Courtney Thorne-Smith is expecting-well, sort of. She's nervously expecting a "meet me at the hospital" call from her pregnant older sister, Jennifer. "I feel like I'm the one having labor pains," states the excited aunt-to-be, referring to the butterflies in her stomach.
The birth of her sister's baby coincides with a new beginning in Courtney's own life: There will be no more feeling like a victim, back-stabbing rivalry between her women. Off-camera we'd constantly sit around and talk about the awful things-stealing boyfriends, ruining custody cases-that we'd done to each other and then promptly forgotten," says Thorne-Smith, laughing. "In my own life, I've learned to value my girlfriends more in recent years, especially being 29 and single. My women friends have gotten me through many a love affair and many a break-up. They are series offers. I love the constancy of it. I love being in town [in L.A.]." However, she doesn't necessarily want to get involved in another series right away. Currently, she has a movie to promote. This fall, Courtney will appear on the big screen, along with Little Richard and Raquel Welch, in the comedy Chairman of 'the Board, in which she plays the vice-president of a company and the love interest of comedian Carrot Top. The and other women, or drunken embarassment now that Courtney has walked away from her five-year role as Alison Parker of Melrose Place.
"I love Alison, but part of being on a soap opera is that the characters have to stay kind of stuck, and watching Alison make the same mistakes again and again and again is frustrating for me," explains Courtney, who believes she has "grown up" while working on Melrose Place.
"My life has changed and evolved-I mean I started the show when I was 24, and now I'm 29. Those are really important years for a woman. I feel like I've come into being a woman in these last five years, and I don't think that Melrose Place is a show that's going to reflect that," she says.
"My Friends Have Gotten Me Through Many a Love Affair..."
Most significantly, says Courtney, she's recognized the importance of good relationships with other women. Hardly a top priority for a Melrose Place female. "That was what was so hysterical on the show-the relationships among the the constant in my fife. That's where I need to put the most consistent effort because that's where the payback is for me..." During once-a-month girls' nights, she says, "we yammer, yammer, yammer."
Another big life-lesson she's learned while starring on Melrose Place is that being rich and famous doesn't mean you'll be happy. "The biggest gift for me in having success at an early age is that I got to learn that success doesn't fix it. There's so much fantasy around, 'Boy, if I were rich and famous, then I'd be fine."' Courtney had plenty of money in the bank, but found herself saying, "Wow, I'm still not happy!"
Being open to new people and experiences in life often brings happiness your way, says Courtney. "I have a desire to learn. If I see something I don't know, I never think, 'Oh darn, I don't know about that.' Instead, I think, 'I'm going to go learn that."'
Courtney looks forward to using her learning skills in developing future characters. Does she think she'll star on another series or a sitcom? "Absolutely," she says. "I love the family feeling that a biggest laughs during filming occurred, says Courtney, during the smooching scenes. "Carrot Top was sooo nervous," she explains. "He throws me into a dip, kisses me and then starts laughing." Take after take, he couldn't shake the giggles until it infected Courtney. "Thank God his hair covered the laughter," she says.
Love's the Most Important Thing In My Life�
Humor is an essential requirement for Thorne-Smith in her off-screen love-life. "I don't take myself that seriously. So, I'm not afraid of acting like a complete geek [with a guy]," she reveals. "In order to date me, a guy has got to pretty much want a playmate."
And what else is essential to Courtney? In what order would she give up sex, fame, and money? "I'd give up fame first, then money, then sex," she says. "Fame is not that important to me, but ask me after Melrose Place is over ... Money provides me with a lot of freedom, but having sex, I connect with love ... and that's the most important thing in my life."
