Mandy Moore's latest film venture now has a director.

Clare Kilner, a British director, will helm the teen romance titled "How To Deal", according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The movie is based on two novels by Sarah Dessen: "Someone Like You" and "That Summer".

"How To Deal" finds Mandy's character overwhelmed by negative examples of love. Ultimately, however, her theory that love doesn't exist is proven wrong.

Mandy's other film projects include the indie flick "Try Seventeen", which also stars Elijah Wood. It is scheduled for release in 2003.

-- AllPop

Mandy Moore's new movie role won't find the singer/actress behaving as innocently as she did in "A Walk To Remember".

The new movie, an indie flick titled "Try Seventeen" which also stars Elijah Wood ("Lord Of The Rings"), casts Mandy as a 21-year-old girl who's into partying and more, MTV reports.

In case some of Mandy's young fans might be worried she's planning to steam up the screen, her manager did say that there are no sex scenes in the movie.

The movie, which also stars Franka Potente ("Run Lola Run"), is about a young man (Elijah) who lies about his age in order to get into university. The movie is scheduled for release in 2003.

Mandy's last movie role was as a minister's daughter in "A Walk To Remember".

-- AllPop

Pop star/actor Mandy Moore joined her fans for a live chat on AllPop.com, Monday, Mar 4. You can read the full chat transcript right here.

katryna: hey mandy!i heard from your site that you are coming to canada to film a new film with elijah wood. where are u guys filming and what is the movie about? thanx!u go girl!

Mandy Moore: Thanks! The movie is called Try Seventeen. It is filming in Vancouver. The story is basically about a boy who is deceiving everyone about his age. He tells everyone he is older, but he is actually 17. It is a parallel of his life, and his relationships and interactions with the people he lives with in his apartment building. It is a bit of both comedy and drama, coupled with romance, coupled with coming of age. It is an independent film, so it is kind of quirky.

Mandy in A Walk To Remember

~*Jenn*~: Hey Mandy. I know you got your start at an early age and I just wondered what advice you would give to those people who also want to be musical artists, (or actors/actresses), such as yourself.

Mandy Moore: I would say don't pass up on any good opportunity to perform in front of an audience, whether at school or in a community theatre play. Anywhere and everywhere.

stephanie: mandy, great work in "A Walk To Remember" i don't know ONE person who didn't cry while watching it... myself, well i was bawling! i am definitely a fan of yours now! my question is: do you still keep in contact w/ co-star Shane West? thanks! i cant wait for your next movie!!!

Mandy Moore: Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed the film. Shane is an amazing guy, a wonderful actor, and I am very privileged to have worked with him. Everyone in the cast and crew keeps in touch. I am very happy about that.

Kristen: Hey Mandy, My name is Kristen and i'm from Minden, Ontario, and i'm a huge fan of yours. I was wondering when you were going to headline a tour and if you would be planning on coming to Toronto! Thanks, Kristen PS- i love your dark hair..and i have the exact same cut

Mandy Moore: That's awesome. There are no touring plans right now. But definitely, if there is a desire for one, I will be here in a heartbeat.

Shane Spencer: Mandy, I am the world's biggest fan of "Entertainment Tonight", the world's #1 newsmagazine, and I can't wait for the April 10th edition of that show. Are you really going to get your birthday aired on "ET" for Wednesday, April 10, 2002? Why or why not?

Mandy Moore: I had no idea about that. I will be filming the movie in Vancouver, so unless they are coming up there ... I was going to wait until I get back home to have my 18th birthday. I have never had a real birthday party before, so I am planning to have, like, 100 people. We are going to set up tents in the backyard. I want to have baklava, hot tea. I am so excited.

Caitlin: Hey Mandy, I am a huge fan of yours...I absolutely loved your movie and all of your albums! I was just wondering if you are going to go on tour. Also, do you prefer acting or singing?

Mandy Moore: Thanks, that's very sweet. Acting or singing? It is definitely singing. You can't duplicate the rush of adrenalin you get from being onstage. At the same time, I would love to try and maintain a healthy balance of doing both.

Paul Finch: Hi Mandy Since A Walk to Remember is such a romantic movie, I was wondering what's the most romantic thing you've done for a guy? I'm 22 and a guy myself, and I thought you were absolutely adorable in the movie::::PPP***blush***

Mandy Moore: I just got out of a relationship, and it was like my first real relationship. I haven't done too many romantic things. For our anniversary, instead of buying an expensive gift, we went on a hot air balloon ride. I brought a picnic with us. That is as romantic as I can get.

Samantha: Hi Mandy! I sucha big fan of yours. I was wondering, since you will be 18 soon, a legal adult, lol,is your music going to be more of a grownup sound or will you stay pretty much the same? I'm turning 18 soon too.

Mandy Moore: Happy birthday! As far as the music goes, I am delving more into writing my own music. It depends what is going on in my life. The next album is going to reflect some maturity, but it is not going to be out of context with what is going on in my life. It is not going to be too grown up. I am going to start recording probably in April.

Jeff Mann: Mandy Moore Where did you find the feelings to come up with "cry". A awesome touching song that reaches my heart. Your a sweet person.

Mandy Moore: Thank you Jeff. I wish I had come up with Cry, but it was written by James Renald, who is from the Canadian group Sky. He could be one of the most talented singer-songwriters out there. Cry was a song that I was waiting to record for this record, because it was that special to me. I am glad it is a special song for you, too.

Brett Knoss: Why is it that u have been able to maintain a good girl appearence where as other female pop singers such as Christina Agulara or Britney Spears have been branded with a reputation as a sleaze?

Mandy Moore: Goodness! I guess it is all about being allowed the opportunity to be myself.

Jenny M : What was the funniest thing that happened on set while filming 'A Walk To Remember'?

Mandy Moore: Oh my goodness! Should I say this? Shane is going to kill me. We were filming the most intimate scene in the film. Shane was putting a temporary tattoo on my shoulder. We had an hour between shots. We went to a restaurant and bar. Shane had a couple of drinks. If you look at Shane in that scene, he is a little mellowed out. He flubbed his lines, and we cracked up. We just did the commentary for the DVD and we were cracking up.

mandyck: Hi Mandy . Do you will really record a duet called " Two world" with Phil Collins ?

Mandy Moore: About a month ago, I recorded a portion of that song to come out in conjunction with the Disney DVD for Tarzan. I'm not quite sure when it is coming out. I'm so surprised anyone has even heard about it. The only place it will be available is on the DVD.

Love4mandy: Hi Mandy, I'm a huge fan, how often do you visit your website mandymoore.com and chat with your fans?

Mandy Moore: I am on the message board on my website as often as I can, usually two or three times a week. Even if I don't post, I read the messages. I am addicted to it, actually. It is very, very fun.

Jenny M : How do you do your school work and things like that when you're always travelling? Do you have a personal tutor? How do you sit exams and stuff (if you sit them at all)???

Mandy Moore: I go through correspondence through high school. I am a senior this year. I have a tutor on the set while doing a film. I actually do exams like everybody else, but I usually do them on the road.

megan: Hey Mandy. I luv your music and a walk to remember. When you received the part as Jamie Sullivan had you read the book?

Mandy Moore: I am a huge fan of Nicolas Sparks, and had read the book way in advance, a year before I heard anything about the film. Shane hadn't read the book, but he read it before we started the film. You needed to read the book to understand the script, because there were so many changes.

Jullyane del Rosario: Hi Mandy!! I loved your performance in "A walk to remember". I have 2 questions. First, was Shane a good kisser?!? *wink wink* :) Second, do you think you're very much like Jamie? Like do you feel that you have stuff in common? Thanks!

Mandy Moore: Yes, Shane is a very good kisser. Although, it is awkward to kiss someone you don't know. By the end, it was yeah, yeah, get it over with. I feel like I am so much a part of that character, so much of her is in me and who I am. Although, I feel far removed from her situation in life, where she lives, how she grew up, etc. But I found myself learning a lot playing this character in the movie.

Nathan: "Mandy Moore: I just got out of a relationship, and it was like my first real relationship." You mean your not going out with Wilmer anymore?

Mandy Moore: Wilmer and I broke up about a month and a half ago. That's it.

Angela: hi mandy: First of all, congratulations on AWTR. You did an amazing job in the movie. My friend and I are now Mandy Moore fans. We were wondering, are there any actors or actresses out there that you'd really like to work with?

Mandy Moore: Thank you very much. I am beyond thrilled that you really liked the movie. I am really excited to work with Elijah. I am excited to find out what making a movie with him. I would one day like to work with Julianne Moore. I love Magnolia and Boogie Nights. There is such variety in the roles she chooses.

SandraBullock: What is one thing that maybe your fans don't know about you that you could tell us...that way we would feel special?

Mandy Moore: I definitely want you to feel special. Let me think ... I have worn the same pair of jeans three days in a row. Ha-ha! That is interesting. But I washed them today, so they are clean. So there you go. I'm on the road, what can you expect?

Nicky B: Hi there Mandy. Do you want to be a stay at home Mom one day, or do you think you’ll record music and act forever?

Mandy Moore: I look forward to one day having a family. Someone I admire in the business who does it all ... I love Bette Midler for her whole career. The fact that she is a mom, wife, actress, musician, theatre actress. She has done everything I would like to accomplish in my career.

Jerry: What color is your hair now?

Mandy Moore: I am a brunette. Brunette forever, from now on. Until someone forces me to change it. That is the good thing about turning 18, I don't have to answer to anyone, not that they could ever make me. My hair is darker than blonde. Somewhere in between where it is now and blonde.

Matthew Malone: Boogie Nights is rated 18+. Are you a victim of the entertainment industry being exposed to things you shouldn't see?

Mandy Moore: I don't think so. I am not a victim. I think it is a case-by-case situation. If you are mature enough to see a film of that sort, go for it. Just because it is rated R and may have mature elements, that doesn't mean there won't be other good things to get out of the film experience.

Mandy Moore:

bro_flamo: Mandy, if someone asked you to 'list 6 of your most favourite locations around the world' what would they be?

Mandy Moore: 1. Australia 2. New Zealand 3. The UK 4.Singapore 5.Japan 6.Canada!

DJ skillz: Holy cow!!?!?!?!? You're a PT Anderson fan?? I love his stuff because he does such diverse and juicy things, his characters and stories are so deep! Do you think that one day you'll adapt a story for yourself, maybe producing and starring in it like Alicia Silverstone and Drew Barrymore have?

Mandy Moore: I would love to eventually. I am on the lookout for books that could be adapted into films. I am not quite sure, whatever comes my way, I am happy to take part in. Whatever the future may have in store.

j_snuggLez: Hey mandy ! =] First of all, GOOD JOB on "A Walk To Remember"! i loved it!! You and shane made it so believable, that i actually cried during the movie [that's a first !!].. Anyway, I just wanted to know, when will the DVD for "A Walk To Remember" come out ?!

Mandy Moore: You cried! That's awesome. I am guessing the DVD will come out some time this summer or early fall. We just did the dvd commentary, myself, shane and Adam, our director. It is pretty hilarious. You have to check out the commentary. Every scene, I am like: I love this song! I am such a geek.

Jenny M: What's the biggest argument you've ever had with anyone? What was it about (if I can dare to be so nosey!?!?)???

Mandy Moore: my biggest ever was probably with my parents. I mean, who else? It was probably after I started in the business. I mean, I am a teenager, this is the time when you argue with your parents. I have a great relationship with my parents, they travel with me on the road. But I think that would be most people's answer, their parents.

Amanda: Hey Mandy I am one of your biggest fans!~ I was wondering how you deal with the fame and still stay level-headed? thanx

Mandy Moore: I think you have to take each day, day-by-day, and realize how privileged you are to be doing any of this. Surrounding yourself with the right people, who won't tell you yes to every single question. I definitely think that is what has kept my feet on the ground. They recently took my credit cards away, because they said I was spending too much money. I love to shop. They said I will be turning 18, and it was their way of knocking sense into me before I have more responsibility.

Crystal : Hi Mandy! I was just wondering if you would ever consider in helping someone get a record deal or help someone get noticed or discovered?

Mandy Moore: Absolutely. I would help in any way that I could. People at shows, when I am out and about, they constantly give me cds of them singing with their friends. I always pass them on to my manager.

Michael: Hey Mandy. Good job on Walk, can't wait to see the next film. I read that college is something you'd like to do in the future. Any idea on what kind of classes you'd want to take?

Mandy Moore: I would love to study journalism, musical theatre and fashion design.

Mandy Moore: (what kind of journalism?) Writing for newspapers and magazines, I guess.

Cari G.: Mandy, you sang in The Princess Diaries and A Walk to Remember, but will you be singing in "Try Seventeen"?

Mandy Moore: Not at all! I think both films, both the characters, it had been written into the script. Try Seventeen has nothing to do with that.

AhoyAhoy: Mandy, do you feel like you're working yourself too hard? Has all the difficulties that Mariah Carey's experienced with over tiring and working herself been an eye-opener to you and your future and career?? Thanks.

Mandy Moore: I think that I am very privileged to not be the biggest mega-superstar i the world and to have the most hectic, crazy schedule in the world. I sympathize with Mariah, but I can't completely fit my head around the concept of physical, mental exhaustion, because my schedule has never been that crazy.

Lil_Eva: What's it like being a Red Cross celebrity representative? Does it give you a feeling of giving something back to the community?

Mandy Moore: It is amazing to be involved with charities, to lend your time and name to charities. Being involved with the Red Cross, Until there is a cure, lymphoma society. It makes you feel good, to be able to make a difference out there is wonderful.

Michael Stevens: First off, congratulations on everything you have completed in your life so far. I am a screenwriter, and was wondering what makes you personally want to take on a script, and what ideas in scripts you tend to avoid. P.S. Keep on being yourself, your doing a great job.

Mandy Moore: Thanks Michael. Good luck with your writing. I don't think there is any particular theme that pops out or makes me believe the film is going to be successful or have this wonderful element. It is a case-by-case situation. I definitely want to avoid the popstar-ish movies. There are a lot of those scripts floating around for the past couple of years. I would rather have a challenge, and not play my day-to-day life on the screen.

Nicky B: Hi Mandy. How do you know if a friend is true or if they are latching on to your success?

Mandy Moore: I feel like throughout this whole roller coaster ride that I have been on the past three years, it has helped me be a better judge of character. The people that are in my circle now have been there since the beginning and will probably be there until the end.

plucker: Are there things in the music industry that you wish you could change? If so, what would they be?

Mandy Moore: Non-recoupable everything! There are too many things to change. One thing I would really love to change is, the trend in music has young performers getting involved in the music industry. There are no rules and regulations for getting school work done in this industry, whereas in the film world, you are allotted time. You have required time each day to finish school work. In music, it is find time on the airplane or after a long day. You see 12 and 13 year olds in middle school, and they have finished half of their school career, and still have so much more to go, they don't have time to finish it.

stella: I admire that you concentrate on singing, instead of the dancing that a lot of popacts do nowadays. Please tell me you'll continue with that! Love ya!

Mandy Moore: Love ya Too! Totally look on the next record for an even more organic sound. No dancing required. But if you want to dance, you can, too. I am not a dancer, nor have I ever claimed to be. I am going to stick with singing and entertaining my band onstage. All we do is laugh at each other.

Mandy Moore: Thank you so much to each and every one of you for coming out today. I am delighted to hear your responses to the film and the music. I will continue to try and provide you with more music and movies that you dig! Take care, God Bless, have fun, PEACE!

-- AllPop

Mandy Moore's had two successful film outings, and now a major studio is considering casting her in a new teen romance.

Mandy, who can be seen in "A Walk To Remember" and previously appeared in "The Princess Diaries," might star in "How To Deal", a movie adapted from two young-adult books penned by Sarah Dessen, zap2it.com reports.

New Line Cinema will purchase the rights to the movie, which is based on Dessen's "Someone Like You" and "That Summer".

According to Amazon.com, "Someone Like You" is about two friends -- Halley and Scarlett -- who have to deal with death, friendship, and teen pregnancy. "Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break -- because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever," reads the description on Amazon.

"That Summer" sounds a bit lighter: The 15-year-old main character, Haven, feels tall and awkward while her sister Ashley manages to "live a life just like Barbie's; popular and perfect, always with a handsome boyfriend and the cool crowd," reads an excerpt from the book on Amazon.com.

"How To Deal", a combination of the books, follows the life of a teenager who thinks that love doesn't exist, only to be proven wrong.

Mandy's current movie, "Walk", is based on the popular young-adult novel of the same name written by Nicholas Sparks.

-- AllPop

Teen girls couldn't get enough of popstar Mandy Moore and her weepy romantic movie "A Walk To Remember" last weekend.

The overwhelming majority of the crowd attending the movie were girls (84%), and more than half of audience was under the age of 18, Variety reports.

The movie, based on the book by Nicholas Sparks, is about a minister's daughter who falls for a boy with a dark past and then takes a sad turn near the end.

"We're calling it the little movie that could," vet producer Denise Di Novi told Variety.

A marketing campaign aimed to attract Christian groups also played a contributing factor in the movie's success.

"There's definitely a market for spiritually oriented movies," observed David Davis, box-office analyst at Houlihan, Lokey, Howard and Zukin. "And in this, the main female character is the daughter of a minister."

The success of Mandy's movie leads Davis to believe that Britney's upcoming "Crossroads", opening on Feb. 15, could also enjoy box-office success.

-- AllPop

HOLLYWOOD -- Pop star Mandy Moore loves a good cry and hopes her fans do too.

In the romantic drama A Walk to Remember (which opens in theatres on Friday), the 17-year-old Moore plays Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the local minister who falls in love with Landon Carter, the son of one of the wealthiest families in their small North Carolina town.

Their budding love survives the odd-couple pairing and the disdain of Landon's friends, but they have something much greater to contend with.

Jamie is battling leukemia and this is the 1950s, when treatment for this blood cancer is still in its infancy.

The film is based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, author of the adult weeper Message in a Bottle.

"I'm a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks and I'd read the book a year before I even found out they were making a film of it. Once I read the screenplay there was no way I wasn't going to fight to play Jamie," says Moore.

There was just one problem.

When she read for the role of Jamie, Moore hadn't even completed her supporting role in The Princess Diaries.

"What helped was that I'm pretty comfortable in front of a camera and I owe that to my show on MTV. It helped me build my confidence as a person and a performer.

"Being in The Princess Diaries got my feet even wetter so I wasn't frightened to accept a lead role."

Moore doesn't just act in A Walk to Remember, she performs Cry, one of the songs on the soundtrack album.

"Cry is the third single to come off my last album, Mandy Moore, and also the first single off the Walk soundtrack. It is absolutely my favourite song I've ever recorded.

"I think it represents me better than anything I've recorded to date. I'm so happy that the song and the movie mesh so well.

"I'm so excited and pleased with Cry, I want to build upon the style and production values for my next album. I'll probably start recording my new album next month. I've been writing a lot lately and there's definitely a bit of a departure from my earlier stuff."

One thing Moore won't be changing for her music videos is her fashion image. She doesn't intend to adopt the sensual, revealing styles of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

"You don't have to adopt something just because it's popular, especially if you're not comfortable with a style.

"It's a real bummer that image and fashion are as important or even more important than a person's music or acting. I just don't want to look back in 10 years and be embarrassed by what I looked like in an attempt to be popular."

The wardrobe in A Walk to Remember is hardly something Moore would choose for herself.

"Except for the scene when Jamie is performing in the school play, I was dressed in clothes that were four sizes too big with mismatched socks, and I had my hair in a ponytail.

"They painted my face with a white foundation and accentuated the circles under my eyes, so that the one time I did get to dress up it was exciting.

"I actually understood how Jamie must have felt."

To get deeper into her character's physical battle, Moore met with a 19-year-old Wilmington girl whose leukemia has been in remission for four years.

"It gave me important insights on how mature a person gets when they are dealing with a life-threatening disease. After meeting this wonderful girl, I also felt I had to respect her and others in her situation through my performance.

"It became more than a part I was playing. I had a bit of a mission as well."

Moore, who is in her senior year of high school, says she is eyeing college and university but also has to be realistic.

"There are so many opportunities available to me right now that for the first two years, at least, I think I'll probably do correspondence courses, which is essentially what I did to get my high school credits."

HOLLYWOOD -- For the romantic drama A Walk to Remember, Shane West filmed a few kissing scenes he won't soon forget.

West's co-star is singer Mandy Moore, who is trying to forge an acting career.

She had a small role in The Princess Diaries, but in A Walk to Remember, which opens Friday, Moore, 17, shares top billing and major screen time with West, 23, the star of the TV series Once and Again.

They play lovers from those proverbial different sides of the track.

West knew Moore was nervous for her first big dramatic role so he "didn't play any pranks on her as I usually do on my co-stars.

"I don't think she would have appreciated that because she was quite nervous at times."

It was West who got a bit nervous when it came time to film the big kissing scenes.

"Her boyfriend (That 70s Show's Wilmer Valderrama) was on set for a couple of those scenes. It made it awkward for her and a little nervewracking for me, but Mandy was a real trooper."

West feels "acting comes natural to Mandy and she has one of the most luminous smiles of anyone.

"Because this was Mandy's first major role, I suddenly felt like a veteran for the first time in my life. It was very cute and a lot of fun."

Fun was certainly the order of the day when West filmed his scene for Ocean's Eleven.

In an early scene in the film, West takes gambling lessons from Brad Pitt and George Clooney with other young Hollywood stars Topher Grace, Joshua Jackson and Barry Watson.

"It was a scene (director) Steven Soderberg added at the last moment. He wanted a comic moment to open the film and he wanted to poke some fun at the (youth oriented) TV industry."

West admits it was a "a real trip because I got a line of dialogue with George and I was sitting next to Brad with him calling me by my real name. We shot all night. Steven said it was the longest night shoot of the whole film."

It was a rather surreal experience because "they asked us to be ourselves, then dressed us in the most outrageous clothes. Things we'd never wear just to add more satire."

HOLLYWOOD -- Sometimes life seems so surreal for Mandy Moore, the So Real girl.

Moore, whose debut album So Real went platinum in just three weeks, releases her third CD today.

The self-titled album Mandy Moore features the single In My Pocket, which was released last month and immediately skyrocketed to the top of the charts.

"There are days I can't believe it's all happening. It's a really surreal feeling, considering this is the life I always dreamed of having," says Moore.

When she was just another junior high school student in Orlando, Moore did more than dream.

She sang The Star Spangled Banner at so many sporting events around Florida that she became known as the National Anthem Girl.

Local Orlando record producers began giving her songs written by their clients, so Moore decided to cut a demo of three of the songs.

"I was 14 and went to a studio on my own dime to cut the demo. This FedEx guy heard my demo and called my parents to see if he could send it to a friend of his in the record business," recalls Moore.

Her parents agreed but did not tell their daughter, so she was flabbergasted when she got a call offering her a recording contract.

It was just the beginning of an avalanche of good fortune. Her debut album led to a second which also went platinum, and soon Mandy was hosting her own MTV program.

On Aug. 3 she makes her acting debut in Disney's The Princess Diaries and she's already completed her second feature film, A Walk to Remember. In July, Moore is off to Europe and Australia to promote her new CD and will do a quick concert tour in the U.S. in August.

Moore says there is absolutely no truth to the stories about rivalry between her and other young pop divas, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson.

"Jessica and I are the absolute best friends. I have her cellphone number and we talk all the time.

"Jessica and I aren't in the same league as Britney and Christina so the idea of rivalry and competition doesn't even enter the equation. They are the superstars. They don't have contact with me and Jessica."

Moore insists she is not about to pattern herself after Spears and Aguilera. "In a day and age where sex sells, I can understand why Britney rips her clothes off. It works for her. It wouldn't work for me.

"I'm just 17 and I don't have the confidence to do that kind of thing. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of using sex to sell my songs."

Moore says that like the tunes on her previous CDs, her new songs explore more traditional, tamer relationships. Her songs deal with how boys should treat the girls they love.

She refuses to say whether she got any inspiration for these new songs from her own boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Fez on That '70s Show.

Though she admits making movies is "a blast," Moore insists "there is no greater adrenalin rush than performing live at a concert. It becomes a love affair with your audience. The more they give you, the more you give back."