By Tonisha Johnson

A teen mob scene invaded the already packed Planet Hollywood. The intersection of Times Square across from the central theatre box office had to be cleared by police officers as the screaming kids piled into the red, white and blue balloon decorated entrance eager to get a glimpse or a photograph of the cast of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants. Enter 3 of the 4 main characters, America Ferrera (Carmen), Blake Lively (Bridget), Amber Tamblyn (Tibby) and author Ann Brashares.

How big are you on working with scripts that were popular books? How do you feel prior, will it appear on screen?

America: I myself am a huge fan of the book. I felt that it was important to keep that same feeling and the essence that you can’t put into words that you get from reading the book. Not so much the facts themselves. A couple of facts had to be changed so that maybe…you know…I’m a big Harry Potter fan and of course when we go see those movies, we’re like oh well, what happened to this scene and to that scene. But when the movie does its job overall, and the people can walk out with that feeling, hopefully they won’t be thinking about the facts that were taken out. We’ve spoken to some girls that are huge, maniacal fans of the book and they say “we loved it. We loved it. We loved it.” And I think that Ann really did the work in the beginning. Building this amazing story with these characters who were so complex and dimensional. It was so easy to step into it. We couldn’t escape the feeling that was in the book. And I think that we achieved that in the movie.

You guys are a little bit older than the characters you play. Was it difficult to adapt to that?

Amber: I don’t think it’s ever difficult. It’s a question that comes up a lot but it’s about as difficult as playing…you know…any different kind of character you would ever play as an actor. As an actor you play different ages. You play different actors. You might be Hilary Swank and play different genders. Its part of the job. And I think that we’ve all been 16, or 17 or 18, which is within all of the ranges of these girls, within the last 4 years. It’s not that much of a difference. It’s not like I’m 28. For me that’s really part of the job.

America: I think what’s so great about this is that these girls had as much complexity as any 40 year old character. Maybe even more. Maybe it had to do with more of the material than anything else. Age doesn’t really matter. It’s the completeness of who they are that makes it a challenging role.

Blake: For me I was 16 when I did the role and I’m 17 now so it wasn’t that difficult but the great thing about this movie is that these characters are so relatable. People leave from the audience mainly crying because. They’ve dealt with some of these issues that their friends are having. That’s what’s so touching. And you don’t have to be 16. These people can be boys or girls or whatever. The things that they deal with are timeless and universal.

America, you have had the experience of working in INDY type films. Why don’t you talk about the transformation from that?

America: I think the difference is the money. The fact that it’s a large film and a smaller film. And the amount of attention that you notice that you get. But I think that it depends on the people involved. And again the material is so important. With this movie, it felt like a small movie when we were making it because, when people are working on an independent, it’s usually because they believe in it. And their main goal is to get this Indy made and to make it right. And communicate the story and not everything else. And the people that I was in relation with. The producers who cared so much about it; Ken Kwapis an amazing director and the other actors. Everybody was there because they believed in the story. It felt like an independent film because we weren’t there for anything else but to make it and make it right. It’s not much of a difference except who you’re working with and the quality of the material.

Amber you mainly have television experience. Why don’t you talk about the transformation on to the big screen?

Amber: I pretty much have the exact same feelings with television except the difference is the amount of hours and time that’s put in is quite different. With TV you have to put out product every week, so there is not much space to explore creativity. As far as the characters are concerned, that is definitely the main thing that I see. With film, it’s a lot more different because there’s a lot more time to…with a scene that I did with America, we got a chance to actually sit down and talk about ideas we had for playing that scene out, being authentic and making it natural. And Ken…the scene were she ( America) is on the phone with her father, what’s great about that is Ken…with scenes like that he really lets go. He doesn’t become a director at that point. He realizes that the most powerful point that he can play is to let go and allow the actors to find a natural quality within a scene. I think that in television if producers and directors had more time then they would but its such a machine that you have to have complete and utter control of the character your playing in order to pull some things instantly. Otherwise there is not time to create anything. It’s really hard. When I did Joan (Joan of Arcadia) I did 16 hours everyday, five days a week. We had like a day off every other week.

It sounds like parts of you may be relieved that the show is cancelled.

Amber: I wouldn’t say relieved. It’s like my dad says…on ward and upward. It would be a mystery to everybody why this show was cancelled. Its kind of one of those My So Called Life situations, where everybody loved it and all of a sudden…it got Emmy nominations and stuff and then it was gone. I am once again in a position to be doing something that I am so proud of. With this film, we have been doing so much publicity for it, it’s like insane. All of us are getting over colds. But it’s worth it. It’s all been worth it. This film has taken me and I’ve fallen in love with it. You can never be said about it. It’s part of the process of the business.

In this film and in Women who have Curves, you’ve seemed to point out your body type as if to say this is me, this is who I am. Is that something that you bring to the character that is a little of yourself?

America: Umm, no. Not necessarily. I mean I didn’t write the script. I feel like the characters that I play are completely different. And I am who I am. In any character that I play, my physical attributes play a huge role in that. And will always. So every character that I play will look like me because I am that character. For Carmen and I think for this role, I feel it was completely and distinctively different from Real Woman Who have curves in that her being put in a situation feeling completely isolated. So everything that she was insecure about was magnified millions of times. It could have been her curves, the color of her hair, her height. Of course I believe in the message of letting young girls be comfortable with who they are. But that’s the theme in all four of our stories.

Well, I meant, is that a little of your character? Everybody brings something of themselves.

America: absolutely. I mean, I think that our jobs are to find what we connect with, with our character and to multiply that by a million. To make that connection even stronger. Even deeper. I think that what I am attracted to is real people and real roles. I think that, that is a real issue in our society that is so real and so tangible. To write a script about 4 young girls and to ignore a fact that is so present in our society would not be realistic.

What did you all take from the film?

Amber: I took a great understanding for actresses my age, working with these girls.

Blake: I took a lot because this is my first job ever. The mechanics of everything and what each system does. I knew about a lot already because I grew up on sets. My whole family is in the movie business. I was clueless over little things like how to find your mark without looking down. Little things like that. And from watching the film. When I would come home, I would want to see all my girlfriends. Because the feeling is so great. You really don’t see that in teen movies. Not young women loving each other and having this great friendship and bond. So watching the film put a higher value, for me, on female friendship. And made me long for more of it.

America: I think what I took most from it, watching it as an audience member myself was that it was so empowering. I feel so grateful to Ann for creating this story. Girls who are strong. Girls who are self-possessed. And I think girls aren’t used to seeing that in the media and the images that are exposed to us. I think that for a young person, to be able to see that as a young person your opinions matter, that they’re valuable and that this story respects the strength that it takes just to grow up. That we can start seeing young people as contributors to society and not just a product of…

Ann, what’s it like seeing your story flushed out on to the silver screen?

Ann: It’s amazing. It’s hard to describe the feeling of it, because the book starts out with a small experience. It s just me in a room with my computer. And certainly when I was writing this book, which was my first, I had no inkling that it would have this kind of life. It’s been wonderful for me. It could have come out differently. It could have been that the women who played these parts didn’t do it beautifully in the most totally nuance way. But they did and I got real lucky. There are so many ways to do a poor adaptation. But there are so few ways to do a good one. And I feel like I don’t have a lot of experience in this world. But in my heart I feel this is a really good one. So for me it has been a tremendously positive experience.

Your book was huge. Still is. Why bring it to film?

Ann: I felt that this was an opportunity for me to reach a bigger audience in a way.

The symbol of the pants is magic. Can you talk about that?

America: I think the important thing to know and communicate is that there is no magic. Yeah, it’s great that these pants fit these 4 girls but they also don’t fit Bailey. At that point, you realize that they are not magical. If they were magical, they would have shrunk and fit Bailey. It so much more that the symbol is their friendship and any magic that’s in this movie is in their relationship and their desire to be together.

You all seem so close. Were you friends before the making of the film?

Amber: We never even met before. But I know that for some reason, there is a common misconception that I was the first one cast in this film. That’s actually not true. America was the first one cast. And I know this for a fact because I don’t think that I would have done the movie if I had not heard America was in it. Because I felt that the 4 girls where of such equal parts and so very important that if one of them were cast in a particular light, in a particular way, it would set off a completely different story line and this would be a completely different film. And I wanted them to look for real actresses for these roles. When I heard America was on board for it, I ran to my Warner Brothers contract.

America: well, they totally lied to the both of us. Because they said you were in it. And I said Amber Tamblyn is doing it. I said, alright. I’ll do it.

Amber: Oh my god! (laughing)

America: I think that when they cast us, they knew what type of movie they wanted to make. I think that it was so rewarding to work with 3 other girls that were so smart and intelligent.

What does sisterhood mean to each of you?

Blake: for me, I have a best friend that I’ve had since I was 3 years old and another one since the 7 th grade. When you know someone so well, you just love them. No matter what. A deep understanding and love for one another. That’s what sisterhood is to me.

America: I would say that there were two sisterhoods. One on the screen and then there was the four of us. I didn’t know that female relations weren’t supposed to be catty and superficial. Based on boys and that’s all girls did when they got together. It comes more so, than anything else, a respect for each other because in essence we are all going through the exact same things in our lives. If we can just encourage girls to stop looking at each other as competition and to say that a girl can be your best alli in life…that is like really something. That really says something.

Amber: What she said. (laughing). Sisterhood is about love. It’s the true meaning of love.