Melissa was a finalist in the Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For the Next Doll and also appeared in Making the Band 3. These are both big shows, but it wasn’t until she appeared in an advert for the clothes store Old Navy that people really sat up and took notice. And we can see why, she’s beautiful (a lot of people think she looks like a petite Kim Kardashian) and she’s a triple threat. She sings, she dances and she acts. Her début album The Love/Dance Project has just been released and of course she’s dancing and acting playing the feisty and sexy Carla in Honey 2, the sequel to the hugely popular Honey.

So, tell us about how you got involved with the film?

When I heard about the project I definitely wanted to go and audition for it. I got a meeting and auditioned after for the main role. Seychelle (Seychelle Gabirel, who ended up playing Tina), Kat (Katerina Graham who plays Maria) and I all auditioned for the same role. They liked us all and found a role for all of us. Being a fan of the first film with Jessica Alba and growing up dancing it was a dream to be part of the second one.

You play Carla in the film, do you think you are like her in any way?

I definitely do, parts of me. I feel like I’m sassy sometimes, I’m definitely a tell you like it is sort of girl and Carla has the same sort of similarities.

What was the highlight of being part of the film for you?

Just that I got to be part of the sequel, I was such a fan the original. I remember watching that when I was in grade school and thinking wow this would be a dream of mine to be part of a dance movie like this and now I am which is kind of mind blowing, you have to pinch yourself .

Is this the most exciting project you have been a part of in your career so far?

I think Honey is definitely up there. I shot another film with Dolph Lundgren called Command Performance where I went to Moscow. That film was really fun to be a part of too, I played a popstar and I was singing and dancing and stuff.

Do you think you could pick between the singing, dancing and acting?

I couldn’t. I need them all three, they go by side by side. Singing and dancing for me just kind of goes in one and then the acting is just another passion that I have, I really enjoy all three.

You’ve been in showbiz for what seems like forever, haven’t you?

Yeah I grew up singing and dancing and knew it was always what I wanted to do .

Did you ever have any self doubt that you weren’t going to make it?

You know you always have those doubts, you’re gonna hear a lot of nos but for me that wasn’t important, for me it was that I believed in myself that I knew where I wanted to go and just kept on going.

In the US you’re well known for a whole variety of things but for those of us in the UK who don’t know much about you just yet, do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself?

I think that I’m a fun loving girl. This is definitely what I have been pursuing. It’s great to go from those shows (Pussycat Dolls and Making the Band) and having those platforms. I’ve kind of been like the underdog my whole life, but I still continued to pursue and now it’s all beginning to pay off.

Finally, why do you think we should go and see the film?

It’s a feel-good movie that people will love to see. There’s comedy, there’s romance, there’s all the entertainment value with the dancing. It’s just an amazing, fun movie to watch.

As I get up leave Melissa gushes “ I love your bag”. I look down, she’s pointing to my £9 bag from Primark. A five minute conversation follows in which I try to explain to her what Primark is and that she might not want to take the trip to Primark herself. She’s not having any of it and asks for the store name to be written down. I chuckle to myself as I leave Melissa and her Chanel handbag, imagining her pushing past all the other shoppers looking for my bag in Primark.

Honey 2 is released in UK cinemas from June 10. Read our review of Honey 2 here.

If you think you know a lot about dance films then have a go at our dance quiz.

Honey 2 is the follow up to the 2003 film Honey which starred Jessica Alba, which I had completely forgotten about when going to see the sequel. Jessica Alba, an actress with a relatively respectable career, started with Honey, a film which had box office success but was royally panned by the critics. All very confusing.

And unfortunately it looks like this one is going the same way. I love dance films, but with the relatively recent Step Up 3D and Street Dance which were in spectacular 3D, Honey 2 fell short. I think I am right in saying that the film’s main draw is meant to be the dance not the plot, but if this is the case then they’ve really shot themselves in the foot by not offering a 3D experience like other recent urban dance films. The dancing is good, but when I know I could be getting a back flip in my face it all falls a little flat.

So, the plot then. Maria Ramirez, played by Katerina Graham who you may recognise from the TV show The Vampire Diaries, returns to her Bronx roots, which are suitably gritty after a stint in juvie. She’s living with the now legendary Honey’s mum and doing community service in the dance studio Honey created in the first film. She catches the eye of Brandon (Randy Wayne) who wants her to dance in his crew. Trouble is that her old boyfriend Luis (Christopher ‘War’ Martinez) who is a part time drug dealer, part time crew leader wants her back in his crew, the 718.

The urban dance film formula plays out and there’s the obligatory posh boy falling for the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, but it’s ok because they both share the love of dance. It all culminates in a televised dance competition with Mario Lopez and Audrina Patridge popping up for some embarrassing cameos. Maria’s new crew go up against the 718. We won’t tell you what happens, but as you may have guessed, the film ends with Maria in love, on the straight and narrow and with a real sense of her true identity.

In between cringing at the terrible script I was left completely confused about who this was aimed at. There is a strong emphasis on sexuality throughout the film and other adult themes such as drug dealing, which are just not suitable for young teens. So, I’m not sure who is going to watch it or even really who will enjoy it. All we can hope is that this is the start of something more for Katerina Graham as it was for Alba and that all future urban dance films will take the 3D route.

Buy the Honey 2 [DVD] on Amazon now.

If you think you know a lot about dance films then have a go at our dance quiz.

Diversity in the film

The film follows a Street dance crew, who upon being deserted by their leader must try to stay together and make a new routine to enter into the UK street dancing championships. Carly (Nichola Burley) a sweet northern girl working at a sandwich cafe takes over the role of leader, but struggles finding sponsorship and a studio for the crew to practise. Her luck is in when she delivers a lunch order to Helena (Charlotte Rampling), headmistress at the very posh London School of Dance. Impressed by Carly’s confidence, and by an impromptu performance at a shopping centre she agrees to let Carly’s crew use her studio, on the condition that some of her ballet students join them. After the many disagreements and walk outs the new crew finally get together to create a ballet inspired break dancing routine.

The highlight of the film was obviously the dancing with a brilliant performance from last year’s Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity. Runners up Flawless were the main antagonist for our break dancers and George Sampson had a main role throughout the film. I found myself many times wondering ‘is that move physically possible?’ The moves are slick, smooth and stylish. With music from the latest names that British hip hop has to offer. 3D is well used in this film making the dance moves even more eye popping. A fun film great for the family or for those caught up in the break dancing frenzy.