Mandy Moore

Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American pop music singer and actress. She was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, but grew up in Seminole County, Florida, outside of Orlando. In between releasing albums, she attended Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs. She is of English, Irish and Cherokee Indian descent.

Biography

Music career

So Real album coverOn December 7, 1999, fifteen-year old Moore released her debut album So Real on Sony's Epic Records, reaching a peak of #31 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. At the time when she burst out onto the music scene, Moore was considered only as the latest installment in a quickly-growing line of heavily-marketed 'pop princesses' that included Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson. As the last (and youngest) of the four to reach mainstream radio, her success didn't match that of her peers. Still, So Real managed to be certified platinum in the US by early 2000, while her debut single, the gold-selling "Candy" just missed the top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, peaking at #19. A follow-up single entitled "Walk Me Home" was later released, though it failed to achieve much success.

Moore released a re-worked version of her debut album entitled I Wanna Be With You on May 9, 2000, only six months after So Real hit stores. The album included several new songs, along with tracks from So Real, as well as a couple of remixed songs. I Wanna Be With You reached a peak of #21 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified gold in the US for selling over 500,000 copies. The title track was featured as the lead single, reaching a peak of #17 on the Hot 100 and becoming Moore's biggest hit to date. The song was also featured in the movie Center Stage.

After the endeavors of her first two albums, Moore confessed that the music style and dance routines that had so heavily affected her success were 'not hers', and that she no longer felt comfortable performing them. So, in an attempt to become more artistically 'in control' of her music and image, Moore released the self-titled Mandy Moore on June 19, 2001. Critics hailed the album as an "attempt to stake her own space", and remarked that it was one of the most real and fulfilling pop albums on the market at the time. However, this critical success unfortunately did not lead to commercial success, as the LP debuted at a disappointing #35 on the Billboard 200. It has since went on to be certified gold in the US. The lead single, "In My Pocket", was tinged with a unique Middle-Eastern sound, along with a stunning, colorful video; it failed to make a dent in the charts, however, missing the Billboard Hot 100 completely. The follow-up single, "Crush", suffered the same fate, although it received considerable airtime on MTV. The final single, "Cry", was released in early 2002 and tied-in with Moore's movie A Walk to Remember. It also failed to perform well on the charts. The album sold well in Eastern Asia, however, and the songs "17" and "Saturate Me" were both released as singles overseas.

Coverage album coverOn October 21, 2003, Moore released her fourth album, Coverage. The record consisted entirely of cover songs from the 1970s and '80s that Moore was influenced by as a child, as well as songs she recently discovered. The album peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200 (her highest ranking to date), though the only released single entitled "Have A Little Faith In Me" failed to perform well on the charts. A video was made for the song "Drop The Pilot", though it was not released as a single in the US.

In early 2004, after Moore was dropped from Sony's Epic Records, she signed with Warner Brothers Records. However, before she was done with Sony, they released the album Best Of on November 16, 2004, which included all of Moore's biggest hits from the past five years. However, due to absolutely no promotion, the album peaked at an abysmal #148 on the Billboard 200.

It has been reported that Moore has been working on a new album since June 2005, and that recording will finally end in November 2005.

Film career

In 2001, Moore ventured into Hollywood when she appeared in a small part as the mean, blonde, popular cheerleader Lana Thomas opposite Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews in the film The Princess Diaries. In the movie, Moore performs with friends Anna and Fontana. The song "Stupid Cupid" can also be found on the movie's soundtrack. Up until this point, her acting had only included the straight-to-video children's movie Magic Al and the Mind Factory and a voiceover role in Dr. Dolittle 2. In 2001, Mandy also had a small part in the Good Charlotte music video for "Little Things" in which she played a snobby mean girl, much like the character she played in The Princess Diaries.

In 2002, Moore portrayed Jamie Sullivan in her first starring role opposite Shane West in A Walk to Remember. The movie, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, revolves around the developing romance between social outcast and devout Christian, Jamie, and West as bad boy Landon Carter. The movie was considered a moderate success, bringing in $41 million and cementing Moore's status as a genuine actress. That same year, she played the role of Aeris in the Playstation 2 role-playing game, Kingdom Hearts.

Moore and her A Walk to Remember co-star, Shane WestThe soundtrack featured four songs by Moore ("Cry", "Someday We'll Know", "It's Gonna Be Love" and "Only Hope"). Awards also began rolling in for Moore, as she took home Breakthrough Female Performance at that Summer's MTV Movie Awards, as well as Choice Female Breakout Performance and Choice Chemistry (with Shane West) at the Teen Choice Awards.

In 2003, Moore starred as Halley Martin in How to Deal. Allison Janney, Peter Gallagher, Alexandra Holden, and Trent Ford also starred. Halley is a troubled teen who decides to abandon love after witnessing her parents' (Janney and Gallagher as Lydia and Len) divorce, her best friend's (Holden as Scarlett) unexpected incident, and her sister's rocky engagement. Macon (Ford) comes along and restores Halley's faith in finding happiness when in love. The movie failed to draw in the teenage crowds in the US, and grossed a total of just $14 million.

Later in 2003, Moore appeared on Punk'd, after being tricked by Ashton Kutcher for destroying someone else's home.

Moore's next attempt at a box-office hit was 2004's Chasing Liberty, which only grossed a disappointing $12 million. Later that summer, she co-starred in a supporting role in the low-budget, religious satire Saved! as Hilary Faye, the popular "good girl" at a Christian school. Although the film never received wide-release, it was critically successful and she received many positive reviews for her role.

In 2005, Moore lent her voice to the movie Racing Stripes. Upcoming films include Romance & Cigarettes, which is slated for an August 2005 release, as well as Personal Shopping.

She is gearing up for a supporting role with Dennis Quaid, William Dafoe, Hugh Grant, Seth Meyers, Jennifer Coolidge, Chris Klein and recently-added Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden for American Dreamz. Shooting completed recently, and Mandy Moore is already back to work with a supporting role in Southland Tales. Mandy has also guest-starred on Entourage in a fictional role of herself quite a few times this season. She is portrayed in the HBO series as a co-star with Vincent Chase in the film adaptation of Aquaman, which in the series is fictionally directed by guest-star James Cameron, who portrays himself.

She will also star in boyfriend Zach Braff's comedy Scrubs later this year (2005).

She also has been cast to play Diane Keaton's daughter in Because I Said So. Keaton will portray a meddling mother who tries to keep her daughter (Moore) from following in her own footsteps. One tactic she uses is to try to set her up with the perfect man. Karen Leigh Hopkins and Jessie Nelson wrote the script.

Embarassing Moment

Mandy Moore was at the 2002 MTV Video music Awards fo Asia. Apparently Mandy was suffering from throat problems. When it was time to perform her single Cry (single) Mandy voice kept cracking. Luckily her back up singer aided her through the performance.

Personal Life

Mandy Moore with brown hairMandy's father is an airline pilot, her mother is an former radio journalist. She has two brothers.
Moore has had a relationship with Scrubs actor Zach Braff since February 2005. They met at a fundraising event for the Democratic party during election time November 2004.
Moore dated actor Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) for almost two years (2000-2002). Soon after she broke up with Wilmer, Mandy started dating tennisstar Andy Roddick. Andy and Mandy were together for only 16 months, Roddick ended the relationship March 2004.
During Moore's stint as an opening act for the Backstreet Boys in their 1999 tour, many female fans in attendance booed and jeered impolitely, due to the rumors that she was dating BSB member Nick Carter (in truth, he was dating supermodel/tv host/pop singer Willa Ford, who was also nicknamed "Mandy").

Discography

Albums

1999: So Real #31 US (Platinum)
2000: I Wanna Be With You #21 US (Platinum)
2001: Mandy Moore #35 US (Platinum)
2003: Coverage #14 US (Gold)
2004: Best Of #148 US
2006: Once Moore (Post-Production)

Singles

From So Real
1999: Candy; #41 US, #6 UK, #2 AU
2000: So Real; #21 AU
2000: Walk Me Home
From I Wanna Be With You
2000: I Wanna Be With You (single); #17 US, #21 UK, #13 AU
From Mandy Moore
2001: In My Pocket; #11 AU
2001: Crush (single); #25 AU
2002: Cry (single)
From Coverage
2003: "Have A Little Faith In Me"
Other songs
2000: "Feel Me"
2001: "On The Line" featuring Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore and others
2002: "Only Hope" from soundtrack 'A Walk to Remember'
2004: "God Only Knows" duet with Michael Stipe
2004: "Hey!" demo written by James Randle (Sire Records)

Filmography

2001: Magic Al and the Mind Factory
2001: Dr. Dolittle 2 (voice)
2001: The Princess Diaries
2002: A Walk to Remember
2002: Kingdom Hearts (voice)
2002: Try Seventeen (a.k.a. All I Want)
2003: How to Deal (filmed in Toronto, June-July-August 2002, released July 2003)
2004: Chasing Liberty (filmed in LA and Europe, May-June-July 2003, released January 2004)
2004: Saved! (filmed in August-September 2003, released April 2004)
2005: Racing Stripes (voice)
2005: Romance & Cigarettes (supporting role, filmed in New York area March-April-May 2004, completed June 2004, currently unreleased)
2006: American Dreamz (supporting role, filmed in June-August 2005, post-production)
2006: Southland Tales (supporting role, filmed in September 2005, post-production)
2006: Brother Bear 2(Voice) (filming)
2006: Personal Shopping (pre-production)
2006: Because I Said So (filming begins November 2005)

Trivia

Her favorite actress is Bette Midler.
Her favorite movie is Beaches.
Her favorite artists are Elton John, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Bette Midler.
Her favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla with Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
In 2000, Play Along Toys released a Mandy Moore Doll.
In March 2002, Moore was featured in Elton John's video for "Original Sin". She was criticized for wearing a bikini top and hot pants in the video.
She recorded Elton's song "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" for Coverage.
In 2002 she gave a voice to beloved Final Fantasy VII character Aerith Gainsborough in the Square Enix-Disney crossover video game Kingdom Hearts. Coincidentally, Maaya Sakamoto, Aerith's seiyuu in the original Japanese version of the game is also a singer.
In 2003, Moore frequently appeared in episodes of the MTV reality show The Osbournes as she became friends of short duration with Jack Osbourne. Jack accompanied her to a tattoo shop where Moore got a tattoo on her toe.
She hosted a short-lived MTV talk show.
She's made a list with things to do or achieve before she turns 30. Number 10: learning how to cook.
Early in her career, it was reported in British newspapers that she was a relative of the British actor Ian Lavender, who played Private Pike in the sitcom Dad's Army.
Moore was a Neutrogena spokesperson, appearing in commercials as well as print ads for the product.
In 2005, Moore designed a few tee-shirts with Mblem for charity.
Models for Coach handbags in Japan.
Models for clothing brand Penshoppe in the Philippines.
In August 2005, she dyed her hair blonde and got hair extensions for her roles in both American Dreamz and Southland Tales.