http://starrymag.com/content.asp?ID=6284&CATEGORY=INTERVIEWS Q. What is it about the show "Dirty Soap" that made you want to be a part of it? A. Well it was back earlier this year, I was asked basically to come to a meeting just to, originally it was I had a meeting at E! just to talk, and talk about my life, and what I’ve been up to, and what it is I’ve been doing at work and what-not, so it just kind of started off like that. Eventually I was approached again with this idea, and at first it seemed like a really scary prospect because I actually feel like I’m a pretty private person, so this would definitely be a complete 180 obviously where I’m completely exposing my life for the entire world to see. So it was definitely a difficult decision but now, in the aftermath, I’m really glad I made the decision. Also, what really attracted me and I think all of us to it was the fact that there’s never really been a show like this that’s following professional actors who work on other TV shows and to really get a view, a behind-the-scenes look into our lives and into what it is that we do every day. I think for years, I’ve always said, I know a lot of people felt like oh, if only people could see the behind the scenes of soap operas. A lot of times it’s a lot more interesting than what goes on on screen, the scripted version. I think it was sort of a, just, it was sort of a gut feeling, an instinct just to go for it. That’s how it happened. It was very strange, it was kind of a whirlwind actually. Q. What kind of feedback from the fans have you been receiving? A. I feel really lucky that, so far, everybody has been giving really great feedback. Everybody has been really supportive and the people really love the show, which we think is great. I think that it’s really getting soap fans a real intimate look into our lives and into their favorite shows. We love the fact that it’s exposing a whole new audience to TV shows that they perhaps didn’t watch before, so, it’s kind of a win-win situation in that way. Q. Are there moments when you watch and cringe and think, I should not have said or done this? A. Well, the first thing that comes to mind is the quote “Beemer Guzzling.” After I saw that I was like ooh, I don’t know if mom will approve of that, maybe I shouldn’t have said that. In hindsight, like every scene that I’ve seen, it’s really who I am and who we are and it’s very authentic. You also have to know and learn that you can’t please everybody, and people are going to like you or they’re not going to like you for whatever reason it may be, and all I can do is be myself and that’s it. I can’t really worry about anything else. I think that one of the great aspects is that people get to see who I am as a person rather than just a character because sometimes I think that people either forget that you are a real person, or they just really greatly associate you with your character, like with Chloe and what-not, and I feel like I’m so different than a lot of the characters, and especially Chloe, that I’ve played over the years, and so the fact that I have a sense of humor, for better or worse, so that’s been definitely a fun aspect of being on the show. Q. Have any recent projects come about from appearing on the show? A. Not yet because it’s been so crazy and I’ve been so busy that I haven’t really had a moment to even breathe, so we’re feeling that the show, as it’s developed. It’s mainly just came out, and we’re just hoping to build an audience, and so far, so good. Q. What do you think it is about the show that has captured so many viewers?A. I think that there is obviously a curiosity from people who actually do watch the soaps that we’re on, and then I think that that could have been the initial draw, but then people love authenticity and I think that they like seeing our real lives and what it is that we really do, and we don’t necessarily live conventional lives. We go to work and make out with other people for a living and then come home at the end of the day and talk about it over dinner, so it’s definitely unconventional and at the same time we're all good people, and they think we’re relatable. You can tell we all have our issues and we all have family drama and things like that, but everybody has, so at the end of the day we’re all very relatable even though we kind of live like crazy, Hollywood lives. Q. What have you learned about your relationship with Brandon Beemer from being on the show? A. I think that we definitely learned how strong we were and that we are each other’s support system. I think that sometimes you forget about that stuff until it’s put right in front of you or it’s highlighted. It’s definitely brought to light some of the issues, you could say, that I have with my mother and that my mom has with Brandon, and it’s a way that has actually kind of forced them to learn to deal with that, and we do see that over all the episodes is that finally I realized that maybe I need to stand up to my mom because I haven’t been really good at it, so I think that it’s had a lot of positive impact on our lives in that way. Q. What made you want to be a part of the social networking site Twitter and connect with fans that way? A. When I first discovered Twitter I became, like, completely obsessed and kind of an addict. I just think it’s so amazing, it never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes I think about how we can instantly connect with anybody on this planet, and it’s so incredible to think about it that way. We forget how fortunate we are that we have that kind of access these days, and it’s the ultimate Facebook, so to speak. Anybody can get in contact with anybody and be heard, and I think it’s such a beautiful medium actually, and I think that that was really one of the reasons I was interested in doing the show as well, is because it is just so fascinating to be in contact with so many different people with so many different opinions from all over world and really kind of make friends with people that you’d never imagine that you would ever meet in any other circumstance and this kind of felt like that, elevated. Now it’s like, the show is Twitter with a camera,…a video camera. Yeah, especially because I feel like when I tweet I’m definitely myself and, you know, saying whatever I want, for better or worse. Sometimes things kind of get lost in print, like sarcasm and things like that, and so I felt that this would be a really good way for people to start to understand who I really am, so maybe when I tweet something they really kind of understand where that’s coming from. Q. What would you like to say to your fans and supporters? A. First and foremost, I’m so sorry if you don’t have Twitter because it’s one of the greatest things on earth. I would just like to say thank you. I am so unbelievably grateful and appreciative and constantly humbled by the support and the kind things and the encouraging and positive things that people say, and people made me aware of, and I feel like it’s definitely something I’ve learned. I think that as much as maybe I’ve made an impression on somebody’s life, my fans have made a huge impression on my life as well and I learn every single day, and I continue to learn. I always appreciate any kind of advice or any kind of words that I hear from anybody, and so I’ve learned a lot from my fans as well.
