November/December 2013

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brink

issue 30 | november/december 2013 this issue 4 6 58

ed letter street style the social page

features 8 Charli XCX

The girl that makes you scream you love is back with an

album filled with pop gems to get you up.

10 Grey Damon

Death is in the details, but Grey Damon just can’t be

kept down. We chat with the guy that seems to be all

over your TV screen.

14 Fernanda Romero

With multiple films in theatres now and coming out in

the coming months, we chat with Fernanda on how to

be yourself and stay in control.

18 Aaron Yoo

Film and TV star, Aaron Yoo, seems to always be in

the right place at the right time. Time is on his side now

as we talk about his new role in The CW’s

The Tomorrow People.

22 lost highway

Photographer Zoe Renee Lapin exposes her subjetcs in

a photo journal exclusivly for BRINK readers.

32 niCK Wechsler

As Revenge kicks it’s third season into high gear, we

talk with Nick Wechsler and find out what’s going on

with Jack and Emily eyes and how he stays so

damn grounded.

42 Holiday Guide

We asked ten bloggers to pick their must-have

holiday items and tell our readers why. See the results

on page 40.

48 zineb oukach

The Wolf of Wall Street actress talks staying grounded

while being surrounded by the like of Martin Scorcese

and Leonado DiCaprio.

52 instant holiday classic

Photographer Ben Stone harks back to the days where

a Polaroid camera encountered the 1950s.

58 Jacqueline M. Wood

The host of E!’s new Party On series will have you

ready for your departure by the end of our very candid

interview.

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10 Nick Wechsler: Cover photo by jared kocka styling: jordan grossman / grooming: melissa Dezarate

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The one thing I’ve discovered in the past four years, doing this magazine, has one common theme. Every person I speak to, every email received, every photo shoot executed has one similarity. To quote Oprah on her last episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, “They all wanted validation. They want to know: ‘Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I say mean anything to you?’”. In some form or another, it never needs to be direct and it never needs to be indirect, but everyone has wanted to be seen. And this is coming from a guy that puts a brave face on, but is relatively insecure.

But what I want to tell you, through the good, through the bad, through it all – I have seen everything you’ve done. I’ve seen every email. I’ve read every email. If you submitted to the magazine, I’ve kept up with your every move. If you’ve bought the magazine and follow us on social media, I’ve checked out what you’re up to today.

I see you.

Editor’s note

Welcome to the November/December 2013 issue of BRINK! There comes a time when all good things must come to an end. However, this might not be the right time.

Rather than an end, how about an intermission. Right now, in this moment, this will be the last issue of BRINK. I won’t say forever, because forever feels too long. I won’t say forever, because I can’t imagine letting something I create fade away into the background of life. I won’t say forever, because this publication was meant to be a guide book, for you. A guide book with stories and imagery that inspires you and motivates you to be the best you can be and achieve anything you want. Because we can do anything we want.

Doing anything we want is why I won’t say goodbye.

This magazine, under my direction, doesn’t need to say goodbye. So we’ll take this intermission with ease, hope and a little bit of triumph. But why the intermission, right? The magazine has been treading water financially since inception and without having viable backers or advertisers to ensure we continue our efforts, the risk to stall is minimal. The partnerships I’ve nurtured and massaged over the past years are the ones with the greatest risk. The teeny-tiny staff at BRINK donate their time and contributions and in some rare cases receive a small financial token to keep motivation strong though each publication. But with such a small token, I would like to think that what really keeps this team coming back is passion.

When I first started this magazine, I said every issue will have passion. And that’s exactly what has been delivered. From entrepreneurs like Tammy Jo Fashion to movie stars like Alexa Vega, we’ve learned why they do what they do and how they keep moving ahead.

With photo journals that encapsulate sexy, glossy, style spreads to photo journals that encapsulate raw, gritty, real world events, we’ve given these photographers a platform to share their work. From India to Australia to the United Kingdom to the United States, we’ve featured some of the great unknown and undiscovered talent. You, the fans of BRINK, have continued to submit, say positive things and comment on social media. And that’s what keeps it going.

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I’ve had two instances in my life, that I can clearly remember, when someone told me not to be myself.

One was when I was a College Representative for Warner Music and at the end of my contract I told my manager I might want to work in LA (currently living in Florida) and she told me, “well you can’t do that unless you live here [in LA].” And she wouldn’t hear another word. And, another time, I was applying for a job and on my second interview, the recruiter said, “Some advice, tone down your personality and try not to laugh so much.” Those two things crushed my spirit, but you know what, in the long run, I’m better off without either one of them. Because if I had stayed with one of those opportunities, I wouldn’t be here today to tell all the BRINK online readers, iPad readers and print readers that you can do anything you want.

I don’t need to tell you about this issue of BRINK you hold in your hands, you’ll see soon enough. But I do believe that it’s our strongest issue to date. The most stories, the most imagery and the highest spirit ever in the pages of this publication. Check out our features with Nick Wechsler from ABC”s “Revenge.” Shot in LA by Jared Kocker and story by McManus Woodend.

Look into our holiday guide curated by Taissa Rebroff and features ten bloggers and their favorite gifts. Taissa came up with this idea and I love it so much because I always think of BRINK as a collaboration between us and readers. Look into our photo journals and note the names that executed these features. All the names in this publication are of people that are leaders. And they might not even know it. I’ve held on to some of these people for so long, because I believe in every single thing they do. I believe in their words, I believe in their foundation and I believe in what they do. With that said, enjoy our fourth anniversary issue.

As for me, what I am going to do with this time? I’m going to go for a very long hike. But before I do, remember: Be human. Do your best. Never settle. Do you.

Kyle M Menard Editor in Chief editor@brinkmagonline.com P.S. More of my thoughts on this issue and our 4th anniversary at www.brinkmag.co.

BRINK Magazine P.O. BOX 2371 Orlando, FL 32802 PUBLISHER/editor-in-chieF Kyle M Menard EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT Steven Ozer Copy Editor Jacqueline Carr Writer Taissa Rebroff Pedro Rodriguez Anais Vaillant McManus Woodend Photographers Alexia Adana Jared Kocka Intern Arielle Ozery Find us online www.brinkmagonline.com facebook www.facebook.com/BRINKmag twitter/Instagram @BRINKmag advertising (917) 283-2506 sales@brinkmagonline.com love, questions, Comments info@brinkmagonline.com Additional words and photos credited where applicable.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of BRINK magazine, or its management or owners. BRINK magazine has not verified the accuracy or completeness of the content of the submission but has relied on the warranty of the creator as to these factors. Please address any comments directly to the creator. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied by any method, electronically or otherwise, without written permission from the publishing company. All information within is deemed to be true and reliable. The Newsstand Orlando LLC., and all those associated with this publication assume no financial liability for any misinformation or typographical errors in advertisements. We may at times recommend various businesses that advertise in the pages, but we make no claims as to their promises or guarantees or products or services. BRINK Magazine 2009-2013 contents The Newsstand Orlando LLC.

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Street style | Photos Alexia Johnson

Daniela Araya What do you do? I’m a freelance writer and blogger.

Would you consider you style Street Style? Yeah I would. I like to take different fashion styles from different people and put it together in my own look.

What inspires your style? I look at different blogs that I follow for personal style.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I will hopefully be working in a city that I love.

Ideally I want to work for Free People in Philadelphia doing advertising or social media.

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charli xcx i love it

Charli XCX has been making magic since the age of 14. Now — seven years later — the 21-year-old singer is known for her hit music and major collaborations with Marina and The Diamonds in “Just Desserts,” and Icona Pop’s global mega-hit “I Love It.” When she spoke with us, Charli revealed a few backstage mishaps, what’s inspiring her upcoming album and what she thinks about herself. words pedro rodriguez

The “SuperLove” singer revealed that for her new album, she’s being selfish. She’s not planning any new collaborations with Marina and the Diamonds or Icona Pop, but she does hint at a secret collaboration she may be looking forward to. What she did say is that she’s focusing more on herself and finding inspiration from all sorts of outlets. “My current favorite song is ‘Money’ by the Flying Lizards. It’s really inspiring music, and it’s really cool. It just says the best things in life are free. I love the lyrics. It goes like ... [sings lyrics to Money] … But, I find films and music videos more inspiring, rather than the artists in them. Right now, though, I’m really into this rapper, Young Lean. He’s Swedish, and I think he’s really cool and a great rapper. But, I generally don’t find new music that exciting. I actually find it distracting — especially when recording something new.”

Inspired — and with new and improved music coming — Charli is fearless and ready to take anything head-on, even herself. She describes herself as “awkward” and quite messy.

“I’m really messy. I never keep anything clean. At home, and while on tour, my shit is always everywhere. My hotel rooms are always messy.”

“Messy” is also how the singer describes what goes on backstage before any of her shows. “There’s no ‘ritual’ that goes on. Really, it’s kind of just a mess. Like, I always plan what I want to wear on stage that night. Then I forget to wear it. Then I have to run back. I pick a ton of outfits to use, and I end up using just a few [laughs]. I also just got with a new band. We got into this thing of singing covers, like a song by the B17s or “Believe” by Cher. We all have to sing that before going on stage.”

Being the “90’s bitch” that she is, we’re not surprised that’s a song she preps with. Also not surprising, her reaction when a fan [@2gangstertbh] asked to bring her a cutout of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake to one of her concerts, “Yes, definitely! But only if they’re wearing the matching denim outfits. I think they’re lovely there.”

She’s messy, inspired, selfish and awkward. Charli XCX is one unique singer that is sure to make us dance when she hits the states for her upcoming headlining tour this fall.

“I just want to say hiiii to all my fans, and I’ll see you at my shows in the states.”

Charli XCX True Romance is out now

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grey matter Quickly becoming one of Hollywood's elite, Grey Damon is taking tinseltown by storm. Best known for his roles as Archie on ABC Family's Twisted, a young Joe Doucett in Spike Lee's upcoming flick Oldboy and most recently as the "piece of shit" Brenner on American Horror Story, Grey shows no signs of slowing down. To top it off, he's just joined the main cast of a new CW show — Star-Crossed — premiering in early 2014. We caught up with the 26-year-old actor to discuss his new show, what made him sick on the set of AHS and to answer a few lingering questions.

Words Pedro Rodriguez Photos Marc Cartwright Grooming Miriam Vukich First, let’s cut right to it: American Horror Story … what did you think of your character and about his fate? Did he get what he deserved?

Well, frankly I didn’t know everything about Brenner when I was cast. AHS is one of those shows you don’t need a lot of answers for you to know it’ll be a fun ride — however, this was the exception. Going into it, I knew the character would do something bad, but not to this degree. I got nauseous and threw up twice when we shot the scene. Then, I popped some gum in and tried not to breathe on Emma [Roberts] too much. The fun I thought I’d have, was taken away when I realized we’d be shooting a gang rape [scene]. In the end, AHS didn’t even show how much we shot—how disturbing it really was. I’ve never been so uncomfortable on a project. It stayed with me for a short period after, and my stomach turned when I thought about it or watched the scene. In the end, I think it was good to do, if anything; to heed girls to be more cautious at parties and make their own drinks. But I digress, in answer to the second part, Brenner was a piece of shit that absolutely got what was coming to him…

You’ve had an impressive career in just four years. Which role do you think was the one that started it all for you?

Thank you! I’d say Friday Night Lights was when things really

started to move forward.

In Oldboy, you play Young Joe Doucett; tell us a bit about your role and how you prepared for it. Did you have to work close to Josh Brolin to make the characters relatable to each other?

I watched hours and hours of [Josh] Brolin interviews — even The Goonies scenes he was in — to try and emulate him accurately. I hope I did him justice. As far as working close to him, I would have liked to, but the schedules were just too tight — so I tried to get as much out of him before we shot the scenes.

Tell us more about your role in Twisted and where your character Archie is heading in the series?

Not much to tell. I’m signed on to a new show now — which I had committed to prior — so that’s what I am doing currently. I would love to come back if it were possible. It was a really great show to work on. ABCFamily really takes care of their people as far as I can tell.

Along with your fans, we’re getting excited about the midseason debut of Star-Crossed on The CW. What can you tell us about the new series? november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 11

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Well, it’s set 10 years into the future in New Orleans, where a spaceship had crash-landed 10 years prior — which would be our current time. The aliens are put into camps, a bit like District 9, and when the show begins, they’re starting to integrate the new species in with human society. It’s about the problems that come with prejudice, misunderstanding, and the politics surrounding those things with a high school teenageangst aspect. I think it’ll be something new not many have seen.

“Try to stay focused, and have good foresight.”

You’ve got a lot under your belt. Where do you see yourself going with your career? What would be your next adventure?

To be honest, I sort of like just going along for the ride and being surprised with what happens. I would hope, as I continue along, I get to play more dynamic, interesting characters with lots of layers.

When not acting, what else do you like to do? We hear you’re also a singer? If you were to hum us a tune, what would it be?

I rock the shower mic; that’s about it. I like to sing but mainly for me or to annoy my friends. I would hum the theme from Mad Men. What’s currently on your music playlist?

I have been listening to Alt-J a lot, they’re exceptional.

Lastly, what kind of advice would you give to the people that would want to be in your shoes right now?

Try to stay focused, and have good foresight. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Stay away from excessive drinking and drug use. When you live in Los Angeles, you see very talented people throw away their gifts and opportunities on partying. It’s very easy to get caught up in all of that. Always try to learn new things. In a vocation like acting, the more you know, the better.

Now, we have a few questions via social media users. @indigo_15 asks: What is his favorite thing about acting on genre shows? He’s great on them!

Thank you! It’s just amazing to immerse yourself in those worlds and forget about real life for a bit.

Here’s another from @niiicolee and she asksasks: What or who inspired you to be an actor? What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Just always loved pretending and putting on different hats, so acting seemed to make sense.

Drawing, writing (though my grammar is poor), Instagramming, because I like to involve the fans with behind the scenes stuff and showing them things I like, in hopes they’ll enjoy it too.

Last one from @sonzzxo and they ask: What can we expect next from you? Any upcoming projects?

Hopefully, interesting characters that you enjoy to watch. Up next is Old Boy in November and Star-Crossed in early 2014.

Look for Grey in Oldboy out November 27, 2013

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fernanda romero on a mission You may recognize Mexican-born Fernanda Romero from The Eye with Jessica Alba, 2009’s Drag Me To Hell or the newly released Ghost Team One or Mission Park with Hollywood veteran Vivica A. Fox. She works hard. She aims high. She has a “muse” for life and she’s ready for anything that comes her way. All this, and she still makes time for really good Mexican and Italian food. Just how does she do it? Keep your eyes on her.

Words Pedro Rodriguez Photos Tom Vickers Styling by Maria Mora Clothing Pandoras Code

I’m on a mission to discover more about you. ¿Que me dices de ti? [What can you tell me about yourself?] What can you tell me about living in LA? What are some of your favorite spots? What’s your favorite meal? ¡oh! ¿Hablas Espanol? [You speak Spanish?] That’s Great! I love it! I didn’t know you spoke Spanish; no one told me. [laughs] Well, I love LA. It’s one of my top destinations in the world.

Some of my favorite spots to go to are Sugar Fish, Pace and Cecconis. I love Italian food though, but like, it has to be really, really good Italian food. And I love, of course, my own country’s food: Mexican. I love my Mexican food, and I also love Japanese sushi! I love the crispy roll they have at Sugar Fish. It’s like the best thing ever and filled with so much tuna. I could die; it’s so yummy!

Since I’m learning of some of your obsessions, what about growing up? What were you obsessed with?

Growing up, I was big on Woody Allen movies, Mickey Mouse and childhood itself.

What TV shows are you currently hooked on?

Oh my God! I love Homeland, and, oh yeah, of course, Walking Dead! I love, love, love it! I wouldn’t mind a chance to work on 14 brinkmagonline.com november/december 2013

Walking Dead. I want to kill zombies! I would love to participate and be a part of that show. Even if they cast me as a zombie, which isn’t really what I want, but I’ll still do it. It’ll be fun! I can’t wait for the new season to start again.

What about favorite actors? Who’s work do you like?

I really like Jennifer Lawrence. I think she’s amazing! I like Natalie Portman, and, of course, the great one, Meryl Streep.

She’s a tiger! She’s like, you know, ‘the One.’ She doesn’t do anything wrong. Everything she’s done and everything she’s been in has been spectacular [spectacular]. I love everything she does.

You’ve worked with a few big names yourself — female power players like Jessica Alba and Vivica A. Fox — did you learn anything or pick up some tips from these big stars while on set with them?

Yes, I realized everyone is different, and they all handle themselves very differently too. It was also great to see them in action. More in specific, each one manages themselves differently on set. Each have a different charisma. Between them both, I worked more with Jessica, but both are very lovable.

I had a great time with them, and their personalities are

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admirable. They’re very humble. They didn’t have big egos like I’ve heard other actors tend to do. So, I would say, my lesson, or what tip I’ve gotten, is to keep humble. These are people who have started basically from zero, and it’s admirable to see how far they’ve gone. I’ve been very, very lucky. Gracias a Dios [thank God] for working with people who also know how to work with me on set. Vivica, she is an awesome person — very down to earth and admirable also.

So, now for a juicy question...

[Laughs] Uh-oh! ¿Qué me vas a preguntar Pedrito? [What are you going to ask me Pedrito?]

Well, [laughs] while on the subject of guys, any special someone out there for you? [laughs] Ahhh! My heart is not taken at the moment. I’ve been so busy, yeah. And with my line of work, it’s difficult. Yeah, I would like to eventually meet someone, but I would like to meet the right person. And the problem with that is not many people understand the business I’m in. So that makes it harder for me to find someone. Much of my time and most of my efforts go into what I do. So much of my time is spent on business, and not everyone understands that. [laughs] Por eso, estoy sola [That’s why I’m single].

What do you think is the best part of being on set?

Creating, making new friends, doing what I love — which is film making. And the catering is always yummy.

From what we’ve seen, you play just about anything.

Ghost Team One seems hilarious, but do you like to choose specific roles to portray? Do you like to be in more comedies or prefer to be in dramas?

No, I don’t choose any role in specific. I like them both. Lately, I’ve been doing more comedy, but I still like doing drama. It’s just been — lately — more comedies that I’m doing. It just happens to be that way. Just like in Chamacas — super fun and funny.

What are you reading right now?

Positive Energy Ten Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming Fatigue, Stress and Fear into Vibrance, Strength, and Love by Judith Orloff.

Since you are in a music band,The White Cherries, what kind of music do you like to hear? What’s currently in your iPod? Right now, I have The White Cherries — which is my band — the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Atlas Sound, Neon Indian, Capital Cities and Miami Horror.

Which project that you’ve done do you feel most proud of?

Oh gosh! Right now, I’ll have to say Ghost Team One. I actually never done or have had the opportunity to improvise as much as we did during that film.

The whole movie was improvised or just most of it?

Yeah, we improvised much of it, and it felt really good doing it that way. I also think people [the audience] really love that. I’m proud of everything I’ve done — don’t get me wrong — but Ghost Team One was a lot of fun.

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Are you really excited about just Ghost Team One or any others that you’re ecstatic about?

Ahhh, it’s hard to tell. But definitely Ghost Team One, Mission Park and Chamacas on Sofia Vergara’s Channel.

What can we expect from all your projects: Ghost Team One, Mission Park and Chamacas?

Oh my God! First of all, Ghost Team One has a fiery and amazing cast. The characters, they are all so unexpected and they’re real. They are real characters, real people in real situations.

But yeah, they’re ghost stories — obviously not a real ghost — but we’re bringing reality to the screen. Like I said, much of it was improvised, and it was also my second time working with two directors at the same time. It was super. The comedy just flowed with all of us on set. It was such a great and fun set to work on. I would also love for people to watch Mission Park. It got extended in theaters!

Oh, I didn’t know that the film was extended.

Yeah! Latinos, we’re doing it! Little by little, but it’s happening. I also have Chamacas starting up again on October 2nd. It’s been a show that started and grew to have such a strong fan base. I love that! The second season is coming up. I’m really excited about that.

Sounds like a lot of acting going on with you. Since you’re both an actress and a singer, do you prefer one more than the other?

Me encantan los dos! [I love them both!] Being with The White Cherries is great. I love music. I think music is very universal, and at times — well many times —music becomes my muse.

But, I love acting. I feel like I become a chameleon. I can disguise myself and be anyone I want to be.

That’s a great way to look at it. Now, in one word, how would you describe yourself?

Passionate. I believe passion is what moves everything, and love moves everything. Without passion, I’ll be dead. I think passion is what drives me. I have passion to live, to move — it’s like adrenaline. It’s my muse. If it wasn’t because I have so much passion in what I do, and what I love to do, I probably wouldn’t have that drive in my life. Thanks to that passion, it’s what keeps me auditioning for roles, my project and why I keep doing music.

Thank God, it keeps me busy.

So what would you say to your 12-year-old self? To continue being passionate?

Yes, and I’d say, dreams come true! Keep dreaming.

How about for those people out there — young and old — who wish or want to become actors. Any advice you’d like to give them or share with them?

Basically, yes, believe in more than just yourself. To succeed, you alone have to keep going. No one else is going to do it for you. You have to fight and overcome some obstacles. There will also be those who want to bring you down. But, no, no, no, no.

Don’t let them take you down. Keep being yourself, and luchara para lo que quieres! [fight for what you want!]

Ghost Team One and Mission Park are in theatres now

“

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aaron yoo the tomorrow man

How would you like to be transported into a world where people can teleport — and even read minds — every day when you go to work? Aaron Yoo gets to do just that every day and is loving it. Aaron took some time out of his busy schedule to tell us all about some of his past roles, as well as his newest role in The Tomorrow People.

Words Arielle Ozery Photo Mathieu Young/The CW

Tell me a little bit about what that was like for you during one your first roles on 21?

I guess 21 was like the second really big movie that I had done.

It was really early on in my career — or my film career at least.

I had done stage for a couple of years before I started doing movies. The thing I’d really like to remember about 21 was making an audition tape for it in my hotel room at Sundance — my first year that I was at Sundance with the first movie I ever shot and making an audition tape for 21 at like 1 o’clock in the morning, practically by candlelight, using soup cans. Oh, what were the … Wolfgang Puck soup cans!

Oh, creative!

Yeah! Anyways, I always tell people I do this job for the experiences, and, like, you know, I think all of us are storytellers.

It’s fun sometimes to get together with a bunch of actors or anyone working in any part of the film business and just be like ‘Oh, we all have our one time at band camp stories,’ we’re all like, ‘Oh my god, you don’t know what happened to me in Albuquerque, New Mexico, or this one time when I lost my wallet in Prague.’ I really feel like half of why we all do it is for those stories. Crazy stories. And 21 was definitely full of them — some of them I don’t repeat in public.

Well, it is Vegas.

Although, the other weird thing about 21 is how often in my career I have been in gambling scenes. Like, off the top of my head, once a year I find myself in a gambling scene saying ‘Oh, and here I am gambling again.’

Well, let’s get to Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist. I’ve seen the movie a ridiculous amount of times!

Oh, thank you!

I love it. I think it’s hilarious! And I thought that your character was the funniest. What was your favorite part of filming that movie?

Oh man, there were so many. There are so many parts of that movie because it was like, it was such a special, special film, and we were always shooting all night. In the freezing cold. And it’s the hard conditions that bond you together with people, you know?

Let’s go back to your horror films really fast. You were on remakes of both Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, did you feel any pressure at all filming those because of all of the long history for both and the huge fan base for each of the movies?

I remember Friday the 13th when I signed on to do that, the producers — quality, quality people — they were saying, ‘Hey man, we want you to be in this movie because you’re funny,’ and the director was like, ‘We’ll take care of the scary stuff, you be funny.’ And in that kind of horror movie, a certain element of comedy is kind of a nice pallet cleanser. Like, in a slasher film, it’s a good pallet cleanser because you just want to be able to break that tension. If I thought about whether … it’s like right now, I’m also doing a remake, like The Tomorrow People is an original series from the 1970’s right? november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 19

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Yeah.

They played reruns on nickelodeon for years when we were growing up. So, Phil and Greg and Julie all grew up on The Tomorrow People that was on Nickelodeon.

So I think Greg and Julie, like back in the day, they were like, ‘Oh man, if we ever get the chance, we should remake The Tomorrow People. And, so, there’s a lot of chatter online, like you can see where people are like, ‘Oh, this was my favorite series growing up!’ And people are so into this show, and they’re like, ‘I hope this is good and not cheesy, whatever,’ and the original creator even chimed in with his own thoughts about our show.

You know, part of why you’re an actor is to be able to explore these little areas where you’re like, ‘I don’t really get to do this in my normal life,’ so, it keeps me saner as a normal human being. Like, it’s a little uncomfortable when you’re covered in fake blood for like six to twelve hours depending on what you’re doing, but, like, it’s like when you’re a kid and you’re like, ‘Let’s pretend to get shot and die.’ Like, when I died in Friday the 13th. Spoiler alert!

We didn’t know the way that I was going to die until the day we shot it. There was an idea, and nobody liked it, so we rewrote it, and then every week I’d be like, ‘So, what’s going on with that?’ and they’d be like, ‘Oh, we have another rewrite coming in,’ and the day of, they were like, ‘We got it!’ And then they wound up dropping like half a cup of blood inside my mouth, and while he was driving this thing into me, I had this idea — you know when you laugh and you are drinking like chocolate milk or whatever it is and you choke and then you like snort it, and it comes out through your nose?

Cool! Okay, well you were recently a part of McCanick with the late Cory Monteith. Can you tell me a little bit about what it was like to work with him and if he maybe taught you anything special?

Well, unfortunately, as far as this question goes, I didn’t work directly with Cory.

The director is a good friend of mine, and this had been a passion project of his for a decade, and I told him, ‘I will be a stand-in for you if you need me to come play the part.’ So, it was, like, a small budget indie where everyone was there because they

wanted to be there, just for the love of the project. I remember Josh telling me that he was going to go meet with Cory for that part, and after he actually met Cory, he was like, ‘I found the guy!’ He said he was totally on board, and I was like, ‘Awesome, man.’ I assumed that I would meet Cory at the premiere since we didn’t have any scenes together. It’s like one of those things where you work on a project and you meet all these people for the first time at the premiere, but I always heard the most amazing things about him. I always heard from other people, friends in common, in this very small Hollywood actor community that he is a quality, quality guy. As an actor looking at a fellow actor, for him to have gone with his passion and the love of his work, especially because that’s how he’s going to be remembered.

Yeah. Okay, well onto a happier topic, The Tomorrow People is a very, very interesting show. What was it about the project at first that had you hooked? [laughs] What didn’t have me hooked?!

You only get something like this, if you’re lucky, once. I mean, it is just a treasure to be up here working on this. People probably think that I’m paid to say that by the CW, but I would actually pay to say that. The group of people we have working on the show are wonderful, the crew is so incredible, everyone that is working on it is so incredible. The cast is so tightly knit, it’s just a really, really good group of people. We just love the daylights out of each other. The stuff that is written, like, we’re starting episode eight today, and there are just so many incredible things that happen between the pilot and this episode. We are just learning things, also, and we’re always like, ‘OH MY GOD,’ I’ve actually said out loud, ‘No way!’ and maybe even some swear words. Like, this is the kind of show that people try and steal copies of the scripts for. It is such a well-written show.

The show has pretty people with super powers! And lots and lots of really angsty drama [laughs]. Whether or not you’re interested by our show, if you’ve got an HD television, you should turn it on because it’ll look real pretty. [laughs] OK, so there’s a lot of interesting things going on in The Tomorrow People. Do you think that our society would be any better if people really could have

those powers?

My girlfriend lives in NY, and I feel like I’m spending half of my life on Air Canada.

And if I found a magic portal, it would probably be my duty to humanity to give it to science. But I would put one in my apartment in Vancouver and put the other one in my apartment in New York, and then I would use it to teleport to see my girlfriend. [laughs] I need teleportation!

Are we ready for it? I don’t think so! [laughs] OK, well, besides The Tomorrow People, what other upcoming projects can we expect to see from you, and is there anything that you are particularly excited about?

I am particularly excited about this very tiny indie [film] that I finished a month ago, but it’s near the end of its birthing process. It’s an Asian/American feature, which I haven’t done a lot of in my career. It’s written and directed by a new directing voice, and it’s an extremely ambitious first feature, and it’s the kind of stuff that I haven’t gotten to do a lot of in my career, thus far. And, it’s one of those things that the idea of the movie is such an ambitious feat that viewers are going to watch it and either be totally down with it or be like, ‘What the hell was this?’ [laughs] Alright, last one! What advice would you give to somebody who’s trying to break into the acting world?

AY: Oh, man! I would say that the best thing that you can do for yourself is just be an exceptional human being. By which, I mean acting, you can learn on the job, and it takes a lifetime to be any good at it, but if you don’t have any life to bring to it, then your performances will only be limited by the scope of your soul. So, if you don’t have life, your acting is just acting. You know?

Definitely!

So, if I was to give someone advice, I would say live a life, be passionate about many things or something that isn’t just acting or being famous or rich, and just have passion and life experience because they go so much further than drama school.

The Tomorrow People airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on TheCW november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 21

lost highway by ZoĂŤ Renee Lapin starring Mollie Hambro and Trei Chambers 22 brinkmagonline.com november/december 2013

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revenge is a dish best words mcmanus woodend photos jared kocka styling jordan grossman grooming melissa Dezarate 32 brinkmagonline.com november/december 2013

served with

nick wechsler

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N

Nick Wechsler wants you to keep disagreeing with him.

Despite his self-deprecating manner and best efforts to downplay his on-screen abilities, he’s an actor you want to see (and a hard-working one at that). Acording to internet lore, he auditioned for at least four different roles before landing the part of Kyle Valenti on the short-lived but much loved UPN (remember that network?) sci-fi series Roswell. Would a no-talent hack get that many chances? If you said no, you’d be right.

With two major series under his belt, and too many guest staring roles to mention, Nick has found himself on yet another hit show, ABC’s drama Revenge. As Jack Porter, he brings a smouldering, smooth intensity to the screen each Sunday night, to the delight of many a fan.

During the conversation, Mr. Wechsler gets into character about losing yourself, costars past and present (yes, I’m talking about Katherine Heigl), that thing called comedy, and the best album you’ve never heard.

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I’m not a star, I’m just some dude.

I can leave my house and get groceries and go to the gym and live my life and nobody bothers me.

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[WARNING: MILD Revenge SPOILER ALERTs are ahead]

You’ve been on some fairly “gossipy” shows over the years, and what I mean by that is fans discuss every detail and wanna know what happens next. Does that ever get too much, as far as the amount of attention and questions from fans?

No, no. It never overwhelms me. I’m not a star, I’m just some dude. I can leave my house and get groceries and go to the gym and live my life, and nobody bothers me. They ask a lot of stuff on Twitter, and I can’t answer everything, you know? My policy is I’ll just tweet about the episode when I’m watching it, and on the commercial breaks, I’ll start answering as many questions as I can before I come back from the commercial break. I’m just trying to do what I can, but then I give myself most of the rest of the week off. It’s mostly because I don’t know what to do with Twitter. [laughs] I’m just an awful human being I guess. But no, it hasn’t been overwhelming at all.

I’m not at the level where it’s suffocating.

That being said, what’s going to happen to Jack next?

Well, who knows, right? I don’t know. He and Emily [Thorne] are at odds now because she broke his heart. He's not happy with her. But, if he’s being honest with himself, then you know ... but I think he’s too angry to be honest with himself. I don’t think that’s true either. I think he actually knows. He knows.

There’s more of that tension and in store. They’re going to be struggling with that back and forth, even if they join forces against a common enemy, they’ll be dealing with this tension.

Because it’s not as simple as a lot of fans imagine. Like, 'why don’t they just get together ...?' well, she ruined his life. You know? … And lied to him for two years. So there's that. I think Emily has been trying desperately to keep Jack a separate thing from her revenge. If you were a drug addict and someone got into your stash, you would find them all drugged out and saying I want to be a drug addict now'... That's not a real scenario. [laughs] [laughs] Yeah.

I couldn’t even imagine that. If you found out [about] someone you love — and it’s a shameful secret that you’re an addict and you found out that because of you they evolved a curiosity about drugs or whatever, and they started going down that path, it would break your heart. You would try anything to keep them from doing it. She doesn’t want it either. We also have Jack trying to protect Charlotte, and we know now that Charlotte is Emily’s sister and struggling to keep Emily’s secret for her.

How far will you go to either attain or maintain the integrity of a character?

I think it’s pretty obvious to everyone — so it’s not a secret — that I’m not a tremendous actor. I tend to play people a lot like me. You have to find that part of yourself that can relate. Even if I would never kill someone, I have to imagine what kind of scenario would lead to me wanting to. And, there have been times in my life when I was like, I would do that, november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 37

and I’ve wanted to ruin someone else. I wanted to take them out because of what they’ve done to people I loved. It’s just borrowing from your own experience.

Speaking of, what was the experience like when you guest starred on “It’s Always Sunny [in Philadelphia]”?

Well, in comedies, the guest star — well, let’s just use the drama procedural on network television — the guest gets cast and gets a lot of cool shit to do. You’re often the one that has the neat emotional arc. You also get to play someone who’s hiding something, and then it’s revealed. You get to go off of an emotional scene, blah, blah, blah. Primary cast is … for them, it’s a lot of talking to suspects, and you can do it in your sleep. In comedy, the main cast gets to do all the cool shit and the guest cast comes in as a straight man. My character wasn’t a total straight man. It was a bad guy, and it’s a hilarious twist for me. I’ve just never been satisfied by my own performance, which is probably because I take comedy very seriously. I just want to be — I don’t know … It matters more to me than drama, to be honest.

Really?

I just love that show, and those guys are brilliant. I watch what they do, and I go, ‘I wanna do that! How do I get to play like they do?’ I’m so grateful for the opportunity and everything, I just wonder where can I get that and I kind of just …

You wanna be part of the party?

Yeah. I get to be a little bit a part of the party at the end. The whole thing is fun and funny as hell. Everybody is brilliant on that show. It’s my favorite thing on my resume. Working with everyone was great. It was my contribution, trying to be a testament to the quality of the show. I was so happy to be involved at all. That show is huge, and it’s influence will be felt years from now.

Ideally, do you see yourself moving into comedy someday?

I do. Honestly, I would love to. I mostly wanted to laugh, and I got stuck doing dramas. I’m grateful for everything. I’m deeply grateful to be here. It’s just comedy is what led me to acting.

Was TV always the career goal, or are the sirens of cinema still calling to you? Do you want to get more into film?

Well, I think I’d rather … well, film to me would be great.

[In] TV, your arc is open-ended, and your character is sort of open-ended. They either don’t always know where they’re going, or if they do, they have to drag it out. You end up doing things sometimes that — on every show — are a little inconsistent with the character. For a movie, it’s easy. The writers to get to work the performance accordingly. You could just create a dynamic performance and then you get to be done with that character. There’s great things about 38 brinkmagonline.com november/december 2013

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"we have all been roughed and toughed in this business.

And you don’t want to be on the business End."

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TV. Obviously, the money [laughs] and the sort of continued exposure is great, so that was my plan really at first. Because I’m not the kind of actor that’s just going to keep getting movie, movie, movie. You just gotta keep working. If I can do TV first and earn my keep in this industry and make people aware of whatever it is I offer and then — if after that — people are like ‘oh I’d love to work with him in my film,’ that would be great.

Ellen Pompeo of Grey’s Anatomy had a pretty candid interview about [behind the scenes] stuff that went down with some of her costars over the years. What’s your take on handling things that way, airing dirty laundry publically, so to speak?

I don’t know, actually. Believe me, I wish I could do it sometimes, but there are people I have worked with, and I’m like ‘fuck this person,’ and I wish I could just... I wish they had to wear the scarlet letter of the piece of shit that they were. But if there was such thing as that … I wish I could talk about it, but I guess it’s just a sort of code thing. If you can get away with it and you’re completely justified, then I don’t know. If you can do it, go for it. In a lot of these cases, it can come back to bite you in the ass …

For instance, Katherine Heigl. Understanding that it was well over a decade ago that you two worked with each other, what was your experience like?

I’m actually still good friends with her, and she’s just like … I can see how people arrived at these conclusions about her. I wasn’t there for a lot of what people are complaining about. I guess I can see how it would get misconstrued or [they] took it the right way. There are probably moments when she shouldn’t have done this, but actually I think that a lot of the time things are misconstrued. At this point, people are waiting for her to be an asshole, and I think that’s really when they start looking into … if I deliver a thing in a way or [get her to] say something, in her case, people will air it. It sucks, because she’s actually a great person, and people are usually surprised when I introduce her because of what they’ve heard, you know?

Yeah.

That’s the thing — she’s not that person. It’s just we have all been roughed and toughed in this business. And you don’t want to be on the business end, hopefully, that’s where this led to.

But I don’t know, I can’t comment on that stuff. I just know that she’s been amazing to me. I love her dearly, and she’s been such a good friend to me, and I think she’s trying. She’s not happy with some of her decisions.

At the same time, it seems like people are trying to set her up and only, like you were saying, look at things from that prism. It’s a double standard if a man is aggressive in business. He’s looked at in a favorable light. A takeno-prisoners kind of guy. But when a woman does it, it seems like it’s almost … to use the term ‘bitch’ — which is unfortunate — but that seems to be the first thing people say about an aggressive woman wanting to make sure she’s not getting taken advantage of.

Right, yeah! Basically, I think if something was done to offend people, I think whatever was done would’ve offended them no matter who it came from. I think she’s learned something from that. In my experience working with her, she was professional and funny and fun, you know? I don’t even know how they say that. I don’t know…

Gotcha.This question comes from BRINK reader,Tori Finley.

She asks: What’s the most interesting experience you’ve had on set?

That’s a tough one … it’s been interesting to work with Emily [VanCamp] for a lot of our emotional scenes, but these two important scenes, and Emily’s been one of my … there is a quick thing, and it doesn’t feel like anyone would actually understand.

Most of the time, I don’t feel it at all. I don’t feel it’s real. I don’t lose myself. I’m kind of, you know, judging my own performance as I’m performing. There’s something about working with her in particular — that emotional thing — it’s like she has a big place to go, and I don’t know. That’s been really interesting. Being able to lose myself and have it feel real for a few minutes. That experience I’ve had like three or four times in my career — and two of those times have been with her.

That’s very interesting, because I’ve heard this question asked before and people are usually anecdotal about it, that time [insert random celebrity] dropped by the set sorts of stories, but it’s interesting that you’re looking at it from that perspective, from that person of, you know, just the feeling of losing yourself and that’s where it’s a personal experience as opposed to something that’s anecdotal, so that’s definitely different than what I’ve heard, and that’s an awesome response.

Yeah.

So, thanks for that! Okay, I’ll get you outta here on one that might be pretty fun. What’s your favorite Mike Patton project?

Oh, nice! [laughs] Let’s see … I mean, my favorite thing that he’s ever done is California, but that’s not a side project. Mr. Bungle was his first band. I don’t know of anything that’s exactly a side project. He’s just always producing. He’s always involved in so many projects, so it’s great. My favorite thing that he’s put out in a little while — because I loved so much when he did this — Kadaa/Patton! That is the greatest. That actually made me love him. It’s more straight forward than the other stuff. But that is great and dark and — ugh God — I think my favorite thing in a while (and my favorite thing he’s ever done) are his solo albums.

I would agree with all of those. And, actually, you make me want to go listen to Kadaa/Patton right now. I haven’t listened to that one for years. Excellent! Well, Nick, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it.

My pleasure.

Revenge airs Sundays on ABC at 9pm ET

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holiday gift guide Let’s face it, we have no idea what the perfect gift for your best friend, mom, significant other, and/or crazy boss actually is. Instead, we’re bringing you gift suggestions from our favorite bloggers around. We’ve asked these savvy ladies and gents to choose three gifts that they’re really, really into, and that your best friend, mom, significant other, and/or crazy boss just might be into, too. We know we are.

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Curated by Taissa Rebroff

style

The Style Gossiper, Amanda Brohman www.thestylegossiper.com

style

thetimeisgrey, Anais Vandenbosch www.thetimeisgrey.blogspot.com BACKPACK BY BAGGU I discovered this brand very recently and I fell in love with it directly. All the bags have a simple yet efficient design, a great choice of colors and look like they could fit in everyone’s lifestyle. ´ LEON LOAFERS BY CHATELLES I love loafers! Chatelles proposes a fine selection of colors, and you can even personalize them. The monogram makes things more meaningful and intimate, therefore unique. This would be a wonderful gift.

WOOL MOHAIR V-NECK JUMPER BY COS A good and cozy knit is the ultimate fall/winter gift.

GRACE: A MEMOIR BY GRACE CODDINGTON I read this book a while back and it is one of the most interesting takes on how a young woman makes her way into the fashion industry and eventually becomes one of the most well-respected and famous figures in fashion (as the creative director of Vogue Magazine). Definitely a great gift for anyone who aspires to work in this field and wants to know the ins and outs of it.

NASTYGAL HOPPUS PLATFORM OXFORDS BY JEFFREY CAMPBELL These shoes are in silver metallic, which is one of my favorite color shades at the moment. And they are also platform oxfords, which make them easy to walk in during the winter season. Perfect for anyone who wants to be dope and comfortable at the same time.

LONG WOOL COAT BY AMERICAN APPAREL This coat is made of wool and looks very elegant and sophisticated, like a one-of-a-kind, expensive designer piece yet it is only $185 which is a good price for a great coat, and a great gift for someone who is equally as one-of-a-kind to you. november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 43

style style

Scout Sixteen, Justin Livingston www.scoutsixteen.com BLEECKER ID CARD CASE BY COACH There is little I loathe more than a fat, overstuffed wallet that makes sitting anywhere uncomfortable.

GREEN HEATHER CAMP BLANKET BY PENDLETON WOOLEN MILLS I can’t wait to carry this piece out to a night with friends and a bonfire in northern New York.

CHESTER SNEAKER BY POINTER Simple yet casual, these low-profile sneakers are the perfect complement to any guy’s wardrobe. Warning: you’ll want to wear them everyday!

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PANGCAKES, Yin Pang www.pangcakes.com IT BY ALEXA CHUNG If your friend likes Alexa Chung and reading, the style icon’s new book could a very cute present.

BONUS: you might get to read it yourself! Great!

MOTEL JET PLAYSUIT BY ASOS For the friend who likes to attend parties... a functional yet super flattering black one piece is always great for those “but what do I wear!?” situations.

CASHMERE HAT BY COS If you’re completely clueless of what to get, try and get something simple but useful. I personally love COS’ cashmere hats and scarves, they keep you super warm while looking nice with any outerwear.

food

Dinner Was Delicious, Rachel & Lucy www.dinnerwasdelicious.com

style

AVANT BLARGH, Bianca deBardelaben www.avantblargh.blogspot.com FRENCH MILK BY LUCY KNISLEY I love recommending Lucy Knisley’s work to graphic novel readers and non readers alike. Lucy is able to express what it’s like to be a modern young woman in a way that many contemporaries have been unable to properly express. It follows a true account of her month stay in France as a young 20-something with her mother! Each page is simply wonderful, you’ll gobble up this book in mins!

CAT TOTE BY AUDREY JEANNE I absolutely adore French illustrator Audrey Jeanne, her cat work is so sweet but it definitely has that dark vintage feel without being too cutesy.

Plus who doesn’t love cat stuff!

LE PETIT PRINCE DAILY PLANNER BY MOLESKINE I’m old school when it comes to planning! I can keep everything in my phone, but we lose phones, they get overwhelmed with information and the batteries die! I love planners, to write out my ideas and to do lists! Plus this one is cute with a little childhood nostalgia making it a bit more fun!

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO INNA JAM Jam is pretty much the perfect hostess gift; perfect for tonight’s cheese plate or PBJs to nurse tomorrow’s inevitable hangover. Dafna Kory of InnaJam cranks out some of the best preserves we’ve ever tasted from fruit grown within 150 miles of her jam kitchen. The annual subscriptions are an easy way to make folks remember to invite you back for dinner. We’re obsessed with the Hungarian Pepper, Tayberry, and Lorna Apricot!

CHOCOLATE BARS BY MAST BROTHERS CHOCOLATE Mast Brothers has put together a series of 5 perfect deeply dark chocolates crafted to bring out the unique character of each bar’s primary bean. Our favorite is the Madagascar; it starts with a bright, red, juicy berry top notes and a leathery, tannic finish. The bars are ideal as a set but, with their pretty, modern wrapping, they make a great cheap gift for your favorite graphic design nerds.

GRAND PRIX II CHEF’S KNIFE BY WUSTHOF Whether it’s their first or 50th, this knife has a place in every kitchen. Just like every other Wustof, it’s sturdy, sharp, and holds an edge, but this one’s smart design sets it apart. As broads with small hands, we struggled for a long time looking for the perfect blade. Grand Prix II’s low profile and smartly contoured handle make for a great fit without sacrificing power or versatility. It’s an ideal gift for your favorite lady or teen. november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 45

food

The Crepes of Wrath, Sydney Kramer www.crepesofwrath.net IMMERSION BLENDER BY CUISINART I have one of the most inexpensive immersion blenders that I could find on Amazon. It is my chopper, blender and puree-er. It is essentially a handheld food processor, but without the giant, clunky pieces or hard to clean crevices that come along with the real deal. I use this baby for soups, sauces, dips, you name it. My devotion to my immersion blender runs deep.

FRENCH ROLLING PIN BY WINWARE A French, or tapered, rolling pin doesn’t seem like it’d be that helpful, but those skinny ends really come in handy when trying to roll out the perfect circle for a pie crust or trying to get a thicker section of dough to thin out. A tapered rolling pin glides along your work surface with ease and lets you roll things out much, much faster than a traditional dowel because it rotates without much effort. Plus, it looks real pretty and people will think you have a beautiful French heirloom that has been passed down for generations when really you got that sucker for $10 online.

Bonus!

THINK LIKE A CHEF BY TOM COLICCHIO This is my cookbook bible. I consult it whenever I come across an ingredient I’ve never used or want to learn the basics for some of my favorites. Colicchio takes you through why an ingredient behaves the way it does, then shows you simple pairings to bring out the best flavor from each item. This book has taught me the best way to cook mushrooms, how the essence of certain vegetables will change your life (vegetable caviar? tomato water? yes, please) and how to properly render the fat on a duck breast. My copy is torn, stained and nearly worn out, but it is close to my heart and I would never have been able to learn to be comfortable in the kitchen without it.

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food

The Candid Appetite, Jonathan Melendez www.thecandidappetite.com JOKE EXTENSION FORK BY SCHYLLING This extendable fork is marketed as a joke, but we all know it’s not a joke when we want something off of someone’s plate but we can’t seem to reach it. This fork lets me steal my friends’ food without having to get up out of my seat, because stealing food can be such a hassle sometimes.

HAMBURGER SOCKS BY FRED FLARE I have a slight fixation, and by slight I mean I’m completely and utterly obsessed, with socks. The crazier the better is what I always say. It applies to most things in life. These socks are definitely up there on the best thing I’ve ever purchased in bulk. What? Is there really such a thing as too many pairs of hamburger socks? I don’t think so, my friends. I don’t think so.

LUNCH TIME LAPTOP COVER BY ZERO GRAVITY In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I live for silly things like these. I stare at pictures of food all day, every day for a living, so it seems only natural that I encase my laptop in something with food on it. This laptop cover makes me feel like I’m back in school, it also makes me feel hungry all the time which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because I love to eat. My computer is protected and I get to stare at an entire meal all the time, it’s a win-win.

lifestyle

Hommemaker, Orlando Soria (Photo Stephen Busken) www.hommemaker.com

food

The Kitchy Kitchen, Claire Thomas www.thekitchykitchen.com SALAD SERVING SET BY LEIF For whatever salad situation you find yourself in, you can find these fun and modern salad servers in literally ANY color. Such an unexpected pop of color in any kitchen.

ARROW APRON BY EGG PRESS Whether you’re grilling, chopping, or baking, every chef in the kitchen needs to keep clean. These lovely aprons do just the trick, without the “kiss the cook” kitsch.

JADEITE CAKE STAND BY FISH EDDY When you go to the trouble to make a show-stopping cake, you need accessories to match. Vintage inspired jadeite cake platters and cake knives are a gorgeous way to go.

Legged Dish by Ben Medansky I am obsessed with with this LA ceramicist. Each of his handmade pieces is a unique work of art. Very sculptural and gorgeous. Whoever receives this gift will be stoked because they’ll be the only one around who has one. And isn’t that what the holidays are really all about? Making sure you give cooler/more original gifts than everyone else?

Italian Hand-Crafted Scissors from Choosing Keeping I have a newfound love of beautifully designed scissors and desk objects. People really appreciate beautiful details. They kind of make life worth living. A gorgeous pair of scissors can make a dull day seem just a little bit more glamorous.

Agate Coasters from Lawson-Fenning I love anything found in nature and am fascinated by agate. It’s the perfect combination of an organic form and lovely jewel tone colors. And it’s a great gift because whoever receives it will think of you every time they use their coaster, which in my case would be daily.

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z i n e b Picture this: four movies in, and you’ve already worked with Meryl Streep, Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Leonardo Dicaprio, Mathew McConaughey and Jonah Hill. Oh, and did we mention you’re getting producing advice from Martin Scorsese for a movie that was made for you by the pioneer of indie film Amos Poe? Pinch me, I’m dreaming! No, you’re just Zineb Oukach.

Words Anais Vaillant Photo Paul de Luna

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A

nd for someone with such an — to put it lightly — epic foundation, this Moroccan actress/model/upcoming producer tells us — in her adorable accent — her humble experience with Scorsese, her producing adventures and what it means to be an actor. She might not be The Wolf of Wall Street but she’s definitely the symbol of success.

Well, to start off, congrats on finishing your second huge film in the States! Talk about bragging rights. With a few movies under your belt, you’ve really worked with the legends.

Yeah, it was extremely exciting to get that phone call that Martin [Scorsese] loved me and wanted me for the role. I was extremely, extremely excited. It’s amazing! It’s a director that I’ve always dreamed of working with. Just to hang out with him and talk about his past, you know? The making of The King of Comedy [and] Mean Streets, and he gave me advice on the movie I’ll be producing. It was really an experience — during the month that I worked with him — an amazing experience. Really!

He’s [Martin] one of the most passionate directors. It’s what he does. It’s his life. And to be with people that passionate — and I thought I was super passionate about movies — and to meet people like that, first, I was like, ‘thank God I’m not alone!’ You really feel like you’re part of a clan, a group where everyone working is passionate — the actors, the directors, the executives, everyone. We love what we do, and I was really happy to not feel alone.

So you worked with Martin for one month?

Yup. I got to go to Palm Beach to film on the real yacht, The Naomi, and I was with the VP and the second unit while everyone else filmed in New York. I spent a week in Florida filming on the yacht, and he [Martin] gave me some notes — before I went — on the character, because my character is really the symbol of that really famous show in the 80s called 50 brinkmagonline.com november/december 2013

“Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” and that was the inspiration.

Now the trailer for The Wolf of Wall Street doesn’t give us much, but it definitely hooks us for more. Could we know a little bit more about your character?

My character is really the face and the symbol of Lifestyles of the Richest People, and I can’t give you too much more information on that, but my character was really inspired by [the lifestyle] of people who have the yachts and the crew. And I met the real crew of the yacht, and I got to see those girls who work on the big yachts and how it all works and the relation they have with the ones that own the yachts. Voila, it was that.

And you never got seasick?

I did!

Oh no!

Actually, no, no I didn’t, because the boat was on the dock.

We never left. No, no I got sick in December when I was on vacation. But it was great just to be on the yacht, like the real yacht, and to meet the real staff, you know? People I can get inspired from. It was great. It was different. It was, yeah, it was different to be on a real boat instead of the studio. And then we did the studio up in New York on green screen.

How did you like working on green screen?

I worked before on green screen for my show Alien Dawn — the kids show on Nickelodeon that I did before — so I was familiar with it. But green screen is like really challenging, because the

lighting of the set is very strong and being just in the middle of this green, you know? It just pulls energy away from you. To watch green all the time. Twelve hours a day. It’s different. You have to have imagination, you know? For it. Because you have to create everything. Thankfully, all the other actors — Jonah Hill — they were really great. They were really putting in their energy, especially for the party scene. They were like putting their energy out there and really doing the actions.

And they helped us and so did the crew.

and creative. When you talk about the style, everything! So it’s definitely something I want to do again in the future if I have the opportunity. But, we will see what the future will bring.

Awesome. So you said Martin Scorsese gave you some advice because you’re going to produce a film?

Yeah, I’m going to produce and be in it.

Well I guess it was all worth it because you already have such a great start! Working with Martin Scorsese and Gavin Hood — with Rendition — and really huge names in Morocco and, now, Amos Poe… Yeah, those quality people, I’ve been so lucky because you get inspired, and you learn from them because they know so much!

That’s so exciting!

Yeah! Yeah, I’m so excited. Actually we’re finishing the budget and the second draft. For right now, it’s called I am Morocco, because Martin presented with Francis Coppola a few years ago a film called I am Cuba, and, also, Martin is very close to Morocco, and he was telling me that he was very close to King and that he shot film there for the Passion of the Christ. And he has been there many times. So yeah, he gave me a little advice.

And the director with whom I’ll be working with is Amos Poe, and Amos worked with Martin on Raging Bull, so they know each other. So it was a great opportunity to talk about my movie and get advice on production and especially on how to make a movie.

So you’re going to star in it and produce it…that’s such a strong title by the way I am Morocco. I love it.

You do?

It just grabs your attention, and it makes you want to know more. So when should we expect it in theaters?

We’re hoping to go to Cannes with it, but I think it’s probably going to be next year. But there’s so much, you know? When you have a project like this, and it’s called I am Morocco, and I’m from Morocco — and my first time producing — there is pressure. Like, I feel like I have pressure. You know? My goal is just to focus on the work and really focus no matter how much time it takes, and, for me, this is a lifetime experience. It’s very special, something very special. It’s a very special project, a very special story and very powerful. I don’t know much more than that for right now, but I’ll let you know.

Definitely keep me in the loop. We’ll have a mini reunion next year, and you can tell me all about your first time producing.

Perfect!

Would you want to keep producing films?

Acting is my passion, it’s like my life. It’s a big part of my life, and it’s also the reason why I left Morocco and then left for France — and then here today in New York. It’s because of the passion that I have for acting and film. But, to be honest, since I started producing this film, it’s very exciting! Because you’re there, and you’re much more creative in every way — you’re there for the writing and for the look book, for the film, and when you meet producers, when you talk, when you share your ideas and when you talk about the vision of the film. So, it’s much more fulfilling

Wow, you’ve moved quite a bit.That must have been hard.

It was so difficult to leave Paris when I moved here. I miss Paris so much. And, you know, we went all over France with my family every year. I mean, you know, Morocco is very close with Paris, and it was heartbreaking to leave it.

What kind of acting do you want to try next?

I want to try it all! But I definitely want to do action like Crouching Tiger and drama where there’s a real story, a very strong story. I mean, I am Morocco is a road movie, which I’ve never done before. You know, a voyage from the north of Morocco to the south.

Crouching Tiger?

Yeah, it’s one of my fav!

What are some others?

Hmm let’s see … L’Avventura, I like both Raging Bull and The King of Comedy. Oh, the last Woody Allen!

Oh I wanted to go see that!

Oh my God, run, and go see it! It’s so good. Kate Blanchet, I think she should get a nomination definitely — and an Oscar, because she’s so good and so right, and it’s so true. The dialogue’s good, everything, everything — so well done. The editing is done right. It’s a really, really strong film.

Well now I have to go see it!

Wait, wait! But don’t go see it with your date, like you shouldn’t see it on a date. It’s very strong and disturbing.

Good to know. I’ll go see it with my mom then. So if you had any advice for upcoming actresses or actors, or even producers, what would it be?

Wow! I mean it’s exciting that someone’s asking you that, no?

Yeah! I mean, I still have so much more to learn. I’m still at the beginning of my career. I think, in acting, I would say stick with it because to be an actor is very important, like, in our society.

We need actors because they speak the truth, and especially today in the world and what’s happening in the world. Once you made the choice and you’ve decided that that’s going to be your job, you really have to go for it! Like, really. It’s the most fulfilling, it’s very rich, you learn, it’s just very rich. And as a producer, well, I’ll tell you next year.

The Wolf of Wall Street is in theatres November 15, 2013 november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 51

instant

holiday classic

photography and retouching: benjamin stone for the angle agency shot at sandbox studios nyc models: bruna, cici, maria and danic with Ford models nyc makeup: Bradford Knight for Beauty exchange NYC hair: gregg lennon jr styling: karlyn waldschmidt nails: Ben Reingold for Take Off Your Clothes

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CICI MAKEUP /NARS Eye Shadow Duo Surabaya NARS Satin Lip Pencil- Yu NARS Bronzer- Casino HAIR / Bumble and Bumble Thickening Full Form Mousse Bumble and Bumble Thickening Creme Contour Bumble and Bumble Does It All Styling Spray WARDROBE/ Storey Threads vintage dress, Jocelyn fur coat, Zara necklace, H&M ring NAILS / Klean color pink sleepers

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DANICA MAKEUP / NARS Eye Paint- Interstellar NARS Eye Paint -Black Valley NARS Blush- Deep Throat HAIR / Bumble and Bumble Thickening Creme Contour Bumble and Bumble Does It All Styling Spray WARDROBE / Storey Threads vintage top, Zara overcoat, H&M necklace in hairNAILS / Sally Hansen xtreme wet cement

time of her life

jacquleine m. m wood Words Arielle Ozery Photo J-Squared Photography

Congratulations on your new E! show, Party On! Thank you so much! I was ecstatic when I found out because obviously I was a huge fan of Wild On. Knowing they were kind of revamping it and switching it up and calling it Party On, I was ecstatic!

Can you tell me a little bit about what you went through to get the job?

Well, I was approached a few months ago about Wild On, and I met with the people over at the E! network, and, you know, it was one of those things where we kind of hit it off. I loved where the show was going, what their ideas for the show were, traveling to each country, each city for 48 hours and seeing what kind of mischief I could get up to. It was more myself — I’m very spontaneous. I can — in a heartbeat — just pick up and go. I can easily go by myself; I can go with friends or just go with people I just met. It’s always been who I am, and that’s always been my lifestyle, so it was something that I wanted to do, and I just thought the ideas of going behind the velvet rope and getting an inside perspective of all these insane beach parties and VIP clubs and spectacular villas and high-end shopping, who wouldn’t want to do that?! After a few meetings, one thing led to another, and I got the phone call that they wanted me to be the host, and then we took off and went to Europe! [laughs] Is there anything, in specific, that you’re looking forward to with this job?

Well, just to see it come into fruition. I’m really excited to see the show, because, like I said, it is a VIP look inside the clubs, you know. This is like a millionaire’s playground of opulence. All of these places that I’ve gone to — it’s all about luxury, all about money. It’s billionaires that go to all of these beautiful places around the Mediterranean just to spend money and to do it and be in it and meet these amazing people and go with some of my friends — like Jonathan Cheban — and just go with your friends and meet these people and party on the yachts, it’s fun to know that it comes out on December 5th and that I get to see it. And I think everybody has that feeling when you travel — you always 58 brinkmagonline.com november/december 2013

From Roberto Cavalli’s yacht to the most lavish places all around the world, Jacqueline M. Wood is certainly living the dream, and she knows it!

In her new E! series, Party On, jacqueline takes us behind the velvet ropes of some of the world’s most famous party spots.

tell yourself and tell your friends ‘wouldn’t this be so great if someone was filming this!?’ It’s cool to really get to see it come into fruition and really watch the craziness unfold and watch the kind of mischief that I’ve gotten up to.

That sounds like so much fun!

Oh, my goodness it was! I couldn’t even tell you the stories — there’s just so many. And each episode is going to have something different. You know, it’s “Party On.” It is the crazy parties, but you also get to see the different sides of these cities and these places like the culture — you get to take in everything.

It’s what anyone would want to do! If you could just be plopped down, by yourself, in each country, what would you do? If you had, like, endless amounts of money and you were there for 48 hours, what would you do? And you didn’t give a shit, basically.

You’ve been on a bunch of different television shows; how do you think that this hosting job is going to be different from, you know, your role on The Bold and the Beautiful or something like that?

Well, I think with this show, like in The Bold and the Beautiful, I was playing a character. There’s pieces of me within each character, I think all actors do that, but, you know, this is me as Jacqui M. Wood. This is me when I travel. This is what you see is what you get, and this is completely different because it’s not like ‘OK, here’s a script, and you have to memorize this, and here are the lines. This is me traveling around and letting you know one thing lead to another but you get to see me. You get to see myself, what I do in these moments, what I do when I travel. Like I said, I travel all the time. I jet set all the time, I’ve always done that. I got a phone call not too long ago, obviously before I was filming, and they said, ‘Hey, do you want to go to the South of France? You gotta leave now,’ and I left within two hours.

It’s that kind of lifestyle that’s always been me. I’ve always tweeted about it, you see it on my Instagram throughout the years, but this is what the fans get to see. This is me, this is what I’ve been talking about for so long. You guys get to come along with me and enjoy the ride.

So this is really just authentic you?

Yeah! Obviously everybody has a version to themselves — this is crazy, fun, me! This is me when I’m with my friends. It’s like anything — it’s like anybody when you’re going to travel, like what are you like when you travel? When you travel and go away, everyone exudes something else, you know — the spontaneity, the ‘I’m going to act a little crazier than I usually am.’ This is what us as humans are like when we travel. We’re freaking crazy! Everyone can watch this and say, ‘These are the things that I would love to do,’ or some can watch and be like, ‘Oh my God I would do that, I’ve been there.’ We’ve all kind of been in some kind of these scenarios.

While you were filming, did any guys approach you, and were they any different than American guys?

I met a lot of Australians and guys from Spain — everyone is kind of different. Obviously, I don’t want to make a general statement of Australian guys, but the guys that I met were all so sweet, and, you know, there was a cutie along the way — I have to say that there were gorgeous guys everywhere, but there’s one guy for like a hot minute — that I was like, ‘Wow, he’s cute, let’s hang out!’ So, that’s what I did. Let’s say you basically touch down in Croatia and I use social media. I tweet out a few things and get invites from other people, like where to go, what the cool hot spot is and I end up meeting some people at a local bar and one thing kind of led to another. But I gotta say, the guys that I met were so sweet and so nice. Everyone had that party mode; everyone wanted to party. So you’re definitely going to catch that along the way. You’re going to see the hot guys from all different places: America, Canada, Australia, Spain! We have it all on Party On. There’s a lot of eye candy in each episode.

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One of the places you filmed was Mykonos in Greece where the Kardashians recently traveled to. While you were there, did you by any chance put on your Kardashian face and go out and party like they did or were you like, ‘Hell no, I’m not doing any of that’?

I’ve watched that episode twice, and it was actually right before I left to Mykonos. Oh, by the way, that drink is called Hierbas — just letting you know! Like I said, I watched that episode twice, right before I left to Mykonos, and it was on right when I got back from my travels, so it was interesting to get a really good look of what they saw in comparison to what we did and seeing the places that they went. What I did in Mykonos was I basically got off a boat, and I immediately went to a beach club, so there’s obviously no time to get glammed up — you know, put on the heels. But, it’s more go, go, go, whereas I don’t think I had any spare time there, but I met people from this one club, Paradise, and from there, they told me to go to this club, and you know, from going onto these crazy speedboats, it was one thing after the next. A lot of my friends were actually in town, and I got to meet with them, and they were on the show with me. Going from Namos beach, which is one of the sexiest beaches in Mykonos — it’s like gorgeous guys, gorgeous women, the food’s incredible, all fusion, and it’s right on the beach, which is crystal clear — and you just see all the beautiful yachts that are parked and you just get on a little boat and go to one of the yachts, so it was definitely a nonstop of Mykonos; there wasn’t really a moment to breathe. Which was great!

Do you think that there was one person in specific that you can say is the most interesting and awesome person that you met while filming?

I would say there was one guy in Croatia — his name was Wolf — and there’s plenty of other people that I’ve met, but he’s the only one that just speaks up to me right now. He’s an older man who basically runs a bar in Croatia. He’s the guy who has a family, two kids, but like he just lives the life. Like, his kids are over at the beach club, which is like the biggest beach club in Croatia, and he tells you stories of life, and you just wonder when he turns off because this is his life, like nightclub, party scene. He has stories from Studio 54! He just knew all the spots. He knew all the people. When I met him, he probably didn’t go to bed till like 5 o’clock in the morning. It was one of those interesting people.

Before you filmed this show, what would you say is the most awesome party that you had been to?

That one I was telling you about, where my friends called me up and said, ‘Hey do you want to jump on a flight and come to Cannes?’ and I was in LA, I was free, so I said, ‘Yeah, OK!’ I have to say, the best party is when I spontaneously got a flight, took a red-eye out to NYC connecting to Cannes, France. It was a group of my friends, and we had a place in Antibes, and we ended up throwing a party at our house, but it led to a yacht party right on the harbor of Cannes, and it ended up being Roberto Cavalli’s yacht. All of the beautiful, gorgeous models all in Cavalli, and obviously Roberto Cavalli was there — the sweetest, nicest man. But, yeah, that was a fun night where we ended up at Cavalli’s yacht, and we were there until the wee hours of the morning. It was fun! To be that spontaneous and to pick up all your stuff and just go — it seems exhausting. It seems

like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I want to do this, I’m only going to be there for a few days,’ but those are the stories in life that you’ll have, and you’ll always have in life those memories. And my thing is, create memories. You know, have memories, not things.

It’s great to have both, but memories [are] what matter, and you can look back and say, ‘I remember that I was exhausted, but I still went and did it, and it was exhausting, but I had the time of my life, and I’ll always remember that!’

Well if you could meet any host or any person that does anything with the E! network, who would it be?

Well, I met Giuliana Rancic!

That’s who I was hoping you’d say! I love her.

I met her years ago, and she lived up to everything I had thought.

She seemed like the nicest, sweetest person — so strong — and you know, obviously, with her stories and everything she just really touches me and watching her true life on E! and letting yourself open up to the world about all her stories and cancer and trying to have a child, I think she’s such a strong woman for that, and I commend her for all that she’s done, and I’ve always kind of looked up to her, she just seems like a true, honest, down to earth woman. She’s one of those people who remembers your name, even if it’s quick.

Now I have some questions that some of your fans wrote in to us on Twitter. @anitacsegraves asks “Are you coming back to ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ anytime soon?”

It’s still up in the air. I could possibly be going back. Like I said, I’ve always been open, and if my schedule is free, absolutely.

Right now I don’t have a contract with them, but I’m very close with Brad Bell, and I’m very close with all the people on “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Like, I’m not one to say that I would never come back because I absolutely love the crew, I love the actors, I love everybody on that show, so if scheduling works, I will definitely be back — for a few episodes. I’m not on contract right now, but to go back and forth, I would never say that I won’t do that again. People who do a soap and then walk away from it, they started my career, so I’m always grateful for that. @deedeedyn0mite asks: “What was your favorite place to eat?”

I have to say that when I was in St. Tropez, we partied at a very, very cool, very exclusive supper club, and it looks like a jungle when you go in there, and people are wearing costumes, and there’s a back room where you can put on whatever you want, and I think the more you dress up, the crazier people become.

But before that, you eat dinner, and the food was spectacular!

I had a truffle pizza that night that was just unreal. So, Villa Romana supper club in St. Tropez was one of my favorites!

OK, last question from your fans. @tami2205 wants to know what your next project will be, after Party On. Once I got back from Party On, I literally slept for a week, and now I’m doing the whole detox thing, so I think that’s what I’m focused on right now and just gearing up and still doing the final touches for Party On. But right now, I’m more focused on the premiere date.

Party On premieres December 5th on E! november/december 2013 brinkmagonline.com 61

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