Christina Milian: Movie Star 101

At 22 years old, Christina Milian has already co-written a tune for J. Lo ("Play"), sung on a Ja Rule track ("Between You and Me"), had a hit album in Europe and recorded a number-one hit single (2001's "AM to PM").

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Coming in 2004 is a U.S. debut album, but before that, the multitalented Milian hits the big screen twice in quick succession: as the popular cheerleader in the December remake of 1987's Can't Buy Me Love, now titled Love Don't Cost a Thing, and in the January motorcycle action pic Torque. NOT BAD FOR A NOVICE, ROLES IN TWO BIG MOVIES: "I was so nervous--I wanted people to think, 'Wow, she's a good actress,' and separate my acting career from my musical career, not think, 'Oh, she just got lucky because she's a singer.'" SHE MUST HAVE REALLY STUDIED UP: "I did a lot of practicing in front of the mirror. I asked if they wanted me to take acting classes and they said, 'No, please, we want everything to come out naturally.' Maybe in the future for those Sixth Sense kinds of roles." SHE EVEN PICKED HER OWN COSTAR: "They asked for my help on Love Don't Cost a Thing because it was all about the chemistry. Then one day they mentioned Nick Cannon. We met when he had a show on Nickelodeon and I had a show on Disney, and I was like, 'It has to be Nick--I don't want to do it with anyone else.'" AND SHE PLAYS A CHEERLEADER AGAIN--IN THE UPCOMING CHEER UP! HOW COOL IS THAT!: "It interested me because of fun movies like Bring It On. Now I'm like, 'Oh, my God, this is a lot of work.' They have us doing all of these stunts and practicing every day. I'm like, 'I'm so happy I'm not a cheerleader.' Watch me come out of this on crutches."

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Lauren Lyster