Eva LaRue, at first glance, is a vision of a fit superstar and she could easily be a total Diva if she wanted to be. You see, she stars as the spirited and glittering Natalia Boa Vista on CBS' primetime series CSI Miami, but behind that lab coat is real live person that spoke with us at Best Ever YOU, dished out a few of her favorite secrets and a recipe for our readers. But one thing is for sure, Diva is not part of anything she is serving. She is real.
Sure, LaRue portrays the DNA lab specialist turned CSI on the # 1 most watched TV show in the world. Sure, the people at TV Guide best summed up Eva La Rue's attractive qualities when they wrote, "Beneath her exotic, erotic exterior is a deeply touching star-spangled wholesomeness." And it goes without saying that in spite of her near-perfect looks and sexy physique, Eva's appeal is always classy. But, did you know that she secretly struggles with her weight, just like most of us everyday real women out there? Did you know that she is a spokesperson for organizations that help raise money to fight ovarian cancer?
The Stubborn 20
Set aside her acting and Eva says her biggest accomplishment lately has been to lose those stubborn 20 pounds. LaRue admits, "There is no magic pill to lose weight." Despite wishing there was one, she confesses she lost weight from cutting back on what she eats. She limits her pasta and bread intake as those are the foods that trigger her to gain weight. She does add that she eats whatever she wants in moderation and tells us, "Exercise is the key to weight loss." She loves Pilates, but now enjoys lifting weights too. LaRue adds, "I am convinced this will always keep the weight off." She also says that for six years she has been trying to lose weight.
Making her even more real is a divorce, a few breakups and a bit of love trouble. She says, "It seems like this year has been an emotional rollercoaster in one way or another for everyone I know. But now I'm through to the other side. This year I lost 20 pounds. It's funny because those were the pounds I gained when I got divorced. Those are my hurt, lost and angry pounds."
She didn't head to the refrigerator from a recent broken engagement. She boasts, "Not me, I usually head right to the refrigerator or eat a ton of Mexican food, but not this time. I changed my life and headed to the gym instead."
Her Career
Currently LaRue can be seen on CSI Miami. However, she makes no bones about still being best known for her role on All My Children, which is a role she landed in 1993. LaRue states, "Most people know me from my time on that show as Dr. Maria Santos. It made me the actress I am today." Since then, Eva has starred in such shows as Married with Children and The George Lopez Show. Incidentally she adds, "George Lopez is one of the nicest, awesome, loving, warm-hearted guys I know."
She has starred in movies such as The Annette Funicello Story and released her own album "Only You". She even was nominated for a song she wrote and sang on ABC's All My Children called "Dance Again with You."
She was married both on screen and off screen to actor John Callahan. So when they divorced for real both on screen in All My Children and off screen in real life, it caused quite a commotion. She admits they wanted to finish out their contracts as quietly and peacefully as possible. But that caused Eva to want to move closer to her family, so headed back to California after 15 years in New York. LaRue exclaims, "I am so proud to be back in California. I am anywhere from a few minutes to an hour away from family and I love that my daughter Kaya gets to grow up around family."
She talks about her sisters and brother and is very protective of them. Regarding one of her sisters, of whom she is sworn to secrecy about her real age, she says, "She just graduated college to be a school teacher and has accomplished this while being a single mom." No stranger to hard work, LaRue explains she was raised by a really hard working mom, who sometimes worked two or three jobs to support them. She admits, "It was really tough and we did not have much of anything. I am completely appreciative of what I have today." She continues, "Nothing bothers me more than when someone feels entitled, and I think it is important to be appreciative of even the smaller things in life."
Eva In Real Life
LaRue is so real and down-to-earth that while we were interviewing her she pulled up our Best Ever YOU website to view it. LaRue also accepted questions from our readers. Stephanie Takes-Desbiens from Maine asks, "How do you stay so young looking?" LaRue replied, "Funny, the "rag mags" all swear I have had work done. But I've had nothing done, except a breast augmentation. I use a product called "Astara" that I love for my face. And finally," she exclaims, "My skin is starting to clear up. I've struggled with adult acne so badly that at one point I had to use Accutane to help clear it up. And yes, you can print that and tell it to the world so it helps others."
Another reader from Chicago asks, "Tell me about the gowns you wear at events. Do you get to keep them, and who made them?" LaRue laughs and tell us, "I don't get to keep them or the jewelry. Bummer. But the ALMA gown is from Zuhair Murad, my Emmy gown was from Ysa Makino and I wish I could keep the gowns and the jewelry, but there is no such luck."
LaRue goes on to tell us in real life she is also the spokesperson for the Card Flex Pink and Black Cards. This debit card donates money to cancer research each time you use it. "Basically, as you spend, you are giving." she says as she pulls up the site on her computer at www.cardflexprepaid.com. Cancer runs in her family, especially ovarian cancer, so she is also a spokesperson for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.
We pause to take another question from a reader from Iowa who asks, "What is the best time of your day?" LaRue answers, "My favorite part of my day is when my 7 year-old daughter Kaya goes to bed. Not because I want her to go to bed," LaRue explains, "but because she is the most talkative and chatty when going to sleep. She tries to stay up longer and we have the best talks."
The conversation drifts back to CSI for a moment LaRue says, "CSI Miami is going to get back to being more science and forensics." She laughs, "When I was a kid I was not good at math or science so it's funny that I am on a science focused show." She even now knows how to process a crime scene for real.
As I know we are running out of time, I curiously ask her if people bug her in the grocery store and she says, "No, but riding the subway can be kind of strange when I am in New York, but for the most part, people are always respectful."
Her Beauty Secrets
We think her love of life, how real she is, her love of family and so many other things qualify her for real beauty both inside and out, but of herself she says, "I am just Eva. I do LOVE LOVE LOVE a kitchen full of people and I love being around my family." When we tell her we are looking for the real scoop of how she stays so beautiful, she goes back to talking about working out and how much better she feels after losing 20 pounds.
She also swears by a product called Astragali, which she says, "Tastes like crap!" But adds, "If I have any sign of becoming ill, I take it and I seldom get sick."
As you can see this section is the shortest because LaRue really is one of those real, natural beauties who is gorgeous inside and out. Eva LaRue has always been fabulous, but now she is Fit, Fabulous and having the time of her life. We'd even dare say she is her "Best Ever Eva."
Thank YOU Eva for taking the time with us at Best Ever YOU.
Eva's Favorites:
Martini: Candied Ginger Vodka & Pink Grapefruit and a little lime juice. Elder Flower Liquor from St. Germaines.
Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Flowers: Big white lilies
Hobby: Horseback riding
Family: Being so close to everyone now
Make-up: New Powder called "Forever"
Food: Any Mexican food
A Recipe from Eva:
Sweet Yams:
*Peel a good amount of Yams
*Boil the Yams until soft
*Add:
-1 stick of butter
-1/2 cup of maple syrup
-1/2 cup of rum
-small bag of pecans
*Spread all ingredients into a baking pan
*Spread toasted coconuts over the top of the ingredients
(Half of Eva's family likes marshmallow and half does not, so she puts marshmallow on the top of half the pan and not on the other side of the pan.)