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Abaixo há um vídeo da atriz Vanessa Williams, a Wilhemina Slater de Ugly Betty e nesta entrevista ela fala sobre seu papel na série, o novo filme da Hanna Montana e um acordo muito interessante que fez com seu filho. Assista o vídeo e leia a transcrição abaixo.

Speaking of aging gracefully, we sat down with the beautiful Vanessa Williams to talk about her role on Ugly Betty and the new Hanna Montana movie and a special deal she’s made with her son.
Actress Vanessa Williams and her son Devin have exchanged a different kind of gift this holiday season: they gave each other a promise.

Vanessa: Devin is about to, um, get his license and get behind the wheel, um and, um, as a parent it’s, there’s a lot of concern, we’re frankly afraid. Teenagers and car crashes have been number one cause of fatalities.

So they both signed a parent-teen driving contract before Devin gets behind the wheel.

Vanessa: The contract allowed us to have a conversation about what my expectations are as a parent, uh, what the consequences will be if the rules aren’t met. It was a wonderful opportunity to have a dialogue with a teenager who doesn’t really like to talk but that’s kinda normal for that age range.

For Devin it’s a promise he plans to keep.

Devin: I think I will be able to hold it back because the consequences are pretty bad so I’ll just be good and stick to the rules.

And those consequences hit home with teenagers.

Devin: If I text or talk on the phone I will lose my iPhone for a month and that’s pretty horrible.

Vanessa: If I can ask him to not text and he can do it, um I think that’s a step in the right direction.

Also taking a step in the right direction is Vanessa Williams’ career playing the deliciously diabolical Wilhemina on Ugly Betty.

Vanessa: I’m happy that it’s come at this time in my life, I mean, you know, five years ago, uh, women over 40, there were not that many avenues for us to be on television on a weekly basis. They do a great job writing for Wilhemina, a lot of it is on the page and I can’t wait to have the words come out of my mouth.

Ugly Betty clip
Wilhemina: And that blouse is heaven. Where did you get it? I love it.
Betty: No, you don’t.
Wilhemina: No, I don’t, it’s hideous, like driving through Ohio.

Vanessa: The costumes, the situations, you know, the fabulous office and décor that I’m in, and the stance, the posture, the carriage, um, she’s kind of a culmination of a lot of divas that I’ve witnessed, stories that I’ve heard, and watching Granger on film and on stage.

Ugly Betty Clip
Wilhemina: Thank God it’s hunting season, if I can’t be with the man I want, at least I can kill something.

You can also catch Vanessa Williams in the new Hanna Montana movie.

Vanessa: I play a pushy publicist in the new Hanna Montana movie. And as soon as the offer came in I just said, “I don’t care what it is, yes, because I have an eight-year-old who is prime Hanna Montana material and she freaked out when I told her that I was going to be in the movie so that one was for Sasha, for sure.

She’s also still recording.

Vanessa: I have a new album coming out, I’m about to do the cover in a couple of weeks.

And she loves being back in the Big Apple with the show calling it Season Three NYC.

Vanessa: It’s like being home again. We get a chance to see the city, which is the real character of the show now.

But mostly, she loves keeping her kids safe.

Vanessa: Everyone has to talk about sex and drugs, safe driving is equally as important to save lives.

Vocabulary

1. to age – envelhecer
2. to make a deal – fazer um acordo
3. exchange gifts – trocar presentes
4. to be about to – estar prestes a
5. to get a license – tirar carteira de motorista
6. to get behind the wheel – ficar atrás do volante, começar a dirigir
7. concern – preocupação
8. car crashes – acidentes de carro
9. fatalities – mortes
10. if the rules aren’t met – se as regras não forem cumpridas
11. kind of – um tanto
12. age range – faixa etária
13. to keep a promise – manter uma promessa
14. to hold something back – “segurar a onda”, controlar-se
15. to stick to the rules – seguir as regras
16. to hit home – surtir efeito
17. to text – mandar mensagem de texto
18. on a weekly basis – semanalmente
19. hideous – horri’vel, hediondo
20. to witness – testemunhar
21. at least – pelo menos
22. pushy – exigente
23. to freak out – pirar, enlouquecer