Written by:
Diane Anderson-Minshall
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this Issue of Curve:
Vol. 16#9
Ah, who can resist a woman with issues? Teen runaway, vagabond and troubled artiste, bad girl Van stole our hearts the moment she walked onto Dante’s Cove, the super sexy, super gay, supernatural thriller from here! TV. Between gorgeous exotic features, a penchant for witchcraft and the fact that she beds exclusively other chicks, Van’s quickly becoming one of our favorite gals on the small screen. We recently chatted with Nadine Heimann, the ravishing rookie actor who breathes life into her. Though Dante’s Cove is amazingly her first ever professional acting experience, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it won’t be her last.
So what attracted you to Dante’s Cove? What made you actually want to play Van?
Well this is my first real acting job being on a professional set. I think that the main thing that attracted me [to the show] was Van’s character. We are very much alike... [We’re both] kind of in tuned with being, you know, open to spirituality — in her case voodoo, with me, not so much.
One thing that is interesting about Van is that her sort of back story. We get bits and pieces of it, so her back story seems to be evolving a little bit. Was the back story developed when you started the role, or has the back story developed for you as well?
It’s developed over time. At the beginning, you know, Van’s the only one that believes in the history of the witchcraft and all of the crazy circumstances surrounding it... Everyone else thinks that she’s just like crazy, or making it up, or just whatever... But after things start happening, the story line pretty much in season two is created off of season one. They didn’t really know where they were going with it. And since it can go anywhere, after Van started being aware of all of [her supernatural powers] ... they decided to broaden her character into finding her own knowledge. What’s that guy from Star Trek? Oh, Spock? No, the guy the guy who is just learning his powers? ... And he doesn’t know whether he is going to go good or evil? And his dad is Darth Vader?
Oh you mean Star Wars? [laughs]
Oh, I was like Star Trek. [Laughs] ... Yeah, that guy. They realize they have a lot more powers than they thought they did and they can go either way with it — for good or for bad. And that is what she is going through.
Were you familiar with the here! network before this role came up?
No, I was not.
Working on this show that is aimed primarily at lesbian and gay audiences ... Has working on this show changed how you view sexuality?
Um, it has a tiny bit. I mean it hasn’t so much changed it, as it’s just broadened it a bit. You know, I have never had any discriminatory thing for sexuality... I believe that [LGBT] people should have the opportunity to have their own TV show to correctly represent them and their sexuality... You know, the first time we were on the island ... it was my first time with a professional cast with all of these amazing people, a lot of them sexually open and just really open-minded people, in general — artists, and you know, talented people — and it totally broadened me. It did, sexually. I was just like “Whoa, this is amazing, all of these open people. There are no qualms; there’s no discrimination… It’s beautiful.” And I really enjoyed that.
Did you do any kind of research? Did you talk with other lesbians to find out how to portray a lesbian?
No, I don’t really know a lot of the lesbian culture and I don’t really have a lot of lesbian friends, but ... I know what it’s like to love, and I know what it’s like to be hurt, and I know ... what relationships are like... Though I haven’t done research I feel like I can portray it pretty easily because of ... my comfort level with it all.
What do your parents think of the show?
They are 100 percent supportive of everything I do. They saw it and they were like, “Oh, that’s different... Don’t tell your grandparents.” [Laughs] ... But they’re excited for season two; they like seeing whatever I do.
Right right. And now what’s your cultural background?
Half Filipino, half German.
Did I read that you are also in a band?
In New York ... but I [moved] to California two months ago, so the band is no longer.
Oh no. Is the band hard to leave?
Extremely. I kept putting off moving here because of the band... Once I’m settled here and have my acting up off the ground, I’m going to readjust it and start my music up again either [as a] solo artist, or get another band together.
So are you sort of a Jill-of-all-trades? You want to sing, you want to act...
Yeah.
Can you tell me, what about your own relationship experiences do you get to bring to your onscreen relationship? I know you have a more developed relationship this season, right?
Well, for acting ... at any level, you have to dig into your own past experiences and own emotions and stay in tuned with everything that you know. It’s mental and physical. You know, it’s a recall, basically, so you have to think, “when this person said this to me this long time ago,” or “when I felt trapped,” or “when I felt that I wanted them more than they wanted me,” or all of these experiences that you’ve had — you always tap into how you’re feeling. How you react, how the other person reacted ... and that’s pretty much with all levels of acting. You use all of your past experiences.
One last question. You’re a Virgo right?
True.
How does being a Virgo help you with your career?
I am kind of, sometimes like, overly organized, and definitely overly ambitious. So, I like to be on top of my stuff, and if I’m not being productive and growing ... then I am not as happy and I’m not as productive. I get a little more depressed. I don’t know if that has anything to do with being a Virgo, but I’m kind of a perfectionist, analytical, ambitious, an organizer.
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