The Girls in the "House"

You're in college and in a sorority. Sounds, cool but wait! Yours is the "loser" house. You and your sisters need one "hot" new sister to teach a few lessons in charm and just plain ole female sizzle! Why not a Playboy Bunny for a house mother! This is the plot of the new female-driven comedy The House Bunny. The sorority sisters are played by Rumer Willis, Katharine McPhee and Emma Stone among others so we know these already sizzling girls are just acting! Hot and funny Anna Faris, of course, is the Bunny.

We rounded up the Zeta Alpha Zeta girls and their housemom in Beverly Hills earlier in the summer for the latest on their cinema campus fun, what's next for each etc. How is Rumer handling being in her famous folks' business as a second generation film star? How is talented American Idol gal Katharine McPhee combining singing and acting?

We'll set the picture; Emma in salmon-colored silk sheath that blends great with her red hair, Katherine in pretty grey/blue dress, dark-haired Rumer in a beige gauzy number with lots of delicate chains and Anna in a cute black dress with puffy sleeves. We got the impression that these young women bonded over the course of the film since it was hard to get them to stop yakking with each other and answer questions but that's great! A real all-girl jam session....

TeenHollywood: Anna, you are also executive producing this movie. Can you talk about the origins of your character and any preparations you made to play her?

Anna: I would like to say that I slept with Hef, but I'll dispel that rumor right now. [laughter] No, I was thinking about what happens when it's time for the next phase of life for some of these girls who have lived in the Playboy mansion and how do you re-enter the real world? And I pitched the character to [the two female writers] and they wrote a script and together we produced it. And the next thing you know we're shooting at the Playboy mansion! I have to admit, I did very little to emotionally prepare to play Shelley Darlingson. I guess she's always been in here somewhere. But, I did work out with Pilates. I got some hair extensions, a lot of padded bras. I guess that's the extent of my prep.

TeenHollywood: Well, you are lookin' good in this! For whoever feels like answering this, the "Zetas" aren't exactly the hot house on campus. Have you ever been in a position where you felt like an outsider and how did you deal with it?

Katharine: I'm not gonna say I was a dork in high school, but I definitely struggled with weight in high school. I had times where I didn't really want to hang out with the cool kids. I was kind of like being an librarian and keeping to myself. So, I think, everybody has a moment in their life where the feel not so comfortable in their skin or connected to what we call the popular group or whatever. That was my extent of feeling like an outsider.

TeenHollywood: What made you come out of your shell?

Katharine: Well, I was involved in a theater group, theater parts in high school, so that sort of kept me really busy and then swim team so, I'm not gonna call myself a dork. I had friends and stuff, but I was friends with a lot of different people in high school. So, I guess that was my outlet.

Rumer: I was a dork. I was a computer nerd. I grew up and, Emma went through the same thing, we both had braces and glasses and this curly fro. And I wasn't necessarily too active in getting in the social crowd, so I definitely understand the entirely not fitting in. But I think everyone has their own version of feeling a bit out of place and one of the great things I think that we have the ability to do is show that it's all right. You can have that awkward phase. It's not about whether you're the popular girl or the nerdy one. It's just about feeling confident and comfortable with where you fit and who you are and accessing that and making that your own.

Emma: When I was younger I sort of just always did my thing and it made me happy, so I didn't really think to think it was dorky or anything like that. I made a lot of websites (Laughs), but I thought it was fun. This really came in perfect time for me. Because I was 18 when we were shooting this and this has been the strangest period of trying to figure out who I am. So, the timing was really ideal. [I learned to] just accept that what you like is what you like and who you are is who you are. Every day I try to remind myself of that, so it was a cool thing to be involved with.

Anna: Ah, yes, I definitely still feel incredibly awkward. And I never quite get used to this stuff, but I'm really proud I made a movie, because I feel in my movie experience, I've definitely given up a sense of vanity, so it was kind of nice actually to play like the pretty girl. I do want to commend the girls. All of them gave up their sense of vanity for the sake of the movie and they were all so game and eager to be vulnerable on camera. Whether it was Catherine being pregnant, Rumer clearly with the neck brace and Emma wearing weird glasses.

TeenHollywood: Rumer, I know when you were growing up you were only allowed to act in your parents' movies, so how does it feel to be acting on your own now?

Rumer: Well, I'm fortunately lucky, I got to work with Anna Faris, I mean, c'mon. It was really cool. It's been very different and I have to say, probably the biggest learning experience I've ever had. It's very different to be an accessory than to actually do it where all the responsibility is on you; what time you get to set, how you act, what you eat on set. But, it's been really nice. It's Adam Sandler's first female-driven comedy [Adam's company produces]. It's kind of a big deal. Yeah, I felt very grateful to be a part of it.

TeenHollywood: Katharine, do you have aspirations to get more into feature films or theater?

Katharine: Yeah, I am trying to make the smart decisions and I definitely want to do more film and theater. I feel like I'll do it at some point. It's not my main focus right now, but I start shooting a movie in August with Wes Bentley, so I'm just taking my time. This movie was so great because I've gotten to learn a lot of things and work with like great people like Anna and Emma and Rumer. And Rumer, this was kind of one of her first big movies, so it just felt good to be in a group with professionals and people who were just starting. And, yes, to answer your question, I'd love to do more of this kind of stuff.

TeenHollywood: Anna, your character Shelley uses this strange deep voice when she wants to remember something. What's the origin of that?

Anna: I have to credit our director with that. He was like, 'Can you do a crazy voice?' And I said, 'What do you mean?' And he said, 'I dunno, just say something like, y'know, 'Natalie' in a funny way.' And I was like, 'O.K., [in her deep "demon" voice] 'Natalie' (we all laugh). And, uh, I thought there was no way this was going to work. It's out of left field, Shelley is suddenly demonic. Anyway, I think people will like it and now I've been doing that gravelly voice all day.

TeenHollywood: Have you shown the movie to Hugh Hefner?

Anna: Yes, yes, we have. He loves it. He really likes it. He's been an incredible support system. I saw him yesterday and he really likes the movie. His girls are in it. It was thrilling to see him act in a movie we conceived of. It's awesome.

TeenHollywood: Katharine can you talk about wearing that fake belly as a pregnant sorority sister?

Katharine: Well, I had two different bellies. One that was prosthetic and one that was like a pregnant pad. It was very uncomfortable in the dead of summer, so I wore that one more often, than the actual prosthetic, because the prosthetic is really just specifically when there is a sheer t-shirt, where you can see the belly button and all that kind of stuff. Before I actually got married I was like I wanted to have kids right away and all this stuff. And then I got married and totally changed and was like, 'No.' (Laughter.) And I think that has to do with wearing a pregnant pad for two months, so thank you House Bunny.

TeenHollywood: Rumer, did you actually fall down in the back brace and do you have a new appreciation now for people who have to wear them?

Rumer: I do. I actually told everybody just for five minutes when we were doing an interview to sit up straight, perfectly straight. It's really difficult to do for more than five minutes. I have a lot of respect for those girls in high school who have to wear them. A lot of the time, I would see Katharine lounging about and I always seemed to be on a stool sitting perfectly straight, but I actually couldn't get up one time.

TeenHollywood: So you were just stuck lying there on your back?

Rumer: Yeah. I felt like a turtle. I was lying on my back when we were outside on a blanket. And our director Fred came over and we were talking and I tried to get up and I couldn't. And he asked me if I was kidding and I was like 'No, I really can't get up.' And I tried to roll over a couple of times. But I had a lot of fun with the brace. And I wouldn't let the prop guy take it back from me at night. And they bedazzled it for me. It was quite nice and an interesting thing to work with.

TeenHollywood: Anna, how long did it take to make Shelley look, well, like a Bunny?

Anna: Shelley, y'know, she's got a lot of hair. She likes a lot of makeup. We had to do a lot of body make up and make up to make my cleavage look bigger. And the shoes! Getting into the wardrobe usually took a good 20 minutes or so. Strapping in. It was like, yeah, it was a challenge. The shoes I loved. As I think everyone knows, I kept them all. I still will put them on at night and trot around. I don't go anywhere. But, I loved wearing those.

TeenHollywood: How was working with almost all women in a movie?

Anna: It was awesome. I think we all became really close. I think we naturally fell into the roles that we played. I definitely felt at times that I was a house mom. It was great to feel like we were making a movie with so many great female roles and it felt rare and special.

Emma: It felt important that we all got along really well because this sorority can only really speak to each other. There are seven girls that are so completely socially inept that they can't strike up a conversation with anyone. Of course what Anna brought to the role is somebody they could relate to from the outside. It is so true, it was so important that someone like Anna play this role because her likeability. Her heart shines through the whole thing and it really only makes sense in the situation. If it was anyone else playing it with less love than it just wouldn't relate.

Rumer: I think one of the things I'm most excited about, especially just growing up in Hollywood and having two younger sisters, there is so much pressure I think from everywhere to look a certain way and dress a certain way and I definitely know I don't entirely fit the convention and to be able to be a part of something that could hopefully allow young girls to go and watch this and feel confident about themselves and go, 'Okay, well that girl isn't entirely the ideal or what the perfect picture is supposed to be and she feels confident and beautiful then I can too.' If we have the ability to do that, than I'm very excited about that.

TeenHollywood: Katharine, when you are singing karaoke in the film you are playing someone who doesn't sing all the time. Was it hard to maybe not sing as well as you can actually sing?

Katharine: My first instinct was obviously to not sing it good. I went to the director and said 'I shouldn't sing this good, right?' He's like, 'Oh, I understand what you mean. No you shouldn't sing this good.' I had to double check so thank you, I did a good job I guess. I sounded bad.

TeenHollywood: You all sing "I Know What Boys Like". Were you familiar with the original song?

Katharine: I actually hadn't heard the song before. We all kind of went into the studio one night and kind of mapped it out and the girls did some background vocals and did some rapping and we wrote a couple lyrics of there own it was so much fun. I think there is some b-roll of that.

TeenHollywood: Katharine, in hindsight, what do you think you learned the most from the whole Idol experience. Did you expect to be acting?

Katharine: It was all part of my master plan. Oh goodness, I guess what I've learned probably from all of that is that there is trial and error and there also is patience. I always knew that there would be an opportunity and that's how I looked at it, as an opportunity. Not because I expected to come off the show and be able to book any movie I wanted or make as many records as I wanted. I knew that it would open doors and I would have to do the work from there. So it just kind of gave me a little bit bigger of a leap than I would have had.

TeenHollywood: After playing these girls would anyone go be in Maxim or anything like that?

Emma: I don't know, I guess that would just depend.

Rumer: If people want to see us in skimpy outfits they can go see the movie. I think that if we are doing any kind of publication it would only be to help support and raise awareness for the project that we did because you can see girls in skimpy outfits anywhere. If we want people to come and see our movie and see what the message is about I think we can find a few other ways of doing so.

TeenHollywood: Rumer, did your dad or your mom offer you any tips or tactics to help you in show biz?

Rumer: They are very supportive. I don't think I could ask for anything else. You kind of just take the support and I think that is the only thing any parent can do for a kid. I grew up around sets when I was younger and I would sit in the trailer and hang out but now I'm kind of at the very beginning. I've had exposure to the media but in terms of actual work it's very little. It is just a different experience to actually be the one who is at the press junket. I've been to press junkets but I've never actually been the one sitting behind the table [getting interviewed]. It is a different experience.

TeenHollywood: Anna and Emma, since you have more experience than the others, are you hoping to branch out into other things besides comedy?

Emma: I definitely just kind of respond to material more than anything, more than genre particularly so I haven't really sat down and made a plan like, 'Next I'm going to do this kind of movie'. I absolutely love, love comedy but absolutely I'm interested in every genre. There are movies from every genre that I adore and I would love to be a part of something dramatic.

TeenHollywood: Katharine, this is your first film experience. How was it for you? And are you recording a new album?

Katharine: I know from hearing from people on the set that this is a really rare experience. You don't always love your costars and not everyone always gets along perfectly. For me it was the perfect first experience. Making my first record wasn't the perfect experience. I had to make a record in four weeks, I had vocal problems so I had to postpone recording. I'm definitely working on a record, I'm actually working with David Foster right now and some other producers, but the difference is I'm taking time as opposed to what I did before, so the experience I'm sure will be very different as opposed to my first time.

TeenHollywood: Anna, do you have any female comedians that you particularly like or model yourself after?

Anna: Oh lots that I admire and would strive to be compared to. I love Lucille Ball, Judy Holiday, Carol Lombard, Goldie Hawn, Betty White. I love her. I think that is my top list.

***

Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.