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Hayden Panettiere is the leader of the pack


Alpha And Omega
15 October 2010

Hayden Panettiere was fresh faced, relaxed and uber confident as we sat down and spoke to her about her new film Alpha and Omega. During our chat at Soho Hotel, a waiter came in with a tray of food, she joked,

“I keep asking them to make chicken noodle soup, which isn’t on the menu, but I don’t think the last chef was too happy because there were really hot peppers in it, I was like, is this screw you peppers.”

Alpha and Omega is the story of two young wolves at opposite ends of their pack’s social order are thrown together into a foreign land and need each other to return home, but love complicates everything.

Alpha and Omega hits UK cinemas 22nd.

 

How much did you work with Justin and the rest of the cast on this film?

Sometimes you often work with the cast, but in this case we weren’t all in the room together.

 

What is it you enjoy so much about voice acting?

I really do enjoy it, it’s a very different kind of project. It’s nice to be involved because it doesn’t take up a huge chunk of your time all at once. It’s great to play so many different characters, I’ve played a wolf, a bug, a fairy, a lima. You can just turn up in your pyjamas, you don’t have to do your hair. It’s very different.

 

 

Is there much room for improvisation?

There is, some are not the same, it depends on the project. Often they say here is the general idea for the line, but why don’t you try this and that so you play around with sounds, laughs and words and in this one there was.

 

Were the visuals finished when you started?

It’s such a gradual process, so in the beginning it was like a pencil sketch. I could kind of see what it was going to look like and bit by bit it starts to come together up until the last detail of the fur which is very intricate and then finally slap some the 3D on top of it and it becomes this amazing fun film.

 

How long were you attached to the project?

I was on and off for 6 months to a year.

 

Do you consider yourself an Alpha person in your life?

Yes. I have to make up for my size! Yeah, I’m a little rough around the edges (laughs).

 

What attracted you to the role of Kate?

She’s a cool character and it’s a great film with good morals and it also ties in with the environment and the struggles that wolves go though. My character and Justin’s character get shipped off to a new park to repopulate. Kate is sassy and fun loving and you can’t help love her. On their journey back home they start to realise that you cant help who you fall in love with.

 

What’s your take on 3D at the moment?

Sometimes it might not be so necessary but in this film it definitely plays into it with the action, adventure, waterfalls and snowboarding on the log in the woods – it adds a great element to it. I don’t feel I’ve been beaten over the head with 3D yet, sure there’s a line but I may change my mind down the road.

 

You have had an album in the pipeline for some time now, what’s happening with that and is it you singing/howling in this film?

No, it’s not actually. I was back and forth so the time was limited. They got some amazing howlers in there, I don’t think I could do justice like they could. Yes, I was doing an album but I have such an eclectic taste in music and it’s very difficult deciding on which type of music to put forward and once you put it out there you cant take it back. Maybe down the road it’s not out of the question. The kind of music I would want to put out is not as mainstream as you would expect someone like me to do.

 

You went to X Factor on Sunday, how was that, do you have a favorite to win?

It was awesome, great fun. I love shows like that but I can’t say who, I haven’t followed it enough so would hate to have people opinions tainted by my uneducated guess.

 

Do you have a preference – singing or acting?

I love acting. I love singing in the shower. Oh, and those karakoke rooms. I spend hours on end in those. Acting is something I have done my whole life. It’s different. Apples and Oranges. Everything is so different, animations, TV, films, why choose when you can have it all.

 

 

Heroes has come to an end, do you see yourself doing more TV work or would you prefer to just do films?

Never say never. You never know what comes down the line. Right now I’m working on more film, but the Amanda Knox Story which I just signed to films in Italy and that’s a TV film. I also have another animated film called Hoodwinked Too that’s coming out, so I like to change it up.

 

How was Scream 4 and working with Wes?

It was awesome. Wes is such a nice guy, it’s great to work with someone that is so good at what they do. It was like camp, working with Neve and the new cast in Michigan. I really made friends on that shoot that will be friends for life. It’s a game of clue, you have to keep the audience guessing, it’s a classic scream film. I haven’t seen it yet but I’m sure it will be great.

 

Is there any talk of it being in 3D?

Not that I have heard, I don’t think they will go for this but you never know – stranger things have happened.

 

Did you have any time to work with Dennis Hopper on this film?

I didn’t no but just to be associated with him is a real honor.

 

Is it true you’re about to start work on Disney’s remake of The Black Hole?

No! I’m not! Everyone keeps saying that, I don’t know anything about it. It sounds cool, maybe I should go and ask someone about it.
 
Has the media spotlight got so intense now that you can’t go anywhere anymore and lead life as you used to?
 
It depends where I am. If I’m in Europe I have a much easier time, like New York but in LA it can get very difficult. It’s amazing how walking down the street can get so crazy.

 

Have you cut your hair short for a specific film role?

No, it was because I had the bright idea to dye my hair red which was a terrible idea so I tried to dye it back blonde and my hair really didn’t like that so I was like OK, let’s start over. I was happy to try short for a little bit.

 

It looks great but, do you miss your long hair?

Yeah, hair for women is something you hide behind. You can be feeling so fat and ugly and if your having a good hair day it can make you feel so much better but if you have one of those terrible days and no hair to hide behind – it can bring tears! But I have enjoyed having short hair, I’m glad I tried it.

 

Can you talk a bit about the animal rights causes you’re championing at the moment?

I have worked with the Whaleman Foundation which is a big passion of mine. I’ve always been a huge fan of animals, I would love to open an animal rehabilitation in Africa but one step at a time. I think it’s really important to use your platform to speak on behalf of the environment and good causes. I just went to Bill Clinton’s Aids Gala and although I’ve worked more in environment and animal rights than humanitarian work there are a lot of other things I would like to do as well.

 

Is there any plans to make a Heroes movie?

I have not heard any news of that yet, but you never know. I think it would be further down the road, in a good few years from now.

 

I loved the comedic characters in the film, the duck and the goose that play golf, do you play golf or any particular sports?

I was always an athlete, I swam, played vollyball, played softball but I did just get my first set of Titleist golf clubs. My family, my boy, my friends all like to play golf. I prefer the driving range, I don’t think I’ve ever played a full round of golf in my life but I will take my brand spanking new clubs and try them out. I may need to take out some insurance because I’m sure my balls will go in the direction they’re not supposed to go to.

 

What’s your favorite film that’s been out this year?

I haven’t seen many! Scream 4 was all night shoots so I slept a lot in the day and I’ve been terrible at watching films. Oh, I did see The Social Network. When I came to this hotel actually I bumped into Andrew Garfield and had to restrain myself from saying, you’re amazing.

 

Are there any specific directors you would like to work with?

We have such amazing directors, Spielberg, Scorseze, Fincher, Stone. I would genuinely like to work with all of them.

 

 

Hayden Panettiere Photos | Alpha and Omega Film Page

ALPHA AND OMEGA IS RELEASED IN UK CINEMAS ON OCTOBER 22 FROM LIONSGATE