Emmanuelle Chriqui

Emmanuelle: As my career progresses, I just hope that I can do roles and do things that I can really sink my teeth into and really step up to challenges that I dream of.

Emmanuelle: (on Judaism) You know I grew up with the same holidays and such, in an Orthodox manner, in a Kosher home, and all of that. And those are strict rules to live by that I think really shape your personality and discipline. I think they definitely, whether I knew it at the time or not, subconsciously it definitely seeped in to just create a good balance.

Emmanuelle: (on what she does in her down time) Generally, when I'm in L.A. and I'm not working, I'll read a script, wake up in the morning, do my exercises, call a friend, go to breakfast, pedicure, manicure. That's during the down time, which is amazing.

Emmanuelle: (on her celebrity inspirations) Well, of course the great Meryl Streep. I have a handful of actresses that I absolutely look up to like Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet. I'm a huge Christina Ricci fan. I think as a young actress she's made such great choices. There's young actresses like Kirsten Dunst and Reese Witherspoon that have made amazing choices in their career and create this longevity - like you know they're going to be around for a long, long time and make movies that matter.

Emmanuelle: (on "Entourage") You know, Entourage is the biggest surprise of my career. It's never really been my dream to be on a TV series. But every pilot season, my agent wants me to do something. So this time I said, Okay, look, if I do television, I want to do an HBO show.

Emmanuelle: (on love at first sight) I think love is something you really grow into. But I believe that you can see somebody and really have the desire to get to know them.

Emmanuelle: (on her chemistry with "Entourage" co-star Kevin Connelly) Like I believe…you know, we met and we shared this journey together but I believe we'll be friends for a long, long, long, long, long time to come. So it was always very easy with him.

Emmanuelle: (on working with Usher) He was so prepared. He was amazing. You would never believe that this was his first starring role. He always knew his lines and he was totally open to playing and changing it up. That's something that seasoned people do.

Emmanuelle: (on if being called sexy by a magazine is strange) Yeah, it absolutely is, because sexy is completely hair, makeup, lighting. Let me tell you, when they're seeing me first thing in the morning, they're not calling me sexy. But perceptions are different for everybody.

Emmanuelle: (on being recognized from her role in "On the Line") *NSYNC fans know who I am because of the film. They ask for autographs -- but from Lance [Bass]

Emmanuelle: (on Sloan and Eric's relationship in "Entourage") Well there's so much to explore in that relationship - there are a lot of conflicts that come up with her dad and the guys. But they also have a lot of chemistry and they have a lot of fun together. And it's nice to see a relationship in Hollywood that is not as volatile as Ari and Mrs. Ari.

Emmanuelle: (on the threesome on "Entourage") We were a lot more nervous going into it. But then, you know, you saw it, it was really tame. It was really important to Doug (Ellin, the creator/executive producer) that it stayed classy, tasteful and innocent. I think that's what makes it so funny and why it worked so well. There was some nervous laughing beforehand, but once the cameras started rolling, we got to work.

Emmanuelle: (on her name and heritage) Yeah, I was born in Montreal, and my parents are French, Jewish Moroccan. My mom was born in Casablanca, and my father moved there from Rabat as a kid. That's where they met and married and had my brother. It was then that they decided to leave for Canada.