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Originally from Oklahoma, Suzy Amis Cameron moved to Paris for three months to model when she was in high school. Three months turned into nine months and, after graduation, over three years. Her career eventually led her to New York where she begin acting and she soon found herself in LA for a role. While she always believed she would return to NYC, fate had other plans. "Something kept keeping me here," Suzy explained. "I now know why, five years into it is when I met Jim on Titanic." She's talking about her husband and Academy Award-winning director James Cameron, who she met as an actress on the set of his 1997 Blockbuster.
Fast forward to few years and Suzy, now the mother of five children, has seen the struggles kids face in the school systems. Rather than homeschooling, she decided to found The MUSE School, a nonprofit environmental school, with her sister Rebecca Amis. It was to raise money for kids' scholarships that the idea for Red Carpet Green Dress was born.
When Avatar was released in 2009, Suzy needed a gown for the Oscars and decided to have a global contest where contestants would submit designs and plans for an Oscar worthy gown to be made from sustainable fabrics. The proceeds from the entries and sponsorships would go to scholarships for the children of MUSE School CA. The Red Carpet Green Dress competition, which was initially only going to be one-year event, is now in it's fifth year with hundreds of applications coming in from all over the world. 2014 marks the first year of the menswear division. "At this point it's not about a pretty dress on the red carpet anymore," Suzy told us. "We all wear clothes from the day we're born until the day we die. There is so little awareness out there." This year's winning looks will be worn by Kellan Lutz and Olga Kurylenko to Sunday's Academy Awards.
We met Suzy, who is in the midst of writing books about the connection of food and the environment, fresh off a trip from New Zealand where we talked about all things sustainable, guilty pleasures and where she will be watching the Oscars this year.
What are you drinking today?
"It's parsley, spinach, kale and carrot juice."
What has been your best vacation?
"Probably Tahiti with the family."
Proudest moment in life?
"I am most proud of being a wife to an amazing man and being the mom of five fabulous children."
What is your Suzy off-duty attire?
"Yoga pants and tennis shoes on the elliptical doing conference calls."
Oscars or Independent Spirit Awards?
"Been to both!"
What is your best habit?
"Eating plant-based and excercising."
What books were you reading on the flight from New Zealand?
"I've got about five books going right now. Food Choice and Sustainability by Oppenlander and Colin Campbell's new book called Whole. I'm in the midst of doing a lot of research for the books I'm writing."
What is your guilty pleasure?
"Champagne. Veuve Clicquot champagne."
What Oscars events are you excited about for this weekend?
"We did our very first Red Carpet Green Dress event last night and on Sunday we'll be watching the Oscars from home in jeans. We get to watch all the arrivals and see our beautiful dress on Olga and our tux on Kellan. I'll be in the comfort of my own home, not in high heels!"
Night In or Night Out?
"In."
What do you do to relax?
[Laughs] "That's a funny question! I would probably take a walk or go jump on the elliptical again. That's the most soothing thing I can do for myself."
When you're on the elliptical, if you're not on conference calls, are you listening to music or watching tv?
"I usually have my iPad and am answering emails and listening to music. I also crochet and knit while I'm on the elliptical. My brain works better when I'm moving, I've learned that over the years."
Coffee or Tea?
"Tea."
What word to you say on a daily basis?
"Groovy."
What is your favorite childhood memory?
"Riding my horse or learning how to fly a plane."
One day at a Time or Plan Things Out?
"Plan things out."
What is your first stop when you get back to LA after a long time away?
"There's an amazing hill behind our house so probably taking a walk up that hill."
Any summer plans?
"We are planning on going to Tahiti again, then I will go from there back to New Zealand and go skiing because it is winter time in New Zealand in July and August."
Life motto?
"The mission of the school: To live consciously with myself, others and the planet. If we don't do something for our environment now, our children will turn around at some point in their lives and wonder why we didn't do anything."
· Red Carpet Green Dress [Official Site]
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