Channing Tatum: The Brightest New Star in 2006

	Channing Tatum: The Brightest New Star in 2006
	Entertainment Weekly recently declared Channing Tatum one of the brightest new stars in 2006. Channing Tatum danced into the spotlight as a juvenile delinquent in the surprise summer teen hit Step Up. But it was the gritty fall indie A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints that won the Abercrombie & Fitch model-turned-actor critical attention. His intense turn as a headstrong rebel growing up on the streets of 1980s Queens earned the 26-year-old nominations for both Gotham and Independent Spirit awards. ''I always gravitate toward films that move me,'' the Tampa native says. ''It usually happens that those aren't the big movies.'' Tatum's upcoming roles are also edgy and emotional: He plays Ryan Phillippe's best friend in a highly anticipated Iraq war drama from director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry), and a cop in the upcoming Battle in Seattle, which is based on the 1999 World Trade Organization riots. 'I'm a lot more comfortable and at ease with what I'm doing,'' says Tatum, who used to dread auditions. ''You basically say, 'Okay, screw this: If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it.' Then you take the pressure off yourself and have fun.'' — Lindsay Soll 4 More Channing Tatum Interviews: Channing Tatum Interview: I Love Modeling and Acting Channing Tatum Cosmogirl Q & A Channing Tatum: The Brightest New Star in 2006 Working with Channing Tatum was a pleasure from the day one Channing Tatum in Depth Channing Tatum Discusses the Movie, Step Up A Guide to Recognizing his Stardom Channing Tatum Talks She's The Man Interview: His Childhood Memories