http://www.menasuvarifan.com

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Dr.Drew.com - 2001
http://drdrew.com/DrewLive/article.asp?id=1004
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AMERICAN WOMAN
Interview by Dr. Drew

At this point, Mena Suvari may never get out of school -- lucky girl. In 1999, two years after graduating Providence High in Burbank, California, Suvari found herself back in class -- and in front of the cameras -- as Heather, the wholesome American Pie choirgirl with eyes for Chris Klein. A few months later she was making Kevin Spacey squirm as Angela Hayes, the rose-covered temptress in American Beauty. As Loser's Dora Diamond, Suvari finally gets out of high school and moves on to college, playing a student who falls for her professor. Ironically, the 21-year-old Suvari likes older men off-screen as well, having recently married 37-year-old cinematographer Robert Brinkmann, whom she met on the set of an upcoming film entitled Sugar and Spice. drDrew.com spoke with Suvari, a Rhode Island native, about meeting the man of her dreams, married life, and dealing with instant celebrity.

drDrew.com: Have you ever felt like a loser?
Mena Suvari: I moved out here when I was 15 and I didn't really know anybody. For me, high school was very academic and about graduating. I never went to the prom. I was never very popular, so I guess I was sort of a loser.

drDrew.com: Didn't you also do some modeling?
MS: I went to New York when I was 13 and was there for the whole summer. It was about wearing the heels and looking taller and trying to look older. It was weird because I felt like I had to grow up really quick.Coming out to LA was great because I could be 5'4" and eat what I wanted and there was no pressure.

drDrew.com: Was the modeling world tough?
MS: I had friends who were like, "If we change your nose, eyes and chin, they'll take you." It's crazy and sad.

drDrew.com: In addition to acting, are you creative in any other ways?
MS: I make my own shirts. I'm an Aquarius and I don't know if that has anything to do with it but I'm very into arts and crafts. I love art and fashion.

drDrew.com: What's the best thing about married life?
MS: I feel like I can talk about anything with him and that's the best feeling. We do everything together. We are inseparable. It's like he's my other half. I never thought that I would find someone so wonderful and that I would be married so young. It's a wonderful feeling.

drDrew.com: Have you talked about having kids?
MS: Yeah we have. I know that I'm not ready right now. I would like to be a little more settled and I still feel like I'm a kid in a lot of ways. You can't put a time limit on things like that, but I'm open to the idea.

drDrew.com: Your next film is Sugar and Spice--what's it about?
MS: It's a teen high school comedy about six cheerleaders. Our captain gets pregnant and us girls devise a heist to help her out. Each character has their own signature color when they aren't wearing their uniform and I'm black and blue--I'm the tough girl. It's very light and uplifting.

drDrew.com: Did the instant fame of American Beauty surprise you?
MS: I never expected it. Luckily, all the feedback has been really good. Now I just want to keep the work going and have a good time. That's the most important thing to me