Alyson Michalka – Simply Magical

By starrymag | January 7, 2014

Q) What are some of your most recent projects?

A) I just shot the new Disney Channel movie called NowYou See It a little while ago. I have been recording my album with my sisterA.J. We’ve been in the studio pretty much writing and recording. We just shotthe video for the movie Now You See It called “Do You Believe In Magic”which is now airing and the single for “Do You Believe In Magic” which comesout February 15^th. It’s going to be in all record stores!

 

Q) How did you originally get involved with the show“Phil of the Future?”

 

A) I had been auditioning for a very long time. I got intothe business professionally when I was eleven and I booked “Phil of the Future”when I was thirteen. It was really neat because they had not been able to find“Keely” and they were literally a week away from shooting when I first got thecall to come in. They rush you around through thousands of kids, but it wasreally neat because I had met Jordan Paul the week before at a work shop andshe said, “You’re perfect for this part. I want you to come in and read forit.” The next thing I knew I was reading for the part and then I got a callback and met with the producers and the network and studio. Literally, the nextday I had a wardrobe fitting and the day after that I shot the first day of thepilot. It was crazy and really quick. It was nice though because I reallydidn’t have to think about it that much. It was like, “I got it! Cool, I’mgunna’ go film it now!” I was in the car screaming!

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show “Phil ofthe Future?”

 

A) It was a great idea, having someone from the futurehaving to live life in such a weird place, somewhere they are not used to. Thescript was really fun and the character seemed like such a great friend. I havebeen watching the Disney Channel ever since I was a little kid, and still donow, so it was really cool to be a part of that because of the background thatI have with Disney and loving everything they put out.

 

Q) What is it like working for the Disney Channel?

 

A) They are such a great company. With all of the reallygood shows that they make up and everything they do is really family oriented.They are just a very supportive company, with family and kids. I’m very proudto be a part of Disney.

 

Q) Why did you decide to get into acting?

 

A) I have always been into acting since I was a little kid,just playing around the house with my sister and with anything like church andschool plays. I really started getting into it when theopportunity came whereI could get an agent. It never really was an issue of me wanting to be on TV. Ijust love it and I’m having fun and it just turned into something I wanted todo as a professional job, which was neat.

 

Q) Do you think it is beneficial to an actor’s career tobegin working at a young age?

 

A) Yeah, I do. I think when you know what you want to bewhen you are younger and you go out there and set your standards pretty high thenyou can shoot for the stars. When you’re younger you have that ambitious driveto do anything you want to do. I think you can be an actress and be one attwenty or thirty, but being a kid definitely does help.

 

Q) Can you tell us a little about the premise of themovie Now You See It and your character Allyson?

 

A) My character, Allyson, is a television producer on thisnew reality show and she is picked to be the producer of one of threemagicians; there is a reality show based on trying to find the world’s greatestmagician. She gets set up with this guy Danny. He really is not into the wholebeing on camera, being filmed and watched. She kind of gets into his facesometimes about it because she is so excited since this is her dream and thisis what she wants to do. They clash a little bit, but later on she finds out heis a real magician. He really does have real magic. She saves his life fromsomeone who is trying to take that magic from him and they form a bond andrealize that they can start trusting one another. They end up becoming reallygood friends. So, it’s a neat story about friendship and trust.

 

Q) What is your most memorable moment from filming NowYou See It?

 

A) It was really great just working with Frank Langella, thatwas memorable. He’s such a great actor and it was a great motion picture. Hetaught me so many things and filming in New Orleans was really a great place.It was so much fun! I loved especially filming the vault scene, the lair, whereall of Max’s things are kept. All of the candles were lit and it was dark andspooky. That was a really fun part. I also really loved just being aroundmagic. That was very memorable and I’ll always remember that. There were abunch of magicians on the set and I was taught some tricks.

 

Q) Who do you look up to in the entertainment field?

 

A) I definitely look up to my sister. She’s an actressherself and she’s great. She’s such an awesome actress and a neat person. She’sso positive in anything and I think she is a really great example to me. Eventhough she’s younger than me, I still look up to her. It’s wonderful that we’reso close that we both get along so well. We’re two peas in a pod! I would alsosay Johnny Depp because he’s really great with his craft. He is humble and notshowy, he just does it. He just goes out there and does it and doesn’t have tosay anything about it. He’s just Johnny Depp. So, I think that he’s probablyone of my inspirations.

 

Q) “Phil of the Future” is about a family from the future.Where do you see yourself in ten years?

 

A) I definitely will be continuing to act. Hopefully, I’llbe doing some movies and feature films. Also, I hope I’ll be an accomplishedsongwriter and a musician and singer (as an artist). I think that would bewonderful. Hopefully, I’ll meet someone who is my soul mate and that would beneat. I kind of live one day at a time. I don’t think about what is going to beten years from now and plan it out. What happens, happens.

 

Q) On the show “Phil of the Future,” your character Keelyis entrusted with a big secret. How are you at keeping secrets?

 

A) I am really good at keeping secrets! I sometimes do sharethem with my sister, but that’s because she keeps secrets really well, too. I’mpretty good at keeping secrets. If someone tells me a secret, I would keep it,unless I needed to tell someone (if it was something dangerous), but other thanthat I’m pretty good at keeping secrets. I don’t want to hurt someone’sfeelings, especially when they’ve put their trust in me.

 

Q) You’re creating a CD with your sister A.J. How is youralbum coming along and what kind of music can we expect to hear from you?

 

A) The album is coming along great. The music is definitelyvery rock and very original. All of the songs are written by A.J. and I. It’sgot a lot of soul and rhythm. There is a lot of percussion, drums and electricguitar. It has very deep lyrics and all of the tracks have live musicians onit. It’s got incredible messages and a lot of passion and feeling in the lyrics.I hope that kids can relate to it because it definitely has teen topics thatthey think about and go through. I think there needs to be music out there thatis positive and that teens can relate to and has some sort of substance to itthat it isn’t just about boys. It’s fine to have songs about boys, but thereneeds to be some other stuff that deals with more important issues.

 

Q) What are some of your favorite bands of the moment?

 

A) A.J. and I love Michelle Branch. We think she’s great! Ilike John Mayer and Seal. We’re into a lot of different kinds of music, but wetend to go for the artists who actually write their own songs or play aninstrument. We like songs with really deep lyrics where you tend to relate tothose artists especially. The people who are in our CD players are songwritersand musicians and have a very passionate style.

 

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

 

A) I just hang out with my dogs and play the piano or writesongs on my guitar. I find with the projects that I’m working; some peoplethink I don’t have a normal life because I’m on a TV show, but what I do forfun is work. It’s work, but it’s fun. That’s my fun. That’s why I got intothis. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t think it was fun. Filming andrecording in the studio are fun. I love reading books; I do that to relax. Ireally love hanging out with my sister. We have so much fun together justhaving friends over and having sleepovers, stuff like that. We just do normalkid stuff that anybody does.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans andsupporters?

 

A) You guys are just so awesome! It really makes me feelgood to know that someone supports me, who doesn’t even know me really, whichis really awesome (with my work, loving my character Keely and the way she dressesand everything). It is just really amazing. Without you guys the show wouldn’tbe on and I wouldn’t be doing this. I wouldn’t be on TV. I appreciate you and Idefinitely do think about you guys. Thank you!