Fusion fashion - that's what I'm inspired by, taking all these different cultures and then trying to put it together that a girl here would love to wear.
Hannah Simone
My mom, well, she's half Greek, half German-Italian; born in England. She's just a nomad. She loves Middle Eastern style, Indian style, so much so that she ended up having Indian babies.
When I lived in London, I worked at the U.N. for a while as its human rights and refugees officer. I have two degrees, and my second was in radio. I was a programmer and news reporter in Canada. My CV looks bananas.
Once you get a kitten, the natural thing you do is take a billion photos.
I worked at the United Nations.
My life is so crazy! I learned early on to really embrace change and enjoy the ride.
I would not give up my eyelash curler.
I had two different degrees: One in International Relations/Political Science and another degree in Radio and Television Production.
I played ping-pong with Prince. That's pretty surreal. He gave me a lesson before we played; like, he's great. He's a master at it, so I took the free lesson.
You can't force chemistry. It's either there or it's not. You can't create it.
My mom used to call me a parrot, because the way I spoke would change in every country we'd go to.
I find there's this weird anger thing: Someone will approach me at the bar and say, 'Hey, can I buy you a drink?' And I'll say, 'No, I'm okay.' And then all of a sudden, there's this male anger flip, where they go, 'Oh, you know what? I wasn't even gonna buy you a drink, 'cause you're not even that cute anyway,' and walk away.
I am passionate about human rights.
The thing about dating someone who listens to a totally different genre than you is they can help you find things to appreciate in that genre.
The first concert that my parents took me to was in this canyon in Saudi Arabia called Buttermilk Canyon. You sleep under the stars in the desert, and ex-pats - German, Swiss, Canadian, American - would play classical music that filled the whole canyon.
I went to high schools in four different countries. The gift is that you can constantly reinvent yourself. I still feel that freedom. One day, I'll wear a dress I got in India; the next, Converse sneakers and jeans.
I'm not afraid of change, let's put it that way.
'Curvy' is just a polite way of saying 'fat.'
I got a job as a human rights and refugees officer, working on youth-based projects. But I realized all the kids I was working with were far more into 'The Daily Show' than the policy briefings.
When I lived in India, I'd speak like an Indian to get good prices while shopping. I'm good with accents.
Everyone is your friend if you say yes, but say no and watch how they react. It's been a huge life lesson for me.
While I was growing up all over, in all my different schools, I was always doing theater, auditioning for plays.
It's aspirational for me. I've lived as a cat lady. I'm happy to be a cat lady. I'll continue to be a cat lady. Just bring them all to my house, and I'll keep them all, no problem.
Indian weddings, visually, they're so stunning.
As a girl growing up in Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and then India, the idea of cracking the industry in America seemed crazy. So thankfully, the way I was raised was to be an open person.
It's funny, I was talking to somebody who writes for a cop show, and he was saying how they aren't allowed to acknowledge Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, just because it has to be able to play forever.
I'm just a really big fan of street style. When I went to New York for Fashion Week, it was great to watch everyone on the runway and see all the beautiful clothes and to get ideas, but again, I think it's just about being open and looking around.
If I could travel back in time, I'd bring back the entire Wu-Tang Clan.
I grew up in Saudi Arabia and India and Cyprus, and I lived in a war-zone myself, and, I mean, I had a pretty bizarre, I guess, nomadic childhood, and so I was really drawn to international relations and political science.
It just seemed like an unattainable dream to go down to Los Angeles and to land a professional working, acting gig on a show that you really love with a character you really connect with. That doesn't seem possible; that seems insane.
If you look at my career path, I was a human rights and refugees officer for the United Nations. I helped research a book for Lloyd Axworthy. I've worked in coffee shops. I've sold clothes. I've hosted TV shows, and now I'm acting.
Think about it: if the world could see how much adoption means from a cat's point of view, shelters would be empty.
I love to do Pilates, Bar Method, and spin. I'm addicted.
I think eventually I'd love to get into directing.
I have an extended family of close friends, guy and girls.
We all have our strengths and our failings.
Physical intimacy is easy. Emotional intimacy is hard.
Most high-level models that I've ever met are actually well-travelled; they're cultured, and no guy laying a cheesy line on them is actually going to impact their world.
I am a little obsessed with surprise kitty.
If someone wants to take me on a date? I don't know if I'd say no.
I think being called a cat lady is a compliment. It means you have adopted a tiny little maniac into your life.
It is so cool to think that there are two female, Indian actresses on prime-time American network television who are considered attractive and funny and smart.
It comes down to personal style, and that's what's sexy and attractive in a man.
Live TV would terrify anybody.
I feel like we can't pick who we fall in love with because if we could, we would all make better choices. Your heart just falls where it falls.
After I graduated in Vancouver, I had been working on a book about war-affected children and land mines with the foreign minister - he was working at a place on campus and hired me. I then got a job as a Human Rights and Refugees Officer in London, and I loved working there.
Everything I've done I've always kind of jumped in headfirst, and it's been a learning curve. Even MuchMusic, I had never done live television before, and all of a sudden you show up, and they're like, 'You ready kid? Let's go.'
I also had a hosting position on a home and garden television show - which is a joke if you ever see my apartment.
It's always exciting when you love something and you get the opportunity to share it with more people.
I move countries every three or four years. I was born in London, and we lived in Canada. Then we lived in Saudi Arabia until the Gulf War broke out, when we were forced to leave. Then we hop-scotched for a while from Holland back to Canada back to Saudi Arabia. Then there was D-day, so we had to get out again.
