Happy Families - The Carter Siblings Unite

23rd October 2006

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What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? That’s what Backstreet Boy Nick Carter is banking on as he brings together his younger brother, mega pop star Aaron, and their three sisters, Bobbie Jean, Leslie and Angel, to live together as they try to put a turbulent family history behind them. House of Carters premieres with a special hour-long episode on Sunday, 5th November at 6pm only on E! Entertainment Television (Sky 155/NTL170). Following the one-hour series debut, new half-hour episodes will air every Sunday at 6pm throughout November and December.

What made you decide to get your family together and do House of Carters

Nick

It kind of just happened; it was a natural progression, like it was meant to be. I was coming out to LA to record music, Aaron and all the other kids were out here on their own. I was going to move them into a house with me anyway and watch over them. The whole idea of the TV show came to light and we just decided to document it.

Why on live TV though

Nick

It’s a cool thing, you get the chance to see what you’re doing and who you are, analyse yourself and correct things. A lot of people who come up and say "We know what you’re doing with your family and think it’s great, we’re gonna do the same thing!" People are afraid to go back to their pasts. Everything you’re going through now stems from your family. Our family is much tighter than it was.

Aaron

I have to say personal it’s been a huge improvement in all of our relationships together. You might not be able to see it from the show, but from a personal standpoint, there’s so much improvement. We come from a hard past but it’s cool because we have a great future ahead of us together.

What have you seen about yourselves that you don’t like

Aaron

Numerous things. After sitting down and watching myself on TV, taken from an outside perspective. It’s different when you’re in it and you think ‘wow, do I really act like that?’ The good thing about this show is that it’s really helped us all mature really quickly.

Nick

I was maybe a little too over bearing in the beginning. Because I didn’t know how to react with my brothers and sisters. I didn’t know whether to take on a parental role, I knew I wanted to be their brother.

Aaron

It wasn’t like he intentionally tried to do that, it was just a brotherly love coming out of it.

Nick

Yeah, I didn’t feel like I was acting that way but I guess I was, but then my brothers and sisters would tell me. "Hey Nick, you’re starting to act like your dad."

Did you think about getting your parents involved

Aaron

Our father makes an appearance on the show

Nick

No not at all. Our mother and father are divorced and our father re-married, and she was like 29 when they got married. The truth is, it felt a little weird for us.

Aaron

With nick, he didn’t really have to meet her or anything like that. For me, I was stuck in the house with my dad and my step wife. I think it was more difficult than it really seemed on the outside. You’ve got to understand, your parents have been together your whole life and all of a sudden it’s a different lifestyle. I didn’t want to lose the family that I had. I felt like I lost it.

Nick

All of the siblings were longing for our original family. Our mother decided to get remarried and she was dating younger guys and all this shit. Everything was just turned upside down. My whole entire family was just longing for what they believed our immediate family. All we had left from that situation was each other. That’s what it was really about.

I saw a clip on the show where the two of you had a bit of a bust up about Paris Hilton. What was that all about

Aaron

There were a couple of things that fight was over really, that didn’t really get a chance to get out. There’s a lot of pressure and we ended up getting into a fight. You know, we stick together and nothing is going to interfere with our relationship. That’s stupid to ever let anything like that happen.

Do you feel in competition when it comes to music

Aaron

No Not at all!

Nick

not at all. You know we come from completely different influences. Aaron is an incredible dancer. I love my influences, you know pop rock. Aaron is more of urban dance music, like R&B stuff. It’s like different perspectives. In the beginning I did come across not understanding, but now I understand. You’ll see the episode we’re talking about, it’s number 4. It was a difference in opinion and we’ve learned to accept ourselves.

What’s in the pipeline for you both? Nick, I heard you were making a single with Back Street Boys

Nick

Yeah, there’s one of two things gonna happen, either another Back Street single very soon or I’m working on a solo record too. At the moment I’m playing it by ear. The relationship is great, the boys are great. We’re in a transitional period.

Aaron

I’ve pursued acting; I appeared in a couple of videos. I’ve been acting for a while now thinking about it. I definitely want to pursue my singing. Singing will always be number one to me. I‘ve got a good team around me, people who helped me and got me started, my brother supports me, what more could I ask for. The only thing I could ask for is a number one spot in the charts.