In "First Daughter," Samantha Mackenzie (Katie Holmes) just wants what a lot of high school grads want — to go away to college and start her own life. But when your dad is the president, it's hard to avoid the media's prying eyes and even harder to find true love. Luckily, Holmes managed to ditch her Secret Service detail long enough to answer a few questions from MTV News' Kelly Marino. MTV: Your character seems to take a lot of risks in this movie. Is that something you can relate to in your own life? Are you a risk taker? Katie Holmes: Definitely. I think part of being in this business is you have to be one who takes risks. When you're signing on to different projects, you never know really what you're getting into, and you just have to sort of close your eyes and jump and make the best of it and hope for the best. Sam is definitely a risk taker to not only go to college, but go to college 3,000 miles away from her parents and try really hard to immerse herself in this different world and really present herself as a normal person and not walk around like she's any more important, and that's a huge risk. I mean, that's sort of taking down all of your defenses.  Clip: Katie Holmes takes on a gigantic Slip 'N Slide MTV: In the movie, it's hard for your character to find people who are real with her because she's the president's daughter. As a celebrity, is it hard for you to find people who are real with you? Holmes: Well, I surround myself with my really good, good friends that I've known for a long time and my family, and I'm not quick to really let too many people into my life. And part of that is just because I travel a lot. I'm never really in any one place [for very long], but I think as you get older, you become a bit wiser and your instincts sort of take over. Unfortunately, Sam is at such a young age and so innocent and naive and used to just being around people that are protecting her, so she really has no filter system and no way of realizing that people may be taking advantage of her. MTV: Did you have to do any research for the part? View the "First Daughter" trailer, photos, clips and more Holmes: I studied as much material as they have on the daughters, and I watched a lot of tapes of inside the White House and different tours and things. Talked to Secret Service men who couldn't really tell you much. [She laughs.] They could tell you a little bit, but it's fun to try and get them to slip. That's about all. MTV: So they didn't have any interesting stories to tell you? Holmes: No, nothing. They couldn't even tell me how many men were on Chelsea [Clinton]'s detail at Stanford. MTV: So were you able to gain any insight into what goes on in, say, the lives of the Bush twins or the Kerry sisters? Do you feel like you have a better understanding? Holmes: Well, I guess what I realized playing this part is that, you know, as an actor or musician or that kind of celebrity, you can to a certain extent control the amount that you put out there — the amount of publicity — and you can sort of stay away from the public's eye. But for a president's daughter in college, it's like, what are you gonna do? How do you have friends and enjoy a college experience when you have paparazzi everywhere and people talking. There's just so much pressure. MTV: There's a lot of emphasis on getting young people to vote this year. What do you think of that? Holmes: Well, I just think in general it's so important to just be aware and knowledgeable about what is happening in the world and in politics and how things are being affected, and to realize that you can make a difference and your vote does matter and to not just sit back and not vote. I don't think [that's] very respectable; it's our country and we should have pride. MTV: Moving away from politics, what can you tell us about your next movie, "Batman Begins"? Holmes: It's coming out in the summertime, and I can't really tell you too much about the story, but I think Christian Bale makes an amazing Batman. MTV: In "First Daughter," you worked with Michael Keaton, who played Batman in Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" movie. Did he give you any pointers for "Batman Begins"? Holmes: Well, I didn't even know I was going to be auditioning for "Batman" when I worked with Michael Keaton. I mean, he told me some stories, you know, just in general, about his experience, but it was like, "That's so wild." I can't believe I'm in this movie. Visit MTV Movies for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more. E-Mail this story to a friend What do you think of this feature? You Tell Us...
	Photo: 20th Century Fox