ALY MICHALKA OUTTAKES

If you've ever seen the CW's Hellcats, you'll know that the world of competitive cheerleading isn't all fun and games. Starring as spunky pre-Law student Marti, 22-year-old Aly Michalka proves that the sport is so much more than just looking pretty and waving pom poms. Besides making a name for herself on the show and performing as one-half of the pop duo Aly & AJ with her sister, Amanda, Michalka's branching out into film with new movies like The Roommate. Check out some of her chat with writer Mikael Wood in Nylon Guys, and see outtakes from her photoshoot below.

When she first heard about Hellcats: "I remember totally judging the script when I first got it...It was called Cheer then, and I was like, 'Hmm, I dunno- am I going to be playing the preppy blond chick? Then I read it and fell in love."

On her Hellcats audition: "I ended up going in dressed up really crazy in these huge cargo pants and combat boots. My hair was messy; I think it had violet streaks in it. And they were like, 'Oh my God, you're her!' I was shocked. 'Really?I just threw this together.'"

On her similarities with Marti: "Marti and I are kind of going through some of the same things...We're both learning new things and experiencing these life lessons. [Taking the role] wasn't like a strategic decision to do something that was older than what I had been doing. It was just more of a natural progression."

Buy the February/March issue of Nylon Guys on newsstands now.