So very Vivica: An interview with Vivica A Fox

We met Vivica A. Fox as the seductive siren who helped Will Smith save the world in Independence Day. Since then, she has established herself as a confident and successful actress who captivates audiences, whether she's starring as an assassin-turned-soccer- mom (Kill Bill) or as a sexy fairy godmother (Ella Enchanted). She's also a low carber who follows an aggressive workout regimen.

This year, Vivica continues to prove she's a hot Hollywood commodity. Named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," she is appearing in three new movies and producing several independent films. She also returns to the small screen in Lifetime Television's hit show Missing, replacing actress Gloria Reuben as a savvy FBI agent.

Her fascination with entertainers, including Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, spawned her Indianapolis, Indiana, childhood dream: to leave her own mark on Hollywood. "I got in trouble at school for reading entertainment magazines during class," she recalls. "Even as a little girl, I had lofty ambitions."

After graduating high school, Vivica moved to California to pursue acting. When a Hollywood producer discovered her while she was dining at a Sunset Boulevard restaurant, appearances quickly followed on soap operas, including Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless and television shows such as Up All Night, Arsenio and Getting Personal.

Vivica's sultry good looks won her the role of the hero's stripper fiancée in Independence Day, followed by roles in Booty Call, Batman and Robin, Soul Food and Why Do Fools Fall in Love. Make no mistake, however: Vivica has succeeded via hard work and tenacity. And she has experienced her fair share of growing pains both personally and professionally.

"It's not always easy being me," says Vivica. "There are times I feel as if I'm living in a fishbowl." For example, her divorce from rapper Christopher Harvest (a.k.a. Sixx-Nine) recently became fodder for the tabloids. Photos of Vivica, who put on 30 pounds during her four-year marriage, accompanied stories of the split.

Low-carbing, Vivica style
While a size 10 may be acceptable outside Hollywood city limits, Vivica felt pressure to slim down and return to her curvy size four. "The camera isn't kind when you're carrying extra pounds," she says.

To shed the extra weight and to prepare for her very physical role as Vernita Green ("Copperhead") in Kill Bill, Vivica adopted a new exercise plan -- and a carb-conscious lifestyle. Though she doesn't follow a plan like Atkins or South Beach, she eats lots of meat and low-carb veggies. Her diligence paid off: In three months, she dropped those 30 pounds.

For those new to low-carbing, Vivica advises patience and persistence. "It's hard at first to give up carbs such as bread," she says, "but the longer you stick to it, the easier it gets. And you do lose your cravings for carbs."

On a busy day, she loves take-out salads from California Pizza Kitchen. Her favorite is their Oriental Chicken Salad -- lettuce tossed with scallions, basil, cilantro and a little bit of crispy angel hair, all drizzled with a spicy sweet-and-sour sesame dressing and topped with grilled chicken breast.

A confessed carboholic, Vivica says her transition to a carb-controlled lifestyle wasn't always picture-perfect. "I'm good all week eating meat, fish and vegetables every day. But once a week, I splurge on what I call 'girl soul food,'" she laughs. "I have my friends over, and we have a barbecue and peach cobbler and ice cream."

Come Monday morning, Vivica resumes her low-carb lifestyle and her workouts at Billy Blanks studio, where she practices tae-bo three to five times a week.

A tough act to follow
Her extensive training helped prepare her for Kill Bill's grueling fight scenes with Uma Thurman. During filming, Vivica expanded her expertise in martial arts and did 95 percent of her fight scenes without a stunt double. "We did cardio and stretching, and worked with weights and swords. And our trainer frequently asked us to bust a hundred sit-ups," says Vivica.

Her performance in Kill Bill has led to more offers of strong, sexy roles, a departure from her typical sassy girlfriend parts, but a persona Vivica is enjoying. She soon begins filming Verdict, an action movie in which she plays a dark character in the drug world.

Also in production is an independent film titled Getting Played, in which Vivica is actress and producer. The film also stars Carmen Elektra and Kathy Najimy.

Vivica has had the enviable task of sharing kisses with hunky leading men, including Will Smith, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Morris Chestnut. As if that weren't enough, she received the prestigious 2003 Lena Horne Award for Outstanding Career Achievements in the Field of Entertainment at the Ninth Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, joining Halle Berry, Vanessa Williams and Angela Bassett.

Away from the cameras
Despite her grueling schedule, Vivica remains devoted to her close-knit family, which includes her parents, two brothers, a sister and her surrogate family in Southern California. Actresses Regina King, Lela Rochon and Tamala Jones are among her closest friends; they keep her grounded, she says, and often offer dating advice.

Off-screen, Vivica leads a life far different than one might envision. She shuns makeup, preferring only lip gloss, and entertains in her San Fernando Valley home, where she lives with four cats. After a busy day of filming, she reads scripts, listens to spiritual tapes and takes her daily two-hour power nap.

In July 2004, the actress turned 40 and agrees with Oprah Winfrey, who says, "The 40s are the best decade of a woman's life."

"I think the older I get, the better I look," she says. "I'm spiritually very happy, and the wisdom I've gained with age has made me a better and stronger person."

Check out Vivica's Tuna Salad recipe here!