You know actress/model Ashley Scott from the films Artificial Intelligence: AI, S.W.A.T., Walking Tall, and TV’s Birds of Prey, Dark Angel, and Lost. And this fall, you’ll see her starring in Into the Blue alongside Jessica Alba, Paul Walker, and Scott Caan.
Ashley called in to SOAK while a repair man was working on her computer (apparently those damn porn site pop ups also affect the computers of actresses worldwide, just kidding Ashley!) to talk about what it’s like for a grown man to present her with a love note made of pepperoni, what she has in common with Tom Cruise (hint: it doesn’t have anything to do with Scientology and she could probably take Katie Holmes), and how her husband had her at, uh, fondue.
SOAK: So you’re from the South, but you now live in Los Angeles?
Ashley Scott: I was born in Louisiana, but I grew up in South Carolina, which both are definitely very different than LA, but I miss the thunderstorms. [laughs] We had our first earthquake over here recently. That was a bizarre feeling. I just became disoriented and I remember my dad freaking out. Nothing broke or anything.
SOAK: Just your computer?
Ashley: Exactly. [laughs]
SOAK: So you star as Amanda in the movie “Into the Blue” this fall, which stars Jessica Alba, and Paul Walker from “The Fast and the Furious”…
Ashley: Yeah, I work with some really ugly characters. [laughs] No, really, we’re all really jazzed about it. I have a few action scenes and those were fun.
SOAK: So what’s it like working with Jessica Alba, who’s considered worldwide as one of the most beautiful females alive?
Ashley: She’s such a beautiful girl. She’s really worked hard to get where she’s at today. I worked with her on the second season of Dark Angel in Vancouver, one of my first real jobs.
SOAK: So you had to perform a lot of your own stunts?
Ashley: Not as many stunts as they had me do in Birds of Prey (a WB show loosely based on the story of Batman, in which Ashley starred as The Huntress), which had me doing lots of wirework and boxing. But the old broad can’t do it anymore. [laughs] That’s too much work.
SOAK: We all know that males across the globe clamor for the attention of Jessica Alba, but we’re pretty sure that although you’re now married (sorry guys, she’s been happily married to film producer Anthony Scott Rhulen since October of 2004), you’ve had your share of male adoration.
Ashley: Hey, if that’s happening, I don’t know much about it. [laughs] I have both male and female fans. Things were different when I was single though, and I’d go out all the time and dudes would do their thing. I don’t really go out much now though. Maybe once in a while I’ll go out with some of the girls, and guys will approach me, which is awkward, but I always give them the ‘Don’t even waste your time, I’m married’ line, which doesn’t seem to phase them much. They just go right on to the next girl.
SOAK: Some guys seem to just bounce from one girl to the next. At least you didn’t have to use your boxing skills to set guys straight.
Ashley: Hey, sure, why not, I guess that’s the law of averages. [laughs]
SOAK: What’s the weirdest thing a guy has done to catch your attention?
Ashley: It’s pretty weird when a pizza delivery guy brings a pizza to your house and when he opens it, written in pepperoni reads: “I know you are busy with the WB, but one night will you have dinner with me?”
SOAK: Yeah. That sounds like a first. So, did it work?
Ashley: Yes. It did. It worked. I didn’t eat the pizza though. [laughs] It worked because I knew the guy and he’s a great guy. I thought it was cute and very endearing. He’s such a great guy.
SOAK: Would you recommend to the dedicated SOAK readers out there to send pepperoni pizza messages to girls?
Ashley: I think it would teeter on creepy. It only worked because I knew the guy and he’s a great guy. A simple phone call works. Or making dinner for her. That really works with women. That’s what my husband did. He made me fondue.
SOAK: So fondue won your heart?
Ashley: Fondue sealed the deal.
SOAK: Since your previous show “Birds of Prey” had “Batman” undertones, why didn’t fans across the world get to see you in “Batman Begins”?
Ashley: I don’t know. [laughs] I should really be yelling at my agent now, huh? [laughs] I’m assuming they liked Katie Holmes. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m sure that movie did well.
SOAK: Yep. It was one of the top movies at the box office this summer. I think I can already hear you dialing your agent now. Maybe if you dated Tom Cruise and converted to Scientology, you’d get a shot in the next “Batman”…
Ashley: [laughs] Oh well, there’s really no rhyme or reason to any of this stuff.
SOAK: OK, let’s get down to the fun stuff. Word on the street has it that you have a tattoo on your lower back.
Ashley: Yes, I sure do. It’s a phoenix. I got it by a guy in Miami. What’s funny is I was driving down Sunset the other day and I saw a billboard with his face on it, and I’m looking at it like, ‘Oh wow, what’s he doing on there?’ It was for the show Miami Ink on TLC, so that sounds pretty interesting.
SOAK: In this summer’s comedy smash “Wedding Crashers,” a girl at a wedding reception bends over exposing a tattoo on her lower back to Vince Vaughn, in which he replies, “Might as well be a bullseye.”
Ashley: [laughs] Yeah, that movie was hilarious, except that part was a little awkward, because I watched the movie with my brother (he’s 31). [laughs] I think my favorite part of the movie is the crazy girl that follows Vince Vaughn around. That was great.
SOAK: A lot of guys find lower back tattoos on a girl sexy. Some also have a thing for girls with a tongue ring.
Ashley: I had a little fun with one of those back when I was younger. I don’t have it any more though; that had its time. What’s funny is my husband doesn’t have any tattoos at all, so he must be the very conservative one. [laughs] I got his initials tattooed on the back of my neck, you know, since we both now have the same initials. [ASR, Get it? Got it? Good.] I’m the freaky one. [laughs]
SOAK: OK, I know you’re already tired of me talking about “Batman Begins,” but since Katie Holmes is in the movie, you sort of have a connection to Tom Cruise in that he also has dyslexia. What kind of challenges does that present to you on a daily basis?
Ashley: It was really difficult and frustrating back when I was really young in school. We finally figured out what it was when I was in third grade, probably like 8-years old, which was relieving, because when you’re young and you have troubles like that early, people think you’re stupid. Over time I have just learned little tricks. For some reason when I write in cursive, it’s easier and flows better for me to read than when I print. I’ll try to get a script a week early if possible so that I can get a head start. With this you just learn ways to do things that work best for your mind. I’m trying to create awareness and it’s nice to be a voice for others.
SOAK: It’s always great when a successful actress can be a positive role model for children.
Ashley: Yes. Anything I can do to make it better. I know what it’s like to be young and have atrocious spelling, spelling words all backwards, mixing up numbers. These kids aren’t stupid. I still have problems with some forms of it with numbers, addresses, and things like that.
SOAK: So what are your plans for the next few months?
Ashley: I’m now working on an independent film called Easier Softer Way with Danny Masterson and Mekhi Phifer where I play a money-grubbing, bitchy woman. [laughs] We’re filming it now.
SOAK: Before I let you go, I remember seeing a photo of you outside of the “Girls Gone Wild Elegant Sin Party”…
Ashley: Yeah, we were down there for Mardi Gras, since I’m from Louisiana — and they took a picture. Of course they don’t take a picture of me outside of a children’s benefit. [laughs] It’s not like I was showing my ta-tas for beads.
SOAK: Riiiiight.
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