For the second year in a row, SoBe Lifewater grabbed a beautiful woman, flew her to a tropical locale and painted her in lizard-like scales to promote some new flavors. This year’s human canvas: Jessica Szohr, whom you of course know from your favorite CW series, Gossip Girl. With new episodes beginning next week, we checked in with the actress to talk dating, movies, encounters with psychotic fans and, oh yeah, what it’s like to be photographed in nothing but paint. (Try to act like you don’t already know.)
MADE MAN: So, is body paint comfortable?
JESSICA SZOHR: Well, it was like an eleven-hour process to put on. I definitely took some naps. But everyone was so professional, and it was very tastefully done. And I remember when I finally got to look in the mirror, I couldn’t believe it. It looked incredible.
MM: You shot in two different skinsuits. So two eleven-hour days of lying around naked, being coated in body paint?
JS: Two separate days, yep. But it was all worth it because it turned out to be such a beautiful piece of art.
MM: Did you have any ill effects from the Costa Rican jungle? Looked like you were around a lot of leaves…
JS: In the trees, on rocks, in the water. Um, no! It was fine.
MM: Do you envision a future where everyone is just wearing SoBe skinsuits?
JS: I think I had dreams while I was being painted of everyone in these skinsuits.
MM: Do you have a favorite SoBe flavor?
JS: I like the Macintosh Apple Cherry very much. And I really liked the red skinsuit that they did for it.
MM: So did we. Very much. Let’s take a moment to watch a video of you at the shoot…