Showing skin equals success in Hollywood?
Former 'Boy Meets World' star Maitland Ward says she’s proud to show her body and sexuality
NEW YORK – Maitland Ward was the girl next door on the hit family show “Boy Meets World,” but she’s all grown up now, as evidenced on her numerous red carpet appearances wearing next to nothing. Ward, 37, visited the FOX411 LA studio to discuss how she dropped layers of clothing in order to shed her good girl image, and recharge her career.
FOX411: Why did you decide to start appearing on the red carpet in the most revealing outfits?
Maitland Ward: It’s kind of interesting because when “Girl Meets World” came back, an interest in “Boy Meets World” got renewed, everybody was very excited about it, and I had taken a self-imposed break for a few years. I went back to school in New York. I moved to New York for a few years and I studied screenwriting. I was kind of out of the business for a while so when the “Girl Meets World” thing came about everyone got excited and interested, so I said, “You know what? I’m going to start getting back into this thing.” Honestly, I have a lot of fashion designers who really like to work with me and have given me stuff, and I like to take bold chances. I want to have fun with it. I want to play with it. It’s like an acting experience every time you go on the red carpet. It’s like you’re in a new costume.
FOX411: Have your appearances helped you get jobs or hurt?
Ward: It’s helped me garner a lot of interest. I’m starting to do a movie next month basically because of my appearances and because of my interest in Comic Con and costumes, and stuff. So, I’m doing a sci-fi action movie where I kick some butt, and take some names next month, and it’s really upped my profile. It’s also shown me in a new light. I’m an adult now. I’m not going to be taken from a role I did years ago. I love that role but I want to show I’m grown up. I’m a woman. I work hard.
FOX411: But is that the only way to show that you’re a grown-up, independent woman by being sexy, because that transition seems to happen a lot in Hollywood like Miley Cyrus or Selena Gomez.
Ward: No, it’s not the only way. I work really hard on my body. I’m not one of these actresses that starve herself or does any stupid things. I mean I work out so I’m proud to show my body and my sexuality, but I’m also a lot of other things, too. I’m a college educated woman. I’ve been married for eight years so this is the only scandal around me.
FOX411: But can wearing revealing clothing on the red carpet overshadow your talent by focusing on your body primarily?
Ward: It could in some effect do that. I mostly found that it hasn’t. I mostly found that people take notice, and once they take notice they ask you questions like we’re talking today. Would I have gotten attention from news outlets or from people who want to do interviews with me? No, I wouldn’t have.
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