Fresh Hotness

Jesse’s been pop star-big in the US for yonks. But with his slick new RnB toons and this brilliantly open interview (gays, drugs, nipples etc) he proves to the UK he’s no Disney kid now.

Once an all American teenage heartthrob, Disney star Jesse McCartney recently turned 21. Instead of investing in his first keg of beer and checking into rehab, he co-wrote Bleeding Love, currently the biggest-selling song in the world, cut his blond locks and got downright rude and racy on new album Departure. We got Jesse to loosen up his shirt and tell all about fancying Posh and Becks, being rivals with Zac Efron and playing a ****ed-up druggie.

Do you still consider yourself a heartthrob?
My attitude has changed about that title and I think there’ll be someone that will fill that space very soon, if not already. Heartthrob? I’m easy…

We love the new album. Especially the rude lyrics and innuendos on tracks Rock You and Into Ya…
Definitely! I mean the record in itself is a little bit more sensual and there’s certainly some shock value. Like Into Ya – there’s a play on words there! It allows me to be cheeky but not over the top. It just feels like this is the record I have to make at my age.

Speaking of which, what’s the best thing about turning 21?
Well I can go order a beer and not have to worry about breaking the law, so that’s always nice! I guess that 21 is certainly a pivotal year growing up in America. Over here in the UK you can be drinking when you’re like, 11, so it doesn’t matter.

You get a bit nekkid in your new video, was that your decision?
Yeah myself and the director who I had worked with before. It’s a little bit racier, a little bit more intimate and, mmm! Since then I haven’t been back in the gym so when I shoot the next one, I’m gonna have to go back. I’ve been on the road, and eating…

Do you feel the pressure to work out?
Well, you don’t wanna be doing the shirtless when you’ve just got off a tour. And it feels good man. It was the first time I really worked out and had a regimented schedule in the gym. I felt a lot healthier and was in better condition, even vocally.

The camera is up your face in the video, do you ever get angry with paparazzis?
The paparazzi, yeah you just wanna smack ‘em all in the face. But for the video I knew it was going to be intimate. I had a chance to hang with the actress in it, Nikki. We went to dinner together. I know the director so I wasn’t worried. With the paparazzi though, those guys are really out of control.

You’re certainly a sex symbol. And now you’ll have us boys chasing after you as well…
Hey man! The more the merrier! You know a fan’s a fan. You know it doesn’t matter what your sexuality is.

Have you played in gay clubs before?
I haven’t played any gay clubs. I think we’re gonna try and do some of that over here in the UK, but I’ve never done it before.

Will you be taking your top off?
Like I said, if I get back in the gym, it’s a possibility! I know that umm… the fans might appreciate it. I dunno. We’ll see at the time, if it’s right!

We have to ask about the Leona Lewis’ track Bleeding Love which you co-wrote. That’s pretty amazing…
Well I’ll tell ya, it certainly took Ryan and I by surprise. (Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic). We never expected it to do what it did. It couldn’t of happened to a better person too. I met Leona at a bar, we had a few drinks and hung out.

Most songs these days have 12 co-writers. This was just two…
It was a fun record to write. We were in a mood that day that we just had to get it down on paper, we knew it felt like a really good song.

Wasn’t it a shame to let it go?
Er… no. I think we both kind of decided it did need a female vocalist. I recorded it, it’s actually on a European version of the album. I cut it because it didn’t fit with the other material. And we decided it would sound better with a diva, a big pop diva.

[Let's talk about] fellow Disney star Miley Cyrus a.k.a Hannah Montanna. Can you comment on the naked photo controversy?
I will comment about that. I think that people are nuts. I didn’t find any of the photos offensive in Vanity Fair. I thought they were artistic if anything. It sucks man. Everything about Miley was so sensationalized. I really feel for her you know.

Are you a Justin Timberlake fan?
Huge! I love Justin. I admire his work, I love his songs. I think he’s a great musician and entertainer… he’s the only other white boy I know that’s doing r’n’b music.

You’ve starred with Zac Efron in the past. Are you two friends?
Yeah. I haven’t spoken with him in a while. The only thing I can say about Zac Efron is that he’s really one of those people that you can’t help but love. He’s just so laid-back, almost too laid-back. He’s just so nonchalant about everything…

He seems quite focused to us!
Oh he’s really focused, but he’s got this ‘Yeah man! – whatever’ kind of attitude, which is great, in such a chaotic world. He’s super-talented and really humble.

C’mon there must be some rivalry between you…
None whatsoever. He’s one of those guys, you wanna root for him you know? There’s not a bad bone in his body.

Your film career has so far been for a much younger audience. Would you like to do more serious acting roles?
Definitely. I think after this album, I’m gonna take a little time to pursue that more and more. I’ve always been drawn to more dramatic, darker film roles. Hopefully I’ll have more time for it.

Would you play a gay character?
Yeah. You know an actor is an actor and an actor in my opinion should be able to step up and play any role, whether it’s gay, straight, whatever. It’s all about becoming somebody else, that’s what I love about acting.

Is there another male actor you’d like to act with?
Definitely. I’d love to do something with Edward Norton or Phillip Seymour Hoffman. My ideal role is to play kind of like, a ****ed-up druggy, like Leonardo DiCaprio in the Basketball Diaries.

Going back to the gay question – if you had to have a Brokeback Mountain style co-star, who would it be? Somebody your age?!
Mmmm… if I had to have a co-star my age (pauses for a while)… maybe Emile Hirsch? He’s a really good actor. And maybe Shia LaBeouf.

Nice! Is there any men you look up to in the fashion world?
I like Marc Jacobs, I think that all of his stuff seems to fit me all the time. I love his suits and everything that he puts out there.

What about David Beckham?
Yeah. Beckham’s a stud man.

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~ by FreshHotness on June 23, 2008.