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Rising to the Occasion

Gal Gadot proves she’s a Wonder Woman in more ways than one. You won’t find many movie stars with the following credentials: army soldier, martial arts expert and national beauty pageant winner. But upon meeting Gal Gadot, it’s easy to see how the pieces of the puzzle all fit. A former Miss Israel, her ebullient personality and charismatic nature immediately convince you... Read More

Getting Personal

Newspaper columnist Scott Maxwell on cutting his teeth as a city hall reporter, meeting his wife at a hoedown and the issue he thinks deserves the attention of Central Floridians. When I was a kid I wanted to be a newspaperman. I don’t know why, but I always found the profession intoxicating. When I was little, I’d go to my father’s office and churn out mimeographed copies... Read More

Loving Life

Through family and friendship, as well as her art, Amanda Seyfried opens her heart. No matter where her career takes her, Amanda Seyfried believes it is possible to go home again. She may have become a household name as star of stage and screen, but she says returning to her roots—specifically, to her hometown on the edge of the Philadelphia suburbs—has had a nurturing effect. The... Read More

Getting Personal

Local musician Beth McKee on writing songs, her career path and the founding of Swamp Sistas.  I grew up in Jackson, Miss., and have lived as an adult in Austin, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I came to Orlando in 1997 to help my husband care for his aging Cuban mother and uncle. After caring for them for several years, we decided to make Orlando... Read More

The Big Picture

With an iconic career that has spanned five decades, Harrison Ford would rather focus on what lies ahead than live in the past. In a business where longevity is only guaranteed for the cream of the crop, Harrison Ford has certainly made his presence felt over the course of the past five decades. Equally comfortable playing either the captivating action hero or the dramatic lead,... Read More

Helping to Heal

Driven by a passion to brighten the lives of sick children, Ryan Seacrest and his foundation give pediatric patients a creative outlet to escape their harsh realities. Ryan Seacrest is certainly no stranger to the public eye. He’s a morning talk show co-host. He has a syndicated radio program. He’s an executive television producer. He replaced Dick Clark as our New Year’s... Read More

On Top of Their Game

These varsity athletes score big in more ways than one. Amaya Ugarte, Windermere girls track Ugarte, a senior, became Windermere’s first state champion in any sport when she claimed the triple jump title last spring. She is an eight-time state medalist in her career and is looking to go out with another remarkable season before moving on to Ohio State. OFM: The 2019 season was... Read More

Getting Personal

Solar Bears head coach Drake Berehowsky on his love of hockey, being a parent to six kids and where he likes to spend his time off. 1. I started playing hockey when I was 8 years old. My brother got me involved; my parents didn’t want me to play and get hurt, but once my brother started playing I wanted to be like him and I wasn’t going to be deterred. 2. I grew up in Toronto.... Read More

Miss Congeniality

Jeanne Robertson’s family-friendly humor makes it way to Orlando next month. Dressed in a red blazer, black pencil skirt and stiletto heels, Jeanne Robertson walks across the stage, microphone in hand. She’s telling an uproarious story in her trademark Southern drawl about her husband and an ill-fated trip he made to the supermarket in a video titled “Don’t Send a Man to... Read More

Ready For More

On the heels of a recent string of success, including receiving her second Academy Award nomination, Margot Robbie reprises one her favorite roles in Birds of Prey. Margot Robbie’s love of Harley Quinn is really only just beginning. A character enveloped in the fog of Suicide Squad has been unharnessed and allowed to break free into her own stratosphere of curious, eccentric,... Read More

Relying on Instinct

After putting her career on hold to start a family, Jamie-Lynn Sigler returns to the spotlight with a renewed energy and plenty of wisdom. Jamie-Lynn Sigler is as all-American as motherhood, baseball and apple pie. The Sopranos star who we watched grow up as Tony’s inquisitive teenage daughter Meadow and who went on to leading roles, stepped away from her TV career a few years... Read More

Getting Personal

Orlando comedian Ken Miller on getting into stand-up, winning Steve Harvey’s spotlight contest and being a big college basketball fan. 1. I was always a funny kid. So I told all my friends that when I got old enough I was going to be a stand-up comic. I used to listen to Richard Pryor cassette tapes as a kid and I told myself I’m going to be Richard Pryor when I grow up. Now... Read More

Still Standing

With a career spanning five decades, Sylvester Stallone has proved to be, if nothing else, resilient. He’s experienced both the highs and lows that come with life in Hollywood, and yet after all this time, the rugged and chiseled 73-year-old is still going strong. And it’s with that mindset that he has made a regular habit of offering his millions of fans across the globe some... Read More

Orlando Family Magazine: Year in Review 2019

A look back at our best interviews from 2019, along with a recap of all our top lists, from physicians, attorneys and dentists to Best of the Best and much more. THEY SAID IT! Memorable quotes from our best interviews in 2019. “As an actress you’re always expected to look perfect, wear the latest design, and always look your best. Sometimes you want to wear a T-shirt and... Read More

Getting Personal

Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director Eric Jacobson on meeting his wife, spending time in Minnesota every summer and the power of a live musical performance. 1. I am in my fifth season as music director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. I wanted this job because the orchestra has such an amazing history and spirit of openness and adventuresomeness, and because Orlando... Read More

A Good Time

Saint Motel is pushing boundaries and having fun while doing it. Critics have called the music made by Los Angeles-based band Saint Motel many things, including garage glam, indie pop and funk rock. But if you ask lead singer A/J Jackson, he’ll sum it up as “a good time.” And that may just be the most accurate description for everything this band does. With catchy songs, elaborate... Read More

Nothing to Lose

With a heavily established career and a settled home life, Nicole Kidman prefers to just go with the flow. Whoever it was who said “age is nothing but a number” had it right where Nicole Kidman is concerned. The Australian actress, 52, has bucked the trend of female stars finding roles increasingly difficult to come by as their years advance. In fact, one could argue that she’s... Read More

Getting Personal

WFTV’s Action 9 reporter Todd Ulrich on how he likes to start the day, being an avid cook and what he’s learned after 35 years of fighting to get consumers heard. 1. I’ve found consumer reporting very rewarding because of the results we can achieve for someone. And by telling their story, we help other families avoid the same mistake or scam. Despite what some business owners... Read More

Enjoying the Ride

While Matt Damon goes full speed ahead in the new Ford v Ferrari flick, he’s learned over the course of his career to slow down and appreciate the journey. You could never say Matt Damon doesn’t commit to his craft. Whether that entails starving himself for one of his first major films in Courage Under Fire, piling on the muscle for his starring roles in the Bourne franchise,... Read More

Cream of the Crop

These eight standout student-athletes are primed for greatness this winter. Zach Anderson, Apopka basketball A 6-foot-7 senior forward, Anderson is a three-year starter who helped Apopka win a district championship in 2018 and post a 22-4 record last year. He will continue his career at Florida Gulf Coast University. OFM: Last year was a great one for Apopka, although the team battled... Read More

Getting Personal

iHeartRadio host Jana Sutter on getting bit by the radio bug, being on the move and how she likes to start each day. 1. My interest in radio began when I was about to graduate from the University of North Carolina and I found myself winning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see Oasis Unplugged in London. My favorite band and my first trip overseas. It was an MTV contest through a local... Read More