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America Ferrera

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Ferrera reluctantly wears Pants in sequel

April 23, 2007 at 10:02:00 AM

Ugly Betty star strong-armed into Traveling Pants 2.

Ugly Betty star America Ferrera is in negotiations to reprise her role as Carmen in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, a sequel to the 2005 comedy-drama about a group of gal-pals who bond over a pair of shared jeans.

Multiple sources say Ferrera's return isn't by choice. The actress, whose star turn in the ABC series has catapulted her to cover-girl status, is being forced to the negotiating table by the film's producer Alcon Entertainment, which exercised its sequel option on Ferrera, along with her costars, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, and Blake Lively. Alcon, which has a deal at Warner Bros., is owned by FedEx chairman Fred Smith.

In fact, the actress had been eyeing a starring role in An Invisible Sign of My Own, a film in development at MGM, sources added. That project is being produced by Ventanazul, MGM's recently launched Latino label run by Salma Hayek, who also is executive producer of Ugly Betty.

When Traveling Pants hit theaters, Ferrera received third billing behind TV starlets Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia) and Bledel (Gilmore Girls). Now, Warners and Alcon are fast-tracking a sequel based on Ferrera's newfound star power. Traveling Pants 2 will start shooting in June, coinciding with Ferrera's Ugly Betty hiatus.

A similar situation occurred when 20th Century Fox exercised its sequel option on Halle Berry for X2: X-Men United. Berry was coming off a best-actress Oscar win for Monster's Ball when she grudgingly returned to the comic book franchise.

Will Ferrell ran up against a similar situation. DreamWorks tried to wrangle the actor to do a sequel to Old School, hoping to build a story around Ferrell's Frank the Tank character. However, Ferrell nixed that plan.

Music video and TV director Sanaa Hamri will shoot Traveling Pants 2. The first one was directed by Ken Kwapis, who went on to shoot multiple episodes of The Office.

Story Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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16 Comments

 
chipmunk86
Personally, I loved the first movie and I'm glad that there's going to be a sequel. I'm currently reading the fourth book, which the second movie is based on, and am absolutely loving it and can't wait to see it brought to life. I can't understand why she wouldn't want to do the movie. If she's such a great star then her reputation should be able to get her through one bad sequel if it doesn't turn out well. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, along with Real Women Have Curves, helped put her on the map so I think it's fair that she repays everyone from the Travelling Pants movie that helped to get her where she is today by doing the sequel.
Posted 10/15/2007 6:34am
slutty_pumpkin
i love America! don't let "the pants" keep you down, America. Screw the sottp producers, don't do it! don't ruin your career!

that's all i have to say.
Posted 05/23/2007 1:59am
Adelette
I hope this sequel is good so it doesn't screw with her career.
Posted 04/28/2007 8:40pm
magdalena82
I'm sure some people think she's being all "high and mighty" about herself but let's face it. Sequels are just another way for a company to make money with no regard for how good it is. Hey, as long as it makes a buck who cares? But imagine if you're the one starring in it and it's a flop? It could be a career ender and actors are by now, smart enough to know that. Plus, with her new star status, doors are opening for Ferrera that weren't open before. Doing a sequel to an earlier work is not only taking a step backward, but it suggests that there us some desperation on their part for work when that isn't the case here. How else would you explain "Deuce Bigelow: European Gigolo?"
Posted 04/24/2007 1:01pm
firefly317
i loved that movie.
Posted 04/24/2007 12:22pm
JPPT1974
Well, maybe this is a blessing in disguise for her this part.
Posted 04/24/2007 11:39am
mammalazz
well thats the price of fame
Posted 04/24/2007 8:42am
jthunders
She should get over herself, and appreciate the work while she can get it: she's not that big a star...
Posted 04/24/2007 8:32am
LAURAMARIE63
They want her because of her new found fame.
Posted 04/24/2007 5:05am
TVGuySVMorenz
Hmmm... This should be interesting... The first movie was kind of a bore. I wonder if this one can redeem itself
Posted 04/24/2007 4:22am
AlkaStealther
I'm not interested in America Ferrera's work
Posted 04/23/2007 11:41pm
reecee
I loved the first book and movie
Posted 04/23/2007 7:14pm
bermyblue
Thats gotta suck.
Posted 04/23/2007 6:56pm
JmahaK
lol yeah gege
Posted 04/23/2007 5:28pm
hodayathink
Something tells me that if she didn't have her eye on the other project (or if she can get them to delay that shoot), then there won't be any more problem.

As far as the Traveling Pants 2 is concerned, this should be interesting, as I didn't like the first movie, but I do like Sanaa Hamri (especially Something New).
Posted 04/23/2007 1:15pm
gege48
Always read the fine print.
Posted 04/23/2007 1:09pm

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