'He's Too Much Like My Brother'
Ashley Tisdale on Zac, 'HSM3' and Her Real Role Model

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Even though it's October instead of June, it is graduation day for Sharpay Evans, the clothes-loving, pink-convertible-driving, stunningly self-obsessed star of Disney's "High School Musical" series played by 23-year-old Ashley Tisdale.

And now Sharpay is where she's always dreamed of being: on the big screen. The latest edition of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" -- and Tisdale's likely HSM swan song -- hits theaters Friday. During an interview in Los Angeles, despite fighting a cold and jet lag, the New Jersey-raised Tisdale cordially reveals that the only things she shares with Sharpay is a great blond mane and a fierce drive to succeed.

-- Melinda Newman

Q: Did you know a Sharpay in high school?

A: Of course. You always have a Troy, a Gabriella and a Sharpay in high school.

Q; Did she know she was the inspiration for the part?

A: Probably not. I think that they probably are maybe shocked, all my friends in high school, because they used to make fun of [me] in yearbook signings. They'd be like, "Say my name when you when get an Oscar." It was, like, all sarcastic.

Q: In ["HSM3" production number] "I Want It All," Sharpay dreams of having a stylist, publicist and agent. What's it like having everything that Sharpay wishes she had?

A: They do make your life easier; you have a big team that supports you and helps you with everything. But Sharpay really looks for just fame and fortune and I'm really someone who just loves the work. I think fame can come and go.

Q; What is Sharpay doing 20 years from now?

A: I can imagine her being finally on Broadway. She didn't get the musical in the first ["High School Musical"], she didn't get the guy in the second one. I don't want to spill out anything, but she doesn't get what she wants in the third one. I think that eventually she would learn and she would get to the place where she wanted to go for all the right reasons.

Q: Are you going to miss Sharpay?

A: I am. She's so much fun because she is the character you love to hate -- she's the comedic relief. She's dramatic and she's the mean girl; there are so many layers to her. I'm gonna miss her a lot. She has great clothes; she's very smart and she's just fun. You just like to laugh at her.

Q: You have your own production company, Blondie Girl Productions. It sounds like you want to be as active behind the camera as in front of it. Why?

A: I love being creative . . . Producing is just a big learning experience. I know I have pretty good instincts. I know what the fan base likes and what they want . . . I'm actually the first actress [Disney Channel] ever came to to executive-produce one of their TV shows, which is a pilot that I'm doing for them based on my life working at the mall. I'm also working with [production company] Fremantle on either creating a reality show or a scripted show.

Q: I read in Seventeen magazine that your role model is Kate Hudson.

A: Oh no. I said I love Kate Hudson [in] her romantic comedies. I love watching her act -- she's an amazing actress -- but I've never really looked up to celebrities. If [there's] anybody I've looked up to, it's my mom. I just feel that celebrities aren't perfect, you know, and as much as I'm a role model, I'm not perfect, so I've never really looked at someone like that.

Q: In Seventeen, you also say that you've never been attracted to Zac Efron. Isn't that like saying you don't like chocolate or admitting that you don't like puppies?

A: No . . . [laughs]. I've known him for three years before [the first] "High School Musical." He looked like he was 12 years old at the time . . . Yeah, he definitely is cute and everything; I can see why people do think he's hot, but he's too much like my brother. We bicker and everything, it's totally that kind of relationship.

Q: How do you navigate transitioning from Disney [movies] to adult-[oriented fare]?

A: You know, there's not any path that you're supposed to be taking. It's kind of like you're taking your own path and finding out for yourself. Shia LaBeouf -- I would like to emulate his career because he did it so well . . . I feel that I look young for 23 years old and you can't always play young, that's the thing. Once you get into an adult role, you're there for life. After that you can't go back. So I'm very happy with where I am right now.