Vanessa Marcil

Cheeky FHM Interview

With the small-screen days of playing the bad girl of Beverly Hills behind her, Babe Vanessa Marcil is jump-starting her movie career.

FHM magazine, September 2000
Interview by Tony Romando

Everything important in this world revolves around underwear. And that includes Vanessa Marcil. When FHM caught up with the 30 year-old actress, she was searching for skivvies in a Hollywood department store. But it hasn't always been gold cards, good times and Victoria's Secret for Ms. Marcil. After a small role in THE ROCK and then a "very disappointing' stint on Beverly Hills 90210, Vanessa realized it was time to rethink her career path. The result: she gave up the big paychecks and the bad TV scripts and backtracked in the name of integrity. With two independent films out this year, The Space Between Us and Nice Guys Sleep Alone, in which she breaks a nice guy's losing streak, it looks as if her plan is working. For the mole-sporting sexpot, that means further involvement in projects with actors who will give her the credibility that Tori Spelling and Ian Zierling could not. Unfortunately, it also reduces your chance of spotting Vanessa with frilly undergarments in her shopping basket.

Do you often shop for underwear with friends?
No, just with my assistant. Besides, today I am only buying underwear for my 10 year old nephew. Usually, I buy underwear for everybody. I have a big pet peeve about people wearing lame underwear. I was out with this guy and found out he was wearing those tight little underwear. It was a real deal-breaker. I wear boys underwear though. Boy's underwear looks great on girls--if they have a rockin' body.

I hear you keep your body rockin' by doing 300 sit ups a day.
I haven't done that many sit-ups in years. I'm not as concerned as I used to be. And I'm not that worried about being punched in the stomach wither. Then again, look what happened to Houdini. He died from a punch to the gut!

Are you a fan of the magic?
No, but Houdini's house was down the street from mine. My friends used to go down there and do drugs and stuff,. It was haunted.

Do you believe in things like ghosts, UFO's and mind control?
Not really. But I have a friend who hypnotized me years ago, and when he'd say a certain word, I'd have an orgasm. He's a genius, he can call me from anywhere and say the word and it works. It's great because he'll call, then I'll eat food and go to sleep. It's great.

What's the word?
Yeah, right. I can't say the word, but it rhymes with, "phone in".

Moanin? Conan? Melatonin?
You're getting close, but unfortunately, no! Could you imagine though? I wouldn't be talking to you right now. If it worked whenever I wanted it too I would sit around my house eating, reading and saying the word all day long!

What is the strangest thing you ever made your assistants do for you, other than help you shop for underwear?
I was sleeping while a makeup artist did my eyebrows and my assistant held a flashlight in the dark so the artist could see. I was in bed, completely sleeping. I had to get up early and shoot 90210! But the worst thing he has probably had to do was pick my dirty panties off the floor. She doesn't have to wash them though.

Your character on 90210 was from the wrong side of the tracks. Are you also?
I was like her in the sense that I was definitely a rebel when I was in high school. I got in so much trouble partying and stuff. My character never really fit in with the rest of the group. And I have that problem. I'm kind of a loner. The few people I do hang out with sit around eating pizza and discussing books.

What books should a guy be reading to engage a smart and good-looking woman such as yourself in discussion?
Conversations with God--it's a self help book on spirituality. It's good stuff! Usually, I have to push guys to read that. If they read it, then they're in, they can stick around. I really don't believe in censorship of any kind, but guys should stay away from books about love affairs in Los Angeles, like Lucky by Jackie Collins. Stay away from all those cheese-ball romance novels. I gave a boyfriend a reading list just to let him know about my rule about being well read. The other rule is we have to be friends for about six months before he can even attempt to kiss me or touch me in any physical way.

Sounds as though the six-monthis a result of a relationship gone bad?
Well, I broke up with my fiancee not too long ago and... let's just say he had a bit of a problem. He was my first serious relationship and he had a little... a little...

Penis?
No, otherwise I wouldn't have become engaged to him. He had a little problem being faithful. He had a fidelity problem.

You're starring in the movie Nice Guys Sleep Alone. Do bad boys like your ex really get all the women?
Unfortunately, I think that's true. I think all the bad guys get all the hot chicks. The nice guys get women who are beautiful on the inside. But when women grow up, like I have, they start to realize that bad boys are idiots.

I've heard that heavyset men are the most faithful.
We women happen to be fans of men who take really good care of themselves. Maybe if he happens to be overweight because of some thyroid problem he was born with, but not if he's some big slob and he's too lazy to get up and work out. I've never shared a bed with a fat guy.

If you had to share a bed with someone you found unappealing, would you go over-under with the sheets? Or perhaps, head-to-toe?
I'd sleep on top of him, with the sheets between us. And I's sleep on my back on his stomach. He'd be a big ass pillow.

In this issue, we're running an article about sex in the future. So you think cowboy boots and half shirts will contribute to sexual encounters as they did in the past?
I hope not. You probably had a half shirt. I've dated some real bad dressers, but then again, I wore some ridiculous crap. Once I went out to a club with my friend, and she got in a fight and got arrested, so I had to go to the jail and pick her up. I remember that night I was wearing Levi's cutt-off shorts, cowboy boots and stockings--and a black net shirt to top it off. Total trash! Everything comes back around, but we'd have to pick selectively from the '80's.

What's your biggest regret about the '80s?
Losing my virginity and that the experience was shit. I didn't have sex until I was 20, but I regret not waiting just a little bit longer because my next boyfriend rocked. He was so much better. I was like, what the hell was I thinking?

What were you thinking when you married Hollywood dork Corey Feldman?
I met him when I was 16, and as a joke, a bunch of us went to Los Vegas and we all got messed up. We gave fake names and we did this pretend ceremony...and from that came the rumor that we actually got married. I never spoke to him after that.

We're doing a story on torture. How would you torture the person who started that rumor?
I'd skin 'em. I'd peel off every piece of their skin with a knife. Then I would rub lemon all over them and any other food that would burn.

If you had to make a choice between long, drawn-out torture and a quick, painless death, which would you prefer?
Death! If I had to pick an actual way, it would be skydiving. You know, you're just flying. You'd just keep your eyes closed and splat--you'd hit and die pretty fast. But they'd have to say for sure that I was gonna die. and I'd want to die with a smile on my face!