The TV Chick

Huge has become a big summer hit for ABC Family. It centers around teenagers at Camp Victory, a weight loss camp, and their trials and tribulations. At the core of this show however, is not weight, it’s learning to be happy with yourself, and start a new lifestyle. The show has drama and romance and some hilarious moments to boot. I have really been enjoying it, and I wish there were more than just a few episodes left in the first season. I recently had the chance to chat with the absolutely lovely Harvey Guillen about his character (one of my favorites) Alistair. We talked about Alistair’s sexual preference, his relationship with his sister Chloe, and how sometimes the skinniest person in the room carries the most weight.

What originally drew you to the role of Alistair?
The first time I auditioned, I auditioned for Ian. When I read the pilot, after I knew I was going in for Ian, I fell in love with Alistair because in the original pilot he had three different scenes where [his] layers were just peeling away. And I thought “Wow, this guy has a lot going on inside,” like a lot of secrets, and there’s a lot of things he’s dealing with, as do all the other characters on the show, but there was something about Alistair that just stood out to me. And I wanted to play him, I was like “I have to play this part.” So I told my manager “I want to play Alistair,” and they were like “Well, you’re going in for Ian.” So I went in to read for Ian, but I read Ian as Alistair (laughs). I was hoping it wouldn’t backfire. Sure enough, I got a call back for the next week to read for Alistair. And I read for Alistair in front of Winnie Holzman [Creator] and she’s like this fairy godmother, she has this angelic voice and she goes “I’m sorry, but I have to give you a hug.” She gave me a hug, and I felt accomplished.

Aw, that’s so cute. So your plan worked!
Yeah, my plan worked. I don’t know if you can call it a plan. I took a risk and it paid off.

And Alistair as you mentioned has so many layers, but at the same time he’s very comfortable with who he is, and he’s very innocent. Is there a lot to him that we don’t even know yet?
Absolutely. People are always asking what’s going on with him, or why is he so weird or why is he so different. There’s [a lot of] speculation about his sexual preference, but the truth is, if the problem was his sexual preference, that would be the least of his secrets, that would be the least of his problems. He has so many secrets that people don’t know, and hopefully you get to see them all come out. There’s a big shift coming in episode 8. Alistair like you said is sweet, and he’s innocent and we all were at one point or another. We were all children, and we were all brought into this world and we were all innocent. And it’s at some point along the way that we all got jaded. But he hasn’t. And he’s holding onto that, and I think we’re going to see what people do to him. [They] say we don’t accept when you are too nice and too good and what not, and it might make you cry.

Aw. And it is sort of implied that Alistair might be gay. Will we see this addressed in the upcoming episodes?
Absolutely. The next episode is when we see that question asked and answered and shown.

Will we see maybe a crush?
You will definitely be seeing a crush, and you will especially be seeing something done to him by another camper unexpectedly.

Interesting. How will his relationship with his sister Chloe continue to develop as the season goes on?
The thing with Chloe, is not only are they blood related, but they are twins. And having that connection hidden away from you is really heartbreaking. I’ve been hanging out with Ashley Holliday a lot, who plays Chloe, and it’s so hard because I built that rapport with her off the set and when we’re on set, I long for it and I want it. You want to be next to your friend. It was like when you were in school, and you had a best friend and you wanted to have all your classes together, and you wanted to spend lunch together, and you had to spend after school together. It’s that instant rapport that you have with someone that I build with Ashley. So when we’re on set, and we can’t be next to each other, it kills me. Because not only are you my twin, [but] you’re not acknowledging me. It breaks my heart when I read the episodes every time, to have to come and do that to Alistair. But everyone has their reasons, and she has her reasons. They may not be justified, or maybe they are, but that’s her idea and her understanding of it.

 That makes sense.
There’s a moment in episode 8 where you actually see the human side to Chloe, and her feelings may change a little bit. Maybe they change too late for Chloe and too late for Alistair, so the clock’s ticking and things are going to happen and maybe someone’s not going to be able to salvage what they had before.

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Photo Credit: Jsquared photography/Styling by Reinaldo Izarry/Glam by Bradford Rogne.

When I originally heard about the plot of Huge, I wasn’t sure about the show’s longevity because it focused around camp. It has been done before (Salute Your Shorts was awesome!) so I hoped for the best because I love ABC Family. What I didn’t know was that the show was about a lot more than a group of teenagers going to weight loss camp. It’s about friendship, love, discovering yourself and your body and a whole lot more. After the pilot episode, the show has really found its footing. One of my favorite actresses from the beginning was Hayley Hasselhoff. She may bare a very famous name but her talent is unquestionable. Her character Amber is one of the most interesting on Huge, often shy and soft spoken but somehow the most powerful of the girls at camp. I recently had the chance to chat with Hayley about being on a groundbreaking show, Amber’s relationships at camp (romantic and not so romantic) and what we might not know about Amber quite yet.

What originally drew you to the role of Amber?
My agent brought me the audition piece and at first, all I knew was that the character Amber was the skinniest girl at a weight loss camp. After reading the brilliant pilot, I fell in love with the concept of “Huge” and Amber’s character. I loved how honest Amber was with herself and how she knew exactly what she wanted to achieve at camp. I loved how I could relate to her character in overcoming insecurities and hoped she would too during the season.

Amber is a character with many layers — is there a lot to her that we don’t even know yet?
Amber shows her true colors as the episodes go on. You are always finding out something new about her. In the beginning, I think she showed her true self but then got worried about what others were thinking about her. But as time passes she gets more comfortable and realizes she should be herself because others will appreciate her for who she really is.

Are you anything like Amber?
I definitely relate to Amber’s loyalty to her family and friends. I went through some of the same insecurities as Amber when I was younger but definitely overcame them, which is beautiful to realize that I could think such negative things then, and be as confident as I am now.

Did you read the book that the show is based on?
I actually have not read the book “HUGE” by Sasha Paley because I don’t want it to affect my perception of Amber and the direction of the show. I bet it’s an absolutely wonderful book but we have such an amazing group of writers led by Winnie Holtzman and Savannah Dooley that I didn’t want to get their vision mixed up with the book.

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The basic premise of Huge, a new offering from ABC Family, is simple: kids go to fat camp. However, the story is anything but simplistic as we learn the reasons why everyone is there and why they want to change their lives (or why they don’t). Huge stars Nikki Blonsky as Willamina (Will for short), the bad-ass who claims she is comfortable in her own body and plans to gain weight at fat camp. Her co-star, Hayley Hasselhoff, plays Amber, the skinniest one at fat camp who still thinks she isn’t skinny enough. Raven Goodwin plays Becca, the “invisible” one who befriends Nikki on the first day, and who has gained all of her weight back from the summer before. Rounding out the cast is Gina Torres, who plays Dr. Rand, the leader of Camp Victory.

In the series premiere, we learn that at Camp Victory there is a black market for food, major crushes, campers with eating disorders, intense friendships, and much more. I love ABC Family programming, as you all already know by now. I was a bit skeptical of this series, just because of the premise. I was pleasantly surprised for the most part. I didn’t love Nikki Blonsky as a leading lady. I think she is a good actress but I don’t know that this role suited her so well. I don’t really buy her as this unhappy bad-ass. Perhaps that’s because in Hairspray she was just the opposite but who knows. I did think the other actresses were brilliant though. Hasselhoff plays Amber so convincingly and with many layers we don’t even delve into in one episode. She has fantastic facial expressions that imply there is much more than meets the eye. I also really loved Goodwin’s portrayal of Becca. She is soft spoken but sarcastic, funny, loyal and sweet. I like that her and Amber might have a budding friendship. There is also the requisite trainer who is totally a Jillian Michaels knock off and tells everyone that there is no “I can’t.” I love Jillian, so I have no problem with this trainer on Huge, I just liked that it was a little throwback to one of my other favorite shows about weight loss.

In the IMDB description of the plot of the show it says two girls fall for the same guy. While I didn’t see anything like that in the first episode, it definitely set up the possibility. As Becca explains in the premiere, there are hookups every year. And the stage is definitely set for future relationships. The shining stars of this show are definitely Hasselhoff and Goodwin. I am still a bit unsure about the longevity seeing that it centers around a summer camp which can’t last forever. Also, do they lose weight? Do they gain it all back? Where does it go from here? What does it mean for the actors of the show?

Despite all my questions, I still plan on watching it. The series premiere kept me interested enough to want to know more. I think it’s definitely worth checking out.

Huge premieres tonight at 9 pm on ABC Family.

During the summer there isn’t generally a great deal of new TV to watch. So how do I survive? Well, there are some awesome shows that have the main parts of their season in the summer, and ABC Family is one network that is full of great seasonal programming.

Here are the dates for ABC Family shows that are returning, and some new ones that are premiering:

• Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 3 premieres Monday, June 7th at 8 pm. The 2nd season ended on a big cliffhanger so be sure to tune in!
• Pretty Little Liars: I am beyond excited for this show! It is based on a book series by Sara Shepard, and all along, I have hoped it would be turned into a TV series. The series premiere is Tuesday, June 8th at 8 pm. I will have much more coverage leading up to the premiere so be on the look out!
• Make It Or Break It: Season 2 premieres Monday, June 28th at 10 pm. I can’t wait! I adore this show.
• Huge: Series premiere is Monday June 28th at 9 pm. This show which just signed Nikki Blonsky to star seems like it has a lot of potential.

I am thrilled to introduce all of you to two new dramas picked up by ABC Family. You all know how much I love this network, and their pilot pickups have only solidified this love.

Over a year ago, I devoured a Young Adult book series called Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard. I checked the first couple out of the library and I was so hooked, I went back and checked out the next four or five. At the time, I thought it would make a fantastic TV series, and I saw that it was published by Alloy Entertainment (which brought us Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl). So when I heard the news that ABC Family had picked up the show, I was absolutely ecstatic.

Here is what the network has to say about the show:

“Pretty Little Liars” follows four estranged best friends who are reunited one year after their best friend and queen bee of the group, Alison, goes missing – only to discover they are receiving messages from an anonymous “A” who knows all their secrets. The drama stars Lucy Hale (“Privileged”) as Aria, Troian Bellisario (“Navy NCIS”) as Spencer, Ashley Benson (“Eastwick”) as Hanna and Shay Mitchell as Emily. Also starring are Laura Leighton (“Melrose Place”) and Nia Peeples (“The Young and the Restless”). Additionally, Bianca Lawson (“The Vampire Diaries”) has been cast in a recurring role as Maya.”

You may make the connection between “A” and Alison right away, but let me tell you, there is a lot more to the story than that. These girls have a crazy past together, and secrets wear upon people. Because there are so many books, this show has a lot of lasting power. I’m curious to see if season 1 will essentially be book 1 (like True Blood) or if the books will meld together. Sara Shepard was not the writer of the pilot, but I hope she is involved in some way because I’m sure she could give valuable input into the character development. I think this is a show that will transition incredibly well to a TV audience, and I can’t wait to see it. The cast is also really fantastic. The show has been picked up for a 10 episode run and will premiere sometime in 2010.

Another pilot pickup is based on a Young Adult novel entitled Huge that I am not familiar with (although I may go check it out now).

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