Bella Thorne And Patrick Schwarzenegger Talk "Midnight Sun", Bella's Music Career And Dating

22 March 2018, 15:00

By Katie Louise Smith

PopBuzz spoke to Bella and Patrick ahead of their new film, "Midnight Sun" and played a game of "Confession Booth".

If you're planning on going to see Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger's new movie Midnight Sun (which you totally should, by the way), then you should think about grabbing some tissues because kids, it's an emotional one.

The movie follows the story of Katie Price, a teenager with a condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP for short) which means she's not allowed to be subjected to direct sunlight. Katie rarely leaves the house (only at night) and has lived in isolation all her life. While out one night singing at the train station, she meets Charlie, the boy who she's been watching go by past her house every day on the way to school for years. They fall in love and go on adventures together but Katie continues to hide her condition from him and well... we won't spoil the rest, you'll just have to go and see it for yourselves.

We spoke to stars of the film, Bella and Patrick over the phone about the movie, Bella's new found penchant for singing (she can really sing!) and also threw them headfirst into the PopBuzz Confession Booth!

Here's what went down when we spoke to Bella and Patrick on the phone:

PopBuzz: Hey guys, how are you?

Patrick: We’re doing great, how are you?

PB: Good, thank you! Let's get straight into it. Midnight Sun - we’ve seen it. We loved it. We weren’t expecting it to be so sad though! How did you feel when you first read the script?

Patrick: Yeah! Well, we definitely want to make a movie that was fun and funny at times but also it definitely is sad at times too. It’s why I loved it so much because it's this beautiful love story, it’s very heartfelt but it’s different from your ordinary love story because of Bella’s character, Katie Price, who has this real, rare genetic disease called XP and it’s about her life and how she’s living in isolation because of it but she’s still able to find her first love and embark on this beautiful journey. And then how my character is able to pull her out of this life of isolation and just show her what’s it’s like to be a real teenager and really experience love. So, yes there are fun times during it and yes there are sad times but you know, the script is just really beautiful because it hits home on so many different ends.

PB: As you mentioned, Katie has XP, which is a condition where direct sun lightly can severely damage the skin and other organs. Had either of you heard of XP before doing the film?

Bella: No!

Patrick: I hadn’t heard of it until I read the script and looked it up but we’ve been so fortunate that this film has been able to bring some awareness to the actual disease. Me and Bella got tweeted two days ago by an XP organisation and they tweeted us saying, 'thank you so much for all these trailers of Midnight Sun and bringing awareness to it, in 24 hours we’ve gotten a hundred thousand views to our site, spreading awareness about XP'.

And another girl messaged us saying like, 'I just wanna let you guys know I actually have XP and the fact that you made this movie and that it’s bringing awareness to the subject is so cool and I just wanna thank you guys because no one really knew about it'. So we invited her to the premiere. It will be great to see her.

I didn’t think it was gonna have such a big impact but I definitely am so proud that it is and that it’s showing people what it is and giving a little hint of awareness for it it. And, as far as actors go, and us doing this project, it’s been so rewarding from our side because it’s something that’s affecting other people’s lives and [we're] helping them, so…

PB: That’s great - really amazing to hear. We just wanted to ask Bella about the singing in the film - is that actually you singing, Bella?

Bella: Uh-huh! Oh yeah!

PB: How was it to record the singing scenes?

Bella: Um, well… it was interesting because I've never sang in movie before. I don’t really sing at all in general. I was pretty terrible at singing back in the day, you know? So, I just figured that this was gonna be a shit experience. But it wasn’t! There was only supposed to be one song in the film originally. And I kept telling our director, the amazing Scott Speer, I was like, "Yo! I’m terrible!" Just like, you don’t… this isn’t the voice you want Katie Price to have.

So we got in the studio and he looked at me and pointed his finger - which isn’t nice manners - and he was like, “You’re a liar! You totally can sing! We’re going to add seven more songs for you to sing!" And they did! And it got me back into singing.

PB: We thought you’d released music before? We were gonna ask - are you gonna release any more music now that you’ve got the bug again?

Bella: Oh yeah! I have a single coming out on the 30th, called “Bitch, I’m Bella Thorne!” which I directed the music video for which will also be coming out at the same time. Then I have another song dropping after that. I’m working on an EP with my boyfriend, Mod Sun. I’ve got a record label, Filthy Things, so we’re working on signing people right now. So, I’m actually doing HELLA in the music right now.

PB: Wow! Awesome! Thank god! So, we’re gonna play a little game with you now which we like to call Confession Booth! All you guys have gotta do is answer the questions as honestly as possible. Are you ready?

Patrick: Yeah!

PB: Here we go, question one: What was your first email address?

Patrick: It’s still my email address so I’m not saying it!

PB: Oh my god, no! Don’t say it! What about yours, Bella?

Bella: It’s also still my email address, so I shouldn’t say it!

PB: What is the worst excuse you’ve ever given someone to avoid going on a date?

Bella: Worst or best? I mean… what are we talking about?

PB: Let’s go for both!

Bella: Look, I’m really honest… I’ll just straight up be like, “Look, I’m either seeing someone so it’s not gonna happen or I am just not really down like that. I’m very honest.

PB: What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever written in a blog or diary?

Patrick: I’ve never blogged so…

Bella: I wrote a lot of dark shit in my… well, like, I don’t have a diary but technically I’m working on a diary book right now that I’m releasing. So it's kind of just been like my travels over this press tour and just thoughts and random things that I’ve put in there so that’ll be coming out. And that’s literally my diary.

PB: Oh nice, well we’ll look forward to that! Next question: what’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told?

Bella: The biggest lie?!

Patrick: Ohhh, I try not to lie!

Bella: Well, I used to lie about pretty much everything.

Patrick: [laughs]

Bella: No, I’m serious like, my whole life used to be built on a little bit of a lie. I talked a different way in interviews, I was a different person. I was not myself for sure. Everything was so hidden and secretive and weird. Now, I really just try not to lie. If I don’t wanna say something, [people will say] “ooooh, Bella doesn’t say that”. I try to just like work my way around it nicely. And then I’m not lying, but I’m letting them know that I’m not being mean either.

PB: I love that! That’s great! Thank you guys so much for taking time out of your day, good luck with the movie - we loved it!

Bella: We’re so glad you guys loved the movie!

Patrick: Yeah! Thank you guys so much, we appreciate you guys calling in!

PB: Have a nice day guys!

Midnight Sun is released on March 30th in the UK and March 23rd in the US.