Challen Cates at Melrose Elementary  with The Young Storytellers Foundation.

For more information regarding YSF Click here.

Challen plays “Mrs.Knight’, mother to reluctant boy band member “Kendall” on the hit TV show Big Time Rush which was nominated as the #1 show on Nickelodeon.

The Big Time Rush boys are a hilarious, hockey-playing foursome, who skate through the tricky turns of rock, romance and regular life, as best friends and as bandmates.

The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, also known as the KCAs and/or Nick Choice Awards, is an annual awards show that honors the year’s biggest television, movie, and music acts, as voted by Nickelodeon viewers.

While many stars this year received the adorned nickelodeon-colored blimp award, many of them walked away covered in green slime; a staple of Nickelodeon’s sidesplitting humor.

The awards show was a success and the Cates family, who reluctantly avoided a green slime makeover, had a great time!

The complete list of 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards winners:

Favorite movie: “The Karate Kid”

Favorite movie actor: Johnny Depp, “Alice in Wonderland”

Favorite movie actress: Miley Cyrus, “The Last Song”

Favorite animated movie: “Despicable Me”

Favorite voice from an animated movie: Eddie Murphy, “Shrek Forever After”

Favorite buttkicker: Jackie Chan, “The Karate Kid”

Favorite TV show: “iCarly”

Favorite TV actor: Dylan Sprouse, “Suite Life on Deck”

Favorite TV actress: Selena Gomez, “Wizards of Waverly Place”

Favorite TV sidekick: Jennette McCurdy, “iCarly”

Favorite reality show: “American Idol”

Favorite music group: Black Eyed Peas

Favorite male singer: Justin Bieber

Favorite female singer: Katy Perry

Favorite song: Justin Bieber’s “Baby”

Favorite male athlete: Shaquille O’Neal

Favorite book: Diary of a Wimpy Kids series

Favorite video game: Just Dance 2

Favorite cartoon: “SpongeBob SquarePants”

The Big Help award: Justin Timberlake

On behalf of the Knights Family we would like to congratulate Gabi Talisman for winning the Toy Drive Contest! We would like to thank everyone who donated toys to the Pasadena Toys For Tots!

On behalf of the Knights Family we wish you a Happy Holiday and a Wonderful New Years!

In the spirit of giving back this holiday season, actress Challen Cates is coordinating the first annual Knight’s Family Toy Drive to collect gift donations for children in need.  The event is named after the fictional family featured on Nickelodeon’s hit show, ‘Big Time Rush’, in which Cates plays plays a lead role as “Mrs. Knight.”

“This is such a great opportunity for kids to help out other kids,” Cates said. “Our show has such a dedicated, young fan base, so I know we have a chance to make a big difference for children in need this holiday season. One gift can really make a child’s dream true.”

Cates and fellow cast members Kendall Schmidt and Ciara Bravo are making an open call to fans for toy donations. Each fan who sends in a donation will be entered to win a framed original holiday photo, autographed by the show’s lead characters, the Knight family.

Toy donations to be sent to:

All Toys should be mailed out by: Dec 11, 2010

All toys must be sent unwrapped .

Challen Cates is featured in this month’s issue of Style Cafe Mom’s Magazine

Challen discusses balancing her busy life as a mother and wife with her television career

Check it out at: Style Cafe Moms Magazine

What made you want to get into the entertainment industry?

I grew up on a farm in rural Virginia so the excitement of the entertainment industry always had a very strong pull on me. When I finally got to a place where I could take an acting class I knew that I was hooked. I loved it and felt at home and certain about my career for the first time.

Out of the many television series you appeared in, which one was your most memorable experience?

Hmmm. let’s see. I did this really fun Guest star on Diagnosis Murder and I just loved working with that cast and crew but my character died at the end of the episode. I wrote a letter to the Executive Producer, Fred Silverman and thanked him for having me on the show and then I made a suggestion that I they could bring me back from the dead a la “Vertigo” and that’s what they did. I was thrilled when my agent called to say that they wanted to bring me back as the evil twin. It was a blast the second time on the show but at the end of the episode, my character went to jail.

Any future projects or events you would like my readers to know about?
I did this really wild independent film called “Footsteps” that still hasn’t been released. I’m really anxious to see how it turns out. The script had a strong David Lynch feel to it.

Can you reveal to my readers any juicy secrets behind the scenes of Hollywood? (example, which actor/actress was the nicest on set, etc.)

wow. there are so many stories. let’s see…Heather Locklear and is one of the nicest people I’ve worked with. John Ratzenberger is the most hilarious, Roseanne was the most intimidating, Dick Van Dyke is one of the happiest. He literally dances and sings around the set all day. Rick Springfield is very considerate, I was working on a show with Rick and there was a kiss in the episode and I was really nervous but he was so sweet and could completely read my nerves so he helped make it a good experience. Most of the time it is fun and people are nice and inviting but you would be surprised how many successful actors on successful shows are just miserable. On the set of Big Time Rush everyone is friendly and also very grateful to be working.

What made you want to get into the entertainment industry?
I grew up on a farm in rural Virginia so the excitement of the entertainment industry always had a very strong pull on me. When I finally got to a place where I could take an acting class I knew that I was hooked. I loved it and felt at home and certain about my career for the first time.

Out of the many television series you appeared in, which one was your most memorable experience?
Hmmm. let’s see. I did this really fun Guest star on Diagnosis Murder and I just loved working with that cast and crew but my character died at the end of the episode. I wrote a letter to the Executive Producer, Fred Silverman and thanked him for having me on the show and then I made a suggestion that I they could bring me back from the dead a la “Vertigo” and that’s what they did. I was thrilled when my agent called to say that they wanted to bring me back as the evil twin. It was a blast the second time on the show but at the end of the episode, my character went to jail.