Evan Farmer of Hoboken, N.J., got his first taste of the whole boy-band thing
three years ago when he toured with the group Na-Na, Russia's answer to the
Backstreet Boys. The group lost a member and came to America to find a
replacement, someone who looked good, could dance well, and, well, sing a little
bit.
''In a weird twist of fate, I looked identical to the guy who quit the group, so
they chose me,'' says Farmer, 27, who now is a member of MTV's boy-band
parody 2gether. ''And two days later I stepped off a plane and was surrounded
by three bodyguards in Russia. The people there were just as extreme in their
responses. We couldn't go anywhere without being mobbed.'' Singing songs in
Russian could have presented a problem, but Farmer says he was just asked to lip
sync and move across the stage. ''They (the audience) were dancing so
feverishly, they didn't even notice.''
Still, after five weeks, he realized this wasn't the life for him, quit and returned
to the USA, where he worked off-Broadway in The Fantasticks and acted in the
upcoming film remake of Shaft with Samuel L. Jackson. And now he's in a hot
boy band again. But he's not complaining.
''The first time, there were too many cultural differences,'' he says. ''I wasn't
ready to commit to moving to Russia or Europe. I love music, but I want to focus
on my acting right now.'' He's also showing off his hunky self to great
advantage. Farmer has been a guest host on MTV's Total Request Live three times
to adoring, screaming young female fans and is gearing up to go to Canada in
May to begin production of eight episodes of the series.
''I didn't anticipate this happening, but I feel very fortunate,'' Farmer says.
''It's different from The Monkees. We're treated as a band, but also as funny
actors. And for once I have job security in a business where there's none.''
By Jefferson Graham