What was the scariest moment in your career and why?
A: Right now! No, I am kidding. Honestly, the scariest part is being out of work. You must be comfortable in your day to day routine as you do spend most of your
time out of work. It can be very scary not being accepted in your career path but I know I can be a good actress but as an actress you need good material, good direc-
tors and editors. You need to have great actors and a great team but even then, it doesn’t always mean that it is going to work. I find myself scared, that maybe I am
tiring of taking chances but taking chances are okay and it’s good to go out on a limb and take a part that maybe you wouldn’t otherwise be comfortable with. There
was a role that I took, and the opening scene was of me ironing money and beating my seven-year-old daughter and this character was a very sick character. Becom-
ing this character, really got under my skin and I broke out in a rash and I got myself in a real mess. I used parts of my mother to integrate into the character and I
found myself getting ill. I prayed and prayed and thought, how am I going to get out of this? A few days later, I received a phone call from the production company
that the director was too sick to film and so the movie was cancelled. By doing that role, even for the short time, I can see where actors cross over and lose themselves
like Heath Ledger when he played such a dark role.
If this film had continued and been done properly, I knew the role would give me some notoriety from doing such a complex role. I can also see how an actor can
fall into a world of trouble, especially if you’re not sleeping and using sleeping pills and stressed by the imagery your living while shooting. It just becomes this whole
life consuming thing. I don’t ever want to go there again and I think I will stick to comedies because when you are sensitive, as most artist are, you must be careful of
these things. If you have had trauma in your life, your body doesn’t know the difference between real life and acting. The body sees it all as real and I don’t want to
put myself through that. It’s just too much.
When you were working and traveling a lot, did you have a favorite place that felt like a haven for you?
A: No, I didn’t really have that but I do now with my ranch. It’s such a special place and people tell me all the time how lucky I am and yes, I am lucky but I am also
smart. I chose this place and while I love Italy, Rome and New York but I am most at home when I am in the mountains of California. I have lions jump on my roof-
top at night because they come to my pool for drinking water. I have lions, bears, tarantulas, black widows. My ranch is just an incredible place.
(At this point, the interview was interrupted by a flashflood warning and for her to move to higher ground). Her road is washed out so I asked if she was okay and
prepared to be stuck in her home.
Kelly laughs and says, Yes, I am prepared! I have wine and spaghetti. Wine and spaghetti, firewood and 100 candles! I am good to go! If I must, I can always ride out
on one of the horses but I don’t want to break a nail or anything (laughter). My nails are a mess and my hands can be embarrassing and much rougher than many
men’s, but what can I say, I am a working girl who does most of the work on a ranch. I take care of the ranch on my own for the most part but I do have one man who
comes in one day a week but the rest of the time, I am here by myself taking care of 650 + acres. I have chickens, horses, goats, cats and I had a dog that I had to let
my kid take for a bit as she was getting aggressive. We hope to get my dog calmed down as I do need an aggressive dog at my home, as I do live in a wild country.
What advice would you give to young actress/model who wants to chase the dream?
A: D on’t forget your uniqueness and don’t try and fit a square into a triangle. Find out what is special about you and go after it. It is very interesting as French girls
aren’t necessarily more attractive but they are more self-assured. I think when you go into a casting, you must believe in the role that you are going to be doing and if
you don’t, then leave it alone, otherwise you go up for it and not only do you not do well but you can end up looking like shit. No doesn’t mean you’re not good, it just
means that you aren’t what they are looking for at the time.
What were the hardest obstacles in your career and how did you overcome them?
A: My hardest obstacle was myself! I would get in my own way, not believe in myself or protect myself when certain men did things to me. Also, being adored for
certain things that were not of me, but DNA given which wasn’t gratifying because I didn’t earn the adoration based on talent but based on something I was born
with.
What was your most memorable situation in your career?
A: “The Women in Red” and “Weird Science” were certainly some of the most memorable. Also, working with Versace and incredible designers and photographers
and being allowed to be a public figure. I like being able to effect and change some things and I even spoke in Congress. I spoke on a bill called, “The Act of Medical
Treatment Bill” which allowed for people to access 10 free acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments out of their insurance. That was a pretty good thing I think and
I would not have been able to do that without fame. I was a small part of this but I lobbied and I went to Congress and spoke and I started off by saying, I love my
country but I fear my government. I ask that you not only hear me but you listen.
Clearly, she was successful and at this point, I pause to thank her! Who knew Kelly LeBrock was my back cracking and acupuncture savior!
I was also successful in having a hazardous waste incinerator near where I live and that fight went on for two years but the fight was won and I felt damn good about
using my fame for a larger purpose.
I also liked helping people who were sick and I would go to the hospital when I was quite famous and sit with kids with cancer. The kids were so brave and it was the
parents that struggled so much. I would have to go into the bathroom and cry and pull myself together and come out with a smile. I was once told a story of a young
girl who was sick and in a coma and loved, “Weird Science.” Her parents had tried everything to wake her up but nothing was working. They eventually played my
movie and she apparently came too. They thought I was a miraculous healer and that was unbelievable and a cool thing. I love to help people.
What are your beauty secrets?
A: Spaghetti, spaghetti, spaghetti and sex! I do less to myself and look better than I did when I did all the expensive stuff. Beauty comes from within, meaning it
comes from what you think, what you do, what you eat and how you behave. Beauty exudes from the inside out and that is where I get my beauty from and maybe a
little Fraxel Lazar Treatment ,okay?! (laughter) There is an amazing women who I have been seeing and she is at the Biltmore Four Season in Santa Barbara and her
name is Jeanette. She is fricken unbelievable and she just does wonders with all the beauty stuff! She is extraordinary and truly has a gift. Give her a plug…
Done and done. Go, Jeanette!
I know you have (3) children and I was wondering if any of them want to work in the industry and how do you feel about that as a woman who understands the ups
and downs.
A: I have three amazing kids and only Arissa is interested in the industry. My other two kids have zero interest and my oldest daughter, I sometimes wonder who she
is because she is so well behaved and has never done drugs. She is just the most wonderful, normal child who loves to read and she was an EMT and is now doing
medical transcription. My son, has absolutely zero interest and all my kids are just amazing. I think the disinterest in the industry is partially from watching their
father, who has kind of gone off the rails and has gone off the rails for quite some time, just turns them away from it. They find it all disgusting and just don’t want
anything to do with it.