Popstar Ciara is best known for her singing and dancing, so it’s no wonder that when it came time to flex her acting muscle, she went for a show that’s always full of performance and musical numbers: The CW’s “Hellcats.”

On Tuesday’s (May 10) episode, Ciara guest stars as herself when Lewis (Robbie Jones) and Alice (Heather Hemmens) decide to face off in a dance marathon she’s judging. Like the characters, Ciara herself was a cheerleader, though she never quite got to do anything as crazy as the dance competition.

“We didn’t have as many of the cool things that they got to do, like for example, in the set up that I did, they’re having a really long dance contest, like a dance marathon. My school’s never done something like that!” she says. “They definitely had a bit more resources in comparison to what we had in high school, but you still get to see them moving within that cheerleading school environment feeling.”

Still, Ciara says that her cheerleading experience gave her a “strong connection to the actual show.”

The episode was directed by Debbie Allen (of “Fame” fame), which gave Ciara quite a thrill. “Coming from my world when it comes to shooting music videos and doing all the dancing and stuff, it’s fun, but it’s almost like you get even more excited because it’s kind of a very lightweight, small way of collaborating,” she says. “So it’s almost like I got a chance to collaborate with Debbie Allen, and that felt really special to me.”

Ciara performs her single “Gimme Dat” in the episode, and she says she particularly loved the way that Allen shot the number.

“She really gets dance,” she says. “She understands it and she knows how to shoot it like no one else. She has that classic eye for being able to shoot dance, and that’s what was even more cool about it. When you look at it there were certain angles that she shot of me – I’m not sure what the edit looks like all the way just yet because I’ll be seeing it for the first time with the world, but there were certain things that she did that I really loved. I was just thinking, ‘Oh my gosh. She’s truly a genius.’”

Hemmens and Jones previously told us how impressed they were with Ciara’s considerable dance skills, and Ciara says that the admiration was mutual. She particularly connected with the background dancers who work on the show regularly. “Truthfully, it was really an organic thing,” she says. “I have a respect for dancers because of what I do and the way that I connect to it. I appreciate them.”

Executive producer Kevin Murphy noted that he’d love to have Ciara return. She’s on board. “Absolutely!” she says enthusiastically. “Me and the producer kind of joked about some kind of idea, and I would definitely love to go back again and be part of that crew and cast because that really was fun.”

For more from Ciara on her Maxim Hot 100 placement and her record label drama, check out Liz Kelly Nelson’s piece.

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Hellcats choreographer Paul Becker discusses the rest of Season 1, dance possibilities for Season 2, and more

EXCLUSIVE: Paul Becker Talks Hellcats

Just in time for the new episode, here are two new articles about what can be expected on the relationship front on Hellcats.

You probably already know what may or may not happen in the upcoming episodes but instead of posting the articles here, I’ll just link to them. Read them at your own risk if you prefer staying unspoiled.

Zap2It Interview with Aly

Hellcats Team Teases An ‘Inevitable’ Romance, Taboo Relations, a Nasty Triangle and More

Aly revealed some interesting fact about the upcoming episodes and what can be expected in the “relationship department”…

Behind the cut due to massive spoilers for the upcoming episodes.

Read the full article »

It’s been more than three years since Matt Barr played a psychotic stalker on “One Tree Hill,” but his performance still resonates with the show’s passionate fans.

“I flew from Vancouver to L.A. today and probably got stopped three times in the airport from ‘One Tree Hill’ fans,” he told me this summer while promoting his new CW series, “Hellcats.”

Dan Patch, his “Hellcats” character, seems much more stable than “Psycho Derek,” who stalked Pyeton (Hilarie Burton) for much of the fourth season on “One Tree Hill.” Dan is the best friend of Marti (Aly Michalka ), who joins her college cheerleading team for the scholarship money and must now balance that competitive cut-throat world with her pre-law studies.

Dan, her best friend, is her one stable link to “real life,” but even he can’t stay away from the Hellcats, especially since he is now dating the team captain, Savannah (Ashley Tisdale).

“He is a contrast character to all of the cheerleading squad,” said Barr. “He enjoys playing the field, but he might be willing to settle down for a bit.”

Barr said it was the characters that drew him to this show.

“They originally pitched it as a cheerleading show. Then I realized the characters were interesting,” he said. “ I knew the relationships that were going on. I kind of knew those kind of people in my life. No matter what the setting is this is interesting drama.”

“Interesting drama” is certainly what he delivered on “One Tree Hill,” playing arguably the creepiest stalker in the show’s history (and there have been plenty).

Barr said he loved getting his psycho on. “It’s like being a kid, dressing up and playing GI Joe. You just get to leap into it. I don’t know how often guys like me get to play characters like that. I wish I could do back and do it again.”

He said he didn’t know when he took the role that his character would turn out to be so crazy.

Read the full inteview at Star News Online

Meeting the Parents

Dan and Savannah have date number two, this time in sunshine and without alcohol in the mix, where they play movie trivia with each other. Right after a kiss ensues, Savannah’s parents interrupt and Dan gets introduced as her boyfriend, much to the surprised look on Dan’s face. The strain between the family is obvious as words are short, but Savannah’s dad invites them for dinner. As they head back indoors, she confides in Dan that she hasn’t had dinner with her family in almost a year. Dan admits that he’s not exclusive and Savannah lies and admits that she’s fine with him seeing other girls. She’s a better liar then she lets on. [...]

Pills and Lies

Alice snoops on the cheerleaders for Memphis Christian and videotapes their rehearsal, only to get caught by campus security and get her camcorder tape taken. Always playing the part, she puts on the role as a girl from another school that ‘admires’ the cheerleaders and just wants to show the tape of the boy she thinks is hot at her potluck. The line about her staying abstinent for him is laughable for a moment, as she gives the pouty lip to the security guard. And, of course, he gives in and tells her to get out of there. We then cut to the gym where the Hellcats team is watching the video and Savannah remarks about her sister, prompting Marti to remark “I guess her head’s feeling better”. Coach comes in and lays the smackdown on them all and they start practicing their asses off for their video to try and get a bid to Nationals. [...]

Written by: Holly

Source and full article at TV Overmind

“Hellcats” is one of this fall’s hottest new shows, and if you haven’t been watching, you better catch up with our recaps because “Hellcats” star Aly Michalka told us things are about to take a really cool turn in tonight’s episode, “Nobody Loves Me But My Mother.”

If you’re a fan of the show, you know we’ve seen dance, detective work and drama, but Aly told us how music is coming to the forefront in tonight’s episode, only adding to the reasons why “Hellcats” is making us cheer.

“In this episode, you can expect interesting ways of incorporating music with Marti,” Aly told Hollywood Crush. “There’s a performance where Marti plays a Sting cover for the college pub, The Rat. Her mom begs her to do it and Marti agrees. They end up fighting because they are butting heads over how to set up the stage at the pub. Eventually Marti steps down and lets her mom do it on her own.” Yes! We’re finally going to see Marti’s mom be more than a ditz with a drinking problem! Go mom! We’re pumped.

Read the full article at Hollywood Crush

While watching any weekend football game makes it obvious that there are cheerleaders present in the United States, our Jim Halterman decided to venture all the way up to Canada to chat face to face with some actors who are spending their days in front of the camera portraying cheerleaders in the new CW television series, “Hellcats.” As episode three readies to air tonight, the young cast told Halterman how they’ve gotten used to the cheerleading choreography, how one character’s religious beliefs play a big role in the show and how complicated all the romantic entanglements will becoming in upcoming episodes.

If you have yet to check out the series, “Hellcats” starts with financially strapped Marti (Aly Michalka of Aly & AJ pop song fame) joining the Lancer College cheerleading squad on scholarship so she can continue her law studies. This being the CW, however, we won’t be stuck in the classroom for long as intense rivalries romantic complications come into the mix almost immediately. For example, Marti’s roommate/fellow cheerleader Savannah (“High School Musical’s Ashley Tisdale) beginning to date Marti’s best friend (Matt Barr) while Marti’s new beau (Robbie Jones) just happens to be the ex of the venomous Alice (Heather Hemmens). Add Gale Harold to the series for those wanting a more adult hunk (he plays Marti’s law professor) and you have quite a tangled chain of events stirring within “Hellcats.”

Read the full article at Futon Critic

There is a new spoiler from Fancast about Marti and Savannah’s friendship. Do not read below if you don’t want spoilers!

Read the full article »

When you’re one half of a Platinum-selling band (with your little sister, no less), the hilarious sidekick in the box office’s hottest new comedy (‘Easy A’), and star of a TV series that requires you to learn complex cheerleading routines every single week, there’s not very much down time.

Yet for ‘Hellcats’ star Aly Michalka, it’s all worth it. “It’s pretty crazy, but I’m hanging in there,” the star said of her hectic schedule. Michalka plays rebellious pre-law student-turned-college cheerleader Marti on The CW’s new Wednesday night drama, and spoke with TV Squad earlier this week about her character’s relationship woes, being compared to ‘Bring It On,’ and juggling her music, movie and TV careers. Read on for more.

Is your schedule really crazy with having to learn all those cheerleading routines?

Oh yeah. For sure. I mean, we all are working our butts off but having fun at the same time. That’s what it’s all about. We want to be a part of the show, we want to stay committed, and it’s been a really fantastic experience for myself and I think everybody else.

Did you have any cheerleading or gymnastics experience before you signed on for ‘Hellcats’?

Not at all, which is kind of insane. I had a background in dance, in hip hop, so that was something I was very comfortable with when it came to Marti’s character since she is the one that kind of brings that style to the squad. But it was totally new to me with the cheerleading so that was really awesome to be able to tap into.

Has it been hard for you to learn?

I’ve been able to pick it up pretty easily. I studied a lot of videos and stayed in tune with my stunt double and talked to her a lot about things, so we were able to really connect pretty quickly when it came to those things.

There have been a lot of comparisons to ‘Bring It On.’

I would say that our show definitely delves into the cheerleading world more than ‘Bring It On’ ever did, I think. It’s really a show that taps into that in a very realistic way. It’s obviously a fun show and it’s funny, but at the same time it’s looking at the serious injuries that happen, the commitment that you need for the squad, the dangerous stunts, and just how intense the sport really is.

Were you looking to join a TV series?

I decided this year that I wanted to get into the TV world. I hadn’t really planned on coming back to TV necessarily, but I was so impressed with the script and I was excited to start working again and I just said “You know what, if I’m a part of a killer script that I’m passionate about, why leave out TV?” So I ended up going out for ‘Hellcats’ and immediately just connecting to the script and the storyline and everything about it, and I’m so happy that I did.

Read the full article at TVSqad.com