Question: Did you find jumping into acting in films different from Reality TV?
Jessica Simpson: I thought it was going to be a lot harder but I think just the atmosphere, the cast, Johnny and Sean, and the director, and everybody has really made me feel very comfortable. They're crazy anyway, so it's okay if I mess up and it's cool for your first movie to go in completely open to just fall on your face. That's the personality that they have and what makes them so good at what they do.
Q: Why did you want this part?
Simpson: It was important for me to not go so far away from my persona and what people already knew me as. Eventually I will go there, but for my first role I just didn't want it to be too farfetched. And I just thought it was an amazing character. I wasn't born yet when "Dukes of Hazzard" first came out on TV, but I did see all the reruns and I'm from the South and the accent sort of came naturally and it's something that as an all-American girl I wanted to keep.
Q: What do you think is the best part about Daisy's character?
Simpson: That she gets everybody out of trouble. I think that's so much fun about it. That people lean on Daisy to make things happen; whether it's her sexuality or personality, it's really fun because you never really looked at Daisy Duke. If you look at the clothes that she was wearing, especially back them, it's so skimpy and nowadays, you would be like, "Oh gosh!" I can't believe she wears that walking down the street. Somehow Daisy Duke can pull it off and she always had a smile when she does it. It's not ever anything that's too seductive.
Q: You are testing the waters by acting in a part that is close to you. Where do you want to go as an actress?
Simpson: I want to do the romantic comedies; the stuff that Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts do of course, but I love movies that move you and make you cry. Whether it's a drama, I'm up for anything. I don't know if I would be good being some coked-up drug addict. I've never tried it and that would be hard to identify with, but maybe one day. You never know.
Q: You look like you got in shape for this role. Can you talk about what you did to prepare?
Simpson: Immediately when I found out that I had the part, I thought it would be best to be able to have something to work towards or else I'll stick to my fried food and taco bell. To have something, a goal, is awesome; so I ate my last piece of chocolate cake when I found out and ever since then I've tried to cut sugar out of my diet except fruit. For the most part, I eat healthy and work out for two hours everyday.
Q: Will you stick to this diet after the movie?
Simpson: Yeah, I'm addicted to it now. Now, I actually feel better and I have so much more energy and work is so much easier, but I'm also not traveling everyday of my life, which I'm so used to and that's one of the main differences when doing a movie.
Q: Do you get appreciated by young female fans?
Simpson: Especially when they come up with their mother. Their mother always thanks me for staying positive and putting good energy out there and being a good role model. That's probably the biggest comment I get and makes me want to continue to choose things that are inspirational for other people.
Q: What do you think is the biggest misconception about you?
Simpson: I'm definitely ditzy. People think that about me and that's okay with me, but I'm not that Anna Nicole Smith type. I definitely have my stuff together and I'm a very determined person who works really hard, and a lot of that gets lost in the chicken and tuna comments, but that's okay because it's done really well for me.
(Opening soon across the Philippines, "The Dukes of Hazzard" is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Entertainment Company.)