| Catherine Bell is an amazing woman, an actress,
a wife, and someone who devotes her time to very special charities.
Some find it hard to believe that I, a man, consider her a role model,
but I can think of few people who embody exactly what I want to be.
Someone who works hard and long for what they want, and once they
get it, they still have time for everyone else that matters in their
life. And, on top of all that, still has time to care about those
who are less fortunate. She is a wonderful woman, but even more, Catherine
is a wonderful person.
Catherine Bell was born in London, England on the fourteenth of August;
when she was three her parents moved the family to Los Angeles. Catherine
originally wanted to be an artist, but her mother wanted her to go
to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to study medicine.
While at UCLA Bell had done some modeling; she got into an acting
class by "accident", once she was in she found that she
"really, really loved it. It was a way to overcome my shyness,
to express my feelings and emotions. And within six months to a year,
I was hooked." Catherine says that when she did make the decision
to become an actress that her mother and the rest of her family were
very supportive of her and her decision; she also claims that she
was not "discovered" and that it took nine years to "get
that big break." Bell advises those with desire to act to "take
acting classes. Watch as many movies as you can, and if you have the
chance at all, do theater. It's a great training ground. I didn't
do a lot of it, but I know David had theater as his background and
highly recommends it." When asked who the greatest role model
in her life was, Bell chose her uncle. "We grew up in the same
house, and he was a really great, hardworking, ethical person. A great
role model!" In an online chat event, Catherine told her fans
that part of her hiatus would be spent in Jamaica, and that she would
"do everything from staying home and watching movies, making
dinner with my husband - to motor bike riding, water skiing, all different
types of sports." She also mentioned that the next spot on her
vacation list is Italy because of its "museums, and the old buildings,
and the history." She said she loves cold, rainy weather, and
would like to have homes all over the world, because she cannot choose
where she would like to live. "It was a very unusual experience.
I loved it though!" Catherine said of her playing two roles on
JAG, Lieutenant Diane Shonke, in an episode of the first season, and
then coming in to take a regular role as Major Sarah "Mac"
MacKenzie. "I couldn't have been more thrilled that I was killed
off in one episode and brought back as a series regular in the next."
In her visit with her fans she also gave a peek into the antics that
happen on the set. "David's a great jokester, and there are just
fun, silly things happening all the time! The main prank we play with
props is for the people's birthday. The special effects people will
put a little explosive in the cake so it blows up in their face. That's
always great fun to play on a guest star, or one of the trainees or
someone who's new." The actors are on set from fifteen to eighteen
hours a day, ten months out of the year, filming and rehearsing; and
filming for the fourth season begins the first week of July. Catherine
and her husband, Adam Beason, recently bought a new house and have
a puppy. Her husband used to be a stunt man, but currently he is working
in computers. A former "squid" asked Catherine if she preferred
Marine Green or Navy White, to which she answered, "Don't tell
any Marines I said this, but I do think the Navy uniforms are pretty
sharp! Our technical advisor is a 22 year veteran of the Corps and
he's a real stickler!" She also told those in attendance that
her favorite episode was "The Stalker" because she was able
to do more in depth acting than most episodes permit, because her
character was dealing with he death of a loved one, was being stalked,
and got drunk and fell off the wagon. Bell got to explore many different
emotions that she doesn't get to explore on JAG on a regular basis.
Catherine devotes some of her precious time, when free of filming,
to charities and other causes. She spends most of her time with Children's
Hospital in Los Angeles, California, and the Buoniconti Fund, which
is trying to find a cure for paralysis. The Buoniconti Fund was formed
by Marc Buoniconti, who was paralyzed in a college football accident,
whom Catherine describes as "an amazing man with an amazing spirit
and zest for life!" The fund, like the American Paralysis Association,
conducts massive research to find a cure "and they are getting
very close." They have been successful in regenerating the nerve
cells in lab mice, and actually making them walk again. Amazing isn't
it? Catherine has also participated in fundraisers and auctions with
the Children's Hospital in L.A. Although it has been tough with her
schedule, she tries to stay involved. Bell has meet several actual
JAG lawyers, and most often hears that their job is nothing like what
Mac and Harm do on the show; mostly, they say, they just behind desks
and do paperwork. "But they love that we make them look so glamorous!"
Bell claims that the most memorable thing that she will forever remember
was getting the phone call that she had gotten JAG. "This huge
life-changing moment of going from zero to ninety in two seconds!
I don't have much of a personal life anymore. I miss having free time
to just relax. Getting recognized is fun, and so far it hasn't gotten
overwhelming. Learning to live with less sleep, and less of the fun
things I like to do has been part of the change." Catherine
Bell Personal videos and photos - Click here!
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