What Makes Vincent Happy?
Pop quiz! What does it take to make a 17-year-old movie star happy? A new stereo system, a closet full of designer clothes or weekends of wild parties? If that star is Vinnie Kartheiser, the answer is none of the above. All this modest Minnesota actor needs to be happy are the simple things in life, such as quality time with his friends and family.
As far as Vinnie's concerned, it's also fine to sit and share a few moments of silent companionship, as Vinnie often does with his mother. "I'm with my mom so much that it's like if we go out to eat somewhere, we probably say ten sentences to eachother," he says. "We're like an old couple. There's nothing that we have to say. It's okay to sit there and just be."
That's not to say that Vinnie spends all of his time just sitting around. He takes fencing lessons and often joins his family for hiking and mountain climbing expeditions. And, on cold winter days when going out is simply out of the question, Vinnie's perfectly happy with low-key activities like doing crossword puzzles and playing games, such as Monopoly, with his older brother and sisters ( Nathan, Colette, Andrea, Theresa and Elise ). What Vinnie likes most about these games isn't the competition, but the cozy company of his family. "My family, they're my best friends," he says.
Although Vinnie treasures the time he spends with his family and friends, he admits that sometimes he's happiest hanging out by himself. That doesn't mean lounging on his bed and staring at his bedroom walls. When Vinnie's alone, he's most likely listening to his extensive music collection or reading books about philosophy, history and, most recently, art. "Art is a beautiful thing to learn about," Vinnie says. "You learn about Greek sculptures and Roman weaponry, which is so beautiful--the shields and swords and everything."
Regardless of the fact that not many other 17-year-olds have starred on the big screen, Vinnie says, "I think that what I am is just a normal 17-year-old." Then again, not many big screen actors can say they're perfectly happy with the simple things in life. And that, of course, is what makes Vinnie so special.
Source: February, BOP '97
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