Amanda, who played Penny Pingleton in the hit musical, took a lot of time greeting her screaming young fans and their parents before doing a single interview. She’s a young star who is still ebulient but highly professional.

You certainly don’t expect to read sordid stories about this talented 21-year-old star in the tabloids. She not only has a good head on her shoulders, but an impressive work ethic headlining the movies “What a Girl Wants,” “She’s the Man,” “Sydney White” and “Big Fat Liar.”

But “Hairpsray” is by far the biggest hit she has ever been a part of.

“The reason I wanted to be in this movie so badly is because it has such a great message to send to kids,” she said. “It’s a wonderful movie that families can watch together, it’s a movie about accepting yourself and accepting others for their differences and it’s just got great music. I feel very lucky to be in it.”

Amanda has a supporting part in “Hairpray” compared to the lead roles she is accustomed to. But she told me she would “go anywhere” to support the film.

“I was lucky to be in this ensemble,” she said. “To be with Queen Latifah and Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney and John Travolta, I look up to all those actors. So I got to learn a lot and I got to work with Adam Shankman who is such a talented, amazing director. I felt so blessed.”

Amanda is used to being busy so the prolonged writer’s strike has had a real impact on her usual break-neck pace.

“The strike is affecting me,” she said. “I had a few projects in the works and they were sort of stopped dead in their tracks. But I’ve taken it as a time to play with my puppy and just relax because once is over, I think everything is going to come back strong. I hope!”

She remains close to her former co-stars Jennie Garth and Leslie Grossman from the sitcom “What I Like About You” on which she played Garth’s little sister for four seasons. She was rooting for her on-screen sibling who finished fourth on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” last month.

“I’m so sad she didn’t win,” Amanda said. “I thought she was so amazing. For someone who came in as a non-dancer, I thought she did a really good job. We talk all the time. We had so much fun on that show.”