American Beauties
They're young, buff and really
screwed up. Yes, the school ties are twisted in WB's racy new soap.
By Jennifer Graham
The names Rodney Scott, Mark Famiglietti and Kate
Bosworth aren't rolling off any teenage tongues yet. But give these actors a few
weeks to twinkle on WB's new summer series, Young Americans. If the show sticks,
their names will be as familiar as James Van Der Beek, Joshau Jackson, and Katie
Holmes- actors now splashing around Dawson's Creek between movie shoots. Fans
should know, however, that Young Americans won't try to replicate the story
lines of that teen drama. It will outdo them. Witness the show's premiere
episode: Townie Will Krudski (played by Scott, whom we first me as Pacey's
childhood pal on Dawson's Creek last season) earns a scholarship to the nearby
prestigious all-boys Rawley Academy. Once he gets there, his old friends, like
pretty gas attendant Bella Banks (Bosworth), meet his new ones, like well-heeled
Connecticut son Scout Calhoun (Famiglietti). Cultures clash, and star-crossed
love ensues. And that's the tame stuff. These New England dorms also house a
cross-dressing school hopper (Kate Moennig) and a rules-be-damned dean's son
(Ian Somerhalder). None, however, measure up to the shocking premiere-capping
twist. "This isn't just high school," warns Scott. "This is high
school without parents."
THE
TOWNIE
Rodney Scott, 22 Plays Will Krudski, the local kid in classy digs.
"He's the kind of guy you root for, but he doesn't always do the right
thing." says Scott. "He's not Opie."
Last seen As David Cassidy on ABC's Come
on Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story
School days Stephen Decatur High School in
Berlin, Maryland. "I was pretty popular: homecoming court, played sports,
was always with a girl."
As a teen he watched "Beverly Hills
90210- when it was good. Make sure you put that. When it was good."
Landing the job "When I got to the
audition, I walked into the room, threw my script down and said 'Listen, I am
more Will than Will is himself. I want this role, so let's not bull--- I have
two other offers right now. Am I wasting my time here?' They were just blown
away.
New Job perk "When I did Dawson's
Creek Joshua Jackson was above and beyond cool to me. I had to go to
New York for a photo shoot, and he was like 'I'm going too,' They got him a
private jet. And he asked me to go with him at the Four Seasons. It was the best
trip ever.
THE
GIRL NEXT DOOR
Kate Bosworth, 17 Plays Bella Banks, the homegrown beauty. "She's an
independent girl and very, very strong-willed."
Last seen As Scarlett Johansson's
ill-fated friend in 1998's "The Horse Whisperer." In September, she'll
appear opposite Denzel Washington in the drama "Remember the Titans."
School days "My school's cool,"
says Bosworth of her Massachusetts high school. "There really isn't like a
goth group or any [exclusionary] kind of thing. I'm just friends with
[everyone]."
Landing the job "I absolutely fell in
love with [the script] and thought 'I have to do this show.' I was in my
sophomore year, and it was weird to have to go to my principal and say 'If I get
this part, then I'm going to have to leave.' My principal said 'We'll cross that
bridge when we come to it, Kate.' And then, a couple of months later, I went to
him and said 'Just to let you know, that bridge has come.'"
New job perk "I was in Harper's
Bazaar recently, and Julia Roberts was on the cover, I was like, 'OK, there's
Julia, and there's me. Oh, my God!'"
THE
RICH KID
Mark Famiglietti, 20 plays Scout Calhoun, the moneyed nice guy.
"Scout's a little naive, and overachiever, and a romantic at heart,"
says Famiglietti.
Last seen On the syndicated Saturday
morning show Hang Time
School days Morgan High School in Clinton,
Connecticut. "I was in all the musicals; I was class president. I made
honor society, sang in the chorus, played in the band. I was an overachiever. It
was sickening.
As a teen he watched A&E's
Biography, Politically Incorrect.
Landing the job "I tested for another
WB show [Safe Harbor], but I didn't get it. I was all bummed out. Then my agent
said, 'Here's a script [for Young Americans]. 'They gave me the wrong audition
material, but I went to the audition anyway. I really didn't feel like being
there, but I did very well, and they said, 'Don't go anywhere. Don't cut your
hair. Don't do anything.' I tested again and got it."
New job perk "Two of my screenplays
got optioned. One is sort of a 'Jesus Christ Superstar'-meets- 'Varsity Blues'
drama, and the other is an update of 'Annie Hall.' I've also started a
non-profit organization at www.artistcharity.org.
If you want Rodney Scott's headshot, we'll send it to you, and the money goes to
the charity of his choice."
THE
LONER
Ian Somerhalder,21 plays Hamilton Fleming, the mischievous dean's son.
"Hamilton doesn't feel like he has to fit in. He's a loner, with a lot of
questions [about the world]," says Somerhalder.
Last seen Modeling for Guess?, Versace and
Dolce & Gabanna
School days Mandeville High School in
Mandeville, Louisiana. "I pretty much kept to myself, but in my sophomore
year, I moved to Europe for modeling and studied through correspondence. I
finished my last Trig exam on a beach in Greece."
Landing the job "I had to shoot a
Guess? campaign for five days when my agency called and said that Young
Americans was interested in seeing me. I couldn't get away, so I went to Paul
Marciano [cochairman of Guess?] and said, 'Look, there's this great script. I
think I can do it.' He was like, 'Go.' I read for it and booked the pilot a week
later.
New job perks "Reebok, Nike and
Adidas all send you boxes of free stuff. It's like, 'Send them to me! Send them
to me! And by the way, my brother's a size 10 1/2.?
THE
GIRL WITH THE SECRET
Kate Moennig, 22 plays Jake Pratt, the girl in boy's clothing.
"She's a risk taker; she's brazen and lives in the moment," explains
Moennig.
School days Notre Dame Academy in
Pennsylvania. "It was actually a lot like Rawley; a real hosh-posh
college-prep school for girls. I was artsy. I liked mythology. I liked the weird
subject."
Landing the job "My character is
being related to Hillary Swank's in 'Boys Don't Cry.' I actually uctually
auditioned for [that movie] and didn't get it, but six months later I got this
part. I was modeling at the time, and [Young Americans creator] Steven Antin
called my agency and said 'I'm doing this show, and I'm having a hard time
casting this role. I'm gonna have to resort to androgynous models. 'So my agent
said, 'Kate Moennig!'"
New job perk "Wearing Jake's cozy
clothes. I don't have to walk around in heels all day."
All in the family She is niece to actress
Blythe Danner and cousin to Gwyneth Paltrow. "My family jokes about how
both Gwyneth and I got noticed for dressing as boys."
THE
TEACHER
Ed Quinn, 32 plays Finn, the English teacher and crew coach. "I like
him. He's a free spirit. He doesn't sweat the little things," says Quinn.
Last seen As hunky waiter Stavros on
Dharma & Greg last season.
School days St. Mary's College High School
in Berkeley, California, a private, all-boys school. "If I'd gone to public
scool, I would've been a train wreck."
Dating game "I went to eight
different proms my senior year. My parents bought me a tuxedo because they
figured it was going to save them money in the end."
Landing the job Quinn was playing guitar
and singing in a rock band when "my agent called and said, 'You're going to
Baltimore to read [for this new show] on Monday. 'So I flew there on Easter
Sunday and tested. They called me back and said, 'Congratulations, you've got
the job. Can you stay till July?' I said, 'Stay until July? My car is in
short-term parking in L.A.!"
Old man on campus "These kids are
more mature than I am. Kate Bosworth is only 17 years old, and she's on the
phone with her agent trying to figure out what film she's going to do while on
hiatus. When I was 17 I was trying to figure out how to spell hiatus for
the SAT's."
