What movies do you have coming out?
“I did something called Bring It On: All or Nothing and that’s come out and then I did something called The Astronaut Farmer with Billy Bob Thornton and Virginia Madsen that comes out this fall, too.”
What characters do you play?
“I play a friend of Virginia Madsen in [The Astronaut Farmer]. It’s a sweet movie about a farmer who always dreamed of being an astronaut, was actually in the program and falls out of it for reasons that you’ll find in the movie. It’s a really sweet film. And Bring it On: All or Nothing I don't think needs any explanation.”
Are you a cheerleader?
“I’m an ex-cheerleader, mom of little Hayden Panettiere. It’s like a legacy of cheerleaders in the household so it’s kind of fun.”
Did you ever cheerlead?
“Absolutely.”
How accurate are those films?
“They’re funny. I was like back in the day. This is a new thing. I don't think we were ever that, dare I say, nasty. I don't know, it’s like, ‘Oh, my...’ I don't think my mom would have let me do those kinds of cheers.”
And in Astronaut Farmer, it’s a romance between Virginia and Billy Bob. Are you the supportive friend?
“Yeah, just a friend. He’s kind of like the wacky [guy], got this thing going on and then people in the town are ridiculing him and he takes a lot of guff for it. I just kind of am supportive.”
Will you become one of the notorious women of Wisteria Lane?
“I don't know. I don't know about notorious. I’m just trying to fulfill my needs and everyone else’s and my daughter’s, and looking out for myself in a big way. I think when you’ve been a really young mother, you feel like you have to fight the whole world. Maybe Nora has a little bit of that fight and maybe doesn’t know when to turn it down that much.”
Does it take a lot of energy to work up to that level of craziness?
“It takes focus. You have to make sure you’ve had a Power Bar or something that day. But Felicity [Huffman] is such an amazing actress that just by being with her, and by just being close to her talented flame, you warm yourself and you look good.”
Will you watch the Season Two DVD up to the point you appear?
“I will because I had a baby and I missed so many of the episodes. I’ve been either pregnant or watching sprouts, so I want to see what’s been going on with absolutely everybody.”
