Eighteen-year-old actor Ryan Merriman has been receiving lots of requests from Popstar! readers and has been landing major movie roles both for the big screen and the small. But even though his high-profile gig in Disney Channel's The Luck of the Irish has helped push him over the top, luck has nothing to do with why he's connecting with his fans-instead, it's a combination of his talent and his heart.
He's a regular guy, but there's nothing regular about Ryan's abilities. For starters, he's successfully balanced a burgeoning film career with academics, graduating from public high school in his home state of Oklahoma this past May. He's starred opposite heavyweights like Michelle Pfeiffer (in The Deep End of the Ocean) and Dennis Quaid (Everything That Rises), yet speaks very humbly of his fans, the people who've helped him get him where he is today.
"I'm all about getting in contact with my fans," he told us from his home, where he was busy doing roofwork during some off-time between movies. "'I'm movie star, I can't talk to my fans, blahblahblah!'-screw that. When I'm not acting, I'm shoveling shingles and working at the house just like everybody else. I make my bed in the morning. I vacuum."
We grilled this aw-shucks acting cutie about his memorable moments, his personal life and some creative fund-raising he's spearheading for his dream project.
Popstar!: You were scary in Dangerous Child! You beat up Delta Burke!
Ryan: Delta was awesome. It was a lot of fun doing a role that wasn't exactly in me-the crazy, psychotic guy. With roles like that, you can't half way do it, you have to totally commit yourself.
Dangerous Child was very suprising. I knew it was gonna be good, but I loved every scene in this movie. Me and Delta had a great connection and it showed on camera.
Where did you get your acting skills?
It's always just something I've been able to just turn on when I have to. I'm very fortunate-I've been blessed. It's a job I love to do.
The Luck of the Irish blew you up for our readers. What was it like making that flick?
It was a good time I got such good feedback from it. I think I've pretty much outgrown the whole Disney thing, as far as my age, but I do have a new Disney Channel movie coming out called A Ring of Endless Light.
We know! Tell our readers what that's about.
A young girl who can telepathically communicate with dolphins. She comes to see her grandfather for the summer and I'm a local marine biologist at a dolphin research center, so I bring her under my wing and teach her the ropes and then I notcie little things as I'm going along like, "Whoa, that's weird...how does she know the dolphin's name? How does she know the dolphin's pregnant?"
What was it like filming that movie in Australia?
It was like going to heaven. And then at the end, it was like getting kicked out of heaven. [Laughs] Beautiful scenery, beautiful beaches, beautiful weather...beautiful girls. I loved it.
Sixty percent of my time was with the dolphins in the water. Even though they're beautiful, and it's spiritual at first, they weigh close to 600 pounds-they could take me out!
We heard you're selling T-shirts now?
have my own T-shirt to help finance an indie movie called Beyond the Gates of Splendor about five missionaries who go into the jungle to preach the word of God. They all get killed. It's a story of forgiveness. It's so beautiful and powerful that Steven Spielberg's writers are gonna write it now. The shirts are part of my Rock Steady Wear line. I designed the logo and there's a picture from one of my photo shoots on the back. You can buy it at www.webcrest.com/merriman
So how did you blow out 18 candles this year?
My past three birthdays have been on movie sets. There's always a cake on movie sets. This year was a little interesting in Canada. My producer-she's great-hired a stripper to come to the set. During the middle of an emotional scene, she arrived dressed like a police officer and said, "Son, do you have your work permit?" and I'm like, "No." And she goes, "I'm gonna have to arrest you," and handcuffs me to my chair and does her little dance for me. It was all in good fun.[Laughs]
Do you get recognized lots?
They're shy at first, but you can see them smiling and whispering. I wish they'd just come up and say, "Hey, I liked you movie. Can I get your autoegraph?" But one time, I went to a local theme park and got mobbed. They followed me back to my car-I was signing out of my car window.
What do fans ask when they meet you?
"How tall are you?" because I've grown so much. I'm 6'1" and 170 pounds, so I'm a tall actor. And of course, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Of course...do you?
I am dating a special someone from Oklahoma.
What do you look for in a girl?
Physically, I just like athletic girls, girls I could take out and we could go rollerblading or swimming, but I'm also the type of guy who'll sit down, rent a movie, put on some sweats and chill. Personality, I'd have to say someone who's not shy and...pretty much my girl! She's so cute-she's blonde with blue eyes and she's an Oklahoma Stat pom-pom girl. She's really nice and understanding. When I do a movie, it's hard to keep that thing going, but between the two of us, we manage it.
The happiest times in my life are when I'm with my friends, when I'm working or when I'm in love. Lately, I've been fulfilling all three, so I'm on cloud 9.
