Interviews: Three Actresses at Hollywood Celebrities & Memorabilia Show

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Amber Smith, “L.A. Confidential,” “Sin City Diaries” “Lingerie”

Amber Smith is a familiar model and actress, anchoring a 2006 Michelob Ultra Amber Lite Beer campaign, and appearing in such diverse films as “L.A. Confidential,” “The Mirror Has Two Faces” and HBO’s “The Rat Pack.” Recently, she had the lead role in Cinemax’s “Sin City Diaries” and a supporting role in the second season of “Lingerie.”

Amber Smith at the Hollywood Celebrities & Memorabilia Show, Chicago, March 2011 Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com: What role, job or person was your key to the first big break in the business?

Amber Smith: I auditioned for the Martin Scorsese film, ‘Casino,’ which was my first audition, I didn’t even know enough not to read the stage directions and other people’s lines, but I ended up auditioning with Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese. I didn’t get that, but the rumor that I got close to it really helped me a lot. It was casting director Ellen Lewis who really championed me.

HollywoodChicago.com: What was the best advice someone has ever given you regarding acting, and in what performance have you used that advice?

Smith: That rejection isn’t personal. If you analyze it, they have a film with X-amount of dollars to spend, they have to hire the person they want, even though five people may be great. I put myself in their shoes when I don’t get a part, it’s their money and they have to spend it the way they want. I don’t take it personally.

HollywoodChicago.com: Since you are in the HBO family in productions of ‘Sin City Diaries’ and ‘Lingerie,’ how does the corporate end of that company treat those particular shows and the people the in them?

Smith: They are very family-like and treat us well, they’ve even wanted me to communicate any roles I’m up for, since they want to make sure their level of quality stays the same.

HollywoodChicago.com: At what point in your career did you suddenly step back and ask yourself, how did I get here?

Smith: I’ve been in both good and bad situations for that. The bad thing is that it’s a rough business, and once somebody said something to me around some friends that was really rude. It was regarding some photographers who were outside the venue, and the doorman said that it was people like me who bring the rats here. When my friend told me to say something back, I realized that I had just gotten used to people saying nasty things to me, that it didn’t phase me, even though it wasn’t right. I had been in Los Angeles too long, and felt like a piece of meat. Because my self esteem had gotten really low, I thought that was normal behavior. I left the business for a year, and when I came back I didn’t tolerate things like that any more.

In the good way, when I got into modeling, I never understood that I shouldn’t be at the top. I was constantly asking my bookers for the most money. That attitude of not knowing and the entitlement thing, pushed me forward faster.

By PATRICK McDONALD Senior Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com