WITH TWO THOR MOVIES AND THE MOST TALKED ABOUT RED CARPET APPEARANCE OF THE YEAR, ACTOR JAIMIE ALEXANDER IS POISED TO TAKE OVER HOLLYWOOD – HER WAY.
BY BONNIE SIEGLER
PHOTOGRAPHY ELISABETH CAREN
LOCATION: THE SHORE HOTEL, SANTA MONICA
Guess what extracurricular activity kept Jaimie Alexander busy in high school? Cheerleading? No. Acting? Wrong again. In fact, she was kicked out of theatre because she couldn’t sing. Wrestling? You got it. “I would place first, second or third in tournaments all over the state of Texas,” recalls the Thor: The Dark World star, reminiscing about her high school wrestling accomplishments. “My wrestling weight class was 128 pounds,” she says. “A lot of times I’d have to go up a weight class because there wouldn’t be anybody to go up against in my [weight] class. I’d end up wrestling somebody 30 pounds heavier than me. It was always a challenge – and I loved it!”
In a weird way, wrestling club may have prepared Alexander more for her career as an actor than theatre club ever could have. The role of action star seems to fit Alexander perfectly. Rumours of Wonder Woman have Tinsletown buzzing, and the role of Sif in Thor and Thor: The Dark World see Alexander kicking some serious butt. She started training for the most recent Thor movie three months before shooting started, and then had a grueling six-month shoot in England. The shoot was made even more challenging when she suffered a spinal disc injury on set. “My wrestling team taught me discipline and respect; what hard work really is and how hard work pays off,” says Alexander. “I developed a really strong work ethic that has made it possible for me to succeed in this business – and also to have a tough skin.”
THE TRAINING ZONE
Alexander says her butt is her favorite body part – and anyone who saw her at the Thor: The Dark World premiere in that Azzaro dress can see why. The mesh-panel dress was noteworthy enough for the Huffington Post to show pictures of the actor’s barely there coverage from every possible angle. Her great butt doesn’t come easily, though. She has to work hard. Lately, it’s been mostly pilates and hot yoga to help rebuild her back strength after her on-set injury. The actor claims to enjoy hot yoga so much that she attends classes four or five times a week. “Sometimes I feel it does more for my mind than my body,” says Alexander. “It helps slow me down, helps me breathe. If I have a big event where I’m nervous, I go back to yoga breathing and it really helps.”
TURNING VEGETARIAN
Last year, Jaimie saw a naturopath “to get myself really healthy.” The actor has Hashimoto’s Disease – a disorder that affects the thyroid and can lead to inflammation and hypothyroidism. So eating right is especially important. Her naturopath recommended a 30-day vegetarian-eating plan. “I tried it and I liked the benefits so I’m still eating that way.” She noticed little things when she gave up meat. “I used to get cystic acne and I don’t have that anymore,” says Alexander. In addition to bypassing meat, Alexander makes sure her diet is full of healthy foods such as avocadoes, quinoa, lentils, beans and seaweed. “I think sea vegetables are very good for my body,” says Alexander.
IF YOU HAVE LOVE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN MAKE SOMEBODY ELSE LAUGH, SOMEBODY MAKES YOU LAUGH – IT’S THE BEST
“I’m not a big fan of the United States food industry so it’s a constant battle to keep my diet clean,” says Alexander. “I do make some room for cookies and some junk food though – peanut M&M’s are my favorite candy.”
DOWN TIME
An avid reader, Alexander tries to end most evenings with a good book – the last being Buddhist Boot Camp. “I love reading by the fireplace with a cup of hot tea,” says Alexander. During the day, she turns to art and drawing. “Art is a really good distraction and focus for me. It also helps calm me down. Most of my pieces look like mosaics when done because I use a lot of colour in the patterns of faces or marine life. If you look at one long enough, there are various interpretations you can make. I think colour really adds life to a picture, to a room or almost anything in life.” Another stress reducer is to eliminate alcohol. “I don’t drink alcohol at all,” says Alexander. “I quit drinking three months ago and it helped me relax. I was using alcohol as a way to unwind (as I think a lot of people do). ‘Oh, I’ll just have a glass of wine to relax’ instead of figuring out what made me stressed in the first place. Now when I get stressed, I think of the cause. I don’t go and hide. I face it.”
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE – AND LAUGHTER
Impulsive, compassionate and motivational are the three words Alexander says best describe her. “It’s dif¬ficult to describe yourself to others,” she says. It’s much easier to admit that life is going well. In addition to a stellar career, she’s also lucky in love, dating actor Peter Facinelli for over a year now. Alexander says she lives every day to it’s fullest and always looks forward to the love and laughter that come into her life. “Life is so short and we sit around worrying about what people think of us, what colour nail polish goes with this dress or other minutia. Really, if you have love in your life, you can make somebody else laugh, somebody makes you laugh – it’s the best thing in the world,” she says. “I’m very fortunate to have love and laughter in my life. My life has given me great stuff and lots of fun and empowerment as a woman. I’m at peace with myself, which is not easy all the time.” VM
