Goodbye, Cosmo. Hello, Weekender.

Perhaps this was the thought going through the mind of pop star Mandy Moore when she sat down with me in her posh, 20th floor suite at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Chicago. Either that, or, “When’s lunch?”

Many of my male peers had questions that they wanted to ask the 19-year-old singer/actress. Most consisted of “Can I have your phone number?” Other comments aren’t fit to print. This is what Mandy Moore does best: She makes any ordinary male feel that they have a chance to spend a hot evening with her.

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Looking at Moore’s green eyes and pouty lips did not bring a Cosmo supermodel into mind — it brought back memories of that beautiful girl in high school. Not the girl that everyone knew and everyone wanted, but the hidden gem that a lucky guy would find on a random day turning a corner. It’s hard to picture Moore as the captain of any high school cheerleading team. You’d be more likely to find her pearly white teeth flashing a smile at the weekly chemistry club meeting.

In a separate room sits Matthew Goode, Moore’s co-star in her new film, “Chasing Liberty.” The chain-smoking, “golden beverage”-sipping Goode first appears to be Moore’s polar opposite. While Moore sits rather innocently on the couch with a pillow on her lap, Goode sprawls out with his legs kicked up on a coffee table, saying, “Let the grilling begin.”

What’s even more ironic is that, in the film, Moore plays the character visiting her wild side and Goode plays the undercover secret service agent trying to keep her straight.

In “Chasing Liberty,” Moore plays the First Daughter, a teenage girl looking to get away from the presidential spotlight and experiment the way any “good, young virgin” should. Watching the film, one can’t help but wonder just how much this film not only echoes the frustrations of the Bush twins, but perhaps the frustrations of Moore herself.

“It is kind of me in a sense,” Moore said. “I’ve come to the age where I am breaking out, not just being Mandy with blonde hair, you know?”

Speaking of blonde hair, Mandy Moore Web sites are full of references to the “bubble gum pop star” dropping her blonde locks for a darker, brunette look. Somehow the powers that be must feel that hair dye is the key to Moore’s career — but why?

“I have no idea,” Moore answered. “You’ll have to ask the people that are in charge of all that who make all of those executive decisions.”

Decision-making is an important theme in “Chasing Liberty.” Moore’s character gets away with so much, with little consequence. She drinks but never gets a hangover. She lies constantly to her male counterpart but scolds him for doing the same. It is the male who must be forgiven, while the female’s lies are never challenged.

“I had a little bit of a headache,” Moore joked about the lack of the next-day jitters. “This is a time in your life where you should be able to have fun. I’ve been part of films in the past that could have gone to the places that this film does. I think I was ready to do something more honest.”

About the male getting the shaft, Moore only had one response.

“I guess that’s women for you sometimes?” Moore laughed. “I don’t necessarily agree with her not having to suffer any of the consequences, but I didn’t write the script.”

Although Moore is a pop star, she has not lost her girl-next-door qualities, especially her sense of humor. Goode couldn’t agree more.

“She’s awfully charming and lovely,” Goode said. “What you see is what you get.”

“Chasing Liberty” marks Goode’s big Hollywood debut. While Moore basically is handed scripts these days, Goode had to fly to L.A. from England to do a screen test for the film.

“It was slightly nerve-racking,” Goode said. “My English producer fought really hard for me since I wasn’t too high-profile coming from Britain. They took a chance, and hopefully it will pay off.”

Screen tests will be the last thing Goode should worry about now. Instead, the handsome English lad will have to prepare for the onslaught of teenybopper Mandy Moore fanatics chasing him down the street.

“I think I’m ready for that,” Goode answered. “I’m not Michael Jackson, but I guess that would be boys, wouldn’t it?”

The night before our interview, Goode spoke to a rather boisterous young female crowd. When asked if they had any questions, not too many were asking about the film.

“All they seemed to do was, ‘Yes, I have a question. Can I have a hug?'” Goode laughed. “I said, ‘Yes, yes, you can. You’re very small, aren’t you?'”

Goode’s relaxed demeanor is refreshing. Being a newbie in Hollywood, he’s not afraid to let his mind fly on certain issues or films. Although the Hollywood scene has been a bit of a shock — especially with the press — Goode is enjoying it.

“It’s more tiring than I was expecting,” Goode said. “You desperately try not to give a rehearsed bit. I try to keep it real for you guys.”

“He’s a little crazy, right?” Moore asked, about Goode. “No, he’s great and he’s really sweet. He’s super-talented and I think he’s amazing in the film. We were fortunate to grab him first.”

While Goode has finished his college education and is ready for more screen time, Moore still is hoping to attend college at some point.

“College is hopefully still in the cards, too,” she said. “All my friends are at college right now, so I’m kind of living through them.”

So just what will Moore study? Forget the theater or music departments — this young star just might want to become a reporter some day.

“I haven’t become too cynical yet,” Moore laughed. “But it’s something that I’m interested in.”

And then, our interviews were over. On Goode’s end, the publicist entered and asked if we had one last question. Being a college reporter, I looked at Goode’s golden beverage and could think only of one.

“What kind of beer are you drinking?” I asked.

Before Goode could answer, the publicist answered for him.

“It’s apple cider,” she said.

“Right,” Goode replied. “Heineken apple cider. There are no good beers in these mini-bars.”

Matthew Goode — a publicist’s dream.