THE STAR SCOOP:
There’s a Disney project that you’re working on!

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
Yeah, it’s called “Sofia The First.” It’s a new animation project for Disney’s junior channel. Sofia is commoner whose mother marries the King and all of a sudden they have to adjust to princess life.

It’s really cool. I play Princess Amber who is her new step-sister, who is kind of mean. I kind of tell her mostly how to be a princess but in the meanest way possible. But only at first. After a while, I teach her how to be a better princess and she teaches me how to be a better person. It’s really great.

There are a lot of different things that make it so, so special. This is the first time that Disney has had a little princess. Before, all the princesses in movies were adults or at least teenagers and stuff like that. So this is the first time that kids younger can look at the princess and see someone their age.

The parents can sit their kid down and just let them watch it without having to worry about it. But they’re not going to want to. I think they’re going to end up…watching the show with them because it’s so much fun!

It has to help that we have an amazing cast backing it up, like Ariel Winter, who actually I worked with a while back on another pilot for Disney. I’m really, really happy I get to work with her again. She plays Sofia. Sara Ramirez is Queen Miranda, Wayne Brady is Clover, Tim Gunn is Baileywick, Zach Callison is James…it’s such an amazing cast and I’m so happy I get to be a part of it.

This is the first time I’ve been singing – recording for a show. I’ve done theater my whole life and this is the first time I’m recording for a TV show, which is really awesome! Everyone on the show is doing their own singing, which is kind of unusual.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Is that one of the reasons you wanted to be involved in this project?

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
I had an inkling that I would be singing in the show because it is Disney, but when I first got the audition, I didn’t know if that was the case or not. All I knew was that the character was totally fun and an amazing character to do, and I really wanted to do the character.

It was just an added bonus when I found out that I was going to be able to sing as well in the show. I was like, Oh my gosh, this is so cool!

THE STAR SCOOP:
Is singing something that you want to pursue in addition to acting? We know you write your own songs.

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
Yeah, I do. I write a lot of my own songs. I have a lot of songs completed. I’ve been singing my whole life. I definitely love singing. It’s one of my favorite things.

I always say I sung before I could even talk really. I would write little songs on a pad of paper with a squiggle note and a flower and a star and then I’d sing the song back to my mom, and she was like, um, Darcy, you got to learn piano if you want to keep doing this.

So then I learned piano so I could write my own songs as well. Actually, right before I got “Desperate Housewives,” I was up for Mary Poppins on Broadway.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Is there a specific genre of music that you write? How would you describes the songs you write and what kind of music you like to sing?

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
I like a lot of different music. My iPod really looks like an episode of “Hoarders.” I have everything from opera to rap. I think that my style when I write, I don’t know if there’s a big style yet.

I do kind of feel like I’m on that track to getting my own style. I don’t know if it’s there yet. I’m still kind of discovering it myself. The best way I can describe it is probably singer-songwriter.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You play the piano. Are you going to learn any other instruments?

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
I play piano, guitar and ukulele. I’m hoping I can learn the violin and the harp.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Speaking of “Desperate Housewives” earlier, we’re curious about the end of the show. Was it emotional for you when it ended?

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
Yeah, it was. It was kind of bittersweet because on some level I knew that they were ending it at a perfect time. It was a perfect way to end the show. At the same time, I was like, I don’t want it to end. I knew in my head that it made sense, but in my heart, I didn’t want it to ever stop. I was really happy that my parents got back together – I was definitely rooting for them!

THE STAR SCOOP:
Hopefully you took away some good things from the experience. Like working with Felicity Huffman so much! And all of the other cast members, of course.

DARCY ROSE BYRNES:
I learned a lot from working with the amazing people on “Desperate Housewives.” From the moment I walked on the set, I was part of the family. It was so amazing.

I think most of my scenes were with Felicity Huffman, and she just really just took me under her wing. It was so amazing. Everyone was so nice to me. I feel so blessed that I was able to be a part of it.

Follow Darcy on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/darcyrosebyrnes
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/4idoido

THE STAR SCOOP:
On Desperate Housewives this season, Paul Young comes back. Did you have any strong feelings about the story line when you found out about it?

KATHRYN JOOSTEN:
No, we only find out about the story line at the table reads. I thought it was cool! I like it when I see former performers come back to the show, because it gives it a consistency that I think is a lot of fun. 1I was delighted to see him. You make friends with these people and you like it when they come back.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Last’s weeks episode there was a pretty interesting story development, that Paul’s wife, Beth, is actually Felicia’s daughter.

KATHRYN JOOSTEN:
Yes. How ’bout that? I didn’t see it coming. I thought it was an interesting choice to bring [Felicia] back. And then they’ll write her out again and then they’ll bring her back again.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You’ve been talking with Lily [Tomlin]. Is there any update on the stats of the rumored spin-off?

KATHRYN JOOSTEN:
Right. I wish I knew. It’s very difficult. It’s only lately that the networks have begun to examine the idea that the 49-60 year olds are significant consumers. Up until now, everything has been pretty 18-49.

There aren’t too many of us that want to sit around and watch whatever those kids’ shows are, Gossip Girl or something like that. We don’t care if 90210 comes back. I didn’t like it the first time. Maybe there’s a market for us.

We’re certainly working on it when we can get together. Lily travels a lot and I’ve been off doing things a lot. Just trying to get us in the same room at the same time is sometimes a real challenge.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You’ve had a large role with cancer-work. Is there anything you’ve been involved with lately?

KATHRYN JOOSTEN:
I am the official spokesperson for the American Lung Association Christmas Seals. Christmas Seals started in 1907. People don’t realize that it’s almost a Christmas tradition. It started because of Tuberculosis and my father had Tuberculosis and I remember as a child seeing the Christmas Seals.

Golly, look, it worked!  It wasn’t just Christmas Seals but their goal now, and their focus now is any lung diseases and air purity, and smoking cessation, and lung cancer and asthma and all of the assaults on the lungs that our modern society is experiencing.
They have a great website, www.ChristmasSeals.org.

People who get a degree of celebrity have a responsibility to use whatever celebrity they have to advance something good. If I can get them to pay attention long enough to support a cause by Christmas Seals or to support legislation having to do with lung cancer, then I will promote that as much as I can.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You have a greater level of prominence being on Desperate Housewives. Do you have a sense of who your fans are?

KATHRYN JOOSTEN:
People are very friendly. I get a lot of people who, for some reason, want to give me a hug. Okay, I like hugs. I get a lot of the comments about grandmothers. When I was doing The West Wing, I had a youngster, a kid wrote me and said that his grandmother had died and he was watching The West Wing and I was now his new grandmother. Then of course they killed me off on The West Wing. He was so hurt!

This is a responsibility, when you enter people’s lives this way. People on the street or at the grocery store are very, very pleasant. I’ve never had a negative  interaction at all. They’re generally very polite, chat a little bit, tell me they enjoy the show and that they’re watching. And I say, Good, glad to hear it. Keep watching. If they stop watching, I’m out of a job!

THE STAR SCOOP:
Desperate Housewives has been going strong for quite some time now, so knock on wood it will continue. You have so many fans and they’ll be excited to hear [this].

KATHRYN JOOSTEN:
I want to also encourage my fans to write Marc Cherry and tell him that they’re fans. I don’t know that the show realizes how many people are out there. ABC Television, Marc Cherry. Desperate Housewives, Marc Cherry at Universal City. Put that in. Tell them to write to Marc and tell him I deserve a raise!

THE STAR SCOOP:
Tell us about your role on Desperate Housewives and how you’ve liked being part of the show for so long?

ZANE HUETT:
Okay, I play Parker Scavo, and he’s sort of the shy one. He doesn’t like to get into a lot of trouble, and he’s very sweet. It’s just been a great time so far, and I love working with everybody on the set. Everyone’s nice. They give me advice. Everyone’s been very nice to me over the years.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Have you learned a lot from playing with Felicity Huffman? Has she given you any tips?

ZANE HUETT:
When I was first starting, I always looked into the camera or I talked too loud. She gave me the right ideas [about] what to do. I used to stutter a lot when I did my lines, and she told me what to do.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you feel like Desperate Housewives has given you other opportunities?

ZANE HUETT:
Well, yes, it’s opened up a lot of doors, and before, I wasn’t able to go to premieres and I’ve gone to a million premieres after Desperate Housewives. It’s really helped me with my career.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Tell us about being part of such a big cast.

ZANE HUETT:
I love it, and everyone’s very nice. We’ve pretty much become a family, and we’ve known each other for so long – four years. It’s been nice and I guess being with the bigger set – I don’t really know the difference between the smaller cast or the bigger set, but I think it’s nice to have a bigger cast because there’s more sets on it and there’s more people you get to meet and work with. Like, all the famous people, like Nicollette Sheridan, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Felicity [Huffman], Doug [Savant], all of them are really nice.

THE STAR SCOOP:
In the future, do you want to be part of movies, or do more TV? What will you want to do after Desperate Housewives?

ZANE HUETT:
I was thinking I was going to try and get on Disney, the TV shows, or maybe even a few movies. I’ve always wanted to be on Disney and be a part of that tradition. I like comedy a lot, my favorite thing.

THE STAR SCOOP:
When you’re not acting, what else do you like to do?

ZANE HUETT:
My uncle, he has a soccer league, so I play soccer, I audition a lot. Guitar lessons, I’ve been doing it for lessons. I’m also doing a few foundations. I have Starlight Starbright Foundation. it helps kids that are sick get entertainment and get away from their doctors and stuff. I also have [a] rescue, which provides shelter and you can adopt dogs who are abused.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Why did you want to get involved in these activities?

ZANE HUETT:
I actually got interviewed for [the] rescue. I love dogs, I told them that, and they just loved me, and they’ve known me ever since. It’s just been really fun with them.

THE STAR SCOOP:
We read that you want to direct one day.

ZANE HUETT:
I have a movie in the making. It’s a short film, but it’s going to be really good. I’ve always liked commanding stuff, and telling people what to do in movies, making my own characters. I really like to make fantasy characters or making something up in my movies.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you have any other projects coming up?

ZANE HUETT:
I’ve been auditioning a lot.

THE STAR SCOOP:
What about further down in the future? Who would you like to work with?

ZANE HUETT:
I would love to be in a movie with Will Farrell or Jon Heder and Adam Sandler…I’ve really wanted to direct an episode of Desperate Housewives. That would be really cool.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You’ve been very determined to be an actor for a long time. What advice do you have for other kids?

ZANE HUETT:
I would just say, if you’re climbing a ladder, and one of those little pedals breaks, just keep on climbing until you get to the top. Never give up. No matter what your dreams are, you can achieve anything if you set your mind on it. If they want to become an actor, just keep on trying and never give up. If you have an audition, you’re going to get a lot more nos than yeses. Just keep on trying because, let’s say you have 20 auditions, you’re probably gonna just get one, but you can still say that you got something.

THE STAR SCOOP:
What do you want your fans to know?

ZANE HUETT:
Every actor can be normal. Everybody’s normal.

THE STAR SCOOP: Your character, Andrew, has changed a lot through the seasons. What have you had to do personally to go along with these changes?

SHAWN PYFROM: When I got kicked out on the street, obviously I came back; I was reformed. I had calmed down a little bit, seemed like matured. I wasn’t let in at all on why he was acting that way or if there was some sort of ulterior motive. I just decided that the streets had changed him and I decided to, according to the lines, he had calmed down, but I decided to play him a lot more mature, more adult, and less like a conniving kid. The way he was written, I had to act according to it. They don’t really let us know what’s going to be happening, to keep the mysteries a mystery, so we sort of have to go into it blindly and try to figure it out for ourselves.

THE STAR SCOOP: Over the course of the show, Andrew has become a very interesting and popular character. Why do you think that is?

SHAWN PYFROM: Well, for one, it’s always more interesting to watch the crazy guy, the bad guy. But now that he’s sort of settled down, I’m trying to figure out why. He’s complex. He obviously had a lot going on up in his head that motivated the actions that took place. Now that he has calmed down, it’s still complex. How did he go from this to that? They’re interested in the character to find out what more he’s going to do; what makes him tick, what moves him forward.

THE STAR SCOOP: People comment that Andrew always seems to know what’s going on, he seems to be a little bit smarter than everyone around him.

SHAWN PYFROM: He is a great, obvious manipulator. People know that he’s manipulating them. He’s pretty much using the situation to his advantage. He rarely ever gets screwed over for his actions. I think that’s another reason people love to watch him. It’s almost like they’re waiting for the minute he will fall. I don’t know when that day will be [laughs].

THE STAR SCOOP: How do fans treat you when you meet them?

SHAWN PYFROM: I’ve gotten some pretty tame fans up until recently. When I was in New York, there was one day I was walking down the street, and I noticed a few girls following, like for blocks, and they kept kind of running up in front of me and looking at my face, and hanging back, and running up and looking at my face and hanging back, and then finally at like five blocks, I turned around and looked at them, to see what they were doing. I half-assumed that recognized me, but I was like, I don’t know why they’re following me, so I just turned around. As soon as I did, they started screaming. I was like, whoa! I’ve never gotten anything like that before.

It was really interesting. I’ve also gotten really, really great compliments from people. People tell me they love watching the show for my character, and for a few other characters. I’m sure everyone gets that. Everyone has their own fans, I suppose. It’s really nice to hear that someone’s paid me a compliment. Because of the character that I play, him being gay, but also being a very strong character, that it’s helped them come out to their family, it’s helped them feel proud about being who they are, and that’s a really excellent compliment. An amazing feeling comes along with that. It makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

THE STAR SCOOP: That must be a huge responsibility, to portray him accurately.

SHAWN PYFROM: I think what was great was the way that Marc Cherry developed the character. The only thing that I even feel an obligation to uphold and to portray is the gay part of him. I don’t want to stereotype him, and I think the great thing about the way the character’s been developed is they established him as Andrew first, before they established him as being gay. That does not define him as a character. He’s manipulative, narcissistic, he’s a sociopath, and he’s gay. I don’t want to offend anybody. I do my best to make sure I don’t. THE STAR SCOOP: Bree and Andrew have an interesting relationship in the show. What is your relationship with your mom like?

SHAWN PYFROM: [Laughs]. That’s funny, funny, funny. In some ways, my mom has many similarities to Bree, in the first season especially. I was 17 when I first started shooting the show. My mom was pretty strict. I want to use the right words, because I love my mom. We have a way better relationship now. Like most teenage boys, we got into it. We were not the best of friends for quite a while. As far as now goes, it’s gotten better, just like Bree and Andrew’s relationship.

THE STAR SCOOP: What should we expect to see on Desperate Housewives through the season?

SHAWN PYFROM: There’s an episode that will explain why Andrew has been acting the way he has been acting lately. I had a really great time shooting that episode. I don’t want to give away too much. It’s good, interesting. Anyone that’s a fan of Andrew would like it, I hope would like it. We have a new family, their story line is going to sort of unravel over the season. It’s more and more interesting as it goes along. We have some really good episodes coming up during sweeps. I don’t know what I’m allowed to say. I was shocked by it, and I’ve pretty much seen it all. It’s really good. Keep watching.

THE STAR SCOOP: If you could say something to your fans, what would you tell them?

SHAWN PYFROM: I’ve been misquoted on many occasions. I suppose those statements that have been taken out of context; the only thing I can do is just apologize that they have been, and the way that they’ve been taken out of context, they’ve obviously been taken out of context, that’s not what I meant by what I said. Maybe keep in mind, the interviewer did not post the question before the answer. Lately, when I’ve done an interview, on a lot of occasions they ask what it’s like playing a gay character, and what it’s like kissing a guy. You can say it’s great, or you could say it’s uncomfortable. For me, obviously being straight, it’s uncomfortable.

But I do what I have to do, it’s my job. And people have taken that out of context, turned it around and called me a homophobe and things like that. That’s obviously not who I am or what I am. It’s unfortunate. I don’t want people to be offended by that. That’s why I decided to make that statement. Also, being that I am still getting used to this, I’m not all that great at giving out those sound bytes, speaking in way of text. That’s one thing that I’m still trying to learn. When I talk to people, you hear my tone, you understand where I’m coming from, judging by the way I say it. But, when it’s printed in text, it obviously may read differently.

THE STAR SCOOP: What do you do in your free time?

SHAWN PYFROM: It’s a lot more difficult to get another role to shoot during a hiatus or something like that. Because I’m not one of the lead ladies or anything like that, I doubt any movie would be willing to work their schedule in the time that I have off. In my spare time, I’ve picked up a few other hobbies. I paint, and I have started doing musical production on a garage band. I kind of sing, so, I do that, and just record it. At this point it’s all for fun. I’m just trying to pick up as many hobbies as possible. I enjoy art in all mediums. Painting, drawing, music, and acting of course. I try to get myself involved in all aspects of it.

Shawn Pyfrom plays Andrew Van de Kamp on ABC’s Desperate Housewives. His character has been known to get into all kinds of trouble, and Shawn tells us that we’ll soon learn more. Passionate about his role, easy-going and professional, we declare Shawn Pyfrom one of our new favorites (Even if we used to think Andrew needed to grow up)!

THE STAR SCOOP:

Your character, Andrew, has changed a lot through the seasons. What have you had to do personally to go along with these changes?

Shawn Pyfrom:

When I got kicked out on the street, obviously I came back; I was reformed. I had calmed down a little bit, seemed like matured. I wasn’t let in at all on why he was acting that way or if there was some sort of ulterior motive. I just decided that the streets had changed him and I decided to, according to the lines, he had calmed down, but I decided to play him a lot more mature, more adult, and less like a conniving kid. The way he was written, I had to act according to it. They don’t really let us know what’s going to be happening, to keep the mysteries a mystery, so we sort of have to go into it blindly and try to figure it out for ourselves.

The Star Scoop:

Over the course of the show, Andrew has become a very interesting and popular character. Why do you think that is?

Pyfrom:

Well, for one, it’s always more interesting to watch the crazy guy, the bad guy. But now that he’s sort of settled down, I’m trying to figure out why. He’s complex. He obviously had a lot going on up in his head that motivated the actions that took place. Now that he has calmed down, it’s still complex. How did he go from this to that? They’re interested in the character to find out what more he’s going to do; what makes him tick, what moves him forward.

The Star Scoop:

People comment that Andrew always seems to know what’s going on, he seems to be a little bit smarter than everyone around him.

Pyfrom:

He is a great, obvious manipulator. People know that he’s manipulating them. He’s pretty much using the situation to his advantage. He rarely ever gets screwed over for his actions. I think that’s another reason people love to watch him. It’s almost like they’re waiting for the minute he will fall. I don’t know when that day will be [laughs].

The Star Scoop:

How do fans treat you when you meet them?

Pyfrom:

I’ve gotten some pretty tame fans up until recently. When I was in New York, there was one day I was walking down the street, and I noticed a few girls following, like for blocks, and they kept kind of running up in front of me and looking at my face, and hanging back, and running up and looking at my face and hanging back, and then finally at like five blocks, I turned around and looked at them, to see what they were doing. I half-assumed that recognized me, but I was like, I don’t know why they’re following me, so I just turned around. As soon as I did, they started screaming. I was like, whoa! I’ve never gotten anything like that before. It was really interesting. I’ve also gotten really, really great compliments from people. People tell me they love watching the show for my character, and for a few other characters. I’m sure everyone gets that. Everyone has their own fans, I suppose. It’s really nice to hear that someone’s paid me a compliment. Because of the character that I play, him being gay, but also being a very strong character, that it’s helped them come out to their family, it’s helped them feel proud about being who they are, and that’s a really excellent compliment. An amazing feeling comes along with that. It makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

The Star Scoop:

That must be a huge responsibility, to portray him accurately.

Pyfrom:

I think what was great was the way that Marc Cherry developed the character. The only thing that I even feel an obligation to uphold and to portray is the gay part of him. I don’t want to stereotype him, and I think the great thing about the way the character’s been developed is they established him as Andrew first, before they established him as being gay. That does not define him as a character. He’s manipulative, narcissistic, he’s a sociopath, and he’s gay. I don’t want to offend anybody. I do my best to make sure I don’t.

The Star Scoop:

Bree and Andrew have an interesting relationship in the show. What is your relationship with your mom like?

Pyfrom:

[Laughs]. That’s funny, funny, funny. In some ways, my mom has many similarities to Bree, in the first season especially. I was 17 when I first started shooting the show. My mom was pretty strict. I want to use the right words, because I love my mom. We have a way better relationship now. Like most teenage boys, we got into it. We were not the best of friends for quite a while. As far as now goes, it’s gotten better, just like Bree and Andrew’s relationship.

The Star Scoop:

What should we expect to see on Desperate Housewives through the season?

Pyfrom:

There’s an episode that will explain why Andrew has been acting the way he has been acting lately. I had a really great time shooting that episode. I don’t want to give away too much. It’s good, interesting. Anyone that’s a fan of Andrew would like it, I hope would like it. We have a new family, their story line is going to sort of unravel over the season. It’s more and more interesting as it goes along. We have some really good episodes coming up during sweeps. I don’t know what I’m allowed to say. I was shocked by it, and I’ve pretty much seen it all. It’s really good. Keep watching.

The Star Scoop:

If you could say something to your fans, what would you tell them?

Pyfrom:

I’ve been misquoted on many occasions. I suppose those statements that have been taken out of context; the only thing I can do is just apologize that they have been, and the way that they’ve been taken out of context, they’ve obviously been taken out of context, that’s not what I meant by what I said. Maybe keep in mind, the interviewer did not post the question before the answer. Lately, when I’ve done an interview, on a lot of occasions they ask what it’s like playing a gay character, and what it’s like kissing a guy. You can say it’s great, or you could say it’s uncomfortable. For me, obviously being straight, it’s uncomfortable. But I do what I have to do, it’s my job. And people have taken that out of context, turned it around and called me a homophobe and things like that. That’s obviously not who I am or what I am. It’s unfortunate. I don’t want people to be offended by that. That’s why I decided to make that statement. Also, being that I am still getting used to this, I’m not all that great at giving out those sound bytes, speaking in way of text. That’s one thing that I’m still trying to learn. When I talk to people, you hear my tone, you understand where I’m coming from, judging by the way I say it. But, when it’s printed in text, it obviously may read differently.

The Star Scoop:

What do you do in your free time?

Pyfrom:

It’s a lot more difficult to get another role to shoot during a hiatus or something like that. Because I’m not one of the lead ladies or anything like that, I doubt any movie would be willing to work their in the time that I have off. In my spare time, I’ve picked up a few other hobbies. I paint, and I have started doing musical production on a garage band. I kind of sing, so, I do that, and just record it. At this point it’s all for fun. I’m just trying to pick up as many hobbies as possible. I enjoy art in all mediums. Painting, drawing, music, and acting of course. I try to get myself involved in all aspects of it.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Let’s start off with how you got involved with Desperate Housewives. What was the process like for you?

JOY LAUREN:
The process was rather short actually. My best friend took me to the audition and with in a few days after that, the call back. I read the script and the writing was so great I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Then I didn’t hear from them for a few weeks and had basically let go of the idea for two other projects that I was up for. After those fell through, I got the call from the show and never looked back.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Can you tell us about how your character, Danielle, has grown and changed through the show?

JOY LAUREN:
Well, when we started the show she was famous for snarky one liners, but was over all a good kid. Her father dies, her first real boyfriend breaks her heart and she has been on a steady down hill spiral since. The next love of her life holds up her mother then is shot by the SWAT team so she finds solace by sleeping with her history teacher. Her home life isn’t steady so she clings to men who don’t serve her well either. She’s really changed a lot in the past two years, more than I have for sure.

THE STAR SCOOP:
With all the new programs coming out, what has Desperate Housewives done to take it to the next level, so to speak?

JOY LAUREN:
I attribute most of the success of our show to the great writing. Without them, specifically Marc Cherry, the show wouldn’t stay as exciting as it continues to be. I wouldn’t trust such a huge job in anyone else’s hands.

THE STAR SCOOP:
On TV, Bree is a very difficult mother to deal with, at least from a teen perspective. What is your Mom like?

JOY LAUREN:
My mom’s the complete opposite of Bree. She gave up so much for me to come out to LA and follow this dream so fervently. She’s always given me a lot of freedom, which makes me want to show her that I deserve it. She’s one of my best friends, we’ve been through a lot together.

THE STAR SCOOP:
As a cast member of one of TV’s hottest shows, have you seen a change in your everyday life at all?

JOY LAUREN:
We’ve been doing the show for three years now and it’s been a gradual change from where I was when I was 14 until today. However it is rather shocking to look back and contrast my life then to now, and whenever I do I feel so blessed.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you have any other projects in the works or roles where fans can see you coming up?

JOY LAUREN:
The show takes up most of my year actually (we shoot ten months out of the year) but I am
looking at projects to shoot over the summer.

THE STAR SCOOP:
What lessons can younger viewers (and perhaps older) learn from Bree and Danielle’s relationship?

JOY LAUREN:
Hopefully to keep the communication lines more open. Their relationship is an example of what not to do.

THE STAR SCOOP:
To separate you from your character: What kind of person would your mother describe you as?

JOY LAUREN:
What an interesting question. I’ll have to ask her, but I think she would say that I work myself to hard. I’m a perfectionist, so I’m always doing something and can’t slow down.

THE STAR SCOOP:
How would you then, describe yourself?

JOY LAUREN:
I try to be laid-back, despite my perfectionism. My favorite thing to do on a Sunday is hang out with friends and watch football. I’m a little bit of a nerd, I really like reading and school and I try not to get caught up in the typical teenage drama.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Anything else you’d like to discuss or add, hobbies, favorite TV show maybe?

JOY LAUREN:
My favorite new show of the year is Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which I watch every Monday with my friends. Then on Thursday we Tivo NBC’s line up and Grey’s Anatomy and then rush home from whatever we’re doing to watch them with out commercials. When I get hooked on a show I refuse to ever miss an episode.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Tell us about the Desperate Housewives experience.

KIERSTEN WARREN:
Well right now I’m covered in bruises, it’s not anybody’s fault, but the lengths to which we’re going to throw ourselves around and to insinuate ourselves into the role is kind of funny. It looks like we’re stuntmen or something. I’m having just really so much fun. It’s the best role I’ve ever had to date.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You seem immensely different from your character, Nora. Are there any similarities between you two?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
Oh let me see, you know, probably not. I guess, you know, the fact that I could find her is just a creative process, it’s not really a whole lot. I think to be like Nora would be all things damaging and the worst things about being in the third grade. So I would have to think, no.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Have you been affected by your role in Desperate Housewives yet?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
Not yet, because I don’t think I have finished the stint on Desperate Housewives to then go out in the world and see how it’s affected my career. I think I’ve been protected from it a little bit. I have a baby, so that’s the focus of the day. The husband, the baby, that kind of thing. Husband, baby, work, you know?

THE STAR SCOOP:
Has Nora worked a release for you? You get to act in a way that’s completely different from how you would act in real life.

KIERSTEN WARREN:
It can be a release but what I have found works best for me is just to create the conditions and circumstances that would be Nora’s life, and then you just kind of act like a human being in her shoes, and that’s kind of how I approach the work. I try not to ever bring any of my own life into it, because I find that too chaotic, and then you take it home with you. I like to take it off, like a costume and go okay, it’s something I created. I would rather be a less than perfect actress than have it affect my life at home. I value my life more than I do my job.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You have a character on Desperate Housewives who is pretty relevant. Is there a potential for her to stick around for quite a while?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
I think so. I think that Nora could withstand anything that’s thrown at her. She seems to be a formidable competitor, and a tough little thing. I think she’s taken a lot of knocks over time, and she’s not about to be frightened by a bunch of women who shower daily.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You seem to play characters that are younger than yourself.

KIERSTEN WARREN:
That’s very true. The characters are aging progressively, but they consistently stay about ten years younger than my real age. I just happen to look, it’s not like I’m still playing seventeen. That would be a typecast from hell, wouldn’t it? I just think it is what it is. This business is all about illusion. Some people will always play younger than themselves, some people play older than themselves, some people play nice people who are not nice people. Some people play very sexy people who are decidedly not. It’s an illusion. And you work, and you get jobs based on what you look like period, first off. For starters. And then your talent and everything comes into it. Nobody really cares what your real life is, if that’s not what you embody on screen, if that’s not what you look like?

THE STAR SCOOP:
Does that take a toll on you, being in that kind of businesses where it’s all about your talent coming second to if you have the right look? What does that do to you as a person?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
Los Angeles is a town that is based on Lookism. We have no theater. It’s not like you can put on a hat and a funny voice and project and be immensely talented and play things that are not what you really look like up close. You have to walk into a room and people have to believe you, five feet away from you as being this person. So there are some girls, like we were just talking about, the age thing, friends of mine who are maybe twenty-four, twenty-five who have a decidedly mature, womanly young mom thing. I’m so much older than them, but I still don’t really get called in to play the traditional Mom thing, because it’s just maybe a glove that doesn’t fit. It just has to fit, and some people look like accountants, and some people look like nutty one night stands who are trying to extort money from their ex-lover (laughs).

THE STAR SCOOP:
What do you have to do to top the wealth of what you’ve done so far?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
(Laughs) well I’ll let you know. I don’t know. It’s a journey, and it’s been an incredible one thus far. I would like to focus more on writing and creating some stuff for myself and for my husband and I to do together. That’s just a creative focus of mine, and then going out and continuing to just audition. It’s so much fun because daily as you’re working on a different character, you come to the breakfast table as a different person practically, you know, your head is in a different space. You’re exploring say, what it’s like to be a cowgirl in the 1940’s in Texas and yesterday you were a divorcee from Long Island. You know it’s very fun, because they’re lives I haven’t lived, but I have the attention span of roughly a caffeinated ferret. And, we find that that’s a lot of fun for my husband and I, even though we’re dealing with the difficulties of productions on opposite coasts, it works for us, because we’re a couple that, it’s like having honeymoons in different cities every two, three weeks when we see each other. The scary thing for us would be to be more of a stay at home couple where the only thing that happened that day was, say, the water bill came. That’s harder for us.

THE STAR SCOOP:
You’ve been in the industry for a long time. How do you have longevity in this business? What do you have to do to continue to work?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
We talked about being a town based on Lookism; I think longevity is all about talent. And I don’t think you don’t get to stay around forever unless you have something, and that’s a little more than just your look and appeal. So I hope to think it’s because you’re versatile, and flexible, and you can do many things. You like the drama, and sometimes you’ll get a very comedic role, and another time you’ll get something because you look exactly what they want. There are varying, different reasons for getting picked, you know for having the scepter raised above your head to be hired for a certain role. Sometimes it’s that you blew the room away, sometimes it’s that you had such chemistry with the person, sometimes it’s that you just really are so vulnerable or you really were that funny. So you have to have a lot of little animals in your closet that you can pull out, and I think that speaks to longevity. And the people I have seen that have worked forever, they can do almost anything.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Your amount of work is so impressive.

KIERSTEN WARREN:
I’m a working actress, just your basic working actress. That’s what it’s been like. There has been job after job after job and you get jobs but what you really want is a break. I think this is definitely the latter, Desperate Housewives is a fantastic stage to get to take a turn on.

THE STAR SCOOP:
Is there something out of all you’ve been involved in that sticks out over everything else?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
Yeah, it would probably be, due to the relationship and the fantastic time I had with Robin Williams, that I did a movie called Bicentennial Man, which wasn’t a very successful movie, but I would sign up to do another unsuccessful movie with Robin Williams any day. It was such a pleasure to work with that man, who is so fiercely bright, and so talented. And I know he’s iconic status already, but I would say he’s underrated until you actually sit in a room with him and mix it up with him across a few months that you realize just the depth of his character, and just what a great guy he is. I remember somebody asking me, is he crazy like that all the time? And I found myself almost a little insulted, and it reminded me of a book, where [it said] said that [these] Indians don’t have any translatable word for crazy, but rather they use the word enchanted. And to me that’s always the way I would describe Robin Williams. Nothing crazy about him, it’s just kind of an enchanted, you know, just different state of being, like maybe the rest of us are just very slow is the way I think of it. I don’t think he’s crazy at all. I think we’ve all just decided that you know, okay, this is the status quo, but I think it’s decidedly boring

THE STAR SCOOP:
What would you like to do in the future? Any new projects?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
I have a movie called The Astronaut Farmer with Virginia Madsen and Billy Bob Thornton, coming up. I’m not really sure what the release date is on that. And then I start work on a new cartoon called “Slacker Cats” where I’m the voice of one of the kittens there. And beyond that, while I’m working on Desperate Housewives, it’s really hard to go out and make another deal to do something else, because you’re employed. What will I do next? I don’t know!

THE STAR SCOOP:
Anything to add?

KIERSTEN WARREN:
I’ve been part of the working actress thing, for a long time, and that it’s really rewarding. You don’t have to be an above the title actress, to both be gainfully employed and feel like you’ve made a big contribution and get your artistic jollies out. It’s great. Kind of like teachers, you know? School teachers are teachers, and they go to school every day, and they teach, but doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ve won teacher of the year every year. I think there’s such a focus on celebrity that actresses tend to feel a little underused or unrecognized unless they are one of the top 20 in their field. That’s too much pressure to put on anybody’s life. I think that it’s just not true, and it’s a formula for unhappiness. The path is the goal, the goal is the path…but I think it’s true in this scenario, and I would like to encourage any actor or actress that I see that it’s about whatever you’re doing right now, be it school play, community theater play, Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial, go have fun and lighten up your set and meet a new hundred people. Go out and make some art. It is a luxury. It’s not your right. It’s a luxury to get to pursue this. It’s this intense heat, and focus on celebrity. And I find it hurtful. It’s not really an acting field that people are celebrating, they’re celebrating the celebrity. I think it’s really wrong for children to aspire to do nothing but to be famous. That kind of fame is very fleeting. The quicker the assent to celebrity hood, of course the more drastic the fall. It was put to me once like this, and I think it’s a really good analogy. The bus does eventually stop for all of us at some point. You’ll get an opportunity. If you have some talent, and some looks and you’re of mediocre intelligence, you’ll get into the right room, and you will get a job. But whether you have the correct change when the bus stops for you determines how long you get to ride.

DESPERATE TO KNOW ANDREA BOWEN:

By Traci Grant

Andrea Bowen has never been desperate, until now. A Desperate Housewives cast member, that is. While she’s been acting for more than a decade, it is her role as Julie Mayer on ABC’s Desperate Housewives that is finally giving her the recognition she deserves. “I’d worked my entire life and been successful, but nothing had gotten this much exposure before. It definitely takes getting used to, [and] I’m still not used to it,” Andrea says.

Something that Andrea Bowen is used to, is being a good girl, on-screen, and off. “People tell me I’m a lot like my character, because I’m pretty good; I’m pretty responsible. I don’t want to hang out too late; I don’t like to do anything that’s bad. I like to get good grades [and] I like to have my life very orderly. As far as I go, I’m a good girl.”

She may be like her character thus far, but as she talks about the next season of Desperate Housewives, Andrea thinks there may be a little rebelling in Julie Mayer’s future. “Julie is getting older, so she’s going to start dating more. She’s going to have, you know, primarily one love interest, and he’s a bit of a bad boy. We’re going to see if she has a positive effect on him, or if he has a negative effect on her. I’m definitely very excited about it, and I think our viewers will really like it, because you kind of get to see a different side to her.”

Recently, Andrea showed off her own different side: a musical one, as she spent her free time in a production of “The Sound of Music.” “Just recently while we were on hiatus, I did Sound of Music at the Hollywood Bowl. They do big productions, [and] typically, they only do one night, but this year, they decided to do three nights. It was a really great cast, and we had an amazing time. Teri [Hatcher] came with her daughter and her parents, and it was nice to have all the support. It was great to do something else than just the show. It’s really hard, when you are working on a show, to do other projects. This one worked out, and I’m really thankful for that. I loved it.”

It’s not surprising that Teri Hatcher showed up to her on-screen daughter’s musical show after hearing Andrea talk about their relationship.”[Teri Hatcher] is very maternal. She is pretty maternal to me: always making sure that I’m being treated okay, that I have enough water, that I’m not dehydrated, that I’m not too hot, and I’m not too cold. She’s always looking out for me, which is really great.”

While TV parents are great, they’re just not the real thing, so one has to wonder about Andrea and her own mom.” My relationship with my mom is so different than Susan and Julie’s relationship. I’m the youngest of six kids, so my mom is definitely the mom in our relationship. She’s great. She is so supportive of me, and she’s a fantastic woman. I look up to her and respect her so much. My mom and I are very close.”

Mom (and dad) should be proud. Andrea Bowen is friendly, articulate, and mature, and of course talented. Don’t forget, she is also one of primetime TV’s favorite daughters. So, what’s in store for this lovely young lady? “I don’t know. I’m just enjoying everything while it’s happening. I hope to continue to work more, and do different kinds of roles. I live life by the moment. I have no definite plans.”

There is one thing that’s definite: we’ll be seeing more of Andrea Bowen for years to come. On a final note, she adds, “I’ve always loved it all. I can’t just choose one path to take. I hope to do movies, and I hope to do more television, and I hope to do more theater. We’ll just see where my life takes me, but I plan on doing all of it for the rest of my life.”

All quotes in this article were given in an interview with TheStarScoop.Com