Rena Mero Interview
September 12, 1999
Page 3
by RichInKC

RichInKC: Has having more control over your career now paid off in giving you more time to spend with your family?

Rena Mero: Yes, it has.  I have more quality time at home now.  I get to pick and choose my projects and I'm not on the road for ten or fifteen days at a time.  I don't come home for two or three and then get back on the road again.  I have a lot more quality time at home.  If I do leave, it's usually one or two days for projects and then I am back.  I continue to do quite a few personal appearances and, outside of that, until the TV series or the movie starts filming, I keep myself extremely busy with my acting classes.  I'm actually thinking about embarking on a singing career, as well.

RichInKC: Looking around the sport of wrestling today, there are a lot of character roles played by females today.  A lot of them have their own niche.  Are there any females out there right now that you could see being the next Sable and being able to make the impact that the Sable character did?

Rena Mero: I don't want to sound naive enough to say that no one could ever take my place because there is always going to be someone there to take your place.  I don't think there will ever be another character the same as Sable was, but certainly there will be someone to fill that spot.  You know, a lot of doors have been opened for women in the entertainment business and the sports entertainment business, as well.  With women's basketball and soccer now I think people are beginning to notice the following and the influence women have. 

RichInKC: Regarding the Sable character, how much of the persona did you influence and how much came from other creative forces in the WWF?

Rena Mero: In the beginning, it was a lot of my own creation.  I wanted Sable to be a very sexy, playful, mysterious woman.  I wanted people to really enjoy her and not be able to get enough of her.  I think that part came off extremely well.  When my character started turning into a self-absorbed, egotistical, self-serving "B-word", that was not my idea and that's when I stopped enjoying it.

RichInKC: Was the heel turn difficult for you?

Rena Mero: Um, it wasn't difficult because I knew it was a character I was portraying.  That was not the person that I was.   Sometimes, it was hard when people believe that.  I guess if you can make them believe you are that character then you are doing a pretty good job. 

RichInKC: Is it me, or do some fans have difficulty separating the person from the on-screen character?

Rena Mero: I think there are a lot of fans that do have a difficult time separating people's professional characters and their personal lives from each other, but I think that is the same if they are watching a movie or a soap opera.  I think that when people meet Susan Lucci, some people automatically think "Erica Kane".  It's ironic because, in the wrestling business, this is probably the only entertainment business where people are only referred to as their character name and not their real name.