BRANDY STRAIGHT UP
What do you give the young star who's got everything? Another challenge!

From small town choir girl from McComb, Mississippi to 20 year- old superstar: that's the story of Brandy Norwood's life. She's been on the way up ever since she moved to Los Angeles "to give fate a nudge" at the age of four. With a hit TV show, Moesha, a new hit album, Never Say Never, and a eagerly-awaited film, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Brandy has made a smooth transition from dream teen to somewhat of a wonder woman -- or is that Cinderella? She recently was seen in ABC's version of the musical with her idol, Whitney Houston.

Her duet with pop singer Monica, The Boy Is Mine, has become a radio and MTV staple since it's May release. With her second album selling like hotcakes, Brandy looks to begin her own entertainment company called R&B Entertainment (R standing for her brother Roy). "If I pace myself and keep my cool, I'll be okay", says Brandy excitedly. "Believe it or not, I'd like to semi-retire by the time I'm 23." Burn out so soon? "Heck no. I just want to be like Julia Roberts and do a project only when I want to or like the material - not because I need the money. I want to direct. I want to produce. I want success and I want it all."

It seems like Brandy is on the right track. In 1993, she landed the role of Danesah on the ABC sitcom Thea and was also signed to a solo contract by Atlantic Records after auditioning for the label. The next year, her self- titled debut album sold more than 4 million copies and produced three Top 10 hits (two went platinum) -- "Baby" and "Sittin' Up In My Room." Brandy also hopes to give something back to her fans. She started up the Norwood Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving young people. "But," she squeals, "I'm just like a normal kid. I still have to bring my dirty dishes downstairs and clean up my room." Yeh, but then she can go through her designer closet, pull out a Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger outfit and cruise in her 1997 fully equipped Range Rover. Brandy insists stardom hasn't changed her. "My best friends are still the ones I've had for years. And they're my best friends because they don't treat me differently. They tell me when I get full of myself or look bad and we do the same things together we've done for years."

Recently PEOPLE Online's Bonnie Siegler sat down to find out more about Brandy from Brandy:

What did you think of the movie?
I saw it and I couldn't believe myself. I'm so bad in this. I'm saying bad words. My mom was in the back of me and I turned and said, "Mom, you know it was in the script." But I loved it. And I thought Jennifer was great.

Is it still scary for you though after making the movie and knowing what's going to happen?
I still jumped a lot. Of course, I knew what was going to happen but scenes that I was not in, they were scary to me. I loved the movie. I think Danny [Cannon] is out of here and going to be huge. He made us look so good.

This was a huge change of pace for you after playing Moesha and Cinderella. Were you at all nervous about playing an ass-kicker?
No. I loved her. Even if I wasn't in the movie, Karla was the type of person I would want to hang out with. I would feel safe with her. Everything had to go her way and she would tell people what to do. She was a good kick-boxer. Just like Julie felt safe with Karla. I love that. I couldn't believe I said the "S" word. But Karla is so different for me and I'm so happy about that.


I do want to do challenging roles. People can't always see me the same. Moesha is so "next-door"; she has the friend-thing going. The baddest thing she's ever done is sneak out of her window to see a guy. That's not so bad. Then you have Cinderella who is so perfect. You see me every week on TV -- I needed something different.

What was the most physical challenge in the movie for you?
I was in a lot of pain. I thought I was going to die. Watching it, it was so physical. I had a lot of bruises. I didn't do my own stunts but I accidentally did one of my stunts. I fell through the bookshelf. When I fall through the bookshelf and you think I'm dead, but I'm not -- I really did that stunt. Look at MEEEE! I'm going to be Jackie Chan! It was an accident. It was so cool how the crew came up to me and gave me so much love. 'Brandy are you OK?' and I said 'Yes'. 'Good, you've got to get up and do it again'.

With your TV and music career, you've got a lot of young fans. Are you concerned at all how they're going to perceive this movie.
Do you think they're going to be upset with me? I don't think they'll be mad. I think they will be very shocked. One scene you think I'm having sex, but I'm jumping on the bed and my little shape is being showed a lot. But I don't think they'll be upset. They'll say I'm doing my thing.

What are the upsides and downsides of being an actress and a singer?
I think I've been really lucky to have had success in each thing that I've done. I'm blessed about that. The up side is you get all the fame and lots of record sales. But the down side is you have to always live up to people's expectations and that can be hard. I am a lot of the way people think I am but I'm human and make mistakes.

Do you want to spend a few years concentrating on one aspect of your career, or do you want to continue doing as many different kinds of entertainment projects as possible?
I want to be an entertainer, period.

What do you get out of acting that you don't get out of singing, and vice- versa?
They both combine because you have to do videos and act out what you're singing. But with acting, I don't have to worry if I'm going to crack or anything -- I just do it! I like that about acting.


Singing is easier because I haven't been acting for a long time. And I like acting more because it's a challenge for me 'cause I always have to please somebody. I like the fact that I have to challenge myself into doing a good job.

Any truth to that nonsense about you hitting Monica?
No. I can't kill a fly. It looks like I can in the movie but I can't hit people. I'm not punching other people. If anything, they're punching me but she didn't punch me.

Are you friends with Monica?
I'm cool with her. It's hard to call somebody a friend right off the bat but I respect her and love her music. I love her image. That's why I chose her to be on my song.

Afro-Americans have historically not done too well in horror movies. They're the first to go usually.
I'm so happy that I didn't die in this movie, because you see poor little Jada [Pinkett] got it in the beginning of Scream and you don't see Afro-Americans living in these movies. So I made history.

What's up next musically?
I don't know. I'm going to keep pushing this album. It's very new. I want to do more videos for it. And I want to eventually do soundtracks for movies.

What would you like to accomplish before the end of the century?
I don't want to have to work when I'm 23. I'm not going to retire, but I just don't want to have to work. I'll be like Julia Roberts and do movies for the heck of it. Celebrities who are doing it just for the love of it -- some are doing movies that don't have to do them for money. I want the audience to know I'm not doing it for money -- that's my goal.

-- BONNIE SIEGLER