Q&A with "FRWL's" Maria Menounos
EA: Favorite game and why?
Maria Menounos: "From Russia with Love", of course!
EA: Favorite Film...
Menounos: The Wizard of Oz. I grew up in a non English speaking home but that film and its message are so universal that I could understand it.
EA: Music - favorite styles and artists?
Menounos: I love all kinds of music - literally! Growing up, all I ever heard was Greek music and was only allowed to sing and perform in the church choir. At 13, I had saved up enough to get a cheap little radio and then it was on. I was like a kid in a candy store and into everything from Guns N Roses to Madonna.
EA: Favorite Travel Destination...
Menounos: Boston, of course. The food, the people and my four favorite teams: the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics.
EA: What do you think about playing this part in the "From Russia with Love game?
Menounos: To do anything professionally with Sean Connery is one of the highest honors. Besides, I just recently got into video games and I am hooked.
EA: How were you approached?
Menounos: Through Alix Gucovsky- my amazing commercial agent. She had just booked Pantene for me and called days later asking if I wanted to be part of the game.
EA: What are your holiday picks for games this year?
Menounos: "From Russia with Love"!
EA: Talk a bit about your current projects, how much fun are you having?
Menounos: I'm working so much that I'm kind of waiting for the fun part to kick in - just kidding. Every part of this biz is fun. I've been busy with my production company "Omega Girl Inc." Under the company, I just directed a 35mm film starring Wilmer Valderrama entitled "Longtime Listener" and produced and starred in another 35mm film with Lara Flynn Boyle called "Fwiends.com." I also just optioned the rights to the book "Boy Giant" by Dan Brannan, the true story of 8' 11'', Robert Wadlow. I am also still working on my first 35mm feature entitled "In the Land of Merry Misfits" - a movie that I began making at 18. Knights have been on shorter quests but then I guess that's appropriate since its' independent film's first fairy tale.
I have recurring role on "One Tree Hill", too. My charity "Take Action Hollywood!" just did a day of makeovers for sick children at the LA Children's Hospital. We are also set to award our first annual Cosmo/Omega Girl Cup. It's a nationwide challenge for teens nationwide to see who can do the most to affect for social change in their communities and even the world. Their efforts were judged by a panel of celebrities. The winners names will be permanently inscribed on the cup, an ominously impressive gold and silver creation, created by the famed Hollywood prop specıalısts (Pirates of the Caribbean) "Sword and the Stone." We had thousands of entries in our first year. I'm so excited to see the competition grow and about all the lives that the competition can positively alter.
EA: What challenges do you find in the work you are doing right now?
Menounos: Balancing the load. For example, when I acted in "Without a Trace" as soon as the director yelled cut, I picked up my ET mike and had to switch gears immediately from actress to reporter.
EA: Is there any particular trend or artist that inspires you at the moment?
Menounos: Seeing so many artists today crossover into different areas of the business. It's inspiring.
EA: Three words to describe you?
Menounos: Diverse, resourceful, hard working.
EA: What do you do for fun?
Menounos: I study films from yesterday and today as much as I possibly can. It's my form of graduate film school. I also volunteer at an animal shelter and, of course, play with my four dogs.
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