LuminoMagazine.com - Julia Montgomery contrasts stuck-up Betty

Julia Montgomery contrasts stuck-up Betty

Written by JON SINGER

Sunday, 28 August 2005

When she was filming "Revenge of the Nerds," Julia Montgomery, who played dream girl Betty Childs, felt more like a nerd than a prom queen.

"There's a little bit of nerd in all of us," she says. "I was the only girl hanging out with all these nerds. But that's OK, because nerds are cool."

One the set, Montgomery says she was very close to Curtis Armstrong. The two and the rest of the group would have late-night talks and fun each night.

"It basically was like actual college for two to three months," Montgomery says.

Montgomery says she's the opposite of Betty. In fact, in the early days on location, she got a pin from an Arizona University sorority to make her dating of Stan Gable (Ted McGinley) look official.

"I didn't know anything about sororities," Montgomery says. "I had visited a couple of friends at schools, but never felt like I fit in at all."

But casting people for "Nerds" thought so. When she auditioned, she got there and they thought she was perfect.

"Obviously I didn't get chosen because of my character study," Montgomery says. "They told me to do nothing. Can you imagine that?"

Montgomery couldn't understand the thinking because she didn't think she matched her character at all. She expected to have to go through some tests and more auditions. She couldn't possibly be good for the role as is.

One thing with which Montgomery identified with Betty was the indecision about which direction to take.

"I like the character, and I think she made good choices," Montgomery said. "But when she's sitting on the steps and Lewis asks her out for some reason," Montgomery says, "The way she reacted would've put me into tears."

Montgomery believes that Betty's change of heart is realistic.

"Lewis is just so likable when you see the movie, and people root for him so much, that at the end, when Betty turns and likes him, the audience can believe it," Montgomery says. "Because they know what is attractive in her eyes."

Montgomery says viewers can see her real tears coming down at the end of the film when Lewis makes a speech and the music kicks in. Montgomery was not only sad for the end of the filming, but she also believed in what Lewis was saying.

Director Joe Roth wanted Montgomery to join the group once more for "Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise," in 1987, but Montgomery decided against it.

"I didn't sign on because in the first scene they had Betty cheating on Lewis," Montgomery says. "That was totally out of character."

Roth, who later produced several blockbuster films, told Montgomery to come down anyway and that they would do a re-write.

"But I just felt it was never going to be the character that I wanted it to be," Montgomery says. "I think Betty was forever changed, in a good way, and I didn't want to ruin that."

Montgomery returned for the final two installments of "Nerds," though, as Mrs. Lewis Skolnick. Indeed, the nerd truly did get revenge.

For the last 10 years, Montgomery, 44, has completely focused on growing her family. She hasn't done even one acting job, according to the Internet Movie Database. She lives in California with her husband and children, ages 2 and 4.

"I'm doing all the soccer games and all that stuff," she says. "I just never found the right guy earlier. But I wanted to start a family right away."

Now, her kids can't believe she acted with "Lizzie's Dad", aka Robert Carradine, who played Lewis Skolnick and now stars in "Lizzie McGuire."

But Montgomery has done her share of acting. Even a little skin revealing. She was embarrassed about her nude scenes in "Revenge of the Nerds" when confronting her parents.

"They were upset about it, and we still never talk about it to this day," Montgomery says. "But when you're in your 20s, you think differently."

Now, Montgomery has to make sure her own children don't see her scampering around in a sometimes lustful teenage comedy.

"Oh, I dread that," Montgomery says. "I'm going to have to find it on TV so there are no bad parts."

Photos courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Comments

julia is hot
Written by Guest on 2006-09-15 20:37:09

I think julia is the most goodest looking woman in the world. all though she is 44
I would still date her

from: ahmad age/14
bloomfield nj

Beautiful
Written by Guest on 2007-03-03 12:27:14

I didn't know Julia was a beautiful person too. Thanks.

Mr
Written by Guest on 2008-03-24 19:24:02

You see a lot of women on film and tv that are considered beautiful but none come close to julia . And when you read her comments above you sonn see the beauty is is much much more than skin deep.

Harry
Written by Guest on 2008-06-18 19:36:33

Washing her dirty laundry would be my pleasure.

Day Camp 1970's
Written by Guest on 2008-12-24 04:08:42

I believe i went to day camp with Julia back in the 70s. It was in Stanhope, N.J. Julia went to Livingston High School, and many kids from the camp were from there. We were in the camp plays together also, at least one either Guys & Dolls or Oklahoma maybe another. I will always remember the good luck kiss i got from her, heck i was around 16 years old, and remember she was beautiful.

kwenk
Written by Guest on 2009-07-01 15:48:32

jest ³adna, beautiful

Written by Guest on 2009-10-19 08:46:06

watching those movies again bring back good memories... i had a major crush on her when i saw the Nerds I for the first time at 14 :grin