You know those classes everybody wants to take because it’s a snap to get an “A”? Well, movie-making isn’t quite as easy for the young, hot cast of next year’s high school comedy Easy A. TeenHollywood was in Ojai, California a few days ago on set at a real high school where 20-somethings Emma Stone (Superbad, The Rocker), Penn Badgley (”Gossip Girl”) and Amanda Bynes (Hairspray) were going back to high school playing students at a pep rally and working hard, over and over again to get their fun scenes just right.
The film is loosely based on the Hawthorne classic “The Scarlet Letter” but before you run the other way picturing pilgrim types, the only real similarity is the timeless truth that rumors can make or break a person’s reputation. ‘Nuff said. We are honoring the film studio’s wishes that we hold back on all the very, very cool stuff we saw until closer to the film’s release date next year. But, we’ll say that it was very funny and showed that these actors have some talents we’ve not yet seen them explore!
We got to grab some chairs behind the director’s monitors, watch the action both live and on the screen and, in between set-ups, grab some time with Amanda, Penn and Emma! We got some info not related to the film that we can share right now. Check it out!
Here comes adorable Penn Badgley munching on his lunch break sandwich. He sits down next to us as Amanda has to go get her hair primped. Earlier, he appeared to take a spill on set but assures us he’s just fine. But, the “Gossip Girl” actor did tell us about some discomfort on another set.
TeenHollywood: So you did have an uncomfortable experience on another set?
Penn: Yeah. It was on another Screen Gems picture. One that I did last year and it’s coming out this October. It’s called The Stepfather. We spent three nights on a rooftop in thirty degree weather and I was just in a t-shirt and in freezing rain that they had to make. They have to keep the rain very cold because if it were warmer than the air, you’d get steam. So it was freezing water, and it was heavy in order to be seen on film. It’s a miracle I didn’t get some sort of illness.
TeenHollywood: Yikes. Talk about suffering for your craft!
Penn: That was an intense shoot for me because we were shooting ‘Gossip Girl’ at the same time and I was flying back and forth. I did a lot of my own stunts. It was a very physical role. I guess this one is too.
TeenHollywood: We’re asking everyone. Did you have a regular high school experience?
Penn: I didn’t actually. I graduated early, when I was 13.
TeenHollywood: Wow. You are some kind of whiz kid!
Penn: It sounds much more impressive than it is. And I started taking community college courses when I was, like, 14. So, from 14 to 17, I was going to Santa Monica College.
TeenHollywood: So does that very youthful experience mean you can’t relate to a high school experience like we’re seeing today?
Penn: No, everybody can. Being a teenager is universal. It’s not just high school.
And, he’s called back to set. Later, we sit down with Emma Stone whom, we’ll say, is in a rather provocative outfit! More about that closer to film release.
