Page 17 - Real Style May 2018

the character and my excitement to portray this life real. In my personal life, I have horses and cattle and enjoy coming home to them every night. I share stories
RS: Off screen, you are known for your charitable work with farm animals. Tell us more about this initiative.
RS: How do you maintain a healthy and balanced diet with such a busy schedule?
AM: Being in the film industry has its advantages. While on set the cast and crew are fed three meals a day. Now, in a way you have to be disciplined because there are so many options - both healthy and not. I am lucky that I enjoy eating healthy and usually pick healthier options on the menu. But there are definitely days when I will pick the deep- fried option instead. I also love chocolate and ice cream, but I am very good at rationing myself. I think the most important thing is to eat what makes you feel good and to balance it with proper exercise.
always give you an honest reaction. There is no acting involved. I naturally play off the emotions of the horse and they always speak the truth. There is
a freshness to it. Every take is different, and it always keeps you living in the moment.
RS: What are the biggest challenges of being a Canadian actress?
AM: I would say there are only benefits to being a Canadian actor. I love our fans, our support. Everyone has always been so respectful of me and what I do. I compare my lifestyle with that of an actor in the U.S. who has very limited privacy. I am happy for the country that I live and work in.
RS: What are you fitness and workout secrets?
AM: I never sit down. It has always been a joke on the Heartland set that they never
put out a chair for me, because they know it will not be used. I constantly keep busy whether
at work or on my ranch. In the warmer months, I find myself working outside until the sun goes down, then I’m up at sunrise and ready to go again. During the winter I tend to hibernate a little bit more, but I still keep active.
AM: Many different animals live happily on my farm. My husband and I do all the work ourselves, so I ensure that any animal I bring home will be able to have a fulfilling life with us.
I have never been one to have a workout routine or go to a gym. I find that the activity in my daily life keeps me in the shape I am most comfortable with.
that happen in my life with the writers of Heartland in hopes of keeping things real and current for the viewers.
RS: How is it working with horses, compared to acting and working with people?
AM: Some of my favourite scenes are written with dialogue only to a horse. A horse will
I highlight different charities in my Life & Style Magazine and do charitable appearances when I can help out. In the past, I have volunteered at animal shelters, wildlife rehabilitation centres and veterinary clinics. I love all animals and being able to give them a voice.
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