Two of Disney Channel's biggest stars—Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato—star in the adventure comedy "Princess Protection Program," a Disney Channel Original Movie set against derring-do espionage that raises universal themes about self-reliance, friendship and the follies of judging others based on their appearance. The story brings together the unlikely duo of sporty Carter Mason, an insecure rural Louisiana teen and Rosalinda Marie Montoya Fiore, the soon-to-be teenage monarch of the tiny country of 
Costa Luna, after Carter's father, an agent in the covert international Princess Protection Program, rescues Rosalinda from a neighboring dictator's attempted military take-over.
The movie was filmed in Puerto Rico, and veteran director Allison Liddi-Brown creates two nearly opposite worlds for it: a tropical kingdom steeped in pomp and ceremony and a typical high school social scene.
"It's the classic Disney fish out of water, other side of the tracks story," says award-winning screenwriter Annie DeYoung. "It's taking a princess and putting her in a normal girl's world."
"Princess Protection Program" opens with Rosalinda being readied for her coronation—she will assume the throne once held by her father—and Carter miles away in the bait shop her dad Joe runs when he's not saving princesses. Joe gets the call to protect Rosalinda so he jets off to the paradise of Costa Luna where events quickly spin out of control after General Magnus Kane enacts a plot to seize power. Joe whisks Rosalinda to a PPP base where she receives a temporary new identity, Rosie Gonzalez, and is placed in Joe's care until General Kane can be legally removed from power.
In Lake Monroe, both teenagers are shell-shocked when Rosie moves into Carter's bedroom and the princess, posing as Carter's visiting cousin from Iowa, begins adjusting to country life with its critters and chores. She enrolls in school, and even serves laughable turns in Joe's bait shop and a local frozen yoghurt hang-out.
Despite their differences, the girls slowly learn that when they get past each other's hard exterior, there's not only a lot to like, but lessons to learn from each other, and that being a princess simply requires having a heart, not attitude or a crown.
That's apparent when Rosie nominates Carter for homecoming queen over the heated objections of two jealous rivals, Chelsea and Brooke. And with her newfound realization, Carter brainstorms a way to help her new best friend regain her throne, even if it puts her own well-being at risk.
"The first part of the movie is that the princess has to become normal and the second part is what it means to be a princess," DeYoung says. "Being a princess doesn't mean you have everything and can give orders; it means you have empathy for people. You use your status to help those less fortunate than you. You're giving and caring. When Carter recognizes all that, it allows her to find her own inner princess. In this story we want to say, 'there's a princess inside all of us. Go find it."
Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato each star in Disney Channel series, and were each discovered as pre-teens via the channel's nationwide talent searches. Gomez stars in the hit comedy "Wizards of Waverly Place" which was 2008's #2 TV series among in Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14. Lovato stars in the hit comedy series "Sonny With A Chance," and the 2008 movie "Camp Rock" (the year's #1 cable TV telecast in Total Viewers, Kids 6-12 and Tweens). To boot, they are longtime best friends. "Selena and Demi are both extremely talented," said Judy Taylor, Disney Channel's vice president, Casting and Talent Relations. "We thought given their friendship, 'wouldn't it be great to find a movie where they could also be best friends?' They were clearly right for the roles, each just naturally inhabited their characters."
Gomez and Lovato perform the song "One in the Same," and Lovato performs "Two Worlds Collide" in the movie.
Also starring are Tom Verica ("American Dreams") as Joe Mason, Nicholas Braun ("Minutemen") as Ed, Jamie Chung ("Samurai Girl") as Chelsea, Samantha Droke ("Horton Hears a Who!") as Brooke, Robert Adamson ("Lincoln Heights") as Donny, Kevin G. Schmidt ("Cheaper by the Dozen") as Bull, Dale Dickey ("My Name is Earl") as Helen, Sully Diaz ("Al Borde del Desso") as Sophia, Molly Hagan ("The Lucky Ones" ) as The Director, and Johnny Ray Rodriguez ("Border Line") as General Magnus Kane.
The story was written by David Morgasen ("Son of the Beach") and Annie DeYoung (Disney Channel's "Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board"). The teleplay was written by Annie DeYoung. The producer is Danielle Weinstock ("Weeds"). The movie was directed by Allison Liddi-Brown ("Friday Night Lights") and executive-produced by Douglas Sloan (Disney Channel's "Minutemen").
Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez in "Princess Protection Program" (2009)
The movie was filmed in Puerto Rico, and veteran director Allison Liddi-Brown creates two nearly opposite worlds for it: a tropical kingdom steeped in pomp and ceremony and a typical high school social scene.
"It's the classic Disney fish out of water, other side of the tracks story," says award-winning screenwriter Annie DeYoung. "It's taking a princess and putting her in a normal girl's world."
"Princess Protection Program" opens with Rosalinda being readied for her coronation—she will assume the throne once held by her father—and Carter miles away in the bait shop her dad Joe runs when he's not saving princesses. Joe gets the call to protect Rosalinda so he jets off to the paradise of Costa Luna where events quickly spin out of control after General Magnus Kane enacts a plot to seize power. Joe whisks Rosalinda to a PPP base where she receives a temporary new identity, Rosie Gonzalez, and is placed in Joe's care until General Kane can be legally removed from power.
In Lake Monroe, both teenagers are shell-shocked when Rosie moves into Carter's bedroom and the princess, posing as Carter's visiting cousin from Iowa, begins adjusting to country life with its critters and chores. She enrolls in school, and even serves laughable turns in Joe's bait shop and a local frozen yoghurt hang-out.
Despite their differences, the girls slowly learn that when they get past each other's hard exterior, there's not only a lot to like, but lessons to learn from each other, and that being a princess simply requires having a heart, not attitude or a crown.
That's apparent when Rosie nominates Carter for homecoming queen over the heated objections of two jealous rivals, Chelsea and Brooke. And with her newfound realization, Carter brainstorms a way to help her new best friend regain her throne, even if it puts her own well-being at risk.
"The first part of the movie is that the princess has to become normal and the second part is what it means to be a princess," DeYoung says. "Being a princess doesn't mean you have everything and can give orders; it means you have empathy for people. You use your status to help those less fortunate than you. You're giving and caring. When Carter recognizes all that, it allows her to find her own inner princess. In this story we want to say, 'there's a princess inside all of us. Go find it."
Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato each star in Disney Channel series, and were each discovered as pre-teens via the channel's nationwide talent searches. Gomez stars in the hit comedy "Wizards of Waverly Place" which was 2008's #2 TV series among in Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14. Lovato stars in the hit comedy series "Sonny With A Chance," and the 2008 movie "Camp Rock" (the year's #1 cable TV telecast in Total Viewers, Kids 6-12 and Tweens). To boot, they are longtime best friends. "Selena and Demi are both extremely talented," said Judy Taylor, Disney Channel's vice president, Casting and Talent Relations. "We thought given their friendship, 'wouldn't it be great to find a movie where they could also be best friends?' They were clearly right for the roles, each just naturally inhabited their characters."
Gomez and Lovato perform the song "One in the Same," and Lovato performs "Two Worlds Collide" in the movie.
Also starring are Tom Verica ("American Dreams") as Joe Mason, Nicholas Braun ("Minutemen") as Ed, Jamie Chung ("Samurai Girl") as Chelsea, Samantha Droke ("Horton Hears a Who!") as Brooke, Robert Adamson ("Lincoln Heights") as Donny, Kevin G. Schmidt ("Cheaper by the Dozen") as Bull, Dale Dickey ("My Name is Earl") as Helen, Sully Diaz ("Al Borde del Desso") as Sophia, Molly Hagan ("The Lucky Ones" ) as The Director, and Johnny Ray Rodriguez ("Border Line") as General Magnus Kane.
The story was written by David Morgasen ("Son of the Beach") and Annie DeYoung (Disney Channel's "Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board"). The teleplay was written by Annie DeYoung. The producer is Danielle Weinstock ("Weeds"). The movie was directed by Allison Liddi-Brown ("Friday Night Lights") and executive-produced by Douglas Sloan (Disney Channel's "Minutemen").
Demi Lovato and Sully Diaz-Duran Princess Protection Program (2009) Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez Princess Protection Program (2009) Selena Gomez and Nicholas Braun Princess Protection Program (2009) Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato Princess Protection Program (2009) Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato Princess Protection Program (2009) Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez Princess Protection Program (2009) Princess Protection Program Pictures
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