Alyson Hannigan

Alyson Hannigan always wanted to experience love like in the movies.

"I truly believe the film ’Say Anything’ ruined real-life romance for all women of my generation," she says. "I left that movie thinking that all guys should look like John Cusack and, frankly, they should be standing on the end of my driveway with a boom box.

"But did I get a boom-boxing in high school?" she asks. "There wasn’t even an accidental boom box or even a loud radio coming my way," says Hannigan, 31, who parodies this act and all romantic comedies in her new film, "Date Movie," which opens Friday. She also stars on the CBS TV series, "How I Met Your Mother."

1. In "Date Movie," you add about a million dress sizes to your frame. What did it feel like to go from a skinny minnie to a big gal?

The good news is that my husband ("Angel" and "Buffy" star Alexis Denisof) loved me as the bigger gal and he told me, "Honey, I don’t care. At any weight, I think you’re real cute." I didn’t gain the weight, but instead they made a large costume. I’m not sure how large the skirt I wore was but the shirt was an XXXL. I was also well-endowed in the movie. I had knockers. Can you print that word?

2. I’m not sure. We’ll have to check. How about ... ?

My chest was screaming, ’Pimp my ride!’ Honestly, it’s cool to have huge breasts in a movie because it’s a place to rest your hands and even your plate of food on. But big fake breasts are hard on the neck. And Victoria obviously doesn’t know the secret about breasts that big. The bra we made was a like a huge slingshot and I was still spilling out.

3. Back when you were dating, what was your biggest gripe with men?

That they weren’t John Cusack, who was always so smart and cute in movies while most boys were dorks. Plus, you don’t want to put pressure on the guy, but just calling would have been nice. I know, I know, us girls. We ask for so much.

4. What was your worst date in high school?

I dated this guy for quite a while and the only thing he would do is have me meet him at Carl’s Jr. That was the date. And I’d drive a long way from my house in Los Angeles to Orange County to this stupid Carl’s Jr. It was pathetic because when I got there we didn’t even order a meal. He’d order a cookie for both of us and we’d sit there and eat our cookies and talk. This is not the technical definition of a good date. But luckily I met my husband on "Buffy" and we were friends for years. Flirtatious friends. But we never eat cookies at Carl’s Jr. Too many bad memories.

5. Who is stranger: A "Buffy" fan or an "American Pie" fanatic?

The great thing about the "Buffy" fans is they know all the lore. I’d actually ask them more questions then they would ask me. I’d get solid information from them. As for "American Pie," well, that movie is a classic now. So I’ll be walking around New York or Los Angeles and some guy will scream, "Hey, band camp!" For some reason, fat guys always yell it at me. I can’t figure out why, but if anyone knows, just drop me a note.