Lennox Miller is an actress and model from Atlanta, Georgia. Her main acting interests are hosting and corresponding for television shows and documentaries as well as being a "Scream Queen" in independent slasher/horror flicks.
In May 2007, Lennox answered a few questions for me, proving that there is a lot more to her than just being a beautiful blonde. Here's what she had to say...
Well I've wanted to be an actress since I was a kid, but at the same time the acting and modeling really is a pretty recent career development for me. I'll explain... since I've always been a super nerd and have my Masters degree work in the field of Public Health, I get the question of how and why I started all the time - I'm a little hard to figure out and define since I have so many sides to me.
But I'll try to explain... when I was growing up and then even all through college and graduate school, I was a total teacher's pet who won many academic awards and scholarships. I was fiercely driven to be Number One academically. I even made Phi Beta Kappa as a Junior in college. Anyway, I was always wanting to do the "right" thing, and for me that meant going to graduate school right after college... I was intelligent, I loved studying and research, and it just made sense to me and everyone around me that I'd would be an academic.
Well... about three years after obtaining my Masters degree and being in the working world, I got bored. REALLY bored. I thought about what lit me up in my current state and couldn't think of a thing. So I decided to return to what I loved as a kid - acting.
I used to take acting classes as a kid and was a total ham and loved being the center of attention. In elementary school I would host/narrate school plays and speak at P.T.A. meetings and do morning announcements and such. But when I went to Junior High I just stopped all together for whatever reason. Anyway, I loved being a "host" more so than an actress - I like playing myself, so to speak, as opposed to a character. Keeping that in mind, I wanted to target my acting to hosting.
My boyfriend was such a blessing to me at that point (and still is!). He convinced me to "go for it!" even when I thought I was being ridiculous to pick back up this new hobby at my age. He was the reason I went to my first audition to host a couple of pilot episodes for a live music show which never ended up getting picked up, but I got the gig and I was off and running! Getting that first gig made me 100% more confident that I was doing the right thing for me and that no dream of mine was too far-fetched.
The "Scream Queen" part was also a very natural thing for me since I grew up watching B-movies and loved horror movies. The rest is history baby! :)
What has been the high point of your career so far?
You know what was pretty cool? Seeing myself in Maxim. I'm not sure I've topped that yet. :) I'm in the 100th Issue anniversary issue, April 2006. To open the pages of that magazine and see me in there on a page opposite of Paris Hilton was pretty damn surreal!
The lowest was what happened during the whole production on the set of my last feature length film. I'm not naming names, but in a nutshell, the Writer/Director/Producer had a great script but couldn't have mishandled every single aspect of production worse than he did. After five months of our production going nowhere and taking too long to get there, I quit. I was the lead but there was no respect for me at all. Funny thing - it's now five months later and they’re somehow STILL shooting. This is a no-budget indie local Atlanta flick and should never be taking 10 months. It kind of shows you why I got the hell out when I did!
Do you have any aspirations to be an actor in a big budget major motion picture?
Absolutely. I mean, if it happens it happens and if it doesn’t it doesn't, BUT there’s no denying what exposure even a small role in a big-budget screen film does for actresses. Usually a hot girl gets a small role in a big movie and then they have a feature in FHM, Stuff, Maxim, whatever... and then they get more work.
What would be your ideal role?
I've yet to play the slighty neurotic, quirky, goofy girl in a comedy - and that would be my ideal role. I think I would do comedy very well but the only times I've been cast in comedic roles I've been the "hot girl" who is doling out sarcasm so it's not goofy-funny but more aloof-funny. I am a total dork with a touch of neurosis so I could totally play a character like "Rachael" in Friends or, heck, most of Cameron Diaz' characters. I hope to have that chance some day!
Who do you admire in show business?
I admire the women who are hot but yet don't have to go out of their way to throw it in people's faces. You're never going to see Scarlett Johanson, Cameron Diaz, Rachel McAdams, Katherine Heigel, Drew Barrymore, and other young, respectable actresses making asses of themselves or deliberately opening their legs to get out of a car when they know they don’t have underwear on. It's so obvious that those without talent just exist on shock value alone.
If you could be anyone else for 24 hours who would you want to be?
I'm pretty happy with my life and who I am but for one day I'd like to be some kind of math genius. I just want my brain to work in a more analytical capacity than it does. I mean I am analytical in general but mostly my analytical skills are qualitative. Just for one day I'd love to have a super analytical brain and apply it to a math or science field!
Supergirl! I juggle so much that sometimes I feel like her, though of course I can't save the world! But Supergirl is youthful, educated... and blonde - definitely a good fit for me.
Do you like to break rules or are you a good girl?
Uhhh, at the risk of sounding boring, I am totally a good girl. I've never been arrested - never ever come close - and I always play by the rules.
Do you think that you are unique?
Without a doubt, I'm unique because I have a brain to add to my talent and looks. My intelligence is part and parcel of what I have to offer a film set or a photo shoot. It's a big plus to be able to speak intelligibly to Casting Directors and to compose coherent e-mail messages to anyone in the industry. Girls who use numbers to spell out words or abbreviate or misspell, well, I want to smack them (or should I say "i want 2 smaaaack them girlz" Ha!). Anyway, my brain which accompanies my talent and physical features is definitely a plus and a rarity.
Do you get any scary fans or have they all been nice to you?
Well, actually I've had many more scary approaches when I was a HOOTERS girl than during my time as a Scream Queen. Men seem to appreciate what I do and the most out of line I've experienced were gross comments on pictures on my MySpace page... and I always delete those so they don't see the light of day!
Speaking of fans, if I may, I want to give a big shout out to my favorite fan, Alex K. in Canada! :)
If you were cast in an episode of 'Lost' or 'Nip/Tuck' who would you befriend and who would you least like to have an onscreen romance with?
Well I've never seen 'Lost' so I'm going to have to speak solely about 'Nip/Tuck'. From that show I'd totally befriend Dr. McNamara - he seems sweet, he's the better surgeon of the two, and hopefully I'd get some free procedures! I'd definitely steer clear of an onscreen romance with Dr. Troy - he's slept with way, way, way too many women!
I cringe to admit this, but about four years ago I answered a casting call for a reality TV show. After an in-person audition, a phone interview, and a video interview I was invited to L.A. as a semi-finalist for this show whose concept was vaguely described to me as a "dating show that would take place in Europe". THANK GOD the Division Director at my company wouldn't grant me a one-month leave of absence.
I say "thank God" because the show turned out to be "Joe Millionaire!" I was down to the last 50 girls in the casting from all girls nationwide. Had I gone to L.A., I probably would have made the show and laughed my ass off at the "prince" who was presented to us.
The follow-up story to this is that the production company who was casting me for "Joe Millionaire" called me a few months later after that and asked if I was interested in being in their next reality show... "Married by America". Thank god I don't equate reality shows with fame and therefore I was not desperate enough to go on that show!
Oh I've been on "Blind Date" too but before I was an actress. I actually did it literally for the hell of it, not for recognition.
What would you like to win?
Oh gosh... simply just enough money to pay back the loan on my first Masters' degree and finance the second one I'm starting in September. In total, maybe around $25K. That's not that much to ask, right?
As a model, what would be your ideal photoshoot?
It would be lingerie - of course! - and would be with a photographer who could study me and would know what angles to best pose me in and a stylist who would know what outfits would flatter my body the most. I'd just like to work with a creative, attentive team and produce some hot pics... of course anything for Playboy, Maxim or those types of magazines would be ideal! :)
And the worst?
Wearing a bikini on a freezing cold beach, or any other environment that's cold while I have little clothing on. I shot once in a pool when it was 60 degrees out. 60 degree water is NOT warm. I was shivering and the shoot sucked. The pictures reflect that too. I simply cannot be comfortable enough to pose in cold weather. And by "cold" I mean under 65 degrees! I'm colder than the average person - I'm always freezing!
Oh Dr Blood you ARE evil - how can you make me choose just one?!? I'm a product junkie! If I have to pick, I'll say MAC because I LOVE their pigment shadows.
What do you like to do most when not acting or modelling?
I love writing. I actually have a blog and have for two years now. When I was little I wanted to be an actress and a writer. Though I haven't been published anywhere outside of my little corner of cyberspace, the blog fulfills the writing need in me.
Who is your favourite author?
Toni Morrison. Her prose is like poetry. I’ve never read anyone else whose every page is just beautiful. She's amazing.
Do you read a lot of books?
No. I did prior to grad. school but after that I lost my attention span and started to like my words in smaller doses. I enjoy articles, poetry, and short stories but I don't have much patience to read books.
Have you ever stayed awake more than 24 hours in a row, internetting for instance? Have you become addicted to the net yet?
Oh heck no! I need my sleep! Am I addicted to the internet, yes I am. And, I've stayed up till like 2am doing nothing but playing on the internet, but I've never stayed up for 24 hours doing that or anything else.
What time do you normally get up and go to bed?
I get up around 7:30am on weekdays and go to bed around 12:30am no matter what night it is.
Do you have a favourite website?
If I said lennoxmiller.com would that sound conceited? :) Seriously it's my favorite because I built it and I maintain it and no it doesn't have great bells and whistles but I taught myself HTML code so that I could build my own site, so I'm proud of it. It's my "baby"!
Have you bought anything good from ebay or a garage sale?
I buy rather expensive makeup, skin care products, and hair products so if I can save a few dollars from ebay I'll do. Sephora is my downfall so it’s nice to be able to spend less money on ebay and get the same new products!
If you were stranded in a jungle which three things would you like to have with you?
My boyfriend Justin, an endless supply of non-perishable food (because it's not like I'm going to actually hunt around for it!), and a good support bra to make me comfortable when running from the wild things!
I love eating breakfast foods in general, so my favorite meal would consist of a smorgasbord of cereal, soymilk, eggs, biscuits, cheese, and of course muffins and pastries (I love sweets!). Mmmmm, I'm totally hungry now!
As for a favorite recipe, I don't cook at all so I can't answer that. :)
Do you eat a lot of chocolate?
Oh yes! It is my favorite food - my absolute downfall. I can't just have one piece of a chocolate in a candy dish - I'll have like 20. It's embarrassing. But my mom told me that she was addicted to chocolate when she was pregnant with me, thus I think I was literally born with the addiction!
How many Ferrero Rocher can you get into your mouth in one go?
Interesting that you ask about this brand - are you psychic Dr Blood (cue creepy music here)? I buy F.R. each time I go through the checkout line at Target... which would be like 2-3 a week. They have them there in 2-packs to torture me.
What is your favourite brand of cola?
Diet Coke - I'm addicted, I'll admit it.
What scares you?
Well, at the risk of sounding like a quack, I swear I have a ghost in my house. Things do go bump in the middle of the night in my house! And, my bed shakes sometimes. It's freaky!!!
What do you like most about Dr Blood's Video Vault?
Surfing the bevy of "Blood Babes" of course! But also the "How to Survive in Scary Situations" is hysterical because we all know that a horror movie has to have at least three of these clichéd behaviors in them. We all scream at the TV and tell the soon-to-be victims not to go back in the house, or not to separate, or whatever... but they always do and they always die. Anyway that list is friggin' hysterical!
Would you have your picture taken wearing nothing but a Dr Blood's Video Vault t-shirt if you were sent one?
That’s a big heck yeah... as long as it’s long enough to cover my naughty bits! Where’s my shirt?!?
Which question would you most like to be asked?
"What's one thing you want to accomplish that you have not already?"
And the answer to that question?
I want to open a beauty boutique - products only, not services - like Sephora but with a lower average price point. I don't want anything in my boutique over $75. I already have two plots of land in an area picked out... now if only I could find the nerve to solicit investors and go for it!
Thank you.
Please check out Lennox's website at www.lennoxmiller.com.
Lennox can also be contacted at: http://www.myspace.com/lennoxmiller.
All pictures of Lennox Miller on this page are copyrighted to Lennox Miller and are used here with permission. (Date of interview: Monday, 7th May, 2007)
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