The stunning Aussie returns.
How we’ve missed Holly. Nearly 5 years and 1,800 days have passed since FHM’s last meeting, but nothing about her has changed. The body’s still stunning; the sense of humor’s still coarse; the outer persona’s still laid-back; the inner persona’s still fiery. At 25, her career may have entered stage three—Operation Break Hollywood—but Holly Valance is still the girl FHM fell in love with.
“After my first shoot I got a letter from a priest condemning me for posing in a bikini,” she recalls. “It was hilarious! I was going to Hell as far as he was concerned. I was like ‘Dude, I was already going to Hell.”
And, somewhat inevitably, she’s going there via Hollywood. And where, after four years’ hard work, she’s beginning to flourish. High-profile cameos in Prison Break and Entourage have been followed by a scene-stealing, ass-kicking turn in DOA: Dead or Alive. Later this year, she’ll be appearing in Scott Caan’s Mercy and an as yet unnamed comedy by Kevin Connolly (Entourage’s E). You can catch her this month as a pop princess ‘Diva’ in Luc Besson’s hostage drama Taken – a film where her character advises against going into the music industry because of the intense publicity.
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying don’t do it,’ she says. “But I don’t agree with the paparazzi stalking you. That’s kind of gross. There are people who like it. But they are obsessed with celebrity, not with acting or music. They cannot be out of the public eye; it would destroy their ego.”
Like Paris Hilton, say. Someone Holly has shared both a film set (Pledge This!) and a bathroom with. “She pushed in front of everyone and walked in with a bunch of friends,” recalls Holly. “I was like: ‘How fucking rude is that?’ Of course, I said something when I was working with her. I’m a loudmouth, I always say something.”
“I haven’t done a sexy shoot for a while and I’ve felt left out. You guys do your 100 Sexiest each year and from what I hear, I haven’t been polling well, so I need to remind your readers who I am.”
OK, moving on, we hear you’re a regular at kick-boxing fights?
I love it, It’s like modern-day warriors. If I have a friend fighting I will leave the arena with absolutely no voice whatsoever. I go crazy and I’ve realized that the older I get, the louder I get. I used to be really embarrassed of loudmouths, but now I am one. People tell me to “shut the fuck up” when I don’t even realize I’ve been screaming.
Have you ever knocked someone out?
I’ve been fighting since I was 14, but no. I was grading for a belt once and I punched my teacher and gave him a bloodied nose, but otherwise I’ve not done anything and I’ve only been hurt once. I checked a leg kick and my friend kicked into my knee and dropped me. That was really painful. I was on the ground trying not to cry or act like a big puss.
Big puss? In DOA: Dead or Alive you appeared to be quite tough.
It’s all about the gum. I’m not going to pose, pout and try to look pretty when I am punching someone’s head in. I want to look brutal. I really love the fact my girlfriends say: “Jesus, Hol – it looks like you nearly ripper her head off.” I’m like: ‘I was trying . . .’ I loved DOA. Getting paid to do kung fu six hours a day for four months is my idea of heave. I want to be an action hero.
Agreed. Especially if all your films contain topless fight scenes. . .
Well, you can pause it and zoom in, but, I warn you, you may only get a pastie and be disappointed.
Indeed. What percentage of scripts you get offered have gratuitous nudity?
A lot. But that happens if it’s not an amazing script: “Whack a tit in there, that’ll work.” At present, unless it’s a fantastic script and a fantastic director, it’s not something I am really interested in doing, but who knows? That day may come. I tell you what. . . if I get back into the Top 10 in the next 100 Sexiest I will do a nudey vid. Actually, I take that back. I am retracting that. I am retracting that . . .