Moore Moore
 Mandy’s a Class Act, Forever Moore |
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 It's Mandy Moore's fifth or sixth trip to Australia in as many years, and despite a jam-packed schedule, she is still thrilled to be down under again. "It's always nice to come back here," she says, excitedly. "I honestly have no qualms with it. I really like coming back."The radiant 20-year-old is in town to promote Saved!, a black comedy/teenage satire that was consistently deemed one of the smarter teen-oriented pictures during its limited theatrical run in the United States earlier this year. In the film, which also stars Jena Malone, Patrick Fugit, Macaulay Culkin, and a bevy of other young talents, Moore plays the super religious, but insular Hilary Faye.
"It was such a fantastic cast, and a great opportunity, and a wonderful script, like, it just felt like the perfect ingredients for, you know, not only a great film, but a great working experience too," Moore, who is smartly selective when it comes to choosing film roles, says of her decision to partake in the film. "And it ended up being just exactly what I thought it was gonna be, and we all really enjoyed working together too."
Saved!, not surprisingly, because of its subject matter, received some backlash from conservative Christian groups upon release, but Moore, while acknowledging the film is not "everyone's cup of tea," explains that it actually has a sweet, deep-seated message.
"I think the people that didn't find the humor in the movie sort of went in with this preconceived notion of what they felt the movie was trying to say, and they felt that it was mocking Christians," she says. "They really didn't want to see the sort of sweet message of the film which is, you know, I think of like acceptance and love, and tolerance, and you know, it actually, I think the heart of the movie is actually very kind to Christians. I think it's just exposing the hypocrisy that can come in any form I guess, but especially in that sort of fundamentalist Christian aspect."
The Hilary Faye character presented Moore with a part dissimilar to her previous feature film roles, a little more edgy, and maybe even more challenging. It very much demonstrated an expansion in the types of parts the singer-actress can fulfill with aplomb, although Moore says that never actually was her sole intention.
"I feel like I'm so just getting starting doing all this stuff that it's, you know, I sort of just looked at it as an amazing experience of being able to work with like a great group of young people, and it was a fantastic script, and a wonderful part, and it seemed like a fun challenge for me. But I really didn't think like, this is gonna be a movie to prove to people that, you know, I'm different than who they think I am," she laughs. "I don't know!"
Perhaps Moore is just getting started as an actress. Her next on screen role will be in John Turturro's zany musical, Romance and Cigarettes, shot in New York earlier this year and scheduled for release in 2005. The film will be co-produced by the great Coen brothers, and possesses an all-star cast, including Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, Christopher Walken, Kate Winslet, and Steve Buscemi. And Moore is right in the middle of it, as Baby, the daughter of Gandolfini and Sarandon. "I was sort of pinching myself every day on the way to set, going like, 'What, what am I doing here?," she revealed with a laugh. "Like, 'I so don't belong in this group of people.' But, you know, at the same time I wasn't questioning it. I was just going and doing my job, and having fun."
The New Year will also see the release of Moore's first album since signing with Sire/Warner Bros., which she is hoping to get into the studio and record within the next month, and release around April-May. The 5'10" Brunette has put forth a solid effort into writing her own lyrics and collaborating with other artists, and says the whole process has come very naturally. "I feel like I have something to say, and I'm having fun with it right now," she enthuses. So what can be expected from the artist who is probably best remembered for bubblegum pop releases like "Candy"? "Oh gosh," she says, contemplating the question. "Very organic I guess. Like one producer, live band in the studio, I'm just trying to make like a really classic, classy, sort of credible great pop record I guess."
Talk turns to Mandy Moore, the designer. She has recently launched her own line of t-shirts, many which feature expressions from Moore's favorite classical songs. "It's a really small, sort of boutique line that is in a couple of stores and stuff across the country," she explains. "I'm definitely not trying to be like some big, you know, clothing designer, and trying to do it all. I just sort of did it for selfish reasons because I'm a jeans and t-shirt sort of girl, and I decided that if I was in the position to make the perfect t-shirt, then why not."
Moore assures, despite her film, music, and clothing ventures, she finds time for herself. "I definitely feel like, especially this summer, I've taken a lot of time off to sort of start writing, but I've had time to sort of settle down, and hang out with my friends, and just enjoy life. I think you always have to have time for yourself at the end of the day too. Every day. I think it's extremely important."
Moore's perfect day of relaxation sounds quite normal, when she lists sleeping in, eating good foods, and spending time with loved ones as part of the day, but she drops a bombshell when she adds eagerly, "and maybe doing something spontaneous like going skydiving or something!" Skydiving? Did we hear right? "Yeah!," she shoots back. "I've done it a couple times and I love it."
In the proverbial spotlight now for about six years, Moore in one of few former/current pop starlets to have a clean-cut, controversy free image. Quite a feat considering the derogatory tabloid-type stories that are often attached to a celebrity profile. Moore puts it down to not being interesting. "I'm just boring, and I don't think people care," she says. "They're like, 'Oh yeah, hmm.' I'm a home body. I don't really go out much, and just, I don't sort of live the life that would be exciting for, you know, a tabloid magazine to write about (laughs). So they don't bother with me. Which I am perfectly fine with too."
But Moore seems to be selling herself short. That is unless, of course, characteristics of boring are gleaming with genuineness, taking responsibility as a role model, and epitomizing class.
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