MAGGIE

The Designated Survivor star opens up about her badass career and her passion for healthy living.

By BETHANY HEITMAN

Photography by MEI TAO

APRIL 2018 HEALTH.COM 85 “You have to challenge yourself. Otherwise you’re wasted.”

“OOOH,they have lemon cake with vegan cream cheese frosting—that’s so hard to find! I’m getting a slice of that. You should get a slice of cake and one of their chocolates. I’m determined to show people how good vegan desserts can be.”

That’s what Maggie Q says as we check out the treats at Cocoa V, a vegan pastry shop in New York City. Between her excitement over these she’s got a big fight sweets, her complete scene to film, she’d obsession with dogs (on prefer not to fake it with our walk to the shop, a stunt double. Nope, the 38-year-old stopped she’s going to train like to talk, yes, talk, to two crazy and get it done pups on the street), on her own. Likewise, and her warm, friendly if she wants you to appearance (she’s understand the benefits fresh-faced and rocking of going vegan, she’s not a gorgeously oversize going to preach at you. camel-colored sweater), Instead, she’s figured I’m a little thrown off. out that it’s way more This isn’t exactly what effective to show you I was expecting from the research so that you an actress who has spent can decide for yourself her entire career kicking and then introduce major ass in action you to animal-free food movies like Live Free or that’s lick-your-lips tasty. , , and “If you’re destined to Mission: Impossible III. be better,” she says, But over cake, pepper­ leaning back in her chair, mint tea, and lots of “you have to challenge conversation, Maggie yourself. Otherwise the persona and you’re wasted.” Listen Maggie the person begin in as Maggie talks about to make sense. how she got her start as In my time with her, an actress and why she I learn that Maggie has continuously strived Maggie cozied up with this believes in challenging to improve herself— pup from Best Friends Animal herself, always. So if especially when it comes Society, a no-kill sanctuary that she works closely with. to her work, her activism, Find out more about the group

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86 HEALTH.COM APRIL 2018 APRIL 2018 HEALTH.COM 87 outside for her and there In your late teens, was a woman at a table be talking more about you left your home in near the front door of the I am a reformist, not an the culture that has Hawaii to move to Asia, Impossible III wanted venue. I asked her what abolitionist. supported these men. where you modeled to see me for a role. she was doing, and she and eventually started So I flew to Los Angeles. said she was from PETA. You post a lot about You’re engaged to acting. Tell us about I woke up the morning We wound up talking, and animal rescue. Dylan McDermott. your early career. of the audition with a I asked her to send me Tell us more about What have you had a 105-degree temperature. all the research she had. that passion. learned about intimacy management company I went from shaking and Shortly after that, I was The nice thing when you and relationships at the time, and he was freezing to sweating flying to Thailand with grow up without money over the years? looking for young stars to profusely, but I did the my manager to do this is that there’s no option I thank God that I’m not train for a new generation audition anyway. The soft-drink commercial. to buy an expensive the person I was years of action movies. He casting director coached I opened the research Labrador. My parents ago. I feel so sorry for chose a number of me through it. She said, and started reading. were like, “You want an the men [from my past], guys, and I was the girl. “If you can hang on for a By the time the plane animal? Go to a shelter or because I was very I think because of my few more hours, this is landed, she looked at me find it on the street.” I have centered on myself. I was background [as a high going to change your life.” and said, “You haven’t a special connection to all about my ambitions school track athlete], they I said, “Okay, I’m going spoken the entire flight.” dogs. We breed animals and what I was going to were interested in me. to go in the room and get I said, “I’m done with and overprice them and achieve in my life. I never But there’s a difference it.” I read three scenes meat, I’m done with the then millions are dying in took from anyone, and between being a runner for J.J.Abrams, and right whole thing.” She started shelters every year. Even they could never get close and being a kung fu there he offered me the laughing. We went to if you don’t care about to me. They really tried, fighter. I couldn’t even movie. I ended up back in dinner that night with our animals, that just makes and I loved them—it’s touch my toes back then. my hotel room, so ill, with clients and I said, “Oh, I’m no sense. just I didn’t know how to the curtains drawn for not eating meat.” They do it. I wasn’t there yet. I So you literally went to two days. When I finally asked how long I had What has it been was more concerned with action-star boot camp? woke up, there was a huge not been eating meat, like being a woman never having to depend Yes, exactly. For every gift basket in my room. and I said, “Ten hours.” in Hollywood during on anyone for anything. film that they wanted me The note said, “Here’s to a They all started laughing the whole #metoo I was going to marry the in, I’d have to go through great mission. Love, Tom and guessing how long conversation? person I loved, not the months of extensive Cruise and J.J. Abrams.” it would last. But I did My [fiancé’s mom, Eve person I needed. I wanted training. Jackie has a That’s when it really sunk it. I quit cold turkey Ensler] is a human rights to achieve everything that team of martial arts in that I had gotten it. and never went back. I experts who trained me. People see me now in After that you went action movies and they on to appear in many go, “Well, you’ve been other action-packed doing it your whole life,” roles, including the and I’m like, “Not even lead in the TV show “Your talent has to mature with your remotely.” I was 20 when . But your role on I started training. I was Designated Survivor is age. You just can’t go around beating into the challenge. I didn’t a bit different—your mind proving myself in character is more of people up your entire career.” something that I didn’t a quietly confident know. And because I’d badass. Is that what done track races and drew you to her? and women’s rights competitions my whole I think that your talent activist. She wrote a I wanted to achieve on my life, there was a level of has to mature with your haven’t eaten meat in play called The Vagina own and then go, “I pick victory that lived in me. age, and you just can’t go 20 years, and eight years Monologues and has you. I want you, but I don’t around beating people ago I gave up dairy. been fighting for the need you. I can take care You were born Margaret up your entire career. rights of women for of myself.” That always Quigley but started What was nice was that How do you approach many years—way before mattered so much to me. going by Maggie Q while the creator of Designated trying to inform others? Hollywood started living overseas. Why? Survivor didn’t hire me When that woman from speaking out. Women And it matters less They couldn’t pronounce because he thought I PETA asked me if I was an have been suffering these now? Quigley in Asia. So that’s could kick someone’s ass. animal lover, I said yes. abuses for so long, for It does, because I think Hairstyling by what birthed the name He hired me because he But at the time, I wore fur; as long as the world has there’s strength in using Paul Seiji Q. When I came back to thought I had the internal I had snakeskin this and existed. What’s incredible sensitivity. There’s Mitchell at the States, half the world strength that it took to crocodile that. I was one about right now is strength in knowing that the Wall Group knew me as one thing, play a character like her. of those disconnected that when it happens collaboration and help is

Makeup by so I couldn’t change it. That meant a lot to me. people. That’s why I to Hollywood, people beautiful. It’s what bonds using Gita Bass It felt like a maturing of don’t get angry and go listen. I’m happy that it’s you. It’s what intimacy Simple Skincare at And what finally brought what strength is. all “How dare you?” on out. The fact that these is. At a certain age you Starworks Artists people. That’s not really men were able to get go, “Okay, well, this thing you back to the States? Manicure by I worked in Asia and fair. I try to understand away with what they did keeps happening. It’s not Switching gears, Liang Europe for seven years. let’s talk about your people’s journeys. If they because of the climate working, and the unifying using Sparitual I heard through a friend activism. How did you say, “I can just do this of fear they created, factor here is me, it’s not nail polish at of a friend that casting get involved with PETA? now,” I think, “Great!” that’s what needs to go someone else.” It doesn’t Honey Artists directors for Mission: I was meeting a friend at away. And we need to just change, you have to

Styling by a concert, and she was do the work. Jennifer Hitzges running late. I was waiting at Creative Space Artists APRIL 2018 HEALTH.COM 89 MAGGIE S YOGA

The actress has practiced yoga for nearly 20 years, but it wasn’t until she started studying a form of hatha at Katonah Yoga in New York that she became passionate about it. “Danielle Rosati [a certified Katonah Yoga teacher] has made me fall in love with my practice. Her enthusiasm and knowledge take you deeper and create a foundation to build on for a lifetime.” Here, Danielle shares a bit more about the studio’s method. FOREARM STAND How is it different from the standard yoga class This advanced move flips your perspective upside down, you may find at a gym? changes your relationship to Most yoga classes are meaning how you live in gravity, takes pressure off either fitness based or your body influences how your feet, and flushes your guru based. At Katonah, you’ll experience life. brain with blood and oxygen. we teach you why and how to do the pose, what What are the benefits? its benefits are, and how Participating in a to use it to transform your yoga practice increases body and your life. A huge circulation and oxygen­ CROW POSE piece of our theory is ation, flushes organs and This balancing pose that one’s physiology glands, and strengthens strengthens the arms, wrists, informs their psychology, and stretches the entire and upper back; tones the abdominal area; and requires body. Here are some full body integration! specific benefits related to each pose.

SHIN CRADLE Strengthen and stretch hips, hamstrings, and calf muscles with this move. It’s great for people who sit a lot. Clothing: Lululemon sports bra; shop.lululemon.com. 2(x)ist pants; 2xist.com. pants; 2(x)ist shop.lululemon.com. sports bra; Lululemon Clothing:

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