Young Star Has Two April Feature Releases
“It’s a fun role to play because it’s different from my real life.”
– Moises Arias on his Hannah Montana character Rico
In the big screen version of the Disney Channel hit TV show “
Hannah Montana,” LA05 IMTA alum Moises Arias reprises his starring role as Rico for
Hannah Montana: the Movie. The Miley Ray Cyrus star vehicle has her alter ego, Miley Stewart,taking a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, TN on the urging from her father (Billy Ray Cyrus), to get some perspective on what matters in life the most.
Arias’ character in the Hannah Montana storyline runs a shop on the beach, Rico’s Surf Shop. On the TV show, he is often the antagonist against Cyrus and the other characters, capitalizing on being an arrogant and manipulative spoiled brat, but is deep down very insecure. He often finds himself in situations that go awry, something capitalized on in the film: his efforts to stage a birthday surprise for Lilly (Emily Osment) result in an exploding birthday cake, covering everyone in orange goo.
Originally set for release in August of 2008, Arias’ other feature film opening in April—
The Perfect Game, about a group of boys from Monterrey, Mexico, who became the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series in 1957—was pulled by its distributor just before its original opening and rescheduled for release April 17. The inspirational young team’s true story is told in the tradition of
Hoosiers and
Friday Night Lights, and also stars Clifton Collins Jr., Cheech Marin, Louis Gossett Jr., Jake T. Austin and Jason Panettiere.
The Perfect Game had its premiere March 21 at the FICG24 Guadalajara International Film Festival. The film’s premiere event was hosted by fellow IMTA alum Eva Longoria Parker (LA98). Longoria Parker not only served as mistress of ceremonies for the premiere, but also was tapped to present an award to Mexican moviemaker Manuel Gonzalez Casanova prior to the movie’s screening.