Member Since: 7/24/2006
Posts: 4,281
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JoJo Discusses New Film, New Album and Her Beyonce Obsession
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Unlike her character in the new movie, "True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet," Joanna "JoJo" Levesque has managed to balance stardom with a regular childhood. She talked to myLifetime.com about staying grounded, her role models and where she'll be in 10 years' time.
Do you see a lot of yourself in the character of Morgan?
The biggest similarity between us is the career path we're on, and of course, our ages. But besides that, we're quite different. My mom has made sure that I have a fairly normal childhood. I live very close to my family. I don't live in L.A. I've had the same best friend for 10 years. I think that Morgan had never really had any type of normalcy in her childhood. That's where we differ.
Fame came very quickly for you. How have you managed to stay grounded when so many younger stars seem to have trouble with that these days?
I think it's easier to get out of control than it is to stay grounded. When you're under high amounts of stress, you want to relieve that. Whether you relieve it through alcohol, drug abuse or men, people find their ways to relieve the stress. It's all about having a support team around you to help guide you. Oftentimes when people are making money off of a young person, they don't always have their best interests at heart. And I think that's why you see these bad things happening to young women.
Because you became famous at such a young age, do you ever wish that, like your character in the movie, you could escape and have a normal life for yourself?
It's very easy for me to walk around New England. I don't have a bodyguard. I like to live my life normally. I'm in between albums right now, so it's an easy time for me. I've been working with a tutor to finish my junior year of high school. It's not that difficult for me to live normally.
What do you like to do with your free time?
I like to go to sporting events. I love to support my hometown teams. I love to go shopping. I love to listen to music and discover new places.
What kind of entertainment do you like to watch or listen to?
I actually like watching tour DVDs. It's a really good way to get an idea of the creative things that artists do on tour. I love Beyoncé's tour, Jill Scott's and Usher's. It's really cool to watch and see the live bands.
What was it like working with Valerie Bertinelli?
She has great insight. She's a nice person, and her work ethic is great. She told me to enjoy the ride that I'm on and to stay close to my mom and to the people that I know are really there for me.
Now that you're getting into the acting side of the business, where do you see your career in the future? Where will you be in 10 years?
I want to have my own compound of a studio — an experience studio where I can have other artists come in and a production team to work with. I'd like to write for other people as well as myself. Currently, I'm working on my new album, called "All I Want Is Everything," and that will be out at the end of this year or early next year. I really just want to see myself grow as an artist. In 10 years, I'd love to be doing a world tour and being a businesswoman and an entertainer at the same time.
Who do you look up to in the entertainment industry?
I really look up to Beyoncé, both as an entertainer and as a woman. I actually saw her recently and I got to tell her all that she means to me as an inspiring woman. She's very strong, an incredible singer and songwriter and an all-around entertainer.
Do you have any dream costars on film?
I love Angelina Jolie. I'm a huge fan of hers. All of the work that she does internationally and her acting. She's so versatile.
If your life was a Lifetime movie, what would it be called and why?
This is a phrase that I've been playing with, but it sums up the 17 years that I've experienced so far. It would be called "The Wrath of Education," because I just finished my junior year of high school and it was so difficult to finish. I felt like education was beating me in the head. I had no breaks for nine months of school and I was cramming everything in.
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She's one of the most grounded celebrities, and think I might watch Lifetime for the first time ever just to see her in a serious movie.
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