Kidsday: Interviewing Ashley Tisdale

We interviewed actress Ashley Tisdale at Planet Hollywood in Manhattan recently.

What motivated you to get into show business?

I started when I was 3 years old, so I don't know. It kind of came natural. I was so young, and I was doing commercials and modeling, and I was doing commercials all the time, so my friends were like, "So I guess she's supposed to do this." But I just always loved it. I loved being on set and filming. It's always been such fun.

Do you feel pressure when you audition for a part?

Yeah, all the time. I get nervous and everything because you only have that one chance to prove to everybody that you can do the character. And so I definitely get nervous and feel pressure, and I always know to be calm and walk in there and try to just own the room and show them that you really want this part.

Did your parents have any influence on you?

Yes, definitely. I always looked up to my mom, and she's, I think, instilled confidence in me growing up, and she's a very driven businesswoman, and I think I have that [quality] as well. . . . My dad owns a construction company, and seeing how hard he works makes me want to do everything.

What do you do to relax

and unwind when on vacation?

I love to hang out, I love to work out, like hanging out with my friends, go out to dinner; I love going on vacation because it's so much fun to relax -- just have a couple days just to not have to be somewhere at this time and get ready for this, just to be able to have no makeup on, nothing done with my hair. So I just love to hang out and chill. Like things you probably take for granted in some ways. Just because you're, like, always running, it's just nice to be home.

After leaving "High School Musical," are you still friends with the cast?

Oh, yeah, definitely. I'm still friends with all of them. They're like my family because we grew up together. I was just with Zac [Efron] the other day, Vanessa . . . I saw Lucas [Grabeel] at the premiere, and he also comes and visits me in Vancouver.

What is your inspiration for your music?

I get inspired by a lot of things. I could be shopping and suddenly have an idea, and I'll, like, just record it on my phone. There's definitely tons of stuff, but I just love performing. I love being out in front of the stage, like just the audience totally gets me excited, and I get inspired by that.

Did you ever audition for a part and not get it?

Oh, yeah. Definitely. This business is 90 percent rejection, so pretty much like more than half of the stuff I wanted, I didn't get. It's crazy. You just have to go in there and hope that you're going to get it. You just never know. I'm really lucky that I got "High School Musical." I auditioned for Disney Channel for so long, for years, doing auditioning for movies and never got it. Like the girl on the Disney Channel would get it. I was like, "When am I going to get one?" I'm really lucky I got "High School Musical."

Do you prefer acting or singing?

I love singing, but definitely acting is one of my main passions because I was doing it for so long. So I would have to say acting.

What's your favorite pizza topping?

Pepperoni.