Alexandra Chando of As the World turns!!!!!!!
AS THE WORLD TURNS Interviews

Chando Wants Her MTV

MTV cameras have followed Alexandra Chando since she was cast as Maddie Coleman on AS THE WORLD TURNS last summer. Viewers can now see what it's like joining the soap when she appears on MTV's documentary series TRUE LIFE: I'M GETTING MY BIG BREAK, premiering May 4 at 10 p.m.

By Tonya Lensch

Alexandra Chando (Maddie)

PGP

Soap Opera Weekly: Did the cameras follow you from the beginning?

Alexandra Chando: Yes. It started a few days before I started on the show last June. They even came to my house in Pennsylvania.

Weekly: What was it like being followed around by a crew?

Chando: In the beginning it was a little nerve-wracking and I was careful with what I said, but after getting to know them I was kind of like, "Whatever."

Weekly: Are your co-stars also featured?

Chando: I know Mark (Collier, Mike) and Trent (Dawson, Henry) will probably be in it. It was funny, because there were times I'd go eat lunch, and there would be a whole bunch of people in the room, then I would come in with my camera, and everybody would leave. They are on-camera all the time, they don't want their downtime to be on-camera, too. It felt kind of uncomfortable.

Weekly: How often did they follow you?

Chando: In the beginning, it was a few times a month, then it slowly died down [to] once every two or three months, for the major events.

Weekly: How many people were with you?

Chando: It was a camera person and one of the field producers. It was very low-key. It was a tiny camera.

Weekly: How did this come about?

Chando: I got the part on a Friday, and an hour later Alan Locher (director, Public Relations for ATWT) called and asked if I wanted to do this. I was like, "Wow! When it rains it pours." I had seen the show before, so I had a little bit of an idea of what was going to happen, but it was overwhelming.

Weekly: I bet. Are you excited that it's all documented?

Chando: I'm totally excited. Who else can say they have the first nine months of their career on film? I'm excited to see the outcome. I would love to see all the footage. I'm sure there's some funny and interesting stuff that goes on. They took so much footage of me just studying my lines.

Weekly: Were you self-conscious?

Chando: I was in the beginning. It was my first day of work and I had these cameras [following me], but toward the end I was fine and the people from MTV who were with me were great. They were young and easy to talk to and get along with. That made it easy for me.

Weekly: Are you nervous to see it?

Chando: I am a little nervous. I don't want to look like a big dweeb. [Co-star Zach Roerig, who plays on-screen love interest Casey, walks in.] Im even more nervous about what Zachs going to look like (laughs).

Weekly: When was the last time they filmed you?

Chando: They were here a few weeks ago; I was interviewed in my dressing room for a recap and to see how things have changed.

Weekly: Are your family and friends excited to see this?

Chando: Yes, and my family was a big part of it, as well. My brothers, my parents and some of my friends will be a part of it. I heard some of the things that my brothers said. I was sitting in on the interview and both of them said some very nice things.

Weekly: Do you watch many MTV shows?

Chando: MTV is my guilty pleasure. PARENTAL CONTROL and those reality shows are clearly scripted. I'm addicted to DATE MY MOM. It's kind of sad, because MTV used to be about the music and is now all reality shows, but I'm on a reality show. Actually, its a documentary.