Whitney, Teen Ink publishers John and Stephanie Meyer, and I sat on a curving couch waiting for Andrew Shue. Within minutes, he appeared in the doorway. There was no aura of movie-star glamour about him; in a casual shirt and dark trousers, Mr. Shue seemed an ordinary (albeit strikingly attractive) guy.
As I soon found out, Mr. Shue possesses much more than good looks. He has a quirky sense of humor (he began the interview by wiggling his eyebrows and announcing in a mock-serious tone, "And so we begin the taping of 'Andrew Shue: An Intimate Portrait. '") that is offset by a serious commitment to helping others.
Acting - though his main claim to fame -seems low on his list of priorities; he spoke of his years on"Melrose Place" with only lukewarm enthusiasm.
Mr. Shue lit up, however, when the topic turned to community service, his true passion. He spoke enthusiastically of the various organizations he has founded and nurtured. (
ClubMom.com is his latest). Mr. Shue put me at ease with his lack of pretentiousness and relaxed demeanor, and impressed me with his obvious dedication to helping others and his appreciation for what really matters in life. His charm and commitment made the interview an experience I will remember for a long time.
