Teen is born to perform!

Monday, August 18, 2008 Detroit News

Teen is born to perform!


Actor Vincent Martella, 15, tries to be a normal teen
Mekeisha Madden Toby / Detroit News Television Writer


LOS ANGELES -- Vincent Martella is one of the hardest working young actors in Hollywood.
He has two jobs. He plays Greg, the sidekick, on The CW's "Everybody Hates Chris" and is the voice of Phineas on Disney Channel's "Phineas and Ferb," and he's only 15.
In other words, the next time you complain about juggling a part-time job, school and chores, think about this guy. But Martella, who will be 16 on Oct. 15, says he makes it work.
"With 'Phineas and Ferb,' I do one episode every other week, so it works out perfectly," Martella told The Detroit News with a shrug after working all day on a recent season-four episode of "Everybody Hates Chris." The latter show, which returns in October, shoots toward the end of the week.
"I work three to four days a week on 'Chris,' so it ends up being pretty easy. It's not bad," Martella says.
To relax, the native of Rochester, N.Y., says he plays music and sports.
"I play the guitar and piano," Martella says. "It really relaxes me, and some of my songs are on iTunes. I play gigs around town (Los Angeles) sometimes ... but just for fun. I enjoy it a lot. And I play basketball."
Martella started dancing at the age of 3, and his first live performance was in "The Nutcracker. He began playing the piano at age 5 and was soon performing in school plays and appearing in local commercials in the Orlando, Fla., area, where his family moved. He started acting and vocal training at age 6, and a year later, he was one of the most sought-after kids in the Central Florida market, appearing in print ads and national commercials.
By the age of 10, Martella was ready for primetime. During his first trip to Hollywood, he landed a guest spot on Fox's short-lived sitcom "Cracking Up" and a recurring role on Nickelodeon's "Ned's Declassified," where he developed his own character named Scoop.
The following summer, Martella nabbed his first film role working alongside Rob Schneider in "Deuce Bigelow: European Gigolo." Martella also guest-starred on the now-defunct Fox comedy "Stacked," starring Pamela Anderson, and lent his voice to the feature film "Bad News Bears." Look for Martella later this year in the comedic film "Role Models," starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott.
But family keeps Martella humble and focused. Although he lives in Los Angeles, he still calls Florida home and lives there with his mother, father and three siblings part of the year. "I haven't gone Hollywood," Martella swears. "I still hang out with friends. I'm still a kid."
You can reach Mekeisha Madden Toby at (313) 222-2501 or mmadden@detnews.com.