Big Mack Attack
Larisa Oleynik works her magic to make kids want to see 'The Secret World of Alex Mack' more than ever.
By Judith Maitland
When even kid-friendly McDonald's is making burgers meant to send young ones scurrying, it's good to know kids can still satisfy a Big Mack Attack--with NICK's hit series 'The Secret World of Alex Mack.' Since its 1994 debut, the show has consistently ranked high and as a result will air twice weekly in prime time beginning this fall when NICK expands its kids' programming schedule. It's also turned its star, Larisa Oleynik, from teenager to teen idol.
"I really connected with Alex," says the pretty 15-year-old, who convincingly embodies the role of the awkward junior-high outsider who, after being doused with a mysterious chemical, gains superpowers that help her get through the perils of puberty. "I auditioned the summer before going into junior high, so when I was reading the script I was like, 'This is exactly how I feel!'"
A young, strong female role model like Alex Mack fills TV's long-present void. "Girls look up to Alex because she's your average kid. She's not the most popular person, but she's not a nerd, either. She's discovering things she likes about herself," explains Oleynik, who's got a loyal following on AOL and has become a teen-magazine staple, even penning her own advice column for 'Tiger Beat.' "A lot of the questions are about boys and fitting in at school and stuff, so I can relate," she says.
Oleynik--an only child who lives with her parents in northern California when not taping in L.A.--enjoys her fame. She pals around with 'Alex Mack' costars Meredith Bishop and Darris Love and castmates from her first feature film, 'The Babysitter's Club.' And she tries to stay close with kids from home. "My school friends are really cool about [my stardom]. I'm gonna invite two to L.A. so they can see what it's like."
Though Mack and Oleynik are garnering more male attention, she's yet to venture into the dating world. "I think I'm allowed, it just hasn't happened yet," she giggles. And how does she feel about her 'Cable Guide' cover costar Jonathan Taylor Thomas? "He seems really sweet, but he's a little . . . short for me," she says, then quickly adds (with Alex-like sincerity), "not to be rude or anything."
From www.larisa.com
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