Dollhouse

Fans of Joss Whedon’s hit television show, Dollhouse, might point to Miracle Laurie, the actress who plays, Mellie, and try to figure out where they have seen her before. Although Dollhouse afforded Miracle her first major television role, the Orange County native is no stranger to the limelight. A popular teen model, Miracle’s face has been seen gracing the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, SEVENTEEN and on the cover of TEEN Magazine. As Dollhouse begins its second season on FOX, chances are fans will be seeing a lot more of this rising star.

Mike Parker – You have a lovely and unique name. Is there a story behind it?

Miracle Laurie – My parents were hippies, so that probably has something to do with it (laughs). My dad wasn’t sure he could have children, so he called me his little miracle baby.

Parker – I’m a little intrigued by your involvement in Polynesian culture, dance and music. Can you share where that comes from?

Miracle – My mom is Filipino and Scottish. She took a hula lesson and she was a natural. She eventually became a lead dancer on the TV show, Fantasy Island. As she got older she became the vocalist in her performing group. I was doing Hawaiian dancing ever since I could walk. I grew up doing it and performed as a solo dancer for several years.

Both of my sisters dance and many of our good friends are involved in that world. It is a part of my heart. My younger sister encouraged me to play the ukulele, and it just makes you happy. It is easier to grasp than you can imagine. I fell in love with it. I gave it to my fiancé and he fell in love with it as well. We formed a ukulele cover band. It has become a great thing for us.

Parker – You grew up in the entertainment world as a very successful teen model. A lot of young ladies look at models as having a glamorous lifestyle. Was that your experience?

Miracle – I knew from the time I was five years old that I wanted to be an actress. I never really wanted to model but I had a wonderful experience. I got to work with Bruce Webber and I even got the cover of Teen.

I was really young, from 11 to 14, but I was tall for my age. I worked as an adult because I looked mature. It is more work than you think. It is long hours and there is some pressure. But it was a fun experience for me. I knew what was going on in that world and it can be rough for some models. But I had my mom with me and she is a tough cookie. I would advise young models to take their parents along or at least have someone to go along with you. You need to have a strong sense of who you are.

Parker – You graduated from the University of California in Irvine with a degree in drama. When you went to college, did you ever consider majoring in any other field?

Miracle – No. I can’t really do anything else. I’ve always loved dancing and I love to sing, but drama was my path. It is the reason I stopped modeling. You miss a lot of school when you are on shoots. I made a conscious choice to go to college and pursue my education. Going to school takes a lot of work. I worked two jobs to put myself through.

Parker – Your role as Mellie, or November, on the Fox Television series, Dollhouse, is your first major dramatic role. It had to be a bit of a thrill to get cast in the show.

Miracle – You don’t even know! It is incredible. I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan. I loved Buffy. This business is about relationships and I had met the casting director of Buffy and auditioned for the show several times. I got several call backs but even though I never got cast for Buddy, in my head and heart I knew it would work at some point. Six months before they announced auditions for Dollhouse a friend heard about it told me I needed to pursue it. They brought me in for the role of November and I knew it was a perfect fit for me. To be on a Joss Whedon show is amazing and the role I get to play is amazing. She is a much bigger part of the show than I ever thought she would be. I was hugely blessed.

Parker – Lots of twists and turns in Season One. What should we expect from Season Two?

Miracle – My episode is going to air second. We are going to meet November as Madeline, post Doll life. That’s fun because we’ve never seen a doll after the Dollhouse. It’s about how she deals with her life. She is still very much a part of that world.

The Seven Questions

1. What’s your favorite sound?

Miracle – The voice of anyone I love.

2. What makes you happy?

Miracle – Being in the moment and being content with who I’m with and what I’m doing. A good breeze. The sun on my face. A great song.

3. What makes you angry?

Miracle – Lying. Shallowness. I want people to be straight with me.

4. What is the secret of success?

Miracle – Being a good person, doing what you love and be kind to the people around you.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, living or dead, who would it be?

Miracle – The grandparents I never met.

6. What is the epitaph that is written on your tombstone?

Miracle – “She loved.”

7. When you get to heaven, what is the first thing you want to hear God say to you?

Miracle – “Welcome home, kid. Good job. I missed you.”