Baywatch Babe: Amy Weber on Beauty, Brains and Babies!

I highly doubt that Amy Weber sits at her computer downing a canister of peanuts as I am at this very moment. Amy has built much of her career on her stunningly toned physique and beautiful looks. But what I admire most about this Baywatch bombshell is that she is an entrepreneur, launching Amy Weber Productions with a history on the debate team as a young girl. Amy has broken the stereotypical image of a woman who was chosen as a diva for World Wrestling Entertainment’s SmackDown on UPN... fast- forward to a recurring role on “Port Charles,” appearances on “CSI,” “Seventh Heaven” and Jay Leno, to name a few. Amy has now landed the role of a lifetime, Mom.

In an exclusive interview with Butterfly, Amy shares her journey from bikinis to baby bottles:

BN: You’ve made a living off of your looks. How hard has it been for you to prove your talent? Any moments where you felt like you were being judged improperly?

AW: It has been very difficult indeed. Most people truly judge the book by its cover, which isn’t always fair. I have had to work twice as hard. Especially after coming of “ Son of the Beach” since I wore a lifeguard bikini for a great deal of that show and most people thought that I had no substance.

BN: WWE SmackDown Diva. Is this a title you’d like your own daughter to aspire to hold? What was with that fight with Joy Giovanni? Do tell.

AW: Oh gosh no… That was something that I just had to get out of my system. It was a challenge and I took it on head first without really doing my homework about what I might be getting into. Joy is a super sweet girl and our grievances were for camera.

BN: Of all your talents: modeling, acting, producing and even singing, which are you drawn to most and why?

AW: My heart is in all of them, but like a moth to a flame, acting will always be my number one passion. There is nothing greater than bringing words on paper to life.. telling a story.

BN: Please share some career highlights of yours?

AW: Being able to travel the world has been exciting. I have worked in some diverse places such as Prague, India and Indonesia. I think working on the show 7th Heaven was a definite highlight as I got to play a super sweet girl and not the typical villain that I normally played. Starring on the ABC soap opera “Port Charles” was also a highlight as it taught me so much about learning lines, pacing of a show and hitting marks.

BN: Did you always dream of becoming a mother and did you ever worry how pregnancy would effect your body and thus career?

AW: I did not dream of becoming a mother. I was scared to death as I do not have a positive relationship with my own mother, so I did not want history to repeat itself. I didn’t worry about too much about my body until I started really gaining weight and that freaks you out at first, but then when you realize that you are sustaining life inside of you, it becomes a moot point. I did worry about the career, but in the end, I think people are starting to view me differently now that I am a Mom... and that is so refreshing.

BN: Who are your own role models in business and in life?

AW: My sister is a role model in terms of her relationship with her daughter. They have an amazing open relationship and her daughter knows that she can talk to her about anything. As far as people in the business, Charlize Theron inspires me and so does Halle Barry. They don’t let anything get in their way and they have taken on really gritty roles and let their beauty play second fiddle to their acting.

BN: Is there anyone in particular that you would love to work with and why?

AW: I love Baz Luhrmann! His style of filmmaking is so beautiful. I think that it would be challenging to work with Denzel Washington too.

BN: What do you have to say to a woman who puts her career first only to begin a family late in life?

AW: To each their own. What worked for me, may not work for others. This is what made me happy and now I don’t resent my babies or feel like I am missing out on something. I am older and wiser and definitely more patient which you certainly need when you have a baby in the house and happen to have two!

BN: You have accomplished so much. What’s left to tackle for Amy?

AW: My singing and songwriting is still on the table. I hope to get back in the recording studio in the next few months. My book “An Insider’s Guide to Making it in Show Business” is being printed as we speak and will be available via Amazon. Other than that, I will continue to produce and work on better movies, shows, etc.

BN: Having children often forces you to re-evaluate one’s direction in life. How might this ring true for you?

AW: What they say is true… all of your priorities shift and what is most important is your children’s safety and happiness... I think you have to also be prepared to redefine yourself as a woman. You are not going to be the same individual that you were prior to be becoming a Mom... it changes you, so as long as you can accept that aspect and then move onwards and upwards from there, you will be fine.

BN: Your twins were born earlier than expected. What was the experience like for you and your husband David?

AW: Heart wrenching... The entire pregnancy was incredibly rough. I dealt with so many things including an emergency cerclage at 23 weeks. Then, to see your little miracles in the NICU fighting for their lives… it was so hard. I nearly cried myself to death. It makes you stronger though and these kids are such fighters. They went through so much and made it through to the other side and now they are such a joy. Every day they do something that makes me smile or laugh... it is amazing to see them learning about life and what it has to offer them.

BN: What type of role model do you hope to be for your kids, Madison in particular?

AW: I hope that they live a life with integrity and honesty. I want them to have high standards something that took me awhile to find. I didn’t have a good role model growing up so my self esteem really suffered. I want both of my kids to be confident in who they are and know that they can accomplish anything that they put their minds to. They are already survivors and I am so unbelievably proud of them.

BN: What advice do you have for moms that are trying to manage both a career and children?

AW: We women have an uncanny way of suffering from self- imposed guilt. You have to let that go. I was told that it would be better to go out and get some fresh air or go to the gym for an hour or so each day and then come back excited and happy to see your kids then to sit in the house for 24 hours straight taking care of your kids and not yourself and then be miserable around them. They can sense it even as babies. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect because there is no perfect when it comes to raising kids. You can read every book out there (which I did) while you are pregnant and think you are ready, but you are never truly ready and you actually learn more by just doing it each and every day. And please don’t compare yourself to other Moms. We all have our own path to walk down.

BN: Please share your secrets for maintaining beauty?!

AW: Sleep is so very important and you will never get the amount of sleep that you were getting prior to having a baby in the house, but it is true what they say about sleeping when the baby or babies sleep. I also try to drink my water daily and do some form of cardio to get the blood circulating. Happiness inside is what is most important as it will reflect on the outside.