Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“Traveling creates an energy that spurs me on to write,” said “Dreamt I Found You” author Jimin Han, who also teaches at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. “I notice more things than I do when I’m home. Right now, I’m sitting on a terrace in a hotel in Myeongdong in Seoul. Already, I’ve written on the flight and [wrote] earlier this morning working on the new book. Fingers crossed I have another novel [published] soon.”
In her debut comedy special “Rosalee Mayeux: Model Mom,” the former high fashion model-turned-standup comic shares stories about her life as a model, actress (“The Lawnmower Man,” “Blast from the Past”) and mother. “My first gig was at the World Famous Comedy Store [in West Hollywood] in the famous Belly Room,” Mayeux said. “It was such an honor and I had a blast! We had a fire audience, courtesy of one of their resident producers, comedian Jimmy Shin. So it was a very cushy beginning!”
Megan Lawless stars as Sarah in the hit horror film “Obsession.” “My character is one of four in the main friend group,” the Los Angeles-based actor said. “Sarah acts as a foil to the toxic relationship between Bear and Nikki and is fundamental to the theme of this cautionary tale. She is representative of the loss that comes with obsessive, toxic attachment and how one person’s actions can affect far more than just themselves. I love this character and am so glad to play such a fundamental part of this story.”
Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Robert Margouleff has worked with music legends such as the Isley Brothers, Jeff Beck and Depeche Mode. In his new memoir “Shaping Sounds: Stevie Wonder, DEVO, The Synth Revolution, And My Life Behind The Music,” the author shares stories about working with these stars. It wasn’t his intent at the time, but his work helped create an eclectic musical time capsule.
In the Broadway production of “The Balusters,” Maria-Christina Oliveras portrays Luz Baccay, a Filipina housekeeper who has served the very wealthy Vernon Point community for 30 years. “Her power lies in observation and deep listening [and] in knowing what to say and what not to say,” the actress said in an interview from her home in New York City.
“I played SXSW in Austin in 2023 and some of my friends came to play in my band,” said “Big Trick” singer-songwriter Sabrina Song. “Our flight home was really early so we figured we would get to the airport late the night before and wait at our gate. We found out [it] was closed for the night when we got there, so we laid down on the floor with all our gear and slept at the entrance until morning. It was such a tragically funny ending to such a great week.”
Alexandra Metz isn’t a doctor, but “The Pitt” star contemplated becoming one when she studied at Brown University. After graduating with a degree in human biology, she deferred med school for two years while she gave acting a shot. “On the surface, it felt like a perfect backup plan, making my [acting] choice seem less risky,” said Metz, who portrays Dr. Yolanda Garcia on the hit series. “At my core, though, I always knew I wouldn’t follow through with medicine, because I wasn’t excited by the journey. Acting moved me in an undeniable way. While I found medicine incredibly inspiring, I knew it wasn’t for me.”
With her gayageum, avant-garde musician-composer-vocalist DoYeon Kim blends traditional Korean music with free jazz, which she showcases on her upcoming debut album, “Wellspring”
“[Travel] is one of the great perks of working in tennis,” said Patrick McEnroe. “You build relationships all over the world and get to experience different cultures in a really meaningful way. The global tennis community is pretty special in that sense. I’ve made lifelong friends in all different parts of the world, and it’s been fascinating to see how places evolve over time. I like to keep it simple – walking, hiking, exploring and finding great local food. I always try to avoid the American chains when we’re overseas, and really experience wherever we are.”
“I play Francesca, the funniest sister-cousin you wish you had,” said Stella Pecollo, who is one of the stars of the film “You, Me & Tuscany.” “She is a sassy, confident, fun, loving woman who adores Michael, played by Regé-Jean Page, and becomes close to Anna, played by Halle Bailey, whom she confides all the family gossip to.”
“We went to Venice, we went to the Dolomites and we went to Rome, because [my husband] Anthony’s family is in Rome,” said the Korean Vegan, Joan ne Lee Molinaro. “We did that trip, which was absolutely sensational. The Dolomites are like nothing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
“During some weekends I drive from Zagreb to my grandfather’s house, ” said filmmaker Neb Chupin.” “The town is called Vodice and I converted his original house into an Airbnb called Dida Boza House, [which] has a cafe and a gift shop. When I worked and studied in Boston, my getaways were always Cape Cod.”
“I’ve always said my ultimate dream would be a headline show at Red Rocks in Colorado,” said singer-songwriter Chloe Qisha. “There’s something about that amphitheatre that’s really legendary. At night, especially with how it’s lit, it looks beautiful. I also like venues where there’s staggered seating or standing because you can see everything clearly. It’s somewhere I’d love to see a show, but also somewhere I’d love to play.”
“Railay Beach in Thailand is a stunning car-free peninsula in the Krabi region in the south of Thailand,” said “Virgin River” actor Marco Grazzini. “Turquoise water, white sand, towering limestone cliffs – it’s the usual breathtaking landscape that Thai beaches have to offer, and that would drop jaws on film. I’ve been in and around Thailand numerous times over the past 20 years and Railay really stuck out to me for the serenity that it has.”
“In many ways, the internet has poisoned our minds and drained the lifeblood required for making music, but it has also granted listeners access to so many ideas and creative expressions that it’s possible our understanding of one another has been deepened and amplified,” said professor Alan Williams, who’s also a singer-songwriter. “Seeing my students listening to K-pop, Congolese street bands playing heavily distorted metallophones and Cambodian pop from the golden age before the Khmer Rouge gives me hope for the future.”
“So far I’ve shot in Turino, Northern Italy, Israel, Colombia, the United States and across Canada,” said “Palm Royale” actress Claudia Ferri. “I would love to have an opportunity to shoot in Newfoundland in the winter. I’m curious to see how people live in that kind of cold!”
Arianna Davis portrays a college cheerleader on the NBC series “Stumble.” As someone who started dance lessons at the age of two, Davis – who is also a singer-songwriter – is a perfect fit for this mockumentary sitcom, which delves into the intense and cut-throat world of competitive cheerleading.
“I am hoping to escape to a chateau in the south of France this summer,” said “Fleeting” musician Sarah Kinsley. “I’ve been so desperate to go to the Dolomites, the mountainside of northern Italy, at some point in my life. I don’t know if that will happen this year or maybe next. As long as I get to see them with my own eyes eventually I don’t mind when it happens.”
“Growing up in the American South as a mixed-race person made me acutely aware of the complexities of prejudice.,” said musician Henry J. Star. “This had a deep impact on my perspectives from a very young age. It has informed my creative voice in more ways than one.”
“Forth Worth has proven to be such a film-friendly spot,” said Tanner Beard, 41. “My family has a ranch just outside of Fort Worth close to the Mineral Wells area and it’s become like a back lot to explore ideas and stories for my company, Silver Sail Entertainment.”