Ms. Namita Nayyar: Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. J.A. Steel: My diet varies in accordance with my workout. When I’m at my peak performance – it’s chicken, fish, rice, fruit yogurt smoothies and no processed food.
Everything is nearly organic. I am a fan of “clean” eating. On my “cheat” day – some sort of red meat. Back in my kickboxing days, I had a nutritionist formulate a special diet for my metabolism and body type.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: Advice and motivational words for our inspiring and budding women actresses who all are your fans, what should they do for their climb to the ladder of success in field of acting?
Ms. J.A. Steel: Find your own voice. Walk your own path. Train and work with other actors as much as you can. Study great actresses whom you admire and incorporate pieces of their style into your own. And most of all, have fun! People can tell if you’re enjoying your work.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: Tell us about the experience of working in the leading role in the film Salvation, where you are also being a Director, Writer, Producer, Editor and Stunts & Fight Choreographer?
Ms. J.A. Steel: Any time I’m in front of and behind the camera, it’s always hard. My biggest mistake was not accounting for the cold when we filmed. We had practiced our fight choreography in 70 degree weather in Salt Lake City, Utah – when we got to Muskogee, Oklahoma it was 36 degrees. I had accounted for the rain – but the weather was unseasonably cold – as a result, we froze during the sword fight scene in the graveyard. We had to speed the fight scene up in post.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have won 22 marksmanship awards with various weapons, including 2 expert qualifications with a M-16. Tell us about this endeavor of yours?
Ms. J.A. Steel: I started shooting .22 caliber rifles when I was about 3 years old. My Dad would hold the rifle and I would squeeze the trigger. Growing up in Pennsylvania, kids were always hunting and fishing. At 12 I joined the junior rifle team at a local gun club and became the club champion. When I was 15 (with 4 more club championships under my belt) I was invited to go to the Pennsylvania Junior Olympic Shooting Camp. I went. At 16 I became a Distinguished Expert Marksman and got invited to the Olympic Shooting camp to train for the 1988 Olympics. I declined. Training was expensive, there were no guarantees and I had my sights set on Film School. At USC I spent two years in Army
ROTC as part of the Trojan Battalion where I qualified Expert, twice.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: Who has been your inspiration and motivation that led you to your success in the world of acting, directing, writing, producing, editing and being a stunts & fight choreographer in films?
Ms. J.A. Steel: There have been different people at different times. When I was little, it was George Lucas. Then I met him and realized he was just a guy. Now I draw inspiration from the people in my everyday life. They keep me going. Very recently, there is one in particular – but I’m not naming names.
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