Post by jag11 on Jun 15, 2008 13:54:22 GMT -5
June 10, 2008 Soap Opera Digest
There are several parallels between Raya Meddine and her alter ego, Sabrina (well, except for that hooking-up-with-your-best-friend's-father thing.) Aside from their obvious exotic, European beauty, both the actress and her character have traveled the world, lived in different countries, speak several languages and have fathers who hold diplomatic posts. "The writers used a lot of my real life," chuckles Meddine. "I lived in New York as a baby, but my family left when I was 2 years old. We lived in Italy and France, then Canada, North Africa and the Middle East. Every couple of years, my dad would be relocated to a different country, so that allowed me to learn all these different languages. I feel very blessed that I had this opportunity because it allowed me to feel like a citizen of the world. I feel I belong everywhere. I'm at home wherever I go."
Like Sabrina, her portrayer is finally putting down roots. "Right now, I've been in L.A. for a year, although I have lived here before," says Meddine. "Traveling never gets old, but I do crave stability."
Which is why having a steady soap gig has been a plus. "I think it's wonderful here on Y&R," she enthuses. "It's a privilege for me to work on this show. I feel very lucky that this worked out for me. Eveyrbody is so professional and classy."
Including Meddine's TV sugar daddy, Eric Braeden (Victor). "As soon as I met Eric in my audition, we hit it off," she smiles. "We started speaking in French, so it was like we had our secret code. I felt I had known him for a long time and that's not just because I respected and admired him as an actor, but he's a wonderful human being, very cultured and well-rounded. Working with him is such a treat."
Meddine's own love status hardly mirrors her soap life--she is happily married. "My husband's first name is Elie, which is Eli in French," she explains. "He will be moving to Los Angeles by the end of summer, but right now he works in Europe and the Middle East." And yes, there will be children. "We love kids and we want them, but how soon, I don't know. Right now isn't the right time, but it's something we look forward to. My husband also speaks German, so we have a long list of languages that this kid is going to have to learn [laughs]."
For now, Meddine is thrilled to be concentrating on her work. She marvels, "It's the first time in my life when I wake up at 5 a.m. and I actually bounce out of bed!"
Just The Facts
Birthdate: January 31
Born In: New York City
Background: "I'm Lebanese, Italian and French."
Big Talk: Fluent in French, Italian, Spanish and Arabic
Laugh And Learn: Meddine performed a stand-up comedy routine with the Sultans of Satire, a show aimed at debunking cultural stereotypes.
Hobbies: Drumming and digital art
Focus On... Raya Meddine
by Devin Owens
There are several parallels between Raya Meddine and her alter ego, Sabrina (well, except for that hooking-up-with-your-best-friend's-father thing.) Aside from their obvious exotic, European beauty, both the actress and her character have traveled the world, lived in different countries, speak several languages and have fathers who hold diplomatic posts. "The writers used a lot of my real life," chuckles Meddine. "I lived in New York as a baby, but my family left when I was 2 years old. We lived in Italy and France, then Canada, North Africa and the Middle East. Every couple of years, my dad would be relocated to a different country, so that allowed me to learn all these different languages. I feel very blessed that I had this opportunity because it allowed me to feel like a citizen of the world. I feel I belong everywhere. I'm at home wherever I go."
Like Sabrina, her portrayer is finally putting down roots. "Right now, I've been in L.A. for a year, although I have lived here before," says Meddine. "Traveling never gets old, but I do crave stability."
Which is why having a steady soap gig has been a plus. "I think it's wonderful here on Y&R," she enthuses. "It's a privilege for me to work on this show. I feel very lucky that this worked out for me. Eveyrbody is so professional and classy."
Including Meddine's TV sugar daddy, Eric Braeden (Victor). "As soon as I met Eric in my audition, we hit it off," she smiles. "We started speaking in French, so it was like we had our secret code. I felt I had known him for a long time and that's not just because I respected and admired him as an actor, but he's a wonderful human being, very cultured and well-rounded. Working with him is such a treat."
Meddine's own love status hardly mirrors her soap life--she is happily married. "My husband's first name is Elie, which is Eli in French," she explains. "He will be moving to Los Angeles by the end of summer, but right now he works in Europe and the Middle East." And yes, there will be children. "We love kids and we want them, but how soon, I don't know. Right now isn't the right time, but it's something we look forward to. My husband also speaks German, so we have a long list of languages that this kid is going to have to learn [laughs]."
For now, Meddine is thrilled to be concentrating on her work. She marvels, "It's the first time in my life when I wake up at 5 a.m. and I actually bounce out of bed!"
Just The Facts
Birthdate: January 31
Born In: New York City
Background: "I'm Lebanese, Italian and French."
Big Talk: Fluent in French, Italian, Spanish and Arabic
Laugh And Learn: Meddine performed a stand-up comedy routine with the Sultans of Satire, a show aimed at debunking cultural stereotypes.
Hobbies: Drumming and digital art