As a self-proclaimed adrenaline rush junkie, Ryan Merriman looked forward to filming 'Final Destination 3' -- about a high school senior who has a premonition of a fatal roller coaster accident -- but it proved to be too much of a good thing. 'I love roller coasters so when we rode it 25 times in one day, it was cool at first, but then you started to feel like you had a hangover. One of the girls was claustrophobic so even she got a little weary. However, there was no puking -- it was actually quite amazing.' That will no doubt reassure moviegoers, who can join the ride when the picture opens Friday (2/10). 'People who were involved with the first two movies say this is the best one,' he adds.

MEANWHILE: Merriman is finishing his latest film, 'Home of the Giants,' with Haley Joel Osment. 'I was there two weeks before filming, just training with my teammates -- an actual basketball team in North Carolina,' the 22-year-old says about playing a high school basketball star. 'They recruited the top players in the state and put them on one team.' So how did his skills match up? 'I've always been a good athlete, but it was a bit intimidating because my main focus is acting. At first I would hit the rim a lot, but towards the end, I was dropping dimes!'