In case you have been under a rock for the past few months you know that “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” is one of the hottest shows on television right now. Furthermore, if you’ve watched the show, you might be one of the many viewers who think Adrian is a naughty girl — to put it mildly.

“I was at a dance convention just sitting there and some people noticed me, my boyfriend got on the mic and asked people if they liked Adrian and a girl yelled out ‘NO,’” recalls actress Francia Raisa, the face of the girl everyone is loving to hate. “That girl realized I was there and came up to me saying how she didn’t like my ‘character’ because she’s too mean, but everyone always says they love how bad she is!”

Indeed, her character in the ABC show is something else. Adrian seduces morally confused football players, deals with a mother who may want to relive her teenage years again, manages to be a popular cheerleader who is also in the honor roll and crushes on a guy who, well, got a girl pregnant at 15.

All in a day’s work.

Raisa manages to interpret the feisty, sexy, independent and lonely Adrian amazingly well.

So well in fact that, when I was getting ready for this interview, I was already thinking she would shoot me a snooty one-liner like the ones she uses on screen. To my amazement, the young and talented actress could not be farther away from her character’s personality. Raisa, an LA native who is DJ “El Cucuy” Renan Almendarez’s daughter, gushes about “how lucky” she is to be in a hit TV show and talks with such an upbeat tone and frankness she had me laughing five minutes into conversation.

“I remember how I was at the point of talking about sex when I was younger but I love playing my character because she actually does and I get to send a message to a lot of teenagers. This girl chilling with Ricky, she doesn’t have to sleep with him because at the end of the day she knows he doesn’t love her, but the fact that she’s smart gives her a little more of an edge because it shows you can be smart, and still be hot,” she said.

Her fans (myself included) will be happy to know that they’ll soon see more of her on television, movies and on-line coming soon.

“Me and the girls from the show are talking about having a site for teenagers where they can ask us questions they are ashamed or afraid to ask adults, we could recruit a doctor as well to educate them. It could be very helpful so we are definitely considering it. I have also been working on movies and I have so many ideas to develop in the fashion business and even produce or direct. I have many interests,” said the 20-year old star.

The movies Raisa speaks of are completely different from one another. On her first lead as indie film talent she got to work with Tinieblas González, one of the lead Spanish directors in the horror/science fiction genre. In the film ASD (Alma Sin Dueño), her character and her graffiti artist friends are caught in a new subway system and discover a half-human creature they must escape from to survive. The plot sounds interesting but what Raisa was interested in were the working conditions.

“I did two movies before this one, but it was my first lead and I was very excited. The fact it was in Spain made it even more exciting. However, it was one of the hardest jobs I’ve had because of the environment! It made me appreciate the Actors Guild and how we shoot movies here,” says the actress. “We would shoot long hours at some locations that were disgusting. I remember my first day we were in a tunnel and there were bugs and trash, then in another location we filmed at a tunnel where people shot heroin and we had to be very careful where we stepped because there were syringes everywhere. We even shot in the sewers and it smelled so bad.”

The crazy settings were apparently worth it. According to Raisa, Tinieblas is known for his unusual vision. Although she wondered how it all would look on screen once she saw the trailer she was, “impressed with how it came out and with what his vision would be.”

The overall experience is one she will Read the rest of this entry »

The ABC Family newbie The Secret Life of the American Teenager has garnered massive success in terms of ratings in its freshman run and the series was immediately renewed for season 2, which fans hope to see early next year.  While not all critics agree to the success the show has experiencing, the viewers have expressed their love for the new show that has brought the issue of teenage pregnancy to the forefront of primetime viewing.

Meanwhile, the stars of the show are very thankful to the fans and viewers who have been supporting the ABC Family series, which features Shailene Woodley and Daren Kagasoff as the teen parents of the yet-unborn child.  Both Woodley and Kagasoff have seen the widespread buzz on their new endeavor and have been very thankful for the reception of the show.

“I’m just thankful for the support from [my family], from Brenda Hampton, and everybody on the crew.  It’s just an experience, and I’ll never forget it ever in my life,” Kagasoff told the Media Blvd in an interview earlier this month.  As for Woodley, who is now seen as a role model for teens, she says that it’s amazing how people label her that way for portraying a controversial role on television.

“I hadn’t even thought about being a teenage role model until a couple of days ago when someone brought it up in an interview,” she admitted in a conversation with Knox News.  “I suddenly find myself very inspirational to a lot of girls.”

The 16-year-old actress who hails from Simi Valley, California adds that she wants her appearance on the show to be more than inspirational, but also serve as a guide for pregnant teens out there.

She says that despite feeling “a lot of pressure” in playing the role, “I want the (pregnant) girls in America to feel like they are not alone.”

The Secret Life pushes the issue of teenage pregnancy out in the open for families to discuss, but how does Woodley deal with these issues in real life?  She says that unlike her character, she is more open and willing to reach out to people and ask for help, given that she would be placed in a situation like that.

“[Amy] is more introverted,” Woodley explained.  “I would be more vocal about it.  She’s more, ‘leave me alone.’  If I were pregnant, I’d immediately tell my friends and tell my family.  I would seek all the help and support I could get around me.”

Moreover, she admits that “It’s such an emotional hardship to take on.”

The Secret Life of the American Teenager returns to television screens with season 2 next year.

cred: Media Blvd

It’s tomorrow ( Tuesday ) 8p.m. EST

And…well here comes the most questioned episode in the short life of The Secret Life of the American Teenager.  It’s first ever season finale.  What happens now?  Who goes where?  Whom loves whom? and more importantly What are we going to do until next season?

In the television industry this type of finale is usually called a Mid-Season Finale due to the show debuting in the summer but returning prior to next summer.

See, the show goes off the air in September and returns in January so its not too long of a wait until the show is back and continuing on where it left off.

But while we are all sad and excited at the same time the question remains where are we left off and how do you guys feel about it?

Leave comments and let the world know.

Fresh off Olympic gold in Beijing, gymnastics sensation Shawn Johnson is already testing out her acting chops.

The teen gymnast will make a guest appearance in the mid-season finale of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” ABC Family confirmed to Access Hollywood.

Johnson, 16, will play herself in the episode, as a girl who flirts with Ricky (played by Daren Kagasoff) in the school hallway, the cable network revealed.

In an earlier interview with Us Weekly, Johnson said she was a fan of the show. Upon hearing that, “Teenager” producers reached out to the gymnast with an offer to be on the show.

The episode airs Tuesday, September 9 at 8 PM EST on ABC Family.

During the Olympic games in Beijing, Johnson took home the gold medal for women’s balance beam, as well as the individual all-around silver medal.

The hit series is slated to return with 12 new episodes in January 2009.

credit: Access Hollywood

Megan Park, pictured here with Shailene Woodley and Francia Raisa to her right.

In London, Megan Park can walk through the malls, visit Richmond Street restaurants and just hang out unnoticed.

In Los Angeles, it’s a different story for the 22-year-old rising star, who has a leading role in the hit television show, the Secret Life of the American Teenager.

“I remember the first time I went to the mall after the show came out. Everywhere I went people were coming up to me and asking for pictures. It was total insanity,” says Park, who is at her parents’ London home for a vacation this month before heading back to L.A. in early September to resume filming.

“Now I can’t go anywhere in the States without someone recognizing me.”

Her profile in London and Ontario may change soon with Citytv picking up the first season of Secret Life, beginning Sept. 3.

Park and co-stars, such as Molly Ringwald and Mark Derwin (One Life to Live), have 13 more episodes to film of the hour-long drama, which is broadcast in the U.S. on ABC Family.

Park has committed to more filming if the Secret Life is renewed and she believes it will be.

“The numbers are just going crazy every week. It’s the highest rated show ABC Family has ever had,” she says.

“After the pilot we had 4.6 million viewers and it keeps going up every week. It’s crazy.”

The Secret Life is centred on character Amy Juergens (Shailene Woodley), who is pregnant, and her high school life.

Park plays Grace Bowman, a Christian who is also the head cheerleader at the school.

In the pilot episode, Grace’s boyfriend, also a Christian, cheats on her.

“She struggles with being upset with him and trying to forgive him,” Park says.

Park, an Oakridge graduate who started her acting career with Original Kids Theatre, calls the show “raw and real.”

“There are so many different characters that there is someone that everyone can relate to.”

Park has been busy since she made her feature film debut in 2004 in Some Things That Stay.

She has worked with Robert Downey Jr. and Hope Davis in the teen movie Charlie Bartlett, which premiered in theatres earlier this year, and she was cast opposite Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey in the 2006 TV movie the Road to Christmas.

She has also landed parts in numerous other projects.

“I’ve just been really lucky with the opportunities that have come along. I really try to work hard to push myself.

“(The Secret Life) came at the perfect time as I was ready to move to L.A. and make that leap.”

Park has received offers for other projects and says she would like to try comedy at some point.

“I’m so lucky to be in the position now to be a little bit more selective. I’m looking at a lot of scripts for films starting next year.”

Park says she enjoys coming back to London whenever she can.

A highlight for her recently was simply going to the Covent Garden Market with her mother Debbie and purchasing fresh fruit and flowers.

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Don’t invite Brenda Hampton, creator and exec producer of the hit ABC Family series “Secret Life of The American Teenager,” to the same party with officials of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy.

Hampton isn’t happy that ABC Family ends each episode of “Secret Life” with the same public-service message from the org urging parents to communicate with their teenagers about sex.

Disney, which owns ABC Family, decided to tack on the PSA because it was worried about the show’s content: The lead character on “Secret Life” is a 15-year-old (played by Shailene Woodley) who gets pregnant and is trying to figure out what to do. ABC Family has also slapped a TV-14 warning on each episode.

“I understand where the network is coming from,” Hampton says. But the PSA makes it look as if Hampton is collaborating with the group on the scripts, which she says isn’t the case. “I don’t rely on any outside organization,” she says. “I make this stuff up myself.”

Hampton’s main objection: “The PSA sounds like an apology for the fact that we’re dealing with teenage sex. I don’t think we should apologize for that.”

Michael Rosst, a spokesman for the org, says he’s surprised at Hampton’s reaction. “I respect Brenda and her vision,” he says. “The show is pretty realistic, and doesn’t glorify teenage pregnancy.”

“Secret Life” is even kind to the teenager who proclaims that she will not have sex before marriage, Rosst says. “The writers don’t make fun of abstinence,” he says, “which is great for a show that is resonating with both teens and their parents.”

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Interview from MediaBlvd

Were you surprised that the show took off like it did?  I mean, 100% retention of it’s audience.  I’ve been following TV for years and that’s unheard of in television.

Daren> Yeah, it was pretty crazy.  I haven’t been in this business long enough to know what a good series is, and what isn’t.  But Brenda Hampton is very well renowned as a producer and has been in th

e business for awhile.  She had that hit show, 7^TH Heaven.  So I had faith in her.  But once the show finally took off, I’m like, “This is insane!  I’m living a dream.”

It’s incredible.  Have you had any fan encounters?  Do you get more recognized now because of the show?

Daren> Yeah, it’s pretty crazy.  Walking down the street and you have people staring and whispering.  You don’t know if they’re whispering because they think you’re cute or they know you’re f

rom the show.  It’s like, “What’s going on here?”  But it’s crazy.

Probably once the season is over, you’re going to walk into a store and somebody is going to smack you with a purse because they think you’re sleeping around with all these chicks.

Daren> I know, it’s so funny because I’m not like that at all in my real life.  I’m not a jerk, I don’t think.

Yeah, but a lot of people can’t separate the character from the actor.  So it’ll be interesting to see what happens when the season’s over.

Daren> Yeah, I’ve read some things.  I love reading when people say, “I hate Ricky, he’s this, he’s that.”  That means I’m doing a good job.  I want people to kind of dislike me, but like me at the same time.

What did you think when you first got this role?  You’re playing this guy who sleeps with all these girls, but he was sexually abused.  It’s a huge undertaking, but you’re playing the role very well.

Daren> Thank you so much!  Honestly, when I got the sides and read the first couple of episodes, you really start to see where they’re going to take this character and what he’s about.  The character, Ricky, has got so many different sides to him.  He’s a Don Juan with the ladies, he’s a jerk to the guys, he thinks he’s something.  Then when he gets into his therapist’s office, that’s the only time he’s true.  That’s the only time you see a person and a person’s feelings.  My therapist knows Ricky; he knows what he’s about.  He gets to him, and that’s the only time you see the true Ricky.

Has it become harder to balance your personal life with your rising popularity?

Daren>Not really.  I got into this business to be an actor, to be an artist, to tell a story through someone else’s eyes.  I’m just thankful for it all to be happening, to have fans, and for people to love the show.  So it hasn’t really interfered or anything.  I’m hoping it doesn’t, but I’m just thankful for all the buzz it’s gotten.

Do you ever have a hard time separating yourself from Ricky?

Daren> No, not at all.  What’s on set is on set, and what’s off set is off.  When I step on there and put on the gear and the clothes, then I’m Ricky.  But once I’m off, it’s just Daren; the real guy reading scripts and trying to get another job out there.  I think I’d find that more difficult if I were shooting a movie, but with the TV series, it’s very easy to just be me.  Then once it’s action, it’s Ricky time.  My personality to his personality is so different.

So you’re not bed hopping then?

Daren> No, I don’t think so, I’m not

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The Secret Life of the American Teenager can not be stopped – for the fourth week in a row it hit a series high for total audience - 4.1 million viewers tuned in for this past weeks episode!

This is absolutely amazing and even critics that weren’t so sure of this show when it debuted are coming around finally realizing everything The Secret life has to offer.

Seriously, I didn’t know they gave awards to brand new shows, but hey what else can’t this show do.

The Secret life of the American Teenager picked up an award for Teen Choice Summer TV Show!

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I know some of you love to read about how well the show is doing so here is an excerpt about it:

The Secret Life of the American Teenager jumped 16% to hit a series high of 3.6 million. To put that in context, despite airing in the summer on a basic cable network, last Tuesday’s episode had a larger audience than any episode of The CW’s Gossip Girl this past season…

This is an amazing accomplishment for this show!!