Laurie Sandell

And what a difference having an LA home makes. Instead of throwing things into a suitcase, finding someone to watch Violet, rushing to the airport, sitting on a plane for six hours, and checking into a hotel, I got to hop in my car and cruise over to Los Feliz, a nearby neighborhood, to have lunch with our star. So what can I tell you about her? She’s whip-smart, getting tons of buzz for a recent performance, has great style, is in a relationship, and has known hardship in her life. We met at a restaurant in Los Feliz which was the site of my Katherine Heigl interview a year ago; a French brasserie with outdoor tables. She was right on time, wearing a casual black sweater and jeans, her hair pulled back, with natural-looking makeup. (Notice I didn’t say “no makeup.” I won’t be fooled! They’re always wearing makeup for an interview, even if it’s nude eyeshadow and semi-permanent eyelashes.) We hit it off right away, though I can’t tell you why, because then you might figure out who she is. Let’s just say we had something in common, related to our families. She spoke candidly for someone in her position (on the verge of being huge, that is), and didn’t have that usual celebrity guardedness. She was a bit reluctant to talk about her relationship, and who can blame her–it’s lasted a long time for a reason. Give me a month or so and I’ll be able to reveal who she is.