Showing in Cinema 24 October 2008
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Ashley Tisdale says she burst into tears while filming her final scenes for High School Musical 3: Senior Year because she is devastated her part in the franchise is over.
The actress has been involved in all three of the hit teen movies so far, but won't be playing Sharpay Evans for a fourth time.
And she insists she wasn't the only one to shed a tear on the last day - her castmates Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Corbin Blue all got emotional too.
She says, "We went into the last day thinking, 'It'll all be fine 'cause we're all really good friends and we're so close."
"It wasn't even the last scene - we couldn't even get through it. We were crying and just so emotional over the whole thing."
"We're so attached to each other. We've had such fun doing these movies. It's definitely something that's tough to leave and say goodbye to."
Tisdale also confirms she is not the only one who will miss out on a further Disney follow-up.
She adds, "I heard they're going to do a High School Musical 4, but we have nothing to do with it. I think we're all doing other projects and moving on."
The 23-year-old portrays high school senior Mandy in the new ABC Family movie “Picture This!” (tonight at 8).
“I just look very young for my age, which is great, because I’m sure when I’m 40 I’m going to like it even better,” Tisdale said during a recent conference call with reporters.
“I think that if I can play young as long as I can, that would be awesome, because once you change into that adult phase, you can’t really go back. So I want to play these characters for as long as I can.”
In the movie, Mandy catches the eye of popular Drew Patterson (Robbie Amell). He invites her to a big party at his house. Unfortunately, Mandy has been grounded by her overprotective dad (Kevin Pollak) and spends the movie trying to outsmart her father and make it to the party.
“I completely thought it was just like me and my dad and how my dad is very overprotective,” Tisdale said about the first time she read the script. “He would have totally done the same thing, and I love him for it, but it was the same relationship that I share with my father, so I thought it would be hilarious.”
Tisdale recently finished filming “High School Musical 3” and takes seriously her position as a role model for young girls.
“I think it’s really cool in this movie that Mandy really likes the popular guy, but it’s not one of those stories where she changes drastically and he finally notices her,” she said. “Maybe she gets a little more confident inside and takes off her glasses, but she doesn’t really change that much. He notices her from the very beginning. I think it is a really good message for kids. I think that’s what every kid thinks - that in order to get the popular guy, you have to look different. But really it’s about how you feel inside.”
Her fan base helps guide Tisdale to her next projects, which include the upcoming movie “They Came From Upstairs,” producing a new TV series for the Disney Channel and recording a second album.
“When I’m reading scripts, some of them are really sexy, and I wouldn’t go there and I’m not comfortable going there right now. I’m very comfortable with what I’m doing right now. But at the same time, I also think about what I’m really passionate about and what I want to do next. But I think my fans will really grow with me with that. I’m not ready to jump off and do something crazy. Not yet.”