Summer Altice is one of those women that make things happen when she sets her mind to it. Her name truly describes her fervent personality. She started her career early by winning YM’s Cover Girl contest and has never looked back. She has been featured on the covers and in many of the worlds biggestmagazines including; Maxim, British Maxim, British GQ, German GQ, Italian GQ, HM, French Max and Playboy.
She has been photographed by some of the top photographers in the world; Jim Malucci, Willy Camden and Antoine Verglas.
When she’s not traveling around the world for exclusive photo shoots, she’s starring in movies such as; “Pretty Cool,” “You, Me & Dupree,” “Shanghai Kiss” and “The Scorpion King.”
She has recently shifted her focus to television roles where she has filmed for the upcoming shows “Hotties In Hicktown” and a guest starring role on NBC’s “Life.”Summer took time out of her very busy schedule to talk with TEN…even while her condo was being remodeled and shared with us what’s been going on in her life. Like I said, she makes things happen.
The Entertainment Nexus- How are you this morning?
Summer Altice- Pretty good, how are you?
TEN- I’m real good. Are you ready to rock-and-roll?
SA- Yeah, sure, go ahead and shoot.
TEN- You are a very accomplished woman. What was it like for you growing up and when did you realize that you wanted to be an actress and a model?
SA- I really didn’t realize that I wanted to be an actress until I was in college playing volleyball. I was kind of thinking what I wanted to do after volleyball.
I had been modeling since I was 15 so I kind of new I was going to do that in some way in my life.
TEN- You’ve also been featured in commercials on TV. What are some of the commercials we can see you in?
SA- A Dos Equis commercial, a Miller Lite commercial, a Chrysler commercial and a Taco Bell commercial.
TEN- You’ve recently signed a co-starring role on the NBC show “Life.” Can you tell me a little bit about what your character does?
SA- It’s a “guest star” role and not a co-star role. I’m kind of trying to thwart a murder investigation. It all takes place on an airplane and I play one of the
five attendants. I have most of my scenes with the lead guy. I shot it last week and it was really, really fun. It was a great show to work on.
TEN- Do you think it may be a reoccurring role?
SA- I hope so! It’s always good when you go in and do good and they remember you and bring you back!
TEN- What are some of the magazines that you’ve appeared in around the world?
SA- I’ve appeared in Maxim, GQ, British Maxim and Maxims all around the world, Max, FHM, Stuff and Playboy…mostly men’s magazines. (Laughs)
TEN- Yeah, you are the playmate of the month for the August 2000 issue of Playboy. How did that opportunity come about?
SA- Actually, it kind of just fell in my lap. I was friends with one of his (Hugh Hefner) girlfriends at the time and we were all out to dinner and the question
just came up “Would you ever shoot for Playboy?” and I said “Well no one’s ever asked me.” Then Hef said; “Well I’m asking you!” I went and did the test
and the rest is kinda history.
TEN- What was that experience like?
SA- It was fun. I mean I was young and it was a great experience to kinda throw me into the mix and get my name out there.
TEN- On your pictorial data sheet you wrote that the wildest thing that you ever wanted to do was “Make love on top of the Eiffel Tower in the rain on
New Year’s Eve.” Have you completed that mission?
SA- Yep. (Laughs)
TEN- I sent my copy of Angelica Bridge’s issue to her and she signed it for me. Can I send you my copy of your issue?
SA- Oh sure, of course!
TEN- You’ve dated a few celebrities in your life. Who are some of the more famous that you’ve been linked to?
SA- Aw, here’s that question. Vin Diesel, I’ve been linked to Fred Durst but that was really not even a blip on the radar screen in my life.
TEN- Well that was kind of like you guys were at some jewelry shop and he was buying stuff for himself wasn’t it?
SA- Yeah, that’s about it. We dated a couple times and that’s about it. It wasn’t like a big relationship. Probably the most significant relationship I would
say was Craig David. That spanned a long period of time on and off for six years.
TEN- It’s close to Valentine’s Day. Is there anyone special in your life now?
SA- There’s somebody but it’s not serious. I’m not really focusing on that right now.
TEN- Are you focusing more on your career?
SA- Yeah, it’s kind of getting down to the wire the way I look at it and I might as well get all that out of my system before I worry about my romantic life.
TEN- When did you make the transition into movies?
SA- I was doing a commercial for this European deodorant company a while back. I think I was still in college at the time. The lady that was directing the
commercial was the woman who directed “Point Break” and “K9: The Widowmaker.” She brought up that I should go see a friend of hers a casting
director who is one of the most well-known casting directors in the entire business. She set up a meeting for me to see her and she sent me to see
Chuck Russell and the next thing I know I’m in “Scorpion King.” That’s kinda how it happened.
TEN- What was that experience like being in “Scorpion King?”
SA- It was fun. It was a really grueling moving to work on. I worked for 70 days on that one. It was really, really, really tough but it was rewarding.
I learned a lot of great stuff. I mean, who can say that they can sword fight, bow fight and staff fight all at once. (Laughs) It was pretty cool.
TEN- What are some of the other movies that you’ve been in?
SA- I did a little part in “You, Me & Dupree” and I just finished a short film that was for a state thesis film that I am really proud of. It’s in the festivals and
it’s called “Precious Cargo.” It’s like a 17 minute short film. I was in “Wedding Crashers” of course, which is still one of my favorite movies that I’ve
worked on. It was just such a great movie to work on. It had such a great cast and the producers were really great. That was just a really good all-around
experience. It was a good studio to work for.
TEN- Tell me about this new show “Hotties In Hicktown” that you were involved in.
SA- “Hotties In Hicktown” is great. It’s kind of a new take on “America’s Next Top Model.” But it’s very much “breaking the mold.” I think on
“ANTM” the girls are very pampered. They get this beautiful house in the hills and are pampered. “Hotties” is not going to be the big houses and fancy cars
from the get go. It’s kind of great taking the girls up where Victoria (Talbot) lives in Cherry Valley. It’s completely out of the way. It’s “small town” and in
the middle of nowhere and these girls are really out of their element. And then you say to them; “All right, now it’s time to show me what you’ve got!”
You kinda weed out the “prima donnas.”
TEN- What do you do on the show?
SA- I host it along with Angelica Bridges. (See Angelica’s interview Sept. 07) I kind of talked to the girls more like a mentor. Whatever questions
they had about modeling they would ask me. Of course, I was instrumental on a couple of shoots that they did. I kinda got my hands dirty and made sure
that I had certain girls doing different things so that we can really see what they were good at.
TEN- Were you on “Spider Control” as well?
SA- Oh my God. There were so many spiders! It was so rough. That was definitely roughing it for me. I am not a spider person…never have…never will be!
They were everywhere! It was ridiculous. Of course Victoria was like; “Oh, it’s just a spider” and I’m like “No, that’s a tarantula!” The size of them were unreal.
TEN- You weren’t allergic to them were you?
SA- I’m allergic to any kind of bite so I was very concerned.
TEN- What about all of the pollen and everything like that on the farm?
SA- It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I definitely have allergies but it really wasn’t that tough. I was surprised that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was
gonna be.
TEN- I understand that you had a great photo shoot while you were there.
SA- I love shooting anything “on location” because I think there’s so much more to connect to than in a studio.
TEN- Especially if you have a good stylist.
SA- Absolutely!
TEN- Did you have a good stylist for the show?
SA- (Long pause) I was the stylist. You’ll see my clothes.
TEN- And why was that?
SA- Because, I have great clothes that I love to shoot in.
TEN- What about the stylist on the set?
SA- Lousy!
TEN- Did you have a confrontation with the stylist?
SA- She brought like, one bag of clothes and I was like “I can’t even believe this girl.” She didn’t even have scissors. What stylist doesn’t have scissors?
I just took most of my clothes and I was just like; “All right, I’m taking the lead here!”
TEN- How did you meet Victoria Talbot?
SA- I met Victoria years ago. When my Playboy issue came out, a friend of a girl working at my modeling agency knew her and introduced us. I was in
New York at a party for my issue and the friend said; “You should call Victoria.” Victoria came to the party and told me; “I would like to represent you,
and da, da, da” and the rest is history. I’ve been with her for almost nine years.
TEN- How has your career changed since meeting Victoria?
SA- I mean, most of the magazines that I’ve gotten are because of Victoria.
TEN- She seems very connected.
SA- She’s definitely very connected. She’s got her ear to the ground and really knows what’s going on out there and what photographers are “in” and she
has good relationships with magazines so that really, really helps. That goes a long way.
*Editor’s note; (Victoria Talbot is the CEO of Hype Inc. and will be featured in an upcoming interview.)
TEN- Out of everything that you’ve done in your career, what have you taken from the most or kept close to your heart?
SA- I guess to be “real.” Because, no matter how famous you get or how famous your friends are that you know, at the end of the day is just you and
no one really cares if people know who you are. Just stay close to your roots with your friends and family and it’s really important not to get caught up.
TEN- It’s probably easy to do in your world.
SA- Oh, it is for sure!
TEN- Ok, here’s the question: “Tell me something disturbing about yourself that you’ve never revealed before to anyone.
SA- Oh geez, I don’t know about that. Let me see. When I was filming in a castle in Europe for a Showtime show, myself and one of the guys I was filming with had sex in the dungeon.
TEN- What was the show?
SA- ChromiumBlue.
TEN- What was doing that show like?
SA- It was fun. I love drama. It was a really great experience. It was what I like to call “boot camp.” It was a really great learning ground and they got me
used to how everything is like shooting in front of the camera.
TEN- Is there anything else that you would like to add or say?
SA- I’m just really excited for the show I think it’s going to be fun. There’s nothing like it on TV and I think it’s going to be a really funny take on getting a
model’s career started because you don’t have to always be with the number one agency. There are other people out there that are just as good. And Victoria
is just as good as any one of them.
I want to thank Summer for taking the time to talk about her life so far and to Victoria Talbot for making the interview happen.
For more information on Summer visit www.allabouthype.com