What
has life after wrestling been like for you?
Life
after wrestling has been very rewarding. I've had time to do a lot
of hings I did not have time to do before because we were traveling
so much. I'm actually spending a lot of time with my daughter now.
Now that she's back in school, we're back on the road. But summer was
great. I'm just having a fantastic time. I'm working on a lot of
different projects. |
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Do
you miss the action of the ring and the crowds?
I
don't think there's anything exhilarating at the moment as
performing in front if a live audience.
How
difficult has the transition from WWF Women's Champion and Playboy
model to working actress and model been?
Do
I find the transitions difficult? No, I don't. I find it to be very
challenging in a lot of ways. And when you're challenged, you set
goals for yourself, you make accomplishments, and you feel like
you're rewarded.
Do
you feel the lawsuit and publicity surrounding your departure from
the WWF has been one of the challenges you've faced? Has that
stigmatized you at all?
I
don't believe that was a challenge at all. I think that people see
there was more to me than just the wrestling character that I played.
They saw me, personally, as a woman that had very strong beliefs and
stood up for herself.
We've
seen you on television recently--and you've been gracing a number of
magazine covers, too. Tell us . . . What is a day in the life of Rena
Mero like?
Well,
it depends on the day. First and foremost, I'm a wife and a mother,
so a lot of my days begin that way. If I'm on the road traveling or
working, I will usually go straight to the set, whether I'm modeling
or shooting a segment for television or working on someone's movie.
In fact, this weekend I have "Inside Edition" to film a
segment with me, so I'm preparing for that. I am working on a comic
book as well. It's called "The Tenth Muse." And I am going
to be in Prague very soon to begin working on a movie.
Let's
tackle those projects one at a time. Tell us first about your
upcoming comic book.
It's
called "The Tenth Muse," and I am very excited about it.
You know Zeus' daughters, since this is Greek Mythology, and I am the
tenth muse.
How
did you select that as the theme of your comic book?
Actually
I was contacted by someone who wrote this specifically for me,
patterned after the person he believes me to be--who has the same
characteristics as the character in the comic book.

Did
you have any editorial say over whom the writing team or art team
will be for this project?
Oh,
yes. I have a lot of control over this magazine. I wouldn't say
control, we have all been in agreement. We haven't had to . . . no
one has had to pull strings and have "control" over it.
We've all been in total agreement. I do have a say as to what goes
into the book, and I'm very pleased with the project. The comic book
will be coming out in November.
Tell
us more about your upcoming movie.
In
October I'll be flying to Prague to film a movie called "The
Forgotten Kingdom." It's going to be about wizards and sorcery.
We're going to be filming in Prague, which is known for its
landscape, its beautiful castles. We'll be riding horses. And I'll be
battling evil. It's an action-adventure [film].
Our
understanding is that you came from a fairly humble upbringing. Give
us some insight into your life prior to shooting to international fame.
I
had a very troubled and very hard childhood, and I moved out of home
at a very early age. I got married very young. You know, I had to
really make my own way in this world. When I left home at 15, I've
never been back, so it has been a difficult road. But it's been a
great learning experience for me. I'm very, very happy with where I
am in my life today. It could have gone either way. Luckily, I chose
the right path. It's all about choices you make in your life, and I
think I've made some great choices.
What
do you do to ensure your daughter has a different childhood than you
experienced? Is that hard to do being on the road so much?
<laughing>
You know, I think I do just the opposite of what I had, although
there is no way that my childhood in any way could be compared to my
daughter's childhood. But, you know, I'm in a position where she's my
only child, and I want her to have the most wonderful, memorable
childhood that she has special thoughts of when she grows up. But I
think that sometimes when you come from a place where you don't have
very much you tend to overcompensate in some ways to your own
children, and it's very easy to do that. It's a learning experience,
another learning experience in life. No child comes with a manual,
and you just do the best you can. But we are just very aware, and we
really try to keep her as humble as we are and make her realize you
really have to work hard in life. Things aren't just given to you. Be
a very responsible, productive person when you grow up.
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The
publication date for your autobiography, "Undefeated," has
been moved back. Please give our readers and your fans insight into
that decision and the book itself.
The
book is an autobiography, my life story. It's called
"Undefeated: The Rena Mero Story." It's a great book, and
I'm very excited about it coming out. Right now, we're in the process
of waiting. We want it to be released later in the year--just for
personal reasons.
Will
it touch on your experience with Playboy? |
Oh,
sure. That was a part of my life. It touches upon every aspect of my
life from childhood to my teenage years to my early adult to where my
career is now. So definitely--that was a big, very exciting,
wonderful part of my life, and I'm happy to share that.
What
is it like to make Playboy history as the only woman to be on the
cover twice in a calendar year?
Very
excited. It was, like I said, a wonderful experience. Everyone at
Playboy is so professional, but to be given that honor . . . and I
was named "Sex Star of the New Millennium." Both of those
things happened to me in one year, breaking history like that. And I
will go down in history. It is just a wonderful feeling. There's
nobody that can ever take that away from me, and what an honor that
is. It's also very humbling because it makes you think about where
you came from in life and where you are now.
What
influenced you to do two Playboy shoots basically back-to-back?
Well,
Playboy approached me two years prior to me actually posing for the
magazine. At the time I was approached originally, I had no interest
in it. As time went on, and I felt like I was being known more as a
person, myself, not only the "Sable" character but Rena
Mero as well, I felt like it was a good time in my career to do that.
Why
was it that you were hesitant initially?
I
never thought that it was something that I would want to do. And I
just didn't feel like it was the right time in my career. It was the
first time . . . It was right after I came from living in
Jacksonville and just burst onto the scene. That's when I was
approached. And, you know, if I was going to do it, I wanted it to
mean something.
Do
you feel that the pictorials were poorly timed in that they
coincided with your sexual harassment lawsuit against the WWF?
Well,
the first one (pictorial) was the fastest-selling magazine in
history. And I was with the WWF at that time and was having no
problems. The second one I actually shot before the demise of our
relationship. And I don't feel it was bad timing at all. I think if
anything, it received more publicity and it was also one of their
best-selling magazines ever. So, absolutely, I think it was perfect timing.
Are
there any current plans to return to Playboy for additional pictorials?
I
am still in contact with Playboy. I made some friends while I was
working there. There's always the possibility. It was a wonderful
experience, and if I ever had the opportunity to do it again, I'm
sure I probably would take them up on it.
Give
us a peek inside the Playboy Mansion. What's it REALLY like in there?
Everything
you've ever thought or heard about the Mansion, it's true! It's
true! <laughing> It's just a great experience. You know, it's
something that, as a little girl growing up, I remember seeing
Playboy magazines and now to be a part of that entire world and
empire Hef has built, it's an honor. It's like I said, something I
have that not many people can say and nobody can ever take that away
from me. It's a lot of fun--and everything you've ever heard about
the parties, it's true! He's first class all the way, and everyone
just goes and parties and has a wonderful time.
Through
your Playboy pictorials and wrestling exposure, you live a very
public life. How do you keep some of that "private"?
We
do have a very private life. We live in a very private neighborhood
in a very rural area. We choose not to live in LA for that sole
purpose. I want my daughter to have as normal of a childhood as
possible, and I think this is the best place to do it. I live in
Florida, and it's just wonderful here. This is where I grew up, and I
think she's having a great childhood. I think we have all the privacy
we need. But, if we don't, and for some reason we're out in public
and we are recognized, it's wonderful that you have fans. Those are
the fans that have made you who you are today and [gotten you] where
you are today. I have a lot of respect for them. I will definitely .
. . if they ask me to sign an autograph or speak to them in any way,
it's not a problem to me at all. I enjoy it. One of the best parts of
my job is doing personal appearances or public appearances because I
get to talk to the fans and meet new friends.
Right
now I hear running water. I'm wondering what you're doing and how
you integrate work and your personal life.
<laughing>
I'm actually laying out by the pool and that is my fountain. Today
was a nice, relaxing day. That's one of the reasons I scheduled the
interview for today. This was a good day for me to just stay home and
catch up. It's a lazy Monday.
Where
else can we expect to see you in the coming months?
Well,
I will be going to Prague. I have a magazine coming out the 21st of
October called "Muscular Development." It's a cover and a
pictorial. It talks all about me, my daily lifestyle, and my workout
routine and my diet and things such as that. It's a healthy
lifestyle. That will be editorial and the November issue of
"Muscular Development" comes out in October. The "Tenth
Muse" comes out in November and will be in all comic book
stores everywhere. I will be in Prague the months of October and
November shooting "The Forgotten Kingdom." And, of course,
you can always check me out at my website www.RenaMero.com --and that
will tell you everything I have going on and more. Everything you
ever wanted to know about me!
Lastly,
when the opportunity presents itself for you to return, what are the
chances we'll see you back at ringside or in the ring?
You
know, I had a wonderful time in wrestling. It was a great three
years. It opened a lot of doors for me, and I never say never. I
still am in contact with some people in the wrestling industry. It
wasn't all bad. And I really had a good time. Never say never.
Sometimes life goes full circle.
Click
here to visit the OFFICIAL Rena Mero website
Click
here to purchase the Rena Mero PLAYBOY Special Issue from Amazon.com
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