Video:Melora Hardin Interview - 17 Again and You
with Rebecca MurrayMelora Hardin plays a high school principal in the comedy movie '17 Again' starring Zac Efron, the love interest of Billy Ray Cyrus in 'Hannah Montana the Movie,' and she's got her own independent film, 'You,' set to debut online on May 8th.
Transcript:Melora Hardin Interview - 17 Again and You
Melora Hardin – 'Principal Jane Masterson' in 17 Again
You're in two big movies.Melora Hardin: "Two movies – I can't believe it. Actually three because my movie that I directed is coming out online."
You.
Melora Hardin: "Yes, coming out online on May 8th – just in time for Mother's Day."
You directed, you wrote, you starred in it…
Melora Hardin: "I actually directed it and co-produced it and I starred in it. My husband wrote it and co-produced it with me. My parents are in it. Our children are in it. It's a total family affair. It's so exciting and we don't have a machine behind us like this, like Hannah Montana and 17 Again, so I really just need people to go out, get to our website - Youthefilm.com - and please, please, please, please, please everybody buy a copy. Download a copy from iTunes, from Amazon. Just really, I just need everyone's support. It's a really moving movie so it's a great movie to give to your mom for Mother's Day."
I'm excited about it. It's your first directing effort, isn't it?
Melora Hardin: "It is absolutely my directorial debut and I'm so excited and so proud of it."
Where did the subject matter come from?
Melora Hardin: "You know, it was just a moment that my husband and I really actually had with our first daughter in bed where we kind of were in that blissful new parent moment, and I had a daydream about her wedding and what I would say about her wedding. And he went off on location and he came back three days later with this amazing script that just was inspired by that moment. So it's a beautiful movie about family and the heart of family, and it kind of ties together like a family quilt that sort of helps our lead character overcome the loss of his soul mate and ultimately find love again."
How important is it to have an outlet like the internet to get films out there like this that don't have a machine behind them?
Melora Hardin: "You know, I think that if I can be a pioneer in this way and I can help other filmmakers get there products seen and their stories told, I will feel so fortunate and like I've really, truly succeeded. A lot of people think that the middle class of moviemaking's going to go away. There's going to be the big Hollywood movies like this and then there's going to be the little niche market art films like our movie You. So, yeah, I think it's really important that we start opening up that door a little wider. It is definitely the future of little art movies like mine."
Now one 17 Again question: would you go back?
Melora Hardin: "No, I don't think I would. I think you're kind of suffering at 17 and I don't suffer any more. Life is good, I'm happy. I think life just gets better and better so, no, I don't think I would."