E-mail a friendMandy Moore
airdate June 18, 2007
As a child, Mandy Moore spent much of her time exploring her love of performing. She went on to become one of the most versatile artists of her generation, pursuing interests in music and film. Her platinum albums launched her into stardom, and a lead turn in the film A Walk to Remember made audiences take notice of her big-screen presence. Moore's film credits include Because I Said So and License to Wed, and her '07 CD, "Wild Hope," marked her debut as a songwriter. "Amanda Leigh" is her newest album.
Mandy Moore
Tavis: I'm pleased to welcome Mandy Moore back to this program. The talented actress and singer has a busy summer ahead of her. Next month you can catch her opposite Robin Williams in the film "License to Wed." The movie hits theaters July fourth. You can also pick up, though, a copy of her new CD, "Wild Hope."
I love the title. We'll find out what it means in a moment. It's in stores June the 19th. In just a few moments, she'll perform the first single from the new disc. But first, here's some of the video for "Extraordinary."
[Clip]
Tavis: So Brian, our floor director, just informs us that your CD hits on his birthday. I don't think you need his help (laughter) to sell -
Mandy Moore: It's good to know, though.
Tavis: Yeah, it's good to know, yeah. (Laughter) Don't think you need Brian's help, especially with songs like "Extraordinary." When I heard the lyrics to that song, it was really - it got my attention. I love lyrical content, and I hear so much stuff on the radio now that you move past real quickly. But it's always nice to hear something that actually says something. And that line, "And now I'm ready to be extraordinary -” tell me about this song.
Moore: Well, I actually co-wrote the whole record, and it's my first endeavor into songwriting. But "Extraordinary" was the last song I wrote for the record, and it comes across to me a little bit clichéd, but it's very genuine. I really - it's my own way of telling myself to step up to the plate and not be afraid to sort of be confident and not apologize for it, and consider yourself to be good and great and extraordinary, and not have to sort of deflect from that. 'Cause I'm a pretty shy person innately, and so this is just my way of, like, coming out and (unintelligible).
Tavis: Well first of all, there's nothing wrong with being extraordinary. Why be ordinary, as they say, when you can be extraordinary?
Moore: Sure.
Tavis: So I agree with you on that. I guess what stuns me is that given the business that you are in, and given what you do, and given all the magazine covers that you grace, it's hard for me to imagine that you've had an issue with shyness.
Moore: Yes. I think there is - the gregarious side of me comes out when I'm chatting with you or on a film set or performing live. But in my down time, I'm quite shy. And I feel like with such an exciting year of the record coming out and some film projects coming out, like, it really is my time, I think for the first time in a while, especially being, like, a young woman now to be confident and feel great about myself.
Tavis: Is the industry allowing you to do that? There's a lot of folk, we have a hard time making that transition. Sometimes they have a hard time, sometimes the industry won't let them change, sometimes their fans won't let them grow up. How are you processing that transition that Mandy's in?
Moore: To be quite honest, I'm not completely aware of it.
Tavis: Oh, yeah?
Moore: Yeah. I guess I'm just - I feel like I've been in this period of my life, being an adult for quite a while now, and I feel as if this is the time that people are just catching up to me. Like, I'm already there.
Tavis: Yeah, we're just catching up.
Moore: Yes, exactly. (Laughter)
Tavis: That's what they call a prodigy, so we're catching up to you. (Laughter) Tell me about this CD title. Again, aside from the song "Extraordinary," I'm always talking about hope. I can't give a speech anywhere without talking about love and service and hope, and so when I saw this title, "Wild Hope," I don't know what you meant by it but it did something for me.
Moore: It did? Well, "Wild Hope" is actually one of the songs on the record, and it's my favorite song, so that's kind of I think why I leaned more towards naming the album "Wild Hope." But I love the combination of the two words together, and since I wrote this record and it's a very personal record, there's a lot of sort of self-exploration and sort of a little bit of heartbreak addressed on the record. But overwhelmingly, I think there's this thread of hope. And I'm a pretty optimistic person, so I wanted to be sure that that message was out there, as well.
Tavis: You referenced twice now that you wrote the songs on the record, which means that Mandy is proud of having done that.
Moore: I am. It's an accomplishment for me. I didn't think it was something I could do before I ventured out and tried it.
Tavis: I ain't mad at you for it; I'm glad that you did. That said, tell me why you decided that now that this record - this is number seven, I think? Why is this the record, why is now the time for you to write your own -
Moore: It might as well just be number one, by the way. It's kind of a clean slate for me. I was adamant about writing and being a part of the creative process because I never sort of have, up until this point. And I'm 23 years old, and my musical tastes have changed since I was 15 and came out with my first record. And I've been very vocal about not necessarily being proud of some of that work, but to be quite honest, I think I've been a little bit hard on myself. It was a great platform from which to start. But I've sort of grown up a little bit, and again, I'm just sort of waiting for people to catch up with me.
Tavis: Yeah, well, any mistakes you've made before 23, you get forgiven for.
Moore: Oh, really? It gets wiped away?
Tavis: I'm just laughing, listening to you go through your discography - "I'm not proud of this, and certain things I'm not -” Mandy, you're 23. You're okay. You got time to fix whatever you think was wrong with your stuff heretofore. Tell me about this movie with Robin Williams. That must be a kick. I've only met Robin a couple of times, but just meeting him in green rooms, his energy is, like, bouncing off the walls.
Moore: He's insane in the best possible sense of the word. He's full of energy, and comes to set, like, on every day. But I think it was a test as an actor to work with an actor of his caliber, but someone who's so sort of off the wall. Because he'll stick to the script for the first couple takes, and then he'll completely go off and start improving stuff.
And I would come home at the end of the day feeling so unprofessional because I would start laughing in the middle of takes. (Laughter) It's hard. It's hard to work with someone like that.
Tavis: Tell me about your role, your character in the film.
Moore: I play part of a couple with John Krasinski from "The Office," and we get engaged, and in order to get married in this church where Robin's the reverend, he puts us through this big marriage preparation course. And it's a typical broad romantic summer comedy, but I'm quite proud of it. It's very funny, very cute.
Tavis: How do you intend to balance - and I'm sure you'll get asked this a thousand times on the tour - how do you intend to balance this love of music, this love of acting, and being taken seriously in both?
Moore: Oh, it is a fine line, but I guess I just feel lucky that I've been on this path and I want to continue going on it. I've been lucky that people have sort of accepted me in both roles. But if it came down to the wire, I'd probably have to choose music over a film. It's just where my heart is more; it's what I'm more passionate about.
But I think it's just about prioritizing. Like anybody else that has a lot on their plate right now, and I'm geared towards music and that's what I'm focused on, but I know a shift will come down the line, and -
Tavis: Speaking of your music, did I read somewhere that there was a FedEx guy that was involved in helping to discover you? Is this a true story?
Moore: True story.
Tavis: So tell me. I thought it was funny. (Laughter)
Moore: It is; it's random. I grew up in Orlando, Florida, and a guy who worked for FedEx somehow knew the head of urban A&R at Epic Records when I was 14. Heard me sing, took my unfinished demo, sent it to his buddy, and he flew down and signed me on the spot at 14. So I have the FedEx guy to thank.
Tavis: I was about to ask, do you know this FedEx guy?
Moore: I do, and of course he's been properly compensated. (Laughter) And has since quit his job and has become a talent scout, so he no longer works for FedEx.
Tavis: I am not mad at the FedEx man.
Moore: I'm not either. I owe everything to him.
Tavis: As a matter of fact, the next time my FedEx guy comes to pick up my packages, I'm going to slide a little something else in there. (Laughter) Maybe he can get me discovered, gee whiz. Discovered by the FedEx guy. Let me ask this as an exit question. First of all, you're everywhere right now, on the cover of every magazine and everything else I pick up.
And I keep reading these stories about you, and everybody is intent on making the point - and I think for good reason - making the point that you are the anti celebrity, the anti young celebrity. That is to say that with all the news we're reading - I'm not trying to call name, everybody knows who I'm talking about - but there's so many young women in the business who are in the news literally every day.
Probably one or two of them as we speak right this very second who just got pulled over for something. But they're in the news all the time, and so they keep writing these stories that Mandy Moore is the anti what we are seeing too much off. That's a wonderful compliment to you. I only raise it because I wonder whether or not you feel any pressure as a result of that.
Moore: I think there is definitely pressure just being in the spotlight and being a young person, because you do have a certain responsibility, knowing that if you're lucky enough to be in this position, there are people looking up to you. But I kind of feel like the person I am is a testament to my parents. They, I think, did a good job raising myself and my brothers.
And I'm quite proud to be who I am, and I'm lucky to be in this position. And I kind of don't take that for granted. I take advantage of it, but at the end of the day, I'd like to live a very low-key life. And I also think that it's a choice at the end of the day to sort of put yourself out there in a very public way. And it's just not my cup of tea.
Tavis: Well, thankfully what is her cup of tea is singing and acting. She (unintelligible) performs for us in just a moment. First of all, remind you the CD is called "Wild Hope." She's got CDs in June, movies in July, who knows what in August and September. (Laughter) Anyway, Mandy Moore is going to perform with her band the first single from the CD, "Extraordinary." I think you'll like it. Stay with us.
From her new CD, "Wild Hope," here is Mandy Moore performing "Extraordinary." Enjoy.
Back to June 18, 2007