Jaime Pressly on teen movies

The multi-talented Jaime Pressly ("Joe Dirt") who studied gymnastics for 11 years, has a modeling background, is in the development process of her new television show, plays one of the leading roles in "Not Another Teen Movie" She describes her character as "a bitch on wheels." The Pace Press had the chance to talk to Jamie about her career and her plans for the future.

Jaime Pressly: Sure, sure go ahead.

You're not married, are you? (Referring to her ring)…No, this is my grandmother's ring; it's 60 years old. She just past away. I used to play dress up in it, and she left it to me. By the way, if you heard that I was…there is this man, I forget his name, he keeps saying he's married to me, it's on the internet…

Brodie Mitchell?

Yes, Brodie Mitchell!

I found that information on IMDB.com…

Who is he?

I was going to ask you that.

We have to look into that because he's literally everywhere telling everyone. Right his name down cause he's going to be dead tomorrow. (Laughs) No I'm kidding. Okay, getting back to the movie, what attracted you to it?

If you read a script and you're laughing out loud alone, you know you must do it. It was hilarious and they rewrote it as we went along and it was even funnier. Also for the last six years, I've been up for every lead bitch in every teen movie there was and it would come down to me and one other girl, and for some reason I just wouldn't get it. And the reason is, God was like, "no, no, no, trust me, your gonna make fun of all of them in a couple of years." And that's what happened; everything happens for a reason.

What were you like in high school?

It was kind of weird for me in high school. I went through my freshman year in North Carolina in a small town where everyone knew my family. So it was a great freshman year and I even got to go to the prom. The second half of my sophomore year I left and went to Japan on a modelingcontract. I came back and finished my junior year of high school and left and went to college and majored in Sports Medicine Fitness Specialist with Dance minor. Then I realized sports medicine was gonna take me seven years so I just started working in the entertainment business. I enjoyed college but I wasn't into the high school thing because I wasn't into the cliques. I hung out with everybody, even the gang members.

What was your favorite teen movie growing up?

"Breakfast club!" I wanted to be Ally Sheedy; everybody wanted to be Molly Ringwald, but I wanted to be Ally Sheedy. She was weird and I liked it. And she always hid behind her hair, which I've done all my life, until I chopped it.

Are you planning on changing the movie roles you take on?

Oh yeah, but it's very different for women than it is for men in my business. Men don't have to show T&A. "Poison Ivy" as much as I hate that movie, I wouldn't be here, had I not done it; so I can't regret it. There are so many leading roles for men and their costars are all men. So you're like, "where's the girl?" And she's the one you're sleeping with in Scene 5.

How was it working with director Joel Gallen?

Joel's a good friend of mine before we even started filming. A lot of first time directors think they know it all, and Joel is the opposite. He surrounded himself with really amazing people, and he let them do their job and didn't step on anyone's toes. He wasn't afraid, but didn't think he knew it all. He's just a really amazing man; a great down-to-earth, Levi's wearing kind of guy.

Did you see any of the teen movies prior to doing this film?

I never watched those movies until I got the part for this movie, we all had too. My character plays four different bitches in one. So I had to watch all the movies we were spoofing and it blew me away. I was like "Thank you God!" I'm sorry, "She's All That," are you kidding? And that's one of the major ones that we spoof. They're just not like the John Hughes movies we pay homage to as opposed to making fun of. His movies, we all love, grew up on and are amazing, so that, we're not making fun of. The movies that were done within the last five years, we're making fun of.

You've had both TV and film experience, which one do you prefer?

I have to be honest with you, I love them both, but they are totally different. TV's great because I get to stay home and have a Monday thru Friday schedule. The movie thing is great because you get to play a bunch of different characters and it shoots for about 2-3 months, then you have time off. But for somebody like me who does TV and film, you do the movies on your time off from your show; so you really don't get time off.

What are you currently working on now?

I may be doing a film in February but I'm not gonna tell ya cause I can't jinx it. I also have a development deal right now with ABC where we're developing a new television series for me. It'll be coming out Fall 2002, and will probably be a half-hour dramedy. I didn't realize how much work it takes to create a show, so I've been really, really, busy.