Recent Articles
Let’s Dish Sex Advice, Vegan Food Porn & Hollywood with Bathing & The Single Girl’s Christine Elise
 |
Her sly, sexy stare has pierced both small and big screens throughout a successful Hollywood career. From Beverly Hills 90210 to ER to Child’s Play 2, her roles span classic series, cult favorites, and indie gems. But, there’s more – surprisingly more – to Christine Elise than a glance at IMDB might suggest.
Powerless against the mouthwatering magnet that is fine food porn, we can’t tear our eyes away from Elise’s blog, Delightful Delicious Delovely. Similarly, scandalously addictive is her short film, Bathing & The Single Girl. Inspired by the film, Elise’s novel of the same name may just be “the funniest book ever written.” No joke. And did we mention her photography?
Visiting Dallas last week to emcee The Humane League’s Humane Hearts Happy Hour, the multi-tasking Christine Elise chatted with us about her connection to this national animal protection organization. She also shared some seriously straightforward sex advice. Oh, and Hollywood. We talked about that, too. Read on for a candid chat with our newest girl crush, Christine Elise.
DFW Style Daily: So, first things first! You visited Dallas to emcee The Humane League’s Humane Hearts Happy Hour, honoring CEO Ethan Brown of Beyond Meat. Tell us about your connection to The Humane League.
Christine Elise: “I became a pescatarian in about 1988, in an objection to factory farming. Last year, I gave up seafood, and I am now a vegetarian. I also eat vegan meals a great deal.
“Over the years, many animal protection organizations have been created, supporting causes from sea life to domestic pets. All of these causes are worthy, and the technique each group uses varies as much as their individual causes. Some strategies are hard line and aggressive – maybe even counter-productive. Other organizations take smaller, more focused steps. The Humane League has a gentle, focused, assertive, and, I think, very effective approach to educating people about plant-based diets. They are proving to be effective in manifesting changes in the treatment of animals raised for food, and beyond.”
In keeping with the topic of food, your blog Delightful Delicious Delovely is filled with fabulous ‘food porn.’ Describe the mission of your blog, and your affinity for Beyond Meat.
“I started my blog on a whim. I had long been posting pictures of the food I made on Facebook, so a blog just seemed like the next, natural step. I have no solidly conceived mission, beyond sharing how easy and affordable a healthy diet can be. I love to cook and I love to eat, and I have a life-long passion for photography. The blog addresses all of those passions. And, now that I am increasingly vegan, it is a great way to educate people that vegan and vegetarian diets are not made up of carrots and grass.
“However, faux meats have mostly been underwhelming, until Beyond Meat. I discovered the brand on my own, and I fell in love with it immediately! So, I began using it exclusively in my faux meat meals, and I kept posting my recipes on the Beyond Meat Facebook page. Eventually, they took notice and named me, and about 25 others, Beyond Meat Super Fans.”
Moving on to another aspect of your career, Bathing & The Single Girl was probably the best ten minutes we’ve had so far this month! Loved the short film and can’t wait to read the book. Tell us a little about your heroine, Ruby Fitzgerald.
“Ruby is a woman of varying ages, depending on her mood when you ask her, who seems to be hitting the wall in every aspect of her life. Work, love, and security are all mirages forever ahead of her on the unreachable horizon, and it is pissing her off! So, she begins making poor choices – some alcohol-fueled, some fueled by the same cranky passions that Larry David indulges in – and the results are hilarious.
“My goal was only to write the funniest book ever written. I do not brag about any element of my life or career, but I will say with Muhammad Ali bravado that I have written the funniest book ever written. I challenge anyone to read it, and tell me they did not literally laugh out loud ten times. I know I am setting expectations high, but the book is fucking funny, and I stand by my words here.”
What advice might Ruby give to our single readers, prior to their next date?
“Don’t settle. Don’t make excuses for him. And most of all, if you are not attracted to him, for the love of God, don’t sleep with him. If you suspect he is gross now, you will fucking know he is gross tomorrow.”
I’m surprised we’ve come this far in the interview without talking about Hollywood, but next we’d like to delve into your photography. Your work spans multiple subjects, and has been exhibited both stateside and in Paris. What inspires you, behind the camera?
“Decaying Americana is inspiring; things that are ephemeral. But, I will shoot anything that catches my eye, and I have always shot self-portraits.”
Now, on to Hollywood. Would you like to tease any upcoming projects?
“Why, yes! My most recent film is psychological thriller called The Livingston Gardener, and it is available on Amazon and Hulu. I also just did a tiny part on Hit the Floor, and I just shot a short film called Parachute Kids.”
Looking back, which of your roles made the biggest impact on you?
“China Beach was my first great acting challenge. It was so well written, and such a moving show, that it remains my favorite acting experience. Child’s Play 2 gave me my first taste of being in a big, studio film, and shooting on the Universal lot. Beverly Hills 90210 was a phenomenon at the time, and it was incredibly exciting to be a part of that. I am friends, to this day, with folks from all of those projects, so that matters, too, and intensifies my sentimentality for the jobs.”
Tell us about a few things on your ‘absolutely must do’ list when you visit Texas.
“I am bummed that I can’t stay in Dallas for a longer period of time on this trip, because I have only ever driven through the city. I do my Texas time in Victoria, because I program the Victoria Texas Independent Film Festival there.”
Finally, we’re dying to ask, would you welcome a new opportunity to combine your photography, cooking, writing, and acting? Can you imagine what such an opportunity might look like?
“I have two ideas for cooking shows, but I have not manifested either. Yet. But, I don’t need to combine all those creative elements you listed. In fact, that sounds like brutal pressure! I am okay with having them all fill different parts of my life.”
All images courtesy of Christine Elise.
Comments