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Star Spotlight: Madison Davenport
by Marie Morreale, June 20 , 2008
click here for the audio

Scholastic News: You have a lot coming out in the coming months—first Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.
Madison: Yes, I play Ruthie, Kit's best friend in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl and then A Monster in the Attic—it's an independent film. It'll be coming out in a film festival. And then there is an animated feature called Christmas is Here Again.

SN: What grade are you in?
Madison: I'm in fifth grade.

SN: Are you in regular school?
Madison: Yes, I'm in public school.

SN: When you are on the set of a movie, you are tutored on the set, right?
Madison: Yes, they have an on-set teacher. We still have to do all the work that we do in class, but we have to do it in a three-hour time span. It's really fun on-set, though.

SN: What is the most fun that you've had on-set recently?
Madison: Well, I think the most fun that I've had was on both of the sets . . . actually, on all three. Doing a voiceover for Christmas is Here Again was really fun 'cause everyone was so nice to me. And then Kit Kittredge was an amazing experience because I got to go to Canada, and it was my first "era" film, so I got to wear the 1930's clothes, the real vintage clothes. And A Monster in the Attic was also another era film, so two era films in one summer—who knew. I love being on-set because everyone is really nice to you. You always have a really great adventure. You always get to meet new people.

SN: When did you know that you wanted to act?
Madison: I guess I really always wanted to act. When I was seven, I actually had the opportunity to come out to California. I've always really loved playing a part, playing a character and being someone else.

SN: When you were little, did you put on little plays for your family and friends?
Madison: Yes, I did. I actually used to make these little plays. I would stand there, and I would act out where I was dying or something. I would make them sit there and watch all my plays. I would be talking in gibberish language, like I was talking in a different language, and my parents would be like, "Oh that was great!" and I'd be like, "Wait, it's not done!

SN: What was your first professional job?
Madison: Do commercials count? I did a Kodak commercial, and it was really cool because it was the first time I got to be in a trailer. And I got to work with 12 dogs. I had to walk them all. . . .It was so funny. The dogs were kind of all different sizes. Little dogs and big dogs. I actually almost got to take one of the doggies home.

SN: What's your favorite subject in school?
Madison: Sometimes it changes. It all really changes because, you know, some days math is hard, and some days science is hard. But right now, it's science.

SN: What do you like about math or what don't you like about math?
Madison: Well, I don't like to be negative about math because it really teaches you a lot of great things. You kind of use math every day. I mean, our clock goes seven minutes slower than my phone clock. So it's like 3:33. I'm just gonna say on my clock it's 3:33. But mine is seven. . . .I'm not gonna do the math (laughs). I do like math because it definitely teaches you something.

SN: Do you like to read?
Madison: I do. I've recently become a bookworm. Actually, I stayed up 'til 9:30 reading a book, and it was so funny. My mom walks in, she's like, "What are you doing up? I thought I put you to bed!" And I'm like, "You did, but I'm reading."

SN: What was the book?
Madison: It was this book. It was really scary. It was called Wait Till Helen Comes. It was a really, really scary book, but it was very intriguing.

SN: What kind of books do you like?
Madison: I love all different kinds, but my favorite kind is fantasy, romantic, happily-ever-after—oh, they get married. I definitely like what Ruthie likes. Ruthie's kind of like, a fantasy kind of girl. She loves Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

SN: Is there a character in a book that you've read that you would love to play in a movie?
Madison: Yes. Well, I read this book and it was called Eleanor: Crowned Jewel of Aquitaine. She was from France. During the whole book, it was so amazing because I loved her hair—she said it went all the way down to her hips, and I've always wanted to have really long hair. And I would love to play her because of all her gowns and her hair and because I love the way she talks. And during the book, she had a crush on one of her father's knights, and she's like, "Someday, I wish I could run off with him and get married. But I know that's just a fantasy. I know that could never happen." I would love to play her.

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