really excited about the Looking Ahead program. Looking Ahead is part of The Actors’ Fund of America. They sponsor workshops and outings to help young performers and their families connect and to navigate the issues associated with a minor working in the entertainment industry.

Computers were set up in the lobby so everyone could surf the new site. It’s very hip and interactive. Kortney has been in the business since she was a baby and attending events like these helps her to put things in perspective in terms of the larger picture. Of course, what would be a SAG event without star sightings? We saw Robbie Amell from True Jackson VP coming in as we were headed out.

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Contributor: Sibylla Nash
Follow Sibylla on Twitter @starbabyla and read her blogs StarBabyLA.com and Divaluscious.com
Shop http://www.zazzle.com/divaluscious* and watch her daughter Kortney’s demo reel!

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Seth Green Speaks About Friend & Former Child Star Corey Haim (Dec. 23, 1971- March 10, 2010)

Posted on13. Mar, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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My husband Russell and I worked with Seth Green on a small, teen film called “Can’t Hardly Wait,” back in 1998. While the film wasn’t intended for my demographic and I admittedly appreciated very little of it’s humor, a few actors on the film really stood out. One of them was Seth Green; an immeasurably talented, funny and unpretentious guy. When I came across this post online quoting Seth about recently deceased former child star Corey Haim, I decided to reprint a small portion and link to the original post on Entertainment Weekly because Seth’s one person in Hollywood who doesn’t appear to have an agenda in discussing Haim’s career and untimely death.

Did you know Corey Haim at all in his younger days?
Seth Green: I met him first when I was probably 14 or 15, and it was the height of [his] success and I was so enamored by kids that were doing what I wanted to do. And then after his career had started to wane and he was doing more “slim-chance-of-release” movies, he did a movie called The Double O Kid and I had a small part in it that which wound up getting cut. [Laughs] Let me think. I was probably like 17 or 18 years old. I was like his buddy driving him to his new job and we’re talking about what the job is, and it’s all exposition. “Really, you’re taking a summer job interning with the CIA? That’s great” or whatever it was. We spent two days together working. We started to shoot one day and he was complaining of stomach pains and eventually wound up leaving and we couldn’t shoot anything that day and I was really upset. I was such a defender of him, and then to show up on-set and then have him sort of act the way people were accusing him of acting was really disheartening. Then like a day or so later, they reset up everything to shoot and he was just immeasurably professional that day. Like just all over the place, working way above and beyond, busting his ass, knew all his lines, was hittin’ his marks really sharp, and elevating it. As much as you could elevate The Double O Kid, elevating it. That’s kind of what he was, was this duality of incredibly sweet and earnest professional who really loved performing and would go above and beyond for the project and his castmates and also this kind of troubled, tortured drug addict that could be an entirely different person depending on where he was with his addiction. But like I said, when we got back to shooting, I was blown away by how awesome he was.

As a fellow child actor, what was the difference between you and Corey Haim?
Seth Green: I was never famous as a kid. [Laughs] That’s the biggest difference between me and any other kid actor is that I wasn’t famous as a kid. I was never specifically associated with a part, I didn’t have tons of money, I wasn’t conventionally tall or handsome, so you know the things that were available to me were hard work and perseverance. I just didn’t have the same opportunities so I wasn’t able to make the same mistakes.

Anything else you wanted to say?
Seth Green: As people get older and fall out of the spotlight, people’s memory of them changes. He was a really sweet and earnest performer, and that came through in everything that he did. Whether it’s Silver Bullet, Lucas, even Lost Boys. He really just loved performing so much and wasn’t cynical. I just hope that people will always remember the kid as somebody who was a really good actor and loved performing and just got caught up.

A recent photo of Corey Haim with his mother Judy Haim, also his manager. Corey and Judy were living in the Oakwood Apartments near Universal Studios at the time of his death.

Excerpts from an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Please continue reading the original interview here.

The L.A. Coroner’s Office confirms that Corey Haim’s autopsy was completed March 11, 2010. According to the chief coroner investigator, “The cause of death has been deferred pending receipt of toxicology and histopathology tests.” The office expects to get results in six to eight weeks.

Access Hollywood, reports that Haim’s mother — Judy Haim — says the coroner’s office called her to disclose the actor’s cause of death. She claims she was told the autopsy found the actor suffered pulmonary congestion, and found he had an enlarged heart and water in his lungs.

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Hurry! Young Actors Casting Workshop in Woodland Hills Saturday, 2/27/10!

Posted on22. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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Would your child rather act than do just about anything else? Does she watch all the Nickelodeon and Disney shows and repeatedly ask, “Mom, how can I be on television?”

If so, this is your opportunity! On Saturday, February 27, from 1 to 3 pm, Valley West Actors Space is hosting a Young Actors Casting Workshop (for ages 6 to 18 years of age) that will answer your drama queen or king’s burning theatrical questions!

This is a phenomenal chance to meet and read for not one, but two amazing professionals in the entertainment industry during an informative and fun Film and Television casting workshop.

Susan Putnam of Harriet Greenspan Casting, is the Casting Director of True Jackson VP, Ned’s Declassified School Surviving Guide, Unfabulous; several MOW’s (Movie of the Week) and Feature Films.

Debbie Entin of Rising Talent Management who has clients who’ve recently appeared on the kid-friendly TV Shows: iCarly, The Middle and Victorious as well as in national commercials and feature films including Adam Sandler’s highly anticipated project “Grown Ups.” Important Topics covered during the workshop:

Breaking down scripts
Cold reading
What Casting Directors, Agents and Directors are looking for
How to get work
Do’s and Don’ts of auditioning …And more!

What to bring: a headshot or a picture of student with contact numbers or resume on back

Cost: $75 for the non members, $50 for *registered members of Valley West Actors Space *for membership information, please go to www.valleyactors/membership.com

To Register: www.valleyactors.com/ShowcasesWorkshops.html

Date: Saturday February 27, 2010

Time: 1-3PM

Place: Valley West Actors Space, 22743Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills CA 91364

Website: www.valleyactors.com

Phone: 818-222-7484

For additional information please email: actingshowcase1@gmail.com or valleyactors@gmail.com

Please hurry and register because space is limited to only 25 students! And mention that Tracy Bobbitt & Hollywood Mom Blog sent you!

HMB will be profiling Valley West Actor’s Space next week, which is owned and run by Sara Wood, actress and mother of actress Evan Rachel Wood.

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Hollywood Mom Tracy Bobbitt interviewed on NBC’s NewsRaw

Posted on20. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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No surprise that I was completely honored to be interviewed by the host of NBC NewsRaw, Mekaloh Medina, last week in NBC’s Los Angeles studios ♥. It’s been years since I’ve been on camera and to say that I had a rusty start is putting it mildly. Spoiler Alert: College kids could make a drinking game out of the number of times I glance up at the ceilingto collect my thoughts. Not a good angle for the chins by the way. Anyhow, the gist of the interview is that, as loyal readers know by now, I’m a Hollywood Mom and I run the Hollywood Mom Blog in an effort to provide news, resources, and an empathetic ear for my fellow momagers and popagers. A big thank you to my dear friend, writer and make-up artist Tamara Gold for helping me to simultaneously find outer beauty & inner strength. XO – Tracy

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Top 5 Mistakes Child Actors Make on Auditions!

Posted on18. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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I was recently asked, ”What are a child actors most frequent audition mistakes?” This list of the Top 5 Mistakes is a solid start thanks to contributions from several professionals in the industry. And Momagers and Popagers I won’t let you get off that easily, I’m also compiling a list of top mistakes Parents of Child Actors make at auditions!

1. Socializing. Actress and Author, K. Callan cautions against the temptation to visit with other actors in the waiting room. ”Don’t talk to people. Don’t chat with your fellow actors even if you haven’t seen them for years. Even more important than not chatting up your fellow actors is not to chat in the audition room.” She stresses that it’s vital to stay focused on the material and the action at hand. ”When I’m distracted by sociability in either the waiting or audition rooms, I inevitably don’t do my best work,” she notes, “Not only that, you can allow yourself to be spooked by your wily competition.” She advises to arrive on time, and to remain calm and centered while waiting to be called in to audition.

2. Freezing up and becoming Robotic. According to Michelle Jones, a professional actress who’s been auditioning and shooting commercials with child actors for the past 2 decades, “When given the chance to spend a few minutes with my actor child before an audition, I do. Being comfortable with each other helps everyone. When it’s our turn, we start with the slate. This is when I know exactly how this audition will go. Some children will suddenly become robots, ‘I am Jeff Jones. I am 9 years old.’ The actual audition will be just as mechanical. Where did the great kid from the waiting room go? The most difficult part about auditioning for commercials is just being yourself.

3. Not being Prepared. Michelle Jones shares with HMB that parents will often spend way too much time and money on pictures and classes, and still not know what to do when it comes to auditioning. ”Being completely set up and prepared for this business will be a great asset when meeting with agents. Make it easy for them to say yes,” Jones states. Her website www.CommercialJones.com was created for new actors, just starting out. Follow her on twitter at @commercials101

4. Snacking and Chewing Gum It’s hard to believe but this really does happen, and not only with kids. Just last night at a call back the woman my daughter was paired with (as a mother/daughter duo) was smacking down on giant gob of florescent green chewing gum. All I could think was that no matter how lovely she was, she was going to blow the audition for both of them if she met the casting directors with that in her mouth. Seconds before I grabbed it from her mouth, she (thankfully) spat the wad into a trash can prior to walking in for the read. On another occasion I watched as a child ate Dorritos – the kind lightly coated with bright orange dust. The orange gunk ended up all over the kids outfit, mouth and hands in a matter of seconds. Not the way you want your child to make a first impression – unless of course it’s actually a commercial audition for Dorritos.

5. Forgetting Manners. Immediately following the read, your child should never ask how he or she did, when to expect a call back, whether they got the job or any other intrusive, inappropriate questions. Phil Breman of About.com says there are only 3 things your child actor should do in an audition:

Clearly say hello and make eye contact with everyone in the room.
Perform their scene.
Say “thank you” and “good bye” and quietly exit the room.

Photo courtesy of Everyday Chaos

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Momager: Dina Lohan’s Shoe Brand Gets It’s Marching Orders

Posted on10. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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UPDATE: In October 2009 former child actress Lindsay Lohan’s momager, Dina Lohan made headlines with the announcement that she was partnering up with Long Island-based shoe company Lovemyshoes.com to launch (and become the national spokesperson for) her very own footwear line called “Shoe-Han” which was slated to be ready by Mother’s Day 2010. According to PopTarts, the deal has fallen through just months before the scheduled debut.

From a rep of Love My Shoes: Love My Shoes regrets to announce we are not moving forward with the Dina Lohan line of shoes at this time due to continued economic sluggishness and the prevalent mood of today’s shoppers. Love My Shoes and its President, Robert Yeganeh, wish Dina continued success in all her projects.”

But according to a rep for Lohan’s shoes, the star mom is still determined to accessorize the country’s feet. “There was a miscommunication over finances, this was too local and we need a larger partner,” said the rep. “We are currently exploring other options, and we will have another announcement soon.”

October 8, 2009 Los Angeles: Dina Lohan, controversial momager of former child actress Lindsay Lohan, held a press conference today at Trump Plaza in New York to announce the launch of her own shoe line, to be called “Shoe-Han.” The momager of 4 will also become the national spokes person for LoveMyShoes.com a chain of Long Island ladies footwear stores. LoveMyShoes.com will stock Dina’s shoes which be available worldwide Mother’s Day (or Momagers Day as we call it here in Hollywood). Dina will make appearances as a shoe aficianado on both TV and radio commercials later this month.

“I’ve always loved shoes,” says Dina. “I think it stems from when I went to private school and had to wear a uniform; the only thing I could feel stylish about were my shoes.”

With all of her namesake shoes costing less than $100, Dina states: “These shoes are affordable, which is really important in this economy. It’s tough for everybody – even us.”

The official press release below:

Date: 2009/10/7 at 17:01
Subject: DINA LOHAN, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MOTHERS TO ANNOUNCE HER OWN DESIGNER SHOELINE ”SHOE-HAN” AND BECOME NATIONAL SPOKESMODEL AT NEWS CONFERENCE ON THURS OCT 8TH-2pm NYC

DINA LOHAN, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MOTHERS TO ANNOUNCE HER OWN DESIGNER SHOELINE ”SHOE-HAN” AND BECOME NATIONAL SPOKESMODEL AT NEWS CONFERENCE ON THURS OCT 8TH-2pm NYC

Dina Lohan, diva and star of the hit E! show “Living Lohan,” as well as mother to actress and starlet Lindsay, will be holding a major press conference and media reception on Thursday October, 8th at 2pm at Trump Plaza, 725 5th Avenue, Floor 21, Marc Fisher showroom, to announce a creation of her new own shoe line, “Shoe-han” as well as becoming a national spokesmodel for the popular LoveMyShoes.com retail designer ladies footwear stores.

Other celebrities that have sold millions of shoes include: Vanessa Hudgens, Jessica Simpson, Gwen Stefani, Star Jones, Carlos Santana and more.

LoveMyShoes.com hopes to have Dina’s shoes available world-wide from coast to coast by Mother’s Day. She will be appearing as a shoe fashionista later this on month on television and radio commercials. The shoe store chain was founded on Long Island, home of the Lohan family.

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No Momager Should be Allowed to Look This Freaking Good

Posted on02. Feb, 2010 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.

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Seriously no momager should be allowed to look as good, if not better than, her celebrity off spring – much less be expected to look this good. But Tish Cyrus rocks it with grammy chic even after giving birth to and raising 4 children for the last however many years. God bless her.

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The Jonas Brothers’ Momager Denise is Rock Solid

Posted on09. Jul, 2009 by Hollywood Mom.

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Denise Jonas, mother of the world famous Jonas Brothers musical trio and youngest son Frankie, is a momager who has been on the HMB radar for quite sometime. Thanks to an in-depth interview in the July issue of Good Housekeeping – we’ve learned even more about her. Of all the momagers in Hollywood, why focus on Denise? Because not only is she a great role model as a Hollywood Mom, but she’s a great role model as a parent, period.

The Jonas’ parenting philosophy is family-friendly and straight forward. Denise doesn’t sweat the small stuff and never dwells on the negatives aspects of having children in show business. She also readily admits that it was third son Nick who was blessed with the most obvious god-given talents of voice and music at an early age. They helped him pursue his goals as an individual and felt strongly that in celebrating his personal gifts that each of the children would find their best place, and indeed they have.

Some high lights & fun facts from the Good Housekeeping article:

Patriarch Kevin Jonas Sr. was a musical prodigy himself, performing professionally at age 7.

Kevin and Denise met the first day of school at Christ of the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas.

Kevin proposed to Denise 6 months after they met and married on August 15, 1985 when they were both only 18 years old.

When first born Kevin Jr. was just a baby, the family was living on food stamps while Kevin Sr. struggled to forge a career in the music business.

Denise instilled manners in the boys early on. “To me, there’s nothing more frustrating than being around a child who’s annoying. We taught our kids proper manners [sic] reinforcing good conduct until it was behavior. Because they’re going to be adults a lot longer than they’re children.”

To continue reading more and for a short Jonas video go to Good Housekeeping.

Tag Archives: Momager