Eden Sher does such a good job portraying Patricia Heaton’s awkward teenage daughter Sue Heck on the ABC series “The Middle” that people often don’t recognize her in public. “That’s good, right?” says the 19-year-old actress. “On a good day, I probably look about 16, but when the makeup and wardrobe folks are done with me, I probably look about 13.” Sher, who’s on the wait list at Barnard College, says even if she had been admitted, she would’ve deferred for at least another year or two. “I value education very much, but I know that acting opportunities won’t always be there for me. So I’m going to pursue my education a little later and just enjoy working right now.”
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. New York, hands down. I don’t want to be there in the winter, but even then it’s an amazing place.
Q. Tell me about one of your favorite trips.
A. When I was 15 and then 16 years old, I spent two summers in Nicaragua for a service project. I took Spanish classes the first week and got acclimated to Central America. I loved it! It was a really amazing experience and I’m so grateful I got to experience some time there.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. I have a bunch of friends at the University of California at Berkeley, so that’s always a fun drive. Last summer, I took five road trips to Berkeley! It’s so beautiful and you can get there fast, but I like to take the scenic routes and make stops along the way. I have this fire inside me to just know everything about everything and that includes stopping to explore. One time, I almost didn’t get to Berkeley ‘cause I was stopping in every single town.
Q. What are your favorite restaurants?
A. I like Seasons 52 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. I also like the Aroma Coffee & Tea in Los Angeles. I used to get the turkey pesto panini and the garlic fries. But it’s so depressing ‘cause I’ve stopped eating gluten so I can’t eat paninis anymore and they’re my favorite food.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. Sunscreen SPF50 no matter where I go. I carry that around in L.A.! I’m kind of a weirdo about Krazy Glue! I don’t know why, but I always have it in my purse. I sometimes have a pocketknife with me—not on flights, obviously. Also, sunglasses, a hat and dental floss; I travel light in general and I don’t think I have ever had to check a bag.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. Definitely New York, Portland, Ore., Austin, Berkeley, San Francisco.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. Chicago. I have friends who go to school there. It’s funny ‘cause that wouldn’t be that difficult for me to get there, but I’m actually going to get to India first! I’m going this summer for five weeks and can’t wait. I actually got really interested in traveling to India after studying yoga. I have this wanderlust and don’t like doing things without knowing about the history. I really want to study the origins of yoga. I’ll get to do as much yoga as I want and will work in the morning in day care or teach English to illiterate women. I’m really looking forward to this trip.
Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?
A. Both my best and worst memories are of my time in Nicaragua. The experience as a whole was totally redeeming and amazing. It sounds so cliched but I don’t care because I’m saying that from the heart. I stayed with a host family and went back to the same kind of rural farming village outside of Managua. I learned to speak Spanish there. Most of the other kids had already taken Spanish in high school but for some reason I decided to take German instead.
© 2011 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
2 thoughts on “Go Away With … Eden Sher”