After Johnny signed our personal pages from Big Black Butt magazine, a few moments later in comes the girl everyone was waiting for all day. The new Daisy Dukes, Jessica Simpson…Man she’s even more gorgeous in person than in those magazines or even on TV. She sat down with us (Took some pics, which we can post) and here is what she had to say about bringing back Daisy Dukes and her experience making her acting debut.

Will you be performing with Willie Nelson or is that a rumor?

Jessica Simpson: That started out as a rumor and something I wanted to do and I didn’t know if he wanted to do it but he asked me on-set the other day to sing with him. So, we're trying to find the best song to do, and we'll be recording that.

Did you work together on the theme song?

Jessica Simpson: No. He did that by himself. He doesn’t want me on the theme song.

Did you find jumping into acting in films different from the TV show?

Jessica Simpson: You know I thought it was going to be a lot harder but I think just the atmosphere, the cast, Johnny and Sean, and the director, Jay, and everybody has really made me feel very comfortable. They’re crazy anyway, so it’s okay if I mess up and it’s cool for your first movie to go in completely open to just fall on your face. That’s the personality that they have and what makes them so good at what they do.

Why did you want this part?

Jessica Simpson: It was important for me to not go so far away from my persona and what people already knew me as and eventually I go there in acting but for my first role I just didn’t want it to be too farfetched and I just thought it was an amazing character and I wasn’t alive when Dukes of Hazzard was around (on TV), but I did see all the reruns and I’m from the South and the accent sort of came natural and it’s something that as an all-American girl I wanted to keep.

With cameras all around you all the time, did your experience on your TV show make it a lot of easier to do this film?

Jessica Simpson: I don’t even notice a camera anymore, so that’s one of the positive things as far as having a crew around all the time. They’ll be in your face and you don’t even notice that they are there, which is scary but it’s good as an actor.

As an actress, what did you do to prepare for the role?

Jessica Simpson: I shoot on Thursday and I don’t even know what my lines are so I’m better at just going in and sit in my hair and makeup trailer and while I’m getting my hair and makeup done, just memorizing my lines right there. That way I don’t rehearse them too much and it doesn’t sound like I’m acting and it’s more on how I say it instead of thinking of when and where to say my lines. It gets too confusing and that’s when I think it starts to look contrived.

Do you have any desire to drive the General Lee?

Jessica Simpson: Well, Daisy never really was in the car. She pretty much stayed in her jeep and I think Bo doesn’t let many people drive it. I did go to driving school. I guess I just did it for fun because I really don’t do any car tricks or stunts or anything in the movie, but they wanted me to feel comfortable driving so I went and learned how to do a reverse 180 and all sorts of stuff and they said I caught on really quick.

Are you and Enos going to hook up in this movie?

Jessica Simpson: I definitely tease Enos a little bit. It’s sort of how I get my cousins out of a lot of situations.

Isn’t that cruel?

Jessica Simpson: Is it cruel? No, because she really does love him and has a place in her heart for him.

She doesn’t love him…

Jessica Simpson: I don’t know. Maybe in the sequel? When it was first written, they had Enos and Daisy kissing but I haven’t read that in the new script.

So you don’t think it will happen?

Jessica Simpson: I already had my big scene with Enos. Most of them are in bikinis. Thank God those are over.

You look like you got in shape for this role. Can you talk about what you did to prepare for this role as Daisy Duke?

Jessica Simpson: Immediately when I found out that I had the part, I thought it would be best to be able to have something to work towards or else I’ll stick to my fried food and taco bell. To have something, a goal, is awesome; so I ate my last piece of chocolate cake when I found out and ever since then I’ve tried to cut sugar out of my diet except fruit. For the most part, I eat healthy and work out for two hours everyday.

Will you stick to this diet after the movie?

Jessica Simpson: Yeah, I’m addicted to it now. Now, I actually feel better and I have so much more energy and work is so much easier, but I’m also not traveling everyday of my life, which I’m so used to and that’s one of the main differences when doing a movie.

Having the part of Daisy Duke must have brought you plenty of talk about the jeans and what brand will you choose. Have you decided on one?

Jessica Simpson: Oh my gosh. I tried on so many jeans. You can’t even imagine how jeans I tried on for this movie, but most of them were jeans that we just cut off and made them as short as we wanted to, which is probably more than I would wear.

What brand was the lucky winner?

Jessica Simpson: Lucky jeans, and then Levis is in one (scene), but the main Daisy Dukes are Lucky and her jeans are True Religion.

Will you have your own line of Daisy Dukes?

Jessica Simpson: Yes. I just signed a big merchandising deal and my mom and I are doing it together, so we’re going to have a line of jeans called Bridges. I’m hoping to do a line of Daisy Bridges.

I heard that you had fun shopping while you were hear and ended up with a lot of luggage.

Jessica Simpson: Yeah. It’s so weird for me because I like to be comfortable but I also like to put together outfits so you never know what you’re to feel like that day so you have to bring, and the sad thing is that my closet at home in LA is completely full and you would not know that I have so much luggage out here but I do and we’re going to end up having to ship things home. It’s funny that what you think is cute when you go to a small town, and I’m used to shopping and getting major designer stuff, but now we are so excited to go to a Target and get a new hooded sweatshirt.

Do you get appreciated by young female fans?

Jessica Simpson: Especially when they come up with their mother. Their mother always thanks me for staying positive and putting good energy out there and being a good role model. That’s probably the biggest comment I get and makes me want to continue to choose things that are inspirational for other people.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about you?

Jessica Simpson: I’m definitely ditzy. People think that about me and that’s okay with me, but I’m not that Anna Nicole Smith type. I definitely have my stuff together and I’m a very determined person who works really hard, and a lot of that gets lost in the chicken and tuna comments, but that’s okay because it’s done really well for me.

I heard that Cooter is your first on-scene kiss?

Jessica Simpson: Cooter is my first on-screen kiss.

How was that?

Jessica Simpson: That was great. I really just kiss him on the cheek. He might have tried to slip every now and then (laughs). That was my first day on set.

Was he covered in grease?

Jessica Simpson: Yes he was. My makeup artist had to wipe it off every time.

Has Nick been able to come down?

Jessica Simpson: Nick is here now. He’s in the studio in Baton Rouge. He just signed with Jive Records, so he’s flying writers down here and figuring out what’s he’s doing next. He hasn’t seen me doing anything yet because I’ve been here for a week not doing anything, which is nice.

Have you had a chance to talk to Burt Reynolds?

Jessica Simpson: Of course. One of my first days on set was with Burt. He was so sweet. He had gone out to an antiques store and he got me a ring that was a daisy and blue sapphires and just made me feel real comfortable. I had sort of a scene with him already but I’ve a couple with Willie Nelson, and he’s unbelievable. Both of them are great.

What do you think is the best part about Daisy’s character?

Jessica Simpson: That she gets everybody out of trouble. I think that’s so much fun about it. That people lean on Daisy to make things happen; whether it’s her sexuality or personality, it’s really fun because you never really looked at Daisy Duke. If you look at the clothes that she was wearing, especially back them, it’s so skimpy and nowadays, you would be like, “Oh gosh!” I can’t believe she wears that walking down the street. Somehow Daisy Duke can pull it off and she always had a smile when she does it. It’s not ever anything that’s too seductive.

You are testing the waters by acting in a part that is close to you. Where would you like to see things go? Where do you want to go as an actress?

Jessica Simpson: I want to do the romantic comedies; the stuff that Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts do of course, but I love movies that move you and make you cry. Whether it’s a drama, I’m up for anything. I don’t know if I would be good being some coked-up drug addict. I’ve never tried it and that would be hard to identify with, but maybe one day. You never know.

With the merchandising, is there going to be a daisy doll?

Jessica Simpson: I don’t know. I don’t know what Warner Bros. has planned, but I know we are doing some stuff with them.

How’s working with Bill Gerber?

Jessica Simpson: Bill Gerber is amazing. He’s such a great connection. He was the first person I met with on Dukes of Hazzard and it was so long ago. It was like two years ago. He’s put so much heart behind this project, and one of the coolest producers and I wanted to do my next thing with him because he has this really great project that’s very Private Benjamin, Goldie Hawn type of film. It should be really good.

Is Goldie Hawn one of your favorite actresses?

Jessica Simpson: Goldie Hawn is definitely one of my favorites. Like I said, Julia Roberts or even Kate Hudson. I thought her performance in “Almost Famous” was awesome, and how she can do a romantic comedy and do something like “Almost Famous” is the sort of direction I would like to go.

Do you know if Catherine Bach will make a cameo in the film?

Jessica Simpson: I’ve heard some rumors. What’s so weird is that Catherine Bach had a house for sale and my mom had no clue who it was and this was before I got the part and my mom ended up going over and looking at the house and she told my mom that she had heard a rumor that they wanted me for Dukes of Hazzard and she hoped I’d get it. I don’t know. I hope so. I’ve heard a little rumor, but you never know.

Any tours coming up?

Jessica Simpson: I will be touring this summer. We have two weeks of shooting left and then I’m going into the studio with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and I’m working on a new record and then I also doing some stuff on the soundtrack for Dukes and I’ll be going out on tour this summer. I’ll be doing some fairs and it will be like cross promotions. It’s never really been done before with the movie and I’ll have songs where I come out as Daisy Duke.

Will you and Nick act together?

Jessica Simpson: After this season of “Newlyweds”, you won’t be seeing me and Nick do much other than four more variety shows. We’re thinking about going overseas to the troops and bringing wives and husbands with us to meet up with their husbands and wives in the military for the next variety show. After the newlywed show, no more. We’ll separate everything except our love.

Why do you think your reality show has connected with audiences?

Jessica Simpson: Because we are just like every other couple and as a celebrity and living as a celebrity that was put up on a pedestal and really wasn’t down with everybody else, that was difficult for me and when we did the reality show, everybody related. For the first time, I was the celebrity that I wanted to be, and that’s just the girl next door who you could sit with and have pizza with.

What do you think about Louisiana?

Jessica Simpson: I love Louisiana. I hadn’t spent time here. I’m from the South and I’ve been to New Orleans a lot and I enjoy the people.

Any big surprises here?

Jessica Simpson: How much fun you can have doing nothing. We’ve had so much fun just playing pool and doing karaoke and going bowling; stuff that I’ll probably wouldn’t do in Los Angeles; so it’s really brought me back to my southern roots, which is nice.

Do you think the reality show overshadows the music?

Jessica Simpson: I think that it’s all kind of worked together. I sold 3 million records this year, and that’s good nowadays and I’m happy with that and I hope to see that many on my next album.

The Dukes of Hazzard hits theaters on August 5th, 2005