Mandy Moore Effect: Movies

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION: A socially awkward but very bright 15-year-old girl being raised by a single mom discovers that she is the princess of a small European country because of the recent death of her long-absent father, who, unknown to her, was the crown prince of Genovia. She must make a choice between continuing the life of a San Francisco teen or stepping up to the throne. While Mia makes up her mind, she's pressed into taking princess lessons from her grandmother. (Amazon)

Official Description Released by Disney: Starring Academy Award(R) winner Julie Andrews (1964 Best Actress, MARY POPPINS), the enchanting Anne Hathaway, and Hector Elizondo (PRETTY WOMAN), THE PRINCESS DIARIES is a cool, comical Cinderella story that will touch your heart. For teenager Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway), just surviving each school day is an adventure. Then the shocking news arrives that she's a real-life princess! So begins a comical transformation towards poise and princess-ness, including a media storm, jealous schoolmates, and a plot to take over her country.

Mandy Moore's Role: In her on-screen debut, Moore plays the character Lana Thomas, the leader of a group of stuck up cheerleaders who's drive centers around ruining the protagonist's (Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis) life. The character isn't known for her depth based on her one-dimensional role in the story. However, stereotypical the role is, it was exciting to see Mandy Moore on the big screen for the first time. Despite her character, there seemed to be a flicker of promise that hinted at her movies to come. But for the meantime (in 2001), Moore will have to settle for a supporting role. This movie was a testing ground for Mandy and it seems she caught the acting bug from this movie. The least this movie did was put her on the radar of the movie industry. With the amount of money this movie grossed worldwide, this movie may have also introduced more people to the Mandy Moore fanbase.