Bebe Neuwirth, featured in the September issue of MORE (and in the movie Fame, now in theaters), took time out from preparing to star as Morticia in a Broadway musical of The Addams Family to answer some of your questions. Here's what she wrote, along with her very lively and personal responses.
Dear Fellow MORE readers,
I'm sorry I can't answer all the questions (thank you, by the way!), but here are a few general answers along with a couple specific ones.
Thanks again, and take good care of yourselves!
Bebe Neuwirth
Q: Your beautiful hair jumped out at me. What's your curly-headed routine? I'm always searching for new tricks! —Cindy (similar question from Carol)
Bebe: Please know that there was a mighty fine hairdresser on the MORE shoot! I have thin, curly, frizzy hair. I wash and condition my hair every other day with Terax products, and barely rake my fingers through it when it’s wet. Never comb or brush frizzy hair when it’s wet or it’ll just get worse! If I use any product, it’s Phytodefrisant. For the photo, and sometimes for an event, I use a curling iron to give a little more order to my mess!
Q: I have been performing, choreographing, and teaching dance, starting when I was 30. Now menopause has taken over my body (weight gain, loss of flexibility, pulled muscles, etc.). How do you do it? And more importantly, how do you look sooooo good? —Diana
Bebe: I’ve been dancing for 45 years, and professionally for 30. The bad news is I had two total hip replacements before my 50th birthday. The good news is I’ve stayed in pretty good shape. That said, perimenopause is kicking my butt, and I seem to have to work harder to stay in shape now. I take ballet class, sometimes I go to the gym. (I do NOT like the gym.) Pilates is fantastic. I love to ride my bike. Menopause is such a bizarre ride—like some kind of weird second puberty.
Q: What is your warm-up for feet and ankles and upper shoulders? —Mercedes
Bebe: Here’s a great ankle exercise: Inscribe the alphabet with each of your feet. In other words, make believe you have a pencil between your toes, and write all the letters. It’s much harder than it sounds. . .
Q: Since you're playing a teacher and you've perhaps met a Zen teacher or two as well, I'd like to ask, who teaches well? And how did they get that way? —Megan
Bebe: Who teaches well? Among many other qualities, I’d say: people who care about, and are knowledgeable about, their subject. People who care about that subject being passed on. People who are open to their students, and perceive them individually. (I cherish the great teachers I’ve been fortunate enough to have had.)
Q: Can't wait to see you as Morticia! What do you think are the keys to playing her, and are you looking at all the Charles Addams cartoons for inspiration? —Kathy
Bebe: Yes, I’m definitely studying the wonderful original cartoons. They are what our show is based upon.
Bebe: More or less, yes. But mirrors are tricky devices; they don’t truly reflect you.
Read Bebe's interview here.
View a slideshow of Bebe in fall's knock-out neon fashions here.