Rebecca Jennings Chats with Deidra Edwards,

Deidra Edwards, an actress living in Los Angeles, plays the lead in a groundbreaking movie from Glenn Gers called “DisFigured.” In the movie, a curvaceous, confident woman named Lydia fosters an unlikely relationship with a recovering anorexic. The movie won critical claim across the country when it was released in 2008. Deidra, who’s “interested in a little bit of everything,” and is a self-professed late bloomer who’s nevertheless had her eye on an acting career since she was three, found a new defining role for herself.

Deidra’s the kind of renaissance woman who has her eye on all things creative, so we sat down with her to find out what’s next on her horizon, and maybe gossip just a little bit about some good lingerie.

RJ: Tell us a little bit about why you wanted to take part in “DisFigured,” and how that came to be.

DE: Well, my agent at the time saw the breakdown for it and sent it to me. The description of Lydia was like a description of a normal person, not a caricature of some fat girl shoveling food in her face for a joke. I read the script and was very moved by this very truthful story. I felt moved to tell the writer thank you that there was a script like this existing at all in Hollywood. So, I did that…I wrote an actual thank you note to the writer, Glenn Gers…dropped it off at his agent’s office and thought that was the end of that. And, on top of that, I was positive that Glenn was a woman! Because of how insightful and truthful the story was. Well…he’s not. And, he e-mailed me back after he got the thank-you note. I was floored! Fast-forward a year (he got the job to write “Fracture”) and I finally got an audition…by this time I REALLY wanted to tell Lydia’s story. I didn’t know before this that the writer was also going to direct… He put me through 4 auditions because he wanted to make sure that what he was seeing was true, he said. I understood that…I have nothing on my resume to show otherwise…and he finally made the call…”you’re Lydia!” It was my FIRST break in Hollywood in over 10 years of being here…I will always be grateful to Glenn Gers for being the first one to take a chance on me!

DE: I was so honored to receive this award. It is still surprising to me that anyone knows who I am at all. The Women’s Critics’ Circle actually created this award for my performance. They worded it “for redefining conventional standards of female physical beauty and pride on screen, and promoting positive images of big bodied women.” That really blew me away. I honestly don’t know what was courageous about what I did…I just did the job I was lucky enough to get hired to do. But I am very moved at the thought that I may have done something to promote a positive, beautiful and prideful image to anyone who will see this film.

RJ: In the movie, there are several very sexy scenes between Lydia and Bob. Tell us a little bit about what it was like to show the viewing public how much you love your body.

DE: Wow, well, I definitely never thought of it that way… that I was showing the viewing public how much I love my body. I don’t really. That scene was very hard to do. But Glenn explained to me why he thought it was important…to show that everybody, no matter how they look, has feelings and desires that need to be met. And, I am very proud to say, there is no scene like it in all of film. So I will always be proud of that. But it is funny because I’m alternately proud of that scene and then some days I’ll be going about my business and it will just hit me out of nowhere…”Oh my God ,what did you do?” What I’m most proud about with that scene is this: No matter how we look on any given day, it shouldn’t ever stop us from living our lives to the fullest in any given moment. Lydia was a sexually active adult and she did what sexually active adults do; have sex.

DE: Well, I feel sexy when I’m doing the things I really love to do. When I’m acting or being creative in any way, I feel so full and powerful and anchored in a wonderfully chaotic way…I feel the most true me…and that makes me feel sexy. When I accomplish something I didn’t think I could and I’m proud of myself, that makes me feel sexy. When my husband looks at me the way he does, that makes me feel sexy.

RJ: Is there one piece of underwear that you’d choose from our current catalog that you think would define both your personality and the way you feel about yourself?

DE: Oh my gosh I’m so excited about this question! First of all, I NEVER buy stuff for myself like your stuff…and I LOVE everything you have. I can’t pick one… #1 Baroness Steel Boned Corset in RED w/Ruffled Two Layer Petticoat..how hot is that? So hot! #2 The Oversized Wide Neck T in GREY…I think grey is super sexy. And #3, Angelina Cami Tap Set in the pale color…don’t know if that’s the fawn or the coral. Sorry to be difficult but I feel like those are all the sides of me right now and it’s so great that you guys offer something for every kind of sexy!

RJ: What’s in your immediate future, acting-wise?

DE: Well, I’m working my tuchas off to get as many opportunities as I can. It’s been very very challenging…but there’s no way I’m giving up now! I’ve just signed on with LA Talent to represent me commercially…there has never before been as many opportunities for someone who looks like me to be a part of selling products in commercials…which is smart, because lots and lots of people look like me! As far as TV, films & theatre, unfortunately, nothing right now…so, give me a call people…I’m available! BUT, there is a new endeavor that I’m very excited about. I’ve created something called The TableRead LA that provides a service to writers to either workshop or showcase their scripts by having them read aloud by talented, professional actors. It’s very exciting. It’s just about to launch about a week from now. There will be a website www.TheTableReadLA.com.

RJ: And is there anything happening in your personal life we should know about?

DE: that’s a funny question…made me laugh. Um…nope…nothing you should know about