Emily Osment & Kay Panabaker in Cyberbully
Emily Osment & Kay Panabaker star in the TV movie, Cyberbully on July 17 at 8 PM on ABC Family channel. We got to talk to them about the movie and about their own advice for dealing with the sometimes dangerous online world.
Q: What is Cyberbully about?
Emily: In a way it's ripped from the headlines and while it's not based on a true story it easily could be. It centers around my character, Taylor, and her journey through high school. She struggles at home and is extremely insecure, and for some reason, the girls at school say she is the girl to pick on. She is targeted for absolutely no reason. She's picked on at school and picked on online which is why it's called Cyberbully and that is a huge topic right now. It's about her downward spiral, and Kay plays my best friend and I bring her and my family into it. My character is completely tormented and it's very sad. It's about the way to handle cyberbullying and maybe not the way to handle it and has a good moral that we ask for it basically, because we put ourselves out there.
Kay: That's exactly the comment I've been making because you put yourself out there, and people think having such instant access to you they can say whatever they want, and a lot of the times it's positive, and people want to talk to you, but there are those other people that want to make you feel bad to make themselves feel better. Is their advice genuinely the one you should be listening to? My mom always taught me that you need to present yourself privately as you would publicly, so if you wouldn't say the things you are saying online to that person's face, don't say them. And if you can't help yourself, remove yourself from the temptation and take yourself offline. If you can't handle it well like this movie says, take yourself offline and deal with the bullying not online.
Q: Does any of the stuff you read online about yourself affect your confidence?
Emily: I have a very good sense of who I am and I have people who I trust and will tell me something isn't right. Like my mom will say don't wear that dress, so I change, and I trust that. But I wouldn't ask my Twitter followers if this dress makes my butt look big. I would ask people that I know so I don't let it affect me personally. I could find a million things to bully about anyone but I choose not to.
Q: What books do you recommend?
Kay: Ender's Game, Uglies, Stargirl, Thirteen Reasons Why, and The Hunger Games.
Emily: Anything by Sarah Dessen who just came out with two new books, anything by Avi, Ender's Game, of course Stargirl, a book called Loser that is great. Harry Potter is great.
Q: Is there anything you are insecure about?
Kay: Insecurities never go away and even when you know you are at your best, you will still doubt yourself. A lot of people deal with that by calling attention to it but I personally believe that they are your insecurities and you are allowed to deal with them how you want. I don't feel the need to let people in on that struggle with myself and about that growth. Because then there will be those people that just want to make you feel insecure and I don't want to invite that.
Emily: And I like my big butt so whatever.
Q: Have you had any embarrassing moments?
Kay: I make a fool of myself on a daily basis. I trip whenever I wear high heels. It's funny I just went to Vegas to celebrate my 21st birthday and all of my boyfriend's guy friends came. I warned them I was wearing shoes that were impossible to walk in but went really well with my dress, and I had to walk by myself and one of the guy friends was behind me and saw me nearly wipe out. He just started laughing because he played the movie in his head where I actually did fall down and it was a tragic mess. I am not graceful in heels so that's why I wear wedges because they are much more sturdy.
Are you going to watch Cyberbully? I hope nothing like that ever happens to any of you, dear STACKERS!
— Interview by Gerri Miller
Photos courtesy of Disney Channel
I saw the commercial. Looks great. I agree it is AWESOME!!!!!
Comment #26 | Posted by: Adorablefog2 on July 17, 2011 at 07:03 PM
I LOVE THE HUNGER GAMES! I LOVE UGLIES! I LOVE CYBERBU//Y!
Comment #27 | Posted by: Cassi on July 17, 2011 at 10:36 PM
This movie sounds amazing I love Emily Osment and Kay I am totally wathing i cannot wait to see it. I am going to ask everybody watch it especially since it could happen to anyone
Comment #28 | Posted by: Courtney on July 18, 2011 at 10:30 AM
cool
Comment #29 | Posted by: Courtney on July 18, 2011 at 10:32 AM
l
Comment #30 | Posted by: Courtney on July 18, 2011 at 10:32 AM
guess i have to watch!!well im off to the movie shop!!
bu bye!!
Comment #31 | Posted by: trixie m on July 18, 2011 at 10:42 AM
well i guess its a good movie. i might watch it. let me check...
Comment #32 | Posted by: bushra on July 18, 2011 at 01:46 PM
i watched your movie today and last night. that is so mean of them.
Comment #33 | Posted by: s on July 18, 2011 at 04:26 PM
hi how are u today i hope it is good.
Comment #34 | Posted by: s on July 18, 2011 at 04:27 PM
hi how are u i heard about your movie. i am going to the movie shop to bye your movie
Comment #35 | Posted by: s on July 18, 2011 at 04:30 PM
well i dont have cable so i wont be able to see it well i have cable but at the time ill be visiting my grandma and she dosent have cable booy hoouy. But i wish i could see it anyways i guess after wat happend with hannah montana (she needs a career ) dont get me wrong i like emiley osment shes a really good actress!!! sincerly,sarah
Comment #36 | Posted by: funkysarah0223 on July 18, 2011 at 05:51 PM
GREAT movie! Really inspiring. I was actually cyber-bullied so I think more movies like this should be made. Otherwise, AWESOME movie!
Comment #37 | Posted by: Caroline on July 18, 2011 at 07:18 PM
I want to see that movie because i was bullied online and off. I want to know how you guys dealed with it too!
Comment #38 | Posted by: stationazure2 on July 18, 2011 at 10:23 PM
It is I just saw it
Comment #39 | Posted by: Abbba on July 19, 2011 at 06:44 PM
i just saw it.. it was so good,...
Comment #40 | Posted by: abba on July 19, 2011 at 07:00 PM
ya i did too well sometimes it is just people can be maen
Comment #41 | Posted by: abba on July 19, 2011 at 07:05 PM
Cyber Bullying is wrong
Comment #42 | Posted by: kristen on July 19, 2011 at 07:23 PM
the hunger games series is an awesome series and i cant believe i miss the movie and i also like the book loser it was sad but a very goo book
Comment #43 | Posted by: Hunger games girl on July 19, 2011 at 09:18 PM
it is i just saw it
Comment #44 | Posted by: blueblack234 on July 19, 2011 at 09:56 PM
that is really sad i feel her in this kid
Comment #45 | Posted by: woblysrfer01236 on July 20, 2011 at 05:16 PM
I feel sorry for her in this movie
Comment #46 | Posted by: woblysrfer01236 on July 20, 2011 at 05:17 PM
i guess ill watch it!!sounds great!!
Comment #47 | Posted by: trixie m on July 21, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Although i'm a guy, I really like this movie. It did have sad parts in it though.
Comment #48 | Posted by: Goosebumpsdude on July 21, 2011 at 04:11 PM
cyber bullies are sooo mean !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment #49 | Posted by: Michelle on July 21, 2011 at 09:49 PM
i know its a good movie hey evry body wat you,all
Comment #50 | Posted by: jam on July 21, 2011 at 10:35 PM