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Hangin' With Archives
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Mostly Ghostly:Halloween Comes Early!An A Girl's World Exclusive! by Lynn Barker
One night recently, we were invited to visit the set of the in-production film on the Universal Studios back lot where a Trick or Treating scene was being shot. The “Elm Street” set is pure Americana with nice big craftsman houses all lit up and decorated with ghosts, pumpkins and witches while extras dressed in costume wandered about. We were told that down the same road, around a curve is “Desperate Housewives” Wisteria Lane. We’re watching two related scenes tonight; both involve trick or treaters seeing ghosts swooping down at them while they scream and run. Of course the ghosts will be added later in computer so the gang is screaming and ducking from nothing. Ah, the magic of filmmaking.
Kim: I have no clue there are ghosts in the house. I’m a very confused mother. Sometimes I’m not even aware that my sons are in the house. I do see Max chase someone that isn’t there so I’m a little concerned but, since he’s an odd boy anyway, I chalk it up to youthly high spirits. I just think my son has an extraordinary magic act and that he’s very talented. AGW: Were you a fan of R.L. Stine books when you were a kid? Kim: I read R.L. Stine books when I was a kid but they gave me nightmares. My mom actually wrote a letter to the school librarian, ‘Please don’t let Kim check out any more ghost stories because they give her nightmares’. I can’t see scary things or read scary books. I can be in them but not watch it afterwards. AGW: What’s it like working with all these young actors? Do they cut up on set or are they disciplined? Kim: They’re very focused but they’re kids. Madison Pettis is the most disciplined which is funny because she’s the youngest. She remembers everybody’s name on the set. She remembers birthdays. She brings gifts. She’s my idol. I want to be her. The boys Sterling and Luke are constantly playing games and having fun but when it’s time to work, they’re on it. I think kids have to be that way in order to be in this business. They know how to get the job done. AGW: What is the scene we’re watching tonight? Kim: It’s Halloween and ghosts are out and the ghoul (Phears) is trying to take over so you’re seeing the effects of the ghosts. This is almost at the end. There will be a big showdown at the talent show where Max is doing his magic act. There will be ghosts added with special effects later. You just have to have a good imagination and jump in.
AGW: So, Luke, what is your ghostly mission in the film? Luke: He really wants to take care of this sister. He’ll do anything to make sure she’s okay. She’s Madison Pettis playing Tara. AGW: So you two used to live in Max’s house. Do you think someone hurt your parents or…? Luke: We really don’t know what happened. All of a sudden, we came to the house and had no idea where we were and we got run over by a car but it went through us. We don’t know where our parents are. We’re hanging around his house because that’s where we used to live. Sterling: I’m Max Doyle. He’s in love with magic and he basically freaks out when he finds out he has ghosts. He goes (high-pitched) ‘aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa’ (screaming loudly). Luke: And he is now a chick! (the boys punch each other). Sterling: I (as Max) freak out about everything. I have a dog whose real name is Mo. He’s a French bulldog and he’s the cutest thing. He’s the stupidest-looking dog on the face of the planet but he’s the sweetest dog. AGW: How is playing the hero of the film? Sterling: It’s a lot of fun. I’m not the only lead but it’s been great being a lead, certainly having a line or 20 on every page. When it comes to shooting, there’s work. Luke: Well, it is a job. We are getting paid for our job. You have to really want the job and want to win. AGW: Is there a challenging scene for you as a ghost? Luke: I have to cry. I have to get emotional. Sterling: I’m very physical in the movie. I come running out of my house, jump an entire flight of stairs, land and keep on running. In another scene I get thrown through a wall by Luke. I do a front flip and land. Every stunt in this movie has been the real guy. AGW: So you guys are enemies in the movie? Luke: Well, I don’t know him. I’m kind of standoffish because I don’t know what happened and he’s living in my house. But we do kind of become friends. Sterling: The whole movie [takes place] in three days. You meet the Doyle family and I go down into the basement where there is a passageway into the ghost world. A ghoul’s hand comes through the wall. He’s after Nicky and Tara Roland. He already has their parents in the catacomb. We don’t know why. AGW: Sounds pretty creepy. So what do you guys actually do for Halloween? Luke: I used to trick or treat. Now that I’m older, I just go to parties. Sterling: I get on my skateboard with my friends. We have on masks and we go around the neighborhood with our trick or treat bags and get candy. There is this one lady who folds 20 dollar bills into bats and gives them out but she’s only got like 20 of them so you need to get there early! AGW: That’s wild! Luke, you are playing a ghost. What ghostly power would you like to really be able to have? Luke: They cut out this part in the script but supposedly, we could fly. Now we can’t. Like floating up as high as you want. I really wish I could do that!
AGW: How did you become involved in this movie? Maddison: They offered the role to me. I read the script and it was just hilarious. I loved it. Some parts were really spooky. Kids will get totally freaked out and some parts were really hysterical. Everybody knows the “Goosebumps” books and R.L. Stine so it was awesome to get to play a ghost too. It’s my first time playing a ghost and I’ve already worked with director Rich Correll. He directed some “Cory in the House” episodes. He’s obsessed with Halloween. He has public storages full of Halloween masks. He has over ten thousand of them. He’s like a big kid. He has five 3 wheeler bikes. He has two zip lines in the backyard. He’s the awesome-est guy ever. AGW: Tell me about your character. Maddison: I’m Tara and she and her brother discover that they are ghosts. She is the responsible one out of the boys and her. Whenever the boys are goofing off, she gives her famous “mom” look [she demonstrates]. She gives the look when they need to slow down. AGW: Lots of effects in the movie? Maddison: Yeah. There’s a lot of split scenes and plates. It’s complicated. We can’t walk in front of people who aren’t ghosts. It’s been a challenge. AGW: Do you still trick or treat in real life? Maddison: I do. Last year I was a pirate princess and the year before I was Elvis because I was doing Game Plan during Halloween and the director felt so bad that I couldn’t go trick or treating with my friends that he arranged for a Halloween on set. He had all the trucks decorated as haunted houses and he had props get candy for everybody. Wardrobe helped me with my costume, hair and make-up. I went trick or treating to all the trucks. Then I went to set and said [in perfect Elvis accent] ‘Elvis is in the building. Uh huh.’ AGW: That was a great Elvis impression! Has being on set here given you any ideas for next Halloween? Maddison: Definitely. These guys are so great at decorating and I’ve seen some really good costumes tonight too. I saw a cute little kitty cat and a cute pirate. Noah Cyrus (Miley’s young sister) is the pirate. And I saw a cute bat and a candy corn witch. AGW: What is it like working with the two boys? Are they driving you crazy? Maddison: No. I am a girlie-girl sometimes but I’m more of a tomboy so I’m wrestling with them. We do some dangerous stuff off set. They were throwing a football around and Luke got a black eye. Some crazy stuff. We box and Luke and Sterling love to wrap their arms around me to squish me and I just go like that (she demonstrates knocking their arms off). I punch but I don’t aim for the face. AGW: Why should everybody go see Mostly Ghostly when it comes out? Maddison: Because it’s such a great family movie and everybody can go see it. Even though it’s spooky and sometimes really scary, it’s also funny. AGW: What was the most fun you’ve had shooting so far? Maddison; Probably when I got to go up on a giant thing on stilts against green screen. It was a stunt and I had to lay over it and look down. That was awesome. A lot of the green screen stuff is really cool. I’ve only seen some dailies but no effects yet. AGW: Since you play a ghost, what ghost power do you wish you really had? Maddison: I wish I could transport myself from one place to another because that would save a whole lot of traffic time because in L.A. you are living in your car so much. I’m not even driving but it still makes me crazy. AGW: Who would you love to work with some day? Maddison: Well, I’ve worked with Will Smith and Corbin Bleu. I’d like to work with Jennifer Lopez because she’s a singer, dancer, actress and has her own fashion line and I think that’s so cool. Maybe Dakota Fanning or Abigail Breslin. Wind machines are turned on, lights go up, cameras roll and costumed trick or treaters freak out and run like crazy from imaginary ghosts and ghouls. Looks like Halloween came early to Universal Studios.
Uncredited photos courtesy of and copyright Universal Studios, 2008 |
 
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Author
R.L. Stine not only wrote the popular “Goosebumps” books but
the creepy/fun “Mostly Ghostly” series. “Hannah Montana”
creator/director Rich Correll decided to bring the “Ghostly”
adventures to the big screen and cast some Disney Channel faves like young
Maddison Pettis of “Cory in the House” and new teen talent
like Lindsey’s younger sis Ali Lohan and cute 13-year-olds Sterling
Beaumon and Luke Benward (of “Minutemen”) as Max, a kid with
magic skills who sees ghosts and Nicky, a young guy who doesn’t
know he is one! 
Kim
Rhodes who plays the mom in “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody”
plays Max’s bewildered mom in Mostly Ghostly. We asked her to give
us some background on her character… 
After
grabbing a nice hot chocolate at the craft services truck, we bump into
cute Luke Benward and Sterling Beaumon who are.. well, doing the stuff
most young teen boys do.. shoving, bumping and teasing each other. We
get them to settle down long enough to tell us a bit about their characters:
Luke plays Nicky who doesn’t realize he’s a ghost. His sandy
hair is in a shaggy cut. He’s got a semi-preppy look going on. Sterling,
who plays Max, has on tee and jeans and looks younger than he really is.
They are punching each other in the arms and goofing off. 
The
guys are called away to set but we spot cute Maddison Pettis and her mom.
She recognizes us from talking to her about her recent film Game Plan
with “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson. Being a girl, of course, the
nine-year-old seems far older than the two teen guys she co-stars with.