Interview with Taylor Ann on Her Recent Projects

From Daytime Confidential

By Jamey Giddens

She isn't a nurse, but she played one of TV. On the Wed., June 16 episode of The Young and the Restless, a returning hero was desperate to use his medical prowess to save the life of his dying mother, amid shocking family secrets. When his physician's assistant almost gave his mother the wrong medicine, Dr. Snapper Foster (superstarDavid Hasselhoff, reprising the role that made him a household name) understandably went ballistic, yelling at the nurse until she burst into tears.This could have been any number of scenarios playing out on any of daytime's seven sudsers, save for the fact that the incompetent nurse in question was portrayed by one Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff—David's daughter. I caught up with the beautiful, young starlet to get the dish on what it was like appearing with her Pops in Genoa City. We also chatted about the Hasselhoffs' upcoming, untitled A&E docusoap, which will feature Taylor-Ann and her sister Hayley Hasselhoff (who also stars in the upcoming ABC Family soap, HUGE) pursuing their career aspirations, while dad keeps a watchful eye.Daytime Confidential:You made your soap opera debut today! What was it like working with your dad on The Young and the Restless?Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff: Working on The Young and the Restless with my dad was an absolutely surreal experience! He is my mentor, best friend and inspiration, so being able to act and perform with him allowed me to really get into character. I felt comfortable around him and he brought out my confidence as an actress. He is such a blast to work with!DC: When you were a kid, did he ever talk about his time on the soap?TH: Yes, my dad has talked to me about this soap many times growing up, always telling me the funny stories of him staying up all night learning his lines, because they gave him a script filled with 40 or more pages of dialogue a night! He has some other great stories that really gave me the inspiration and encouragement to follow my dreams.DC: On Y&R, you play a nurse, whom Dr. Snapper Foster, as played by your dad, has to yell at in a scene. Was that a fun scenario to have to act out?TH: Such a fun scenario because it gave us a more challenging scene than I thought we would have together. My dad and I never fight, so being able to do this on camera was really fun! My dad is the funniest guy I know. I kept telling him before the scene, "Dad, now don't go cracking a joke in the middle of the scene." We had such a great time acting this scene out!DC: You will be appearing with your dad, and sister Hayley, in an upcoming A&E docusoap, which focuses on the younger Hasselhoffs pursuing your career dreams, while David lends a hand. Is acting something you want to pursue full-time?TH: Yes, acting has always been a huge passion of mine since I was a little girl, as well as singing. I love to perform, sing and act as its a way to escape reality and go into this dream world where I feel most at home. I will be continuing to act and sing for the rest of my life!DC: What are some of the other career paths we will see the Hasselhoff girls pursue on the upcoming series?TH: Besides the acting, auditions and seeing my sister get the role on the new ABC family series HUGE, A&E follows our journey to becoming a sister band together. You will see our ups and downs, disappointments and accomplishments as we work hard together to try to make it in the business.DC: Would you ever do a soap for a lengthy stint?TH: Yes, I would love to do a soap for a lengthy stint! Soaps are so much fun and everyone who works on them are just great people to work with and be around all day long! Soaps are also great training and the hardest to do in the business.For more information on the Hasselhoffs' upcoming A&E docusoap go to A&E's official website. HUGE, starring Hayley Hasselhoff, premieres June 28 on ABC Family. For more information on HUGE go here.

Trailer for 'Huge' with Hayley Hasselhoff

ABC Family's 'Huge' starts June 28, starring Hayley Hasselhoff alongside Niki Blonksy. The show follows the lives of seven teenagers at a weight-loss camp and their counselors, with a few sporadic sing-a-longs courtesy of Blonsky.ElleGirl talks more about the new series for Hayley.

Hayley Hasselhoff has pursued careers as an actress and a plus-size model, but on her new series, Huge, she will combine her passion for performance with her catwalk-curvy physique.The 17-year-old daughter of actor David Hasselhoff will star alongside Hairspray’s Niki Blonksy when Huge premieres June 28th on ABC Family. The show follows the lives of seven teenagers at a weight-loss camp and their counselors, with a few sporadic sing-a-longs courtesy of Blonsky.“My character comes from a dysfunctional family, and she sees herself as the big girl at school who eats lunch in the bathroom,” said Hasselhoff of her character Amber. But when Amber saves up enough money to go to a weight-loss camp, she is the thinnest and prettiest girl of the summer. “The popular girls take her under their wing,” said Hasselhoff of her character, “and the boys like her, but she has to choose to either be true to herself or see where this road takes her.” 

As a former plus-size model, Hasselhoff is no stranger to the struggle of the teenage self-image. “Growing up I was very self conscious,” said the star, who spent four years in the modeling industry. “I remember looking at the other models and thinking, ‘That’s a real woman!’ People come in all different shapes and sizes.”That seems to be a distinct difference between Hayley and her character: “I’ve grown into myself and don’t let negativity get in my way. I think Amber is more nervous about what people think.”While Amber is focused on dropping the pounds, convinced that being thin and beautiful is the only way to achieve happiness, Haley sees the story of Huge as more than a battle with the bulge. “This show will deal with serious issues that every teenager deals with,” said Hasselhoff, “like eating disorders, sexual orientation, panic attacks. But I really think this is a show about self-discovery. I think the viewers will learn something about themselves from watching it.”To all of the young starlets who are tormented by flashing camera bulbs, and high school students just trying to make it through a Monday in their own skin, “You just have to shut it out. It doesn’t matter what people think of you. It only matters what you think of you.”

Hayley Hasselhoff Cast in New ABC Family Series

From The Hollywood Reporter

"Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky will play the lead in ABC Family's upcoming series "Huge."Two TV stars' offspring, David Hasselhoff's daughter Hayley and James Eckhouse's son Zander, also have been tapped to star on the series, along with Andrew Caldwell."Huge," based on a book by Sasha Paley, was written by "My So-Called Life" creator Winnie Holzman and her daughter, Savannah Dooley.Described as "Glee" meets "Ugly Betty," the series revolves around six teens and the staff at Wellness Canyon, a weight-loss camp. It centers on Will (Blonsky), a funny, opinionated overweight girl sent to the camp by her wealthy parents who own a chain of fitness centers, and Amber (Hasselhoff), a curvy teen who is the skinniest and hottest girl at the camp but who considers herself too heavy.Eckhouse, repped by Main Title and attorney Arik Betesh, will play a college student working as an assistant fitness counselor who becomes attracted to Amber. Caldwell will play the leader of the thinner, popular boys among the overweight camp population.Blonsky is repped by Innovative."Huge," which received a direct-to-series 10-episode order, is slated to premiere in late June.----Congratulations to Hayley for her role in the upcoming series; we wish you the best of luck and we can't wait to see you this summer on ABC Family.