Wild Child

By: Michelle Ann Moro

Brittany Snow isn't a brat -- she just plays one on TV

It's almost a given that every teenager will go through a rebellious phase. Unfortunately for Herley, Susan Lemay's bout of badness started the day she knocked on her biological mom's door. Although Susan seems to have settled down a bit over the past year, her portrayer, plucky 14-year-old Brittany Snow, has her fingers crossed that the zebra doesn't totally change her stripes. "Susan's gotten confortable with her surroundings, and isn't as bratty anymore. But," she giggles, "she's still a troublemaker... And I like it."

Now, with the truth about Beth's baby (her ex-husband, Philip, not current spouse Jim, is the father) just itching to be known, Snow is fit for a fight. "I just can't see Susan ever forgiving Beth for that [lie]," she proclaims. "I know I wouldn't!"

"Maybe Susan will forgive Beth down the road," Snow adds. "Like, very, very far down the road. But I don't know. I think this is going to bring some controversy between Beth and Susan. Which is good!"

Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic

Snow's parents, John and Cinda, can count their blessings that their daughter only plays a troublemaker on television. A straight-A student ("except for a B in Bio, which is not my thing"), the junior achiever has managed to keep nearly perfect grades despite a weekly commute from her Tampa, FL, home to GL's Manhattan studio -- a trp which keeps her out of class for up to three days out of every five. "Actually, it's not that bad," the eighth grader insists. "Planes don't bother me that much. And I wouldn't like going to school every day!"

Instead, the rising star -- who did her first commercial at the wee age of 3 -- mas mastered multi-tasking, ably juggling school and scripts. "I work really hard. There are so many things I need to stay focused on," she admits. "It's difficult, because there are a lot of placement tests for high school, and I'm not there all the time. But the school's been really cooperative."

No Looking Back

Although Snow's extracurricular activity is a tad more time-consuming than, say, playing on the school soccer team, she wouldn't trade it for the world. "After this part year on GL, I know that I want to be an actress," she shares. "The people [on the show] have made me feel like I'm part of this great family, and I couldn't see myself leaving."

Indeed, the very cool prospect of "growing up" in GL's Springfield makes Snow melt.

"A lot of people ask me if I feel like I'm missing out on my childhood," she reports. "I really don't think I can miss out on anything, because I'm doing everything!"