Katharine McPhee talks Smash and Malaria No More
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Katherine McPhee, star of Smash
Katharine McPhee stars in Smash, Sky Atlantic's US musical drama, as the talented but green Karen Cartwright. In addition to her acting and singing career, she is a passionate philanthropist.
Katharine shares a dream with Malaria No More to end malaria deaths in Africa. MSN had a chat with her about Smash and her charitable endeavours.
What was your most memorable moment filming Smash?
It may sound cliché but we have such a great cast and crew and production team that it feels like family. I truly have enjoyed each moment and continue to do so.
What's your best Smash storyline? Why is it a favourite?
That is a tough question because my storyline from beginning to end was all about where I would end up in the musical - Marilynn or not Marilynn - and what it might take to get there. I loved the fact that Karen stayed true to who she was and in the end it worked out for the best either way.
Why do you think Marilyn Monroe remains such an icon so many years after her death?
Personally she was so endearing. You could not help but love her and she had an iconic style. She seemed to have summed up the style of a generation.
You feature in a Malaria No More UK's latest awareness campaign Mozzy Air! What's it all about?
I had an unforgettable visit to West Africa earlier this year with Malaria No More US. We spent time in Burkina Faso, a country where malaria is the highest cause of school absenteeism. It's also where I helped build a primary school and this trip meant I finally got to spend time there!
I met many inspiring people doing life-changing work to fight malaria (the full story features in Malaria No More UK's latest awareness campaign - Mozzy Air.
It features powerful stories to show that malaria is preventable and treatable and also gives people the chance to share their own story if they have been affected by malaria or know someone who has been.
What projects have you got on the go and where can we hope to see you next?
I am blessed to be working on a great project with Malaria No More, BuildOn.org, and Circle of Sisterhood where we are planning to build three-six new schools in Senegal where at least 50% of the students must be young girls.
Malaria No More
Katherine McPhee in Africa
The students will also receive mosquito nets and education how to use them so that they will not miss school due to malaria.
We are back shooting the second season of Smash in New York City (NYC). Also, in 2013, I will have a new solo record out on Columbia Records. I worked on it during the hiatus and will continue to do so on weekends in NYC. I'm very excited about it.
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