While growing up, Kari was always seeking attention. She once made her own fashion statement by going to school in her brother's pajamas. Kari recalls "I've just always had this thing ever since I was a little girl where I didn't want to wear clothes. My Mom would chase after me down the street when I was six years old...like Hey put this shirt on! I'd be like NO! Scotty doesn't have HIS shirt on"

"It's either a freeing experience thing for me or it's some kind of insecurity thing where I really love my body and I honestly do think it's my biggest asset. Maybe a little of both. Sometimes I don't know. Sometimes I think just because it's there, maybe I should use it. I don't know."

As to the notion that her "personality" is as much an asset for her as her body is, Kari replies "That's great. You see it one way and I see it the other and that's great. But personality is just so different. When you're acting in a character...I feel like I'm less than what I am normally in real life. I have to learn how to balance my personality into my readings and learn how to show off my personality through my characters."

Her Mom always accepted Kari as "not quite the same as the rest of us" but her Dad gave her lots of reasons to be insecure. "Sometimes (recalls Kari) I just wasn't good enough. My ears stuck out, my butt was too big." Thankfully now, "He's very supportive".

"To allow people in the world to see me as I truly believe I see myself. I wanna create a character that's really memorable...like Julia Roberts did in Pretty Woman. I haven't gotten to the essence of me...I have to be able to give up these insecurities."

On Her Move To LA

"I first moved out there because I had a deal with Def American. Rick Rubin was such a dominating force in my life. I sought him out. He was my idol. I did the movie "Ford Fairlane" so I could meet him because I knew that "Dice" was on his label.

I went to work every day with my demo tape which was like a combo of Pat Benatar crossed with Axl Rose. I looked like such an out of place Jersey Girl. Back then I was so into "that 80's heavy metal thing". It was so embarrassing, I was like the Sunset Strip whore, but so was Rick Rubin. He listened to the tape and was like..."the music sucks, but you were really hot on Remote Control, so sign here. I was like "all right".

He started giving me these drum samples and wanted me to write lyrics and melodies to them. But I was into the more rock and roll thing. I couldn't do it and I eventually left. He was mad at me for that. We had a really odd relationship. I was in awe of him. I was afraid to write for him because I was afraid of him judging me. I was so insecure."

"I probably could have fallen in love with him or something, and I didn't want to have anything to do with that. I don't really see him anymore. He's so great though."

Do: "It's really important that you treat a girl the same way around your friends as you do when you're alone."

Do: "Make me feel like I am the most beautiful woman in the world.
You'll score major points."

Do Not: " Be afraid of gaps in the conversation. You don't HAVE to talk all the time. But if you want to keep the conversation going, find out what the two of you have in common. I always talk about music."