Below I grabbed a sneak peek of the upcoming episodes. Enjoy and stay tuned as always we’ll be bringing you the latest on the show.

“I was at a dance convention just sitting there and some people noticed me, my boyfriend got on the mic and asked people if they liked Adrian and a girl yelled out ‘NO,’” recalls actress Francia Raisa, the face of the girl everyone is loving to hate. “That girl realized I was there and came up to me saying how she didn’t like my ‘character’ because she’s too mean, but everyone always says they love how bad she is!”

Indeed, her character in the ABC show is something else. Adrian seduces morally confused football players, deals with a mother who may want to relive her teenage years again, manages to be a popular cheerleader who is also in the honor roll and crushes on a guy who, well, got a girl pregnant at 15.

All in a day’s work.

Raisa manages to interpret the feisty, sexy, independent and lonely Adrian amazingly well.

So well in fact that, when I was getting ready for this interview, I was already thinking she would shoot me a snooty one-liner like the ones she uses on screen. To my amazement, the young and talented actress could not be farther away from her character’s personality. Raisa, an LA native who is DJ “El Cucuy” Renan Almendarez’s daughter, gushes about “how lucky” she is to be in a hit TV show and talks with such an upbeat tone and frankness she had me laughing five minutes into conversation.

“I remember how I was at the point of talking about sex when I was younger but I love playing my character because she actually does and I get to send a message to a lot of teenagers. This girl chilling with Ricky, she doesn’t have to sleep with him because at the end of the day she knows he doesn’t love her, but the fact that she’s smart gives her a little more of an edge because it shows you can be smart, and still be hot,” she said.

Her fans (myself included) will be happy to know that they’ll soon see more of her on television, movies and on-line coming soon.

“Me and the girls from the show are talking about having a site for teenagers where they can ask us questions they are ashamed or afraid to ask adults, we could recruit a doctor as well to educate them. It could be very helpful so we are definitely considering it. I have also been working on movies and I have so many ideas to develop in the fashion business and even produce or direct. I have many interests,” said the 20-year old star.

The movies Raisa speaks of are completely different from one another. On her first lead as indie film talent she got to work with Tinieblas González, one of the lead Spanish directors in the horror/science fiction genre. In the film ASD (Alma Sin Dueño), her character and her graffiti artist friends are caught in a new subway system and discover a half-human creature they must escape from to survive. The plot sounds interesting but what Raisa was interested in were the working conditions.

“I did two movies before this one, but it was my first lead and I was very excited. The fact it was in Spain made it even more exciting. However, it was one of the hardest jobs I’ve had because of the environment! It made me appreciate the Actors Guild and how we shoot movies here,” says the actress. “We would shoot long hours at some locations that were disgusting. I remember my first day we were in a tunnel and there were bugs and trash, then in another location we filmed at a tunnel where people shot heroin and we had to be very careful where we stepped because there were syringes everywhere. We even shot in the sewers and it smelled so bad.”

The crazy settings were apparently worth it. According to Raisa, Tinieblas is known for his unusual vision. Although she wondered how it all would look on screen once she saw the trailer she was, “impressed with how it came out and with what his vision would be.”

The overall experience is one she will cherish. Still, she says, once she was back in America to shoot her second lead role things felt much better.

“My other role in The Cutting Edge was heaven. Being in a studio and having a set, it was amazing. Now when anyone starts being a diva, complaining about nothing, I just go ‘You have nooo idea how things can get,” Raisa jokes.

Getting the audition a day after returning from Spain, Raisa was happy to know she had gotten the lead. But there was no time for rest; soon after the casting, dance lessons and filming began. The lack of free time can be tolerated by the fact that work is enjoyable.

Contrary to the cast dramas that were popular a few years ago, having a cast that doesn’t like each other seems to be preposterous nowadays. Because of this, Raisa admits that going to work is something she looks forward to.

“We just get along so well and learn from each other, it’s amazing,” she says of her “Secret Life” castmates. “For the movies I was also very happy because we all got along and worked well, we wanted to make things great and just made it happen.”

In case catfights make a comeback though, Raisa has other personal projects. One of them being a clothing line. As cliché as it may seem, she says she’d like to focus on a niche market, curvalicious women.

“Business-wise my main focus is to direct and produce someday. I have a lot of concepts that I want to put on camera and I’m already putting attention on set and seeing how I can start things. But, there are a lot of girls my size, petite with big hips, and there aren’t a lot of clothes for us! I want to start a clothing line to do something that will fit us in all the right places. I also have a passion for makeup and would love to create a line that works with these ideas,” the mini-mogul shares.

Among the many decisions to make, one thing is certain. This actress’s popularity has grown and she’d better get used to it.

“Because of my dad’s background, I can say I am a little more aware of what its like to not have a personal life, but its crazy right now. I’m not used to it yet because when I’m with my dad he’s the one getting recognized. Now it’s about me so this is interesting,” says Raisa, trying to make sense of stardom. “I went to the finale of ABDC (America’s Best Dance Crew) and people were screaming but I thought it was for the Pussy Cat Dolls, turned out it was for me. As far as my private life, I have a boyfriend and a rumor magazine came out saying that I was dating this choreographer so I was like ‘Oh no, it started.’”

Credit: Blast Magazine

Meanwhile, the stars of the show are very thankful to the fans and viewers who have been supporting the ABC Family series, which features Shailene Woodley and Daren Kagasoff as the teen parents of the yet-unborn child.  Both Woodley and Kagasoff have seen the widespread buzz on their new endeavor and have been very thankful for the reception of the show.

“I’m just thankful for the support from [my family], from Brenda Hampton, and everybody on the crew.  It’s just an experience, and I’ll never forget it ever in my life,” Kagasoff told the Media Blvd in an interview earlier this month.  As for Woodley, who is now seen as a role model for teens, she says that it’s amazing how people label her that way for portraying a controversial role on television.

“I hadn’t even thought about being a teenage role model until a couple of days ago when someone brought it up in an interview,” she admitted in a conversation with Knox News.  “I suddenly find myself very inspirational to a lot of girls.”

The 16-year-old actress who hails from Simi Valley, California adds that she wants her appearance on the show to be more than inspirational, but also serve as a guide for pregnant teens out there.

She says that despite feeling “a lot of pressure” in playing the role, “I want the (pregnant) girls in America to feel like they are not alone.”

The Secret Life pushes the issue of teenage pregnancy out in the open for families to discuss, but how does Woodley deal with these issues in real life?  She says that unlike her character, she is more open and willing to reach out to people and ask for help, given that she would be placed in a situation like that.

“[Amy] is more introverted,” Woodley explained.  “I would be more vocal about it.  She’s more, ‘leave me alone.’  If I were pregnant, I’d immediately tell my friends and tell my family.  I would seek all the help and support I could get around me.”

Moreover, she admits that “It’s such an emotional hardship to take on.”

The Secret Life of the American Teenager returns to television screens with season 2 next year.

cred: Media Blvd

And…well here comes the most questioned episode in the short life of The Secret Life of the American Teenager.  It’s first ever season finale.  What happens now?  Who goes where?  Whom loves whom? and more importantly What are we going to do until next season?

In the television industry this type of finale is usually called a Mid-Season Finale due to the show debuting in the summer but returning prior to next summer.

See, the show goes off the air in September and returns in January so its not too long of a wait until the show is back and continuing on where it left off.

But while we are all sad and excited at the same time the question remains where are we left off and how do you guys feel about it?

Leave comments and let the world know.

The teen gymnast will make a guest appearance in the mid-season finale of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” ABC Family confirmed to Access Hollywood.

Johnson, 16, will play herself in the episode, as a girl who flirts with Ricky (played by Daren Kagasoff) in the school hallway, the cable network revealed.

In an earlier interview with Us Weekly, Johnson said she was a fan of the show. Upon hearing that, “Teenager” producers reached out to the gymnast with an offer to be on the show.

The episode airs Tuesday, September 9 at 8 PM EST on ABC Family.

During the Olympic games in Beijing, Johnson took home the gold medal for women’s balance beam, as well as the individual all-around silver medal.

The hit series is slated to return with 12 new episodes in January 2009.

credit: Access Hollywood

In London, Megan Park can walk through the malls, visit Richmond Street restaurants and just hang out unnoticed.

In Los Angeles, it’s a different story for the 22-year-old rising star, who has a leading role in the hit television show, the Secret Life of the American Teenager.

“I remember the first time I went to the mall after the show came out. Everywhere I went people were coming up to me and asking for pictures. It was total insanity,” says Park, who is at her parents’ London home for a vacation this month before heading back to L.A. in early September to resume filming.

“Now I can’t go anywhere in the States without someone recognizing me.”

Her profile in London and Ontario may change soon with Citytv picking up the first season of Secret Life, beginning Sept. 3.

Park and co-stars, such as Molly Ringwald and Mark Derwin (One Life to Live), have 13 more episodes to film of the hour-long drama, which is broadcast in the U.S. on ABC Family.

Park has committed to more filming if the Secret Life is renewed and she believes it will be.

“The numbers are just going crazy every week. It’s the highest rated show ABC Family has ever had,” she says.

“After the pilot we had 4.6 million viewers and it keeps going up every week. It’s crazy.”

The Secret Life is centred on character Amy Juergens (Shailene Woodley), who is pregnant, and her high school life.

Park plays Grace Bowman, a Christian who is also the head cheerleader at the school.

In the pilot episode, Grace’s boyfriend, also a Christian, cheats on her.

“She struggles with being upset with him and trying to forgive him,” Park says.

Park, an Oakridge graduate who started her acting career with Original Kids Theatre, calls the show “raw and real.”

“There are so many different characters that there is someone that everyone can relate to.”

Park has been busy since she made her feature film debut in 2004 in Some Things That Stay.

She has worked with Robert Downey Jr. and Hope Davis in the teen movie Charlie Bartlett, which premiered in theatres earlier this year, and she was cast opposite Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey in the 2006 TV movie the Road to Christmas.

She has also landed parts in numerous other projects.

“I’ve just been really lucky with the opportunities that have come along. I really try to work hard to push myself.

“(The Secret Life) came at the perfect time as I was ready to move to L.A. and make that leap.”

Park has received offers for other projects and says she would like to try comedy at some point.

“I’m so lucky to be in the position now to be a little bit more selective. I’m looking at a lot of scripts for films starting next year.”

Park says she enjoys coming back to London whenever she can.

A highlight for her recently was simply going to the Covent Garden Market with her mother Debbie and purchasing fresh fruit and flowers.

Credit goes to the London Free Press!

Hampton isn’t happy that ABC Family ends each episode of “Secret Life” with the same public-service message from the org urging parents to communicate with their teenagers about sex.

Disney, which owns ABC Family, decided to tack on the PSA because it was worried about the show’s content: The lead character on “Secret Life” is a 15-year-old (played by Shailene Woodley) who gets pregnant and is trying to figure out what to do. ABC Family has also slapped a TV-14 warning on each episode.

“I understand where the network is coming from,” Hampton says. But the PSA makes it look as if Hampton is collaborating with the group on the scripts, which she says isn’t the case. “I don’t rely on any outside organization,” she says. “I make this stuff up myself.”

Hampton’s main objection: “The PSA sounds like an apology for the fact that we’re dealing with teenage sex. I don’t think we should apologize for that.”

Michael Rosst, a spokesman for the org, says he’s surprised at Hampton’s reaction. “I respect Brenda and her vision,” he says. “The show is pretty realistic, and doesn’t glorify teenage pregnancy.”

“Secret Life” is even kind to the teenager who proclaims that she will not have sex before marriage, Rosst says. “The writers don’t make fun of abstinence,” he says, “which is great for a show that is resonating with both teens and their parents.”

credit: Variety

Interview from MediaBlvd

Were you surprised that the show took off like it did?  I mean, 100% retention of it’s audience.  I’ve been following TV for years and that’s unheard of in television.

Daren> Yeah, it was pretty crazy.  I haven’t been in this business long enough to know what a good series is, and what isn’t.  But Brenda Hampton is very well renowned as a producer and has been in th

e business for awhile.  She had that hit show, 7^TH Heaven.  So I had faith in her.  But once the show finally took off, I’m like, “This is insane!  I’m living a dream.”

It’s incredible.  Have you had any fan encounters?  Do you get more recognized now because of the show?

Daren> Yeah, it’s pretty crazy.  Walking down the street and you have people staring and whispering.  You don’t know if they’re whispering because they think you’re cute or they know you’re f

rom the show.  It’s like, “What’s going on here?”  But it’s crazy.

Probably once the season is over, you’re going to walk into a store and somebody is going to smack you with a purse because they think you’re sleeping around with all these chicks.

Daren> I know, it’s so funny because I’m not like that at all in my real life.  I’m not a jerk, I don’t think.

Yeah, but a lot of people can’t separate the character from the actor.  So it’ll be interesting to see what happens when the season’s over.

Daren> Yeah, I’ve read some things.  I love reading when people say, “I hate Ricky, he’s this, he’s that.”  That means I’m doing a good job.  I want people to kind of dislike me, but like me at the same time.

What did you think when you first got this role?  You’re playing this guy who sleeps with all these girls, but he was sexually abused.  It’s a huge undertaking, but you’re playing the role very well.

Daren> Thank you so much!  Honestly, when I got the sides and read the first couple of episodes, you really start to see where they’re going to take this character and what he’s about.  The character, Ricky, has got so many different sides to him.  He’s a Don Juan with the ladies, he’s a jerk to the guys, he thinks he’s something.  Then when he gets into his therapist’s office, that’s the only time he’s true.  That’s the only time you see a person and a person’s feelings.  My therapist knows Ricky; he knows what he’s about.  He gets to him, and that’s the only time you see the true Ricky.

Has it become harder to balance your personal life with your rising popularity?

Daren>Not really.  I got into this business to be an actor, to be an artist, to tell a story through someone else’s eyes.  I’m just thankful for it all to be happening, to have fans, and for people to love the show.  So it hasn’t really interfered or anything.  I’m hoping it doesn’t, but I’m just thankful for all the buzz it’s gotten.

Do you ever have a hard time separating yourself from Ricky?

Daren> No, not at all.  What’s on set is on set, and what’s off set is off.  When I step on there and put on the gear and the clothes, then I’m Ricky.  But once I’m off, it’s just Daren; the real guy reading scripts and trying to get another job out there.  I think I’d find that more difficult if I were shooting a movie, but with the TV series, it’s very easy to just be me.  Then once it’s action, it’s Ricky time.  My personality to his personality is so different.

So you’re not bed hopping then?

Daren> No, I don’t think so, I’m not

that lucky.

So now we’re seeing that maybe Ricky is starting to develop feelings for Grace.  But in last week’s episode, it seems like Ricky is starting to get his own theme music.

Daren> Yeah, you never know what you’re going to get with Ricky.  He could be true, he could be honest with Grace, but you never know.  There could be an ulterior motive.  I like to think of Ricky as a shark; he keeps his head above water, eats what he can, and spits out the rest.  He has no care of anybody’s feelings.  He’s an opportunist in my opinion.  He does what he can to benefit himself, with no regard for anybody else.

How great is it playing against Ernie Hudson as the therapist?

Daren> It is unbelievable.  That first episode was my first time in front of a camera.  I remember the second day I’ve ever been on set I had to shoot that scene, and I’ve never been so nervous in all of my life to do something.  I know the guy has a resume the size of King Kong.  The guy has hundreds of things on there and this is my first job, so I really wanted to show that this kid could compete and could act.  So it was definitely great to have that as my first day on the set, with that scene.  He’s such a giving actor, while you are shooting the scene, it’s like the cameras aren’t even there.  It’s like I’m in the therapist’s office.

How did you get the gig as Ricky?

Daren> Yeah, I auditioned and it took six or seven times as far as call backs or testings.  They tested me three times, and the network wasn’t sold on me because I didn’t have any experience.  They were afraid to give me one of the lead roles without any experience in front of the camera.  But Brenda Hampton, the Executive producer and creator of the show saw something in me.  The second she saw me audition for the role, even in the callbacks, she knew I was the guy.  She kept pushing and finally she got her way.  She came to my a house a week later after they’d put me on a ten day hold, to tell me I’d gotten the part.  And she brought me a dozen roses.  She’s a pure genius, and I just adore her to the fullest.  I just absolutely adore her professionalism, and her creativity.  She’s got so many things on her plate and to knock them out the way that she does, I could only wish to be that successful and great.

What did you think about the subject matter when you first heard about this show? It’s pretty heavy subject matter.

Daren> Yeah, it definitely is.  But I think it’s a great network to be on.  ABC Family  is directed towards the teenagers, and the demographic is younger, I would assume.  With our show it kind of really glorifies the consequences of what happens in high school, whether it’s teen pregnancy or gossip, how rumors can start like this one sleeping with this one or that one.  So it’s really true to reality, which is why I think a lot of kids can relate to it and enjoy watching the show.

It’s amazing.  I keep telling people to sit down and watch the show for three episodes and you’ll be hooked.

Daren> Yeah, you get hooked.  Even the parents are starting to get their stories rolling after the last episode.  It’s getting juicy.  You know, you read the script as one of the actors in it, and you know what’s going to happen.  But you just go in and shoot your stuff, and you don’t really know what the outcomes going to be until you see it on TV.  For me, being in the show, I hate watching myself on TV, but I love watching everybody else.  When I see it all pieced together, it’s like, “Oh my God”, it’s crazy.  Each time I get pulled into it more, and more.

How did you feel about doing the scenes with the broken bottle, and with your shirt off?

Daren> You know, I’m the type of person that I’m open to anything.  If Brenda Hampton said, “Daren, I want you to run through this brick wall for me”, I’d do it.  Whatever they tell me to do, I’m going to do.  I’m the actor, if the director is there and that’s what they want, they’re going to get it.  With any  nudity or anything, I’m very comfortable with it.  It’s not about showing off my body or anything.  If that’s what the scene calls for I’m going to do it.

I’m really impressed with the casting of Grace’s brother, the kid with Downs.  We haven’t seen anything like that since Life Goes On, that they would cast somebody in a role like that and treat it with such respect.  So congratulations to the show for that.

Daren> Yeah, Luke Zimmerman is the most unbelievable guy I’ve met.  He’s an unbelievable actor and an unbelievable human being.  Just talking to him and having conversations with him while we are just sitting by the chairs is amazing to hear him speak about the different stuff he does compared to my life.  I can kind of relate to having someone with a disability in your life.  Right when I met him, we just hit it off right away, and I just love doing scenes with him.

It seemed like Ricky had some guilt last night when he went into the therapist’s office.  It was almost like he didn’t want to say it.

Daren> Yeah, I think at this point, Ricky is kind of understanding himself more.  Reality hit him.  He’s always been the guy who could get away with everything, do whatever he wants, living in the foster home.  His foster mother is amazing, loves him to death, but he doesn’t see that.  I guess with this pregnancy, and finding out he could have gotten this girl pregnant, he’s starting to rethink his values, what he wants to do with his life.  I guess you could say he felt pretty guilty walking in there.

Areyou looking for something to do in the off season?  You have to be pretty close to wrapping up.

Daren> Yeah, today was the last day actually for me.  We finished 11 today, and we got picked up for 13 more.  So we’re shooting 12 more when we come back in September and we start shooting all the way through December.  So I’m locked into it for awhile, but I’ve been talking to do some movies and stuff.  It’s just a matter of what direction I want to take my career next, and with the vigorous shooting schedule, we’ll just see when I have some time to do something else.

Is it nerve wracking at all to know how much some people are getting into this character?

Daren> Yeah, I’d never have thought I’d be reading certain blogs on ABC family about my character, and everybody’s character.  They really know every little detail that happens and they’re so into the relationships and how they should change or shouldn’t change.  It’s great to have people tune in and write about the characters, because it means they really care.  If that keeps happening, I think it means we’re going to have a great run I think.

What does your family think about all of this, and the show taking off?

Daren> They’re just so happy for me.  They were the ones who started it all for me.  I was up in San Francisco State, and after the first year and half I decided I wanted to pursue acting, and right from the get go, they were supportive and put me in acting classes.  This was my sixth audition and luckily for me, I booked a job.  I’m just thankful for the support from them, from Brenda Hampton, and everybody on the crew. It’s just an experience, and I’ll never forget it ever in my life.

Who are your acting inspirations?  What inspired you to become an actor?

Daren> I was up at school taking business management classes, and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do.  I was just kind of there to make my parents happy.  But I’ve always had this thing inside of me wanting to perform.  But growing up as a baseball player with my dad, I could never flaunt that I wanted to perform, because that would not have been ok.  But once he knew I wasn’t going to play professional baseball he was ok.  He was like, “Daren, figure it out and whatever happens happens.”  I always wanted to try acting, so when I moved back home, I jumped into some classes and when I started my first class I knew I was in love with it, and couldn’t do anything else.

Are you prepared for the show to run multiple years, like 7^th Heaven?

Daren> I’m very prepared. I’m more than happy to be on the show for as long it runs, and do anything they want me to do.  It’s been a great run so far and everybody on set keeps saying it’s going to be a real long run.

Have you had girls throw themselves at you yet, because theythink you’re this character?

Daren> Not like throw themselves, but definitely it’s never been like this for me ever before.  They recognize me, and come up and talk.  But I don’t care who they are, what it is, I’m just so happy for people to recognize me, it’s just an amazing feeling.  I’m on top of the world.  It’s just an amazing feeling for somebody to like you because of a show, and I’m happy it’s having this effect on people.

This is absolutely amazing and even critics that weren’t so sure of this show when it debuted are coming around finally realizing everything The Secret life has to offer.

The Secret life of the American Teenager picked up an award for Teen Choice Summer TV Show!

For a complete list of the winners check this out