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| Photo by Ashley Lawson |
WMV: The profile photo on your Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dawnaleeheising
shows you with Sid Haig, your Facebook About page indicates that you are married. Your interview with Fine Success Magazine indicates you were married to someone named Paul as recently as 2012. Is Mr. Haig your current husband?
Dawna: No, no, no – LOL! I have been married for MANY years to my wonderful husband Paul. I just covered the R.I.P. Horror Film Festival and Sid Haig was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is such a beloved figure in the film industry and I was so honored to interview him for More Horror that I’ve used this picture for the last week [prior to April 13, 2014].
WMV: Your Facebook About page says, "Ask for Dawna's hometown." Where were you born?
Dawna: I was born in Vallejo, California to Don and Fumie Lee. We lived on an Air Force base.
WMV: What city do you regard as your hometown?
Dawna: Paul and I currently live in Seacliff Estates, in Huntington Beach, and we love it there!
WMV: Your Facebook indicates that November 16, 1994 is your anniversary. Besides being your anniversary, does that date have any other significance to you?
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| Ms. World 2008 Photo by Dr. Ian Day |
Dawna: It’s my wedding anniversary to my wonderful husband so that makes it special. My husband was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ConAgra Foods for many years, which is the largest food company in the nation. He introduced the Healthy Choice food line. He went back and got his Certified Financial Planning License, and is now a financial advisor. He has been listed in Los Angeles Magazine as a Five Star Wealth Manager for the last four years, and he is also an Associate Professor in Marketing in the graduate Food Science program at Chapman University. He also teaches Retirement Planning, and is one of the top rated teachers in the U.C.L.A. extension program.
WMV: You give an extensive description of your family's achievements in your interview with FineSuccessMag.com What else, if anything, would you like to tell us about your parents, siblings, children, and/or other friends and relatives?
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| Photo by John Cox at 2014 NAMM |
Dawna: I am very proud of my family. My dad died three years ago, but he was an engineer for top companies, who was awarded eleven patents. After he retired, he got another Master's Degree from Claremont College, and became a high school math and chemistry teacher. My mother was a charge nurse for many years. Her brother, Doctor Jack Fujimoto, is a leader in the Japanese community, and has been honored by the government of Japan. Her brother, Tak Fujimoto, is a noted cinematographer and was the D.P. [Director of Photography] on Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, and Sixth Sense. My sister, Kathy, is a Harvard-trained lawyer, and my sister, Laurie, is a Nurse Practitioner who also handles business relations at three hospitals.
I have a [Bachelor of Science Degree] in Business Management and [a Master of Business Administration Degree] from Pepperdine University, and am the Vice President of Marketing for an online point of sale software company called SpotSync (http://www.spotsync.com). I also proudly work for ActionLink, and sell Intel products, but my first love is acting.
My daughter, Marissa, is an award-winning, top pharmaceutical representative for Sanofi-Aventis, and her husband, Sammy, is a network administrator. My daughter, Misty; and son-in-law, Tim; are both resident doctors at U.C.L.A. Misty won a Fulbright Scholarship, and spent a year doing research in Japan, and was just voted Chief Resident at U.C.L.A.
WMV: Your Facebook indicates that you are Catholic. What do you think of your new Pope?
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| Photo by Shaun Go on the set of "Dracula" |
Dawna: My husband and I are both Catholic. Paul belonged to the Knights of Columbus for many years. I think our present Pope is much better than the previous Pope, if the rumors about him are true.
WMV: You mentioned filming "Salvation of One" in April. How did that go?
Dawna: I am filming Chandra Gerson’s "Salvation of One" on May 3, but I’ve been preparing to play the role of Honora Turner for a year, and have taken lessons from June Barfield. It’s a fantastic role, and I am so grateful to Chandra for letting me play Honora. "Salvation of One" is the third story in her feature film, Book of Choices.
WMV: You mentioned filming two more productions in May. What are they?
Dawna: I am filming Steve Oakley and Melanie Grunder’s Natural Born Filmmaker in the next month, and I’m also the producer. It’s been a LOT of work, but it’s going to be a really entertaining and funny film that will premiere at the Action On Film Festival. I cast the film with my friends, so we have an AMAZING list of actors, including Domiziano Arcangeli, Gregory Blair, Shaun Gerardo, Vida Ghaffari, Lindsay Lamb, Diane Chambers, Guil Claveria, John Granillo, Kathy Krantz-Stewart, and Stan Goodrich. I’m playing Domi’s ex-stripper wife.
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| Photo by Kevin Le |
I also will be playing Michelle in the upcoming feature film Past Due, which will be directed by Robert Conrad, and will be filmed in Detroit, Michigan, and I will be playing Stella in Mouthpiece, from Longshot Productions, which will be filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. I just got a role today [April 8, 2014], in a project from Jared Safier; I’ve wanted to work with him for months!
I will be playing C.J. in Jared Masters’ upcoming, feature film, Ballerina Massacre, which will feature Andy Dick and Cassandra in his "Carny Girls," which will star Bill Oberst, Junior. Filmmaker Jared Masters is incredibly brilliant and talented, and has been the best thing that’s happened with my career. He is only twenty-six years old, but has already completed eleven films. I played Joan in his award-winning feature, Slink; Naomi Perkins in Teachers’ Day; and Gladys Kang in his upcoming Deadly Punkettes. Jared won an E.O.T.M. Award for Best Horror Film for Slink, and I won Best Actress at the 2014 Mockfest Film Festival for his Teachers’ Day. I love Jared; he is one of my very best friends!!!
I am also playing a prostitute named Alice in Phil Condit’s very sexy comedy, Happy Ending, which is being produced by Maria Olsen. My character is an ex-showgirl, and I can’t wait to see the costumes that Phil picks for me!
WMV: Robert Conrad is the actor who played James "Jim" T. West in the legendary "Wild Wild West" T.V. series. What's it like being directed by a T.V. legend?
Dawna: We’re supposed to be shooting Past Due next month. I can’t wait!
WMV: Do you like Western T.V. shows and movies?
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| Photo by John Cox |
Dawna: I love Action films, and I am excited about playing the Outlaw Crego in Damien Dante’s Jezebeth 3: The Guns of El Diablo in 2015.
WMV: Your Facebook also indicates you worked as an actress and publicist for Ethyrea: Code of the Brethren. Is "Brethren," in this title, a reference to Catholic priests?
Dawna: Ethyrea: Code of the Brethren is a brilliant fantasy/adventure series of award-winning novels from the multi-talented author Danica Fontaine. My Mom and daughters have read the books, and they are spell-binding. I believe very strongly that the books will become the next “Hunger Games” and “Divergent” series of books for young adults. I encourage everyone to give the book as a gift to all teenagers and young adults that they know; I do!!!
WMV: Your Facebook also indicates that you are the Vice President of Marketing for SpotSync Checkout. What exactly does SpotSync Checkout do?
Dawna: SpotSync Checkout is an online point of sale software that our C.E.O., Michael Fitchett and I have been working together on for the last three years. It takes the place of the cash register for retail and quick service restaurants and handles inventory and customer management. What is unique about our software is that it has built-in “push technology” that automatically and instantly updates information across all locations, making it ideal for franchises. SpotSync Checkout has cloud architecture and has automatic social media integration to facebook and Yelp. Please visit our website at: http://www.spotsync.com
WMV: Your Facebook indicates that you graduated from Pepperdine University in 1991, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, and again in 1994, with a Master of Business Administration Degree in Technology and Marketing, having maintained a 3.75 Grade Point Average. What's it like having something as significant as an M.B.A. in common with someone as famous as President George W. Bush?
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| Ms. US World 2007 Photo by Kevin Le |
Dawna: I am very proud of my M.B.A. because I worked so hard to achieve it, and it has helped me in all aspects of my life and career. I have built four technology Marketing departments from the ground up, handling public relations, marketing, white papers, newsletters, website development, events, presentations and trade shows. I believe that my education was a big factor in the success of my television show “Eye on Entertainment,” on Time Warner Cable. I won a 2013 E.O.T.M. Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “Eye on Entertainment.”
WMV: Your Facebook indicates you also studied Acting, Chemistry, and Communications at the University of California in Berkeley. Did you receive any degrees or certificates there?
Dawna: I received an A.S. in Chemistry from Cypress College, where I was a cheerleader, and an A.A. in Theatre Arts from Fullerton College. I studied Chemistry, Economics, and Chinese at U.C. Berkeley, but returned home after winning Miss San Francisco Universe and getting a role on “Fantasy Island.”
WMV: Why did you change your focus to Business, after studying Acting, Chemistry, and Communications?
Dawna: I was working as a Marketing Product Manager for Epson America, a wonderful company that is a division of Seiko. Epson paid for my M.B.A., and I was focused on business and climbing the corporate ladder at the time.
WMV: According to FineSuccessMag.com, you not only won Ms. World and Ms. Universe pageants, but also Miss Orange County Universe, and Miss Los Angeles Chinatown. You currently reside in Orange County; did you reside in Chinatown at the time you won that contest?
Dawna: That was many years ago, and I lived in Anaheim, California, with my family at the time. That made me eligible for the Miss Los Angeles Chinatown contest. It was a wonderful experience. The pageant sent me to Taiwan and Hong Kong, and I learned so much about my Chinese heritage! I am Chinese, Japanese, and American Indian.
WMV: Have you ever been to Hawaii?
Dawna: Yes, we’ve stayed in Maui on family vacations.
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| Photo by David McNeil |
WMV: What are your favorite travel destinations?
Dawna: One of my favorite trips was with my husband in Paris.
WMV: Where haven't you visited, that you would like to visit?
Dawna: I would love to visit Italy.
WMV: You've said that you are Chinese, Japanese, and American Indian. You mentioned that Misty (your daughter?) learned a paragraph of Vietnamese dialog in order to try out for the role of "Magnum's Eurasian daughter” in "Magnum P.I." Did she or anyone in your family known Vietnamese before that?
Dawna: No. Misty was five years old, and I spent a weekend teaching her a three-page script, with the last page being in Vietnamese and French. She made it down to the last two for Magnum’s daughter, and I was very proud. She lost to a seven-year-old, professional actress.
WMV: You mentioned that your "husband Paul" "introduced Flavored Alka Seltzer when he worked for Bayer." Have you ever tried it?
Dawna: I take Flavored Alka Seltzer whenever I am sick. It is a great product and works!
WMV: You mention building marketing departments for EXPOTRANS and L.E.D. Concepts. What is "EXPOTRANS" short for?
Dawna: I was a Marketing Director at EXPOTRANS. We manufactured light boxes and menu boards. Later, I returned to work for the same C.E.O., and built the Marketing department for L.E.D. Concepts.
WMV: By "L.E.D.," did you mean "light emitting diodes"?
Dawna: Yes, we manufactured light boxes and menu boards with light emitting diodes.
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| I won Best Actress at the 2014 Mockfest Film Festival for Jared Masters' "Teachers Day" |
Dawna: My dad was very proud of his military service. I miss him every day, but I feel that he is watching over my acting career.
WMV: [NOTE: During the Viet Nam War and prior U.S. military conflicts such as the Korean War, it was so common for people younger than seventeen to join the U.S. military that they formed an organization called V.U.M.S. - Veterans of Under-age Military Service, www.oldvums.org]
You mentioned that your father "earned eleven patents." What were they for, specifically?
Dawna: The patents were for computers. My Dad was a genius, with an I.Q. of about 170. He worked for major technology and computer companies, and was always in the garage working with his oscilloscopes.
WMV: Your cousin, David Wong, received an Emmy award for Peter and the Wolf. Is he one of your favorite musicians?
Dawna: David and his partner, composer George Daugherty, won the Emmy together and were nominated for five more for their television series “Rhythm and Jam.”
WMV: Your daughter, Misty, was on the Board of Directors for the Engeye Health Clinic in Ddegeya Village, Uganda. Is she still?
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| Ms. Universe 2009 - with Eduardo Bertagni - photo by David McNeil |
Dawna: Misty is still involved in Engeye, and has been to the clinic in Uganda on three different missions. She has had to leave the Board for now because her work as an intern and resident in Psychiatry at one of the top hospitals, the U.C.L.A. Medical Center, is taking all of her time and energy. I have volunteered publicity for Engeye for the past six years, and it is a great non-profit, with wonderful people.
WMV: You have obviously shattered the "blonde bimbo" stereotype, being a blonde who has won numerous beauty contests, yet also receiving several college degrees, from Associate's to Master's. Are you working on a Doctorate?
Dawna: I have a Ph.D. [Doctor of Philosophy Degree] in Business Communications, but it’s not from a great school, so I never mention it. It was a two-year, online course from Pacific University, and I learned a lot. I did my thesis on “Introducing New Products,” since my husband was the Vice President of New Products at Hunt-Wesson, and I learned a lot about product roll-outs from him.
WMV: What do you consider a "great school"?
Dawna: I think of great schools as brick and mortar schools where you attend in person.
WMV: You mention that you play sexy roles, such of those of "cougars," strippers, prostitutes, yet you don't "do nudity." Why do you feel it is important not to "do nudity"?
Dawna: In the first place, my husband would kill me! Not really, but I wouldn’t want to embarrass my husband, children, or family by doing a role like that. Plus, I am and always will be a businesswoman, with a career that is important to me. I am a pole dancer and a bikini model and I love playing sexy roles, as they are so different from me in real life. “Happy Ending” will probably be the sexiest role I will be playing and I will be very scantily clad - it will be fun!
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| 2013 Night of 100 Stars - photo by David McNeil |
WMV: You mention that your roles in Circus of Dread and Ethyrea are your biggest. Why do you consider them your biggest?
Dawna: I have one of the leads as The Snake Woman in brilliant filmmaker Mark Savage’s eight hundred thousand dollar Circus of Dread, which will star Emmy Award-winner Bill Oberst, Junior. And I will be playing The Oracle in Danica Fontaine’s one hundred five million dollar series of five Ethyrea films in 2015, which will be a blockbuster. The books are fantastic – I read Ethyrea: Code of the Brethren in two days, and it was a huge book. I couldn’t put it down. I feel very honored, blessed and fortunate to be in both A-list projects!
WMV: On the other hand, perhaps one of your smallest roles was the role of Light Passions in Marc Chicoine's web series, "Metropolitan Detective." How did you meet Mr. Chicoine?
Dawna: My friend Luc Bernier sent me a Craig’s List posting that said they were looking for someone to play a sexy girlfriend, and it sounded fun. So I showed up, and had to memorize three scenes on the spot, and play them that night. But I really liked Marc [Chicoine] and Fran Rubin, and loved the character of Light Passions. Fran wrote me a great scene with her character, so I returned and played Light again. Marc and Fran are both very talented, and I would love to return and play Light again, but I have been getting so many films that it’s hard to find the time these days to fit everything in, and that’s a great problem to have!
WMV: Yes, and Marc Chicoine graciously granted us an interview; Fran was a bit less gracious...
Maria Olsen mentioned you in her interview with us. What's it like working with someone so "unique and interesting"?
Dawna: I am in awe of Maria Olsen, and I am so honored to be cast with her in Happy Ending. Maria has an I.Q. [Intelligence Quotient]of 170, and is such a great actress, with so much intensity! No wonder she is in such demand as an actress and producer! I feel that working with someone as talented and accomplished as Maria will help me grow immensely as an actress.
WMV: You play a "Creepy Granny" in Squeal: Blood Harvest. Do you think Hollywood is too age-ist?
Dawna: No, I haven’t found that at all. I keep hearing that there are no roles for older women, but that’s certainly not the case for me. I’m looking forward to playing the creepy, evil, one-hundred-year-old Granny because it will make me grow as an actress. I have finally found the agency that I want to sign with to get into pilot season and network television, so we’ll see if age is an issue; wish me luck!!!
WMV: Good luck, Ms. Heising!
What web links would you like to share with our readers?
Dawna:
http://facebook.com/dawnaleeheising
http://www.imdb.me/dawnaleeheising
http://www.eyeonentertainment.tv
http://www.dawnaleeheising.tv
http://www.youtube.com/eyeonentertainment
http://www.spotsync.com
My uncut 2014 Demo Reel:
http://youtu.be/QPi4-Zw2G_M
Interview by William Mortensen Vaughan
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