Monica Sweetheart, the very popular Czech model and moviestar, compatriot of Silvia Saint, Daniella Rush, Lea De Mae from the days of "The Academy" (the movie that inspired Katja Kassin to join the glamour world) has kindly written from the Czech Republic to say that she has seen and loves all the posters and wallpapers of her best friend, the late Lea De Mae that Donati in China and myself created.
Monica said the poster of Lea "Where In The World" was beautiful. I was really delighted to receive two messages from Monica in the last week.
I asked Monica if she would consider giving an "Interview" or "Questions & Answers", so that I could post this on the Web. Monica kindly agreed.
I have now sent off 30 questions on general interest topics As soon as I hear back, I will publish this on the Web.
An Interview with Monica Sweetheart - Questions & Answers. Dear Monica,
Here are some 30 questions of general interest that you may care to answer.
MUSIC & MOVIES:
Q1Please can you tell us what kind of music you like? A1I love listening to music... I do it everywhere I can :)I like a lot of kinds.. but here r some fav. Robbie Williams, lately Mika. Queen were always my fav. Freddie is still the best for me....Beyonce, Justin Timberlake.... Q2In the CzechRepublic, which singers and groups are popular and which ones do you like? A2We have a lot of good Czech music here..... there are so many singers now I like... Aneta Langerová, Helena Vondráková, of course Karel Gott.... I love all the Oldies :) groups like Lucie, Chinaski.. Q3Who are some of your favourite international singers and performers?What shows or concerts have you attended? A3I don't go to see concerts very often.... but I really liked Moby, Robbie W., Lucie...I went to Grammy Awards in LA once.... I think 4 years ago... it was great, cause I could see so many great singers in one night :) Q4Have you seen many of the old Hollywood movies and the many musicals?Do you like some of these?With Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, etc? A4I guess I will disappoint u here.... I havent seen any of it :( Q5Have you seen for instance Casablanca (Humphrey Bogart/Ingrid Bergman) described as the best bad film ever made! or Gone With The Wind? A5:( Q6 Have you seen Orson Welles in Citizen Kane or The Third Man both highly rated movies? A6:( Q7 Are these old films shown on Czech TV or do you get them on satellite TV? A7I am sure they show them here, not very often though................ so I have to check them... I am sure they are your fav, right? :) Q8.Do you like some of the bygone singing stars i.e. The Beatles Elvis Presley Frank Sinatra Bing Crosby Mario Lanza? A8Of course I know some songs.... I like some, but I dont have cds of them... Q9.Do you play any musical instruments yourself? A9I don't play any :( I only love to sing, but I am a horrible singer... I only sing in my car, when I am alone :)
HOBBIES, INTERESTS, LANGUAGES Q10.What hobbies or pastimes do you enjoy? A10Hobbies.... today I went mushroom (picking) in the forest with my father :)... love that... great relax! I like to go for all kind of trips... travelling... see sights..I have a dog Miki, 7 years old, crossbreed :) ,we walk a lot...and play.... Reading, watching movies... I only like funny stories...comedies.. never horrors.. now in the summer time....I like to swim, I spend a lot of time in the water. Q11Are you a tennis, skating or sports fan?How about Keep Fit or Yoga? A11Sports I like are running, spinning, gym [only if I am in the mood..... not often :)] But right now... for the last month... I am in love with Bikram Yoga......... it's the best !! Q12Are you a good cook?Favourite foods? A12I am a good cook... I like to cook.... I like to try new foods.. I just look at the cook book :) Fav food... love Czechfood, but it's not very healthy...... Italian pasta, sushi. I like fish!! And fruits... Q13What were your favourite subjects at school or college? A13Czech language, arts, history... I didn't like maths.. Q14Are you any good at maths and science? A14:( Q15 How about other languages?Of course, we already know that your spoken English is excellent!
A15Of course you already know I am not that good in English :).... but now, after 9 years I am out of school... I decided I have to improve... so I will start with my English lessons againin September, after that I want to try FCE !! Hope I will make it :)
Hello :) I am back..... FCE ... The Cambridge First Certificate in English. HOME:
Q16Can you explain if possible a bit about the history of the splitting up of your original country into two countries (now The Czech Republic and Slovakia) and the language differences then and now? A16 Well, I was still very young to understand that, 11 years old, all I know there were not good relations between us... I guess we just wanted to prove, that we can do much better as a separate country. I think we r doing pretty good without them :) Just kidding, I like Slovakian! Q17Apart from Czech, which is your favourite and/or best language? A17I like French.... sounds so good, but very difficult to learn for me!.-.....or am I just too lazy??? :) Q18Can you tell us a bit about your country and your cities and where you live? A18I like my home very much, that's why I always coming back home.. I love to travel, but I need to know, that my home is waiting for me.. I still live in the same town I was born.. I just like to be close to my parents.. ( I am the only child ). Beroun is small .. beautiful nature around... hills, forests... thats what I need.. Prague is great to visit, but I cant live there... TRAVELLING: Q19How many other countries you have travelled to or lived in? Q20And which are your favourite countries? A19/20 A lot, that's the best part of my job!! :)my fav countries... Dominican Rep., Brazil, Thailand.... I was in Alaska once, great time.. of course I like all European States... I really have no bad experience... I loved all the places in the world.. I enjoy the differences.. Q21Did you travel much before your modelling/movie career? A21Before, I was only travelling for holidays with my parents... my first trip was to Bulgaria.. My grandmother was from there, so we went to see the family [actually, I am going to see them in two weeks again :)], my dad took me in to Italy when I was child, we travelled to Germany, Poland... usually for shopping :)....not very often.. Q22.You had your photo taken with your best friend Lea De Mae (Andrea) at Le Pont DAvignon, the famous bridge in France about which a childrens nursery rhyme was written. Please can you tell us about that visit to France? A22It was very nice time... we were shooting a movie there for SinCity. Great people and beautiful place... all u need to feel good:)And there were photographers from Hot Video, they took us in this place, took some pics of us... FUN!! Q23Photos of you travelling with Lea and Daniella, also Sue Diamond are on the Web. Can you tell us about some of the journeys? Were there any funny or dramatic incidents? A23We were really like a family, no kidding.. It was so great to be together.. very interesting I don't remember any conflicts... still can't believe how it ended, but I guess all the good things have to end one day.... but we have the memories, right?? We were friends also back home, not only in work time... we spent a lot of free time together too..
JOBS, MAINSTREAM FILMING: Q24Apart from modelling/movies, etc., did you ever do any regular jobs? A24I never tried a regular job.... I was waiting to finish my school leaving exam. After that, I went to shoot my first nude pics in Prague :) I studied economics, I didn't like it at all!!!It was my mams choice, she didnt care what my dreams were in that time.. Thats why we had a really bad relationship...(it's good again now) :) Q25If you hadn't joined the glamour world, what would you been doing instead? Q26From your appearance, elegant and stylish, we wonder if you like fashion designing or art at all?Can you draw or paint? A25My dream really was fashion designing... I wanted to study that, but the school was in Prague.... Too far from home, my mam said :( She thought Prague is too dangerous for me.. so I stayed in Beroun. I was so disappointed!!! A26:) I always loved to draw.. Q27Can you tell us about any involvement in mainstream filming or TV? A27I never wanted to be an actress....I dont have this kind of talent I think :)....I am actually very shy!! But I have some experiences now... ..a little one.. in mainstream...(I told u about that ) It was a lot of fun..
GLAMOUR MODELLING/FILMS - THE FUTURE: Q28If you could live this early part of your life again, do you think that you might choose a different career? A28I think I would choose different one.. its fun in this time, but one day I want to have family and kids.. Plus, I want to find love outside from this business.. and thats hard!! I feel it already now.. Q29As you didn't, we have the pleasure of speaking to you. Please can you tell us a bit about your friends and colleagues over the last 6 years or so, particularly your colleagues from your own country, who we have come to know and admire? Q30Any thoughts for future projects or other interests? A29/A30All my friends I had, u know..... I always have only a few of really good friends around me... not much.. I have no more good friends in bus... but that's ok.. I guess time for another part of my life is coming :)
*Explanation re. A11: "Spinning" ...... it's riding on a bike, but in the room with other people... with loud music :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Message to Monica:
Thanks Monica.
I will be posting these up soon.
I am sure everyone will want to join me to thank you again for your kindness in participating in this "interview".
As for the next part of your life, I wish you every happiness and hope that all your dreams will come true.
I haven't heard from Monica for a while. I spoke to her about a year or so ago, actually by mistake, when her phone number came up on my mobile phone! It sounded as if Monica was at a party.
As far as I know, Monica is in her home place Beroun I think it is, in the Czech Republic.
I am not sure if Monica is still modelling, but she was the youngest of the "Dream Team" appearing along with Silvia, Daniella and Lea (also Sandra Russo) in "The Academy".
I will write to Monica again - maybe she will reply? Maybe Monica is married now?
Wow! Yesterday, I telephoned and spoke to Monica Sweetheart!
For several years, I had been unable to contact Monica as her old e-mail address was no longer working.
I explained to Monica that I had just found an old e-mail that she kindly sent me 18 years ago on 17th July 2006 giving her mobile phone number and I found that it still works!
I mentioned to Monica that she had kindly answered and supported my "Interview" questions idea in July and August 2007.
In Monica's e-mail of 17th July 2006, she mentioned "Tomorrow I drive to Budapest to see Robbie Williams concert.. I cant wait :)"
In a couple of the 2007 questions, I had been asking Monica if she had seen some vintage Hollywood movies such as "Citizen Kane" (1941) and "The Third Man" (1949) both starring Orson Welles and as it seemed that she had never seen these famous movies, I always wanted to send her the movies (Dvds) by post from London.
Yesterday, I sent a text message to Monica which I have copied to Chris (Lea's good friend) and Martin (creator of Silvia's original Websites) hoping that Monica might write to me so I can send her the movies. I have more than 20 titles put aside so far dating the 1930's onwards (including "Lost Horizon" (1937) starring Ronald Coleman and in glorious technicolor "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) starring Errol Flynn & Olivia De Havilland (also co-starring Basil Rathbone & Claude Rains) and "The Mark of Zorro" (1940) starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Basil Rathbone.
If I do hear from Monica, I will let you know. I sent Monica the link to her topic on this Forum as she mentioned that after 18 years she didn't remember our previous contact going back even 20 years - but if Monica reads parts of the Forum about herself and her late best friend, Lea De Mae, I am hoping that she will remember.
It was great to finally make contact again with Monica. Monica had kindly corresponded with me during 2004 (a few months before Lea passed away) - till late 2007 when her old e-mail address ceased working.
On 20th December 2004, Monica wrote about Lea:
"Hi Victor, thank you for your email. I cant even express by words how much I am misssing her. She stays in my heart forever...
I wish you Marry Xmas and very happy new year!
Monica"
On Monday (26th August 2024), Chris has kindly sent a message to Monica by "What's App" and I have sent one too today although I am not familiar with this mobile phone programme and I also sent a text message (with some difficulty not having a proper keyboard to use to compose the message).
Meantime, I have selected a collection of 26 Dvds that I hope Monica will allow me to send to her in the Cz (I presume that Monica still lives in Cz).
Some of the movies are quite famous and are mentioned in the "Interview" postings in July & August 2007 on this Forum when Monica was such a good sport to answer a lot of questions I put to her as a kind of interview.
The Dvds/Movies I have ready to send are listed below (and include Monica's favourite Freddie Mercury of "Queen"). 20 of the movies were made before Monica was born! You may have seen some of them?
LIST OF 26 DVDs for MONIKA in CZECH REPUBLIC - August 2024
THE 39 STEPS (1935) starring Robert Donat
LOST HORIZON (1937) starring Ronald Colman
THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) 2-DISC EDITION starring Errol Flynn
THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) starring Tyrone Power
CITIZEN KANE (1941) starring Orson Welles
HOLIDAY INN (1942) starring Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire
CASABLANCA (1943) starring Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman
HIS BUTLER'S SISTER (1943) starring Deanna Durbin - largest fan club in the world
CAN'T HELP SINGING(1944) starring Deanna Durbin - her only film in colour.
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1947) starring James Stewart
THE THIRD MAN (1949) starring Orson Welles
ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) starring Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck OKLAHOMA (1955) starring Gordon MacRae & Shirley Jones
HIGH SOCIETY (1956) starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly & Frank Sinatra
KING CREOLE (1958) starring Elvis Presley - filmed in New Orleans
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) starring Sean Connery
VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964) starring Elvis Presley & Ann Margret
YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) starring Sean Connery - filmed in Japan
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) starring Topol
ENTER THE DRAGON (1973) starring Bruce Lee
THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987) starring Timothy Dalton & Maryam d'Abo
UNDER SIEGE (1992) starring Steven Seagal
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1994) starring Mara Wilson
INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996) 2-DISCS EDITION starring Jeff Goldblum & Will Smith
FIRE DOWN BELOW (1997) starring Steven Seagal
QUEEN - THE DVD COLLECTION (2002)2-DISCS starring Freddie Mercury
These are the covers fpr the 26 Dvds that I would like to present to Monica as a token of our sincere thanks in kindly supporting our "Questions Interview" in July & August 2007. Regards, Vic. 31 August 2024.
* see Question 1 in the posting on July 29 2007 where Monica replies:
"Queen were always my fav. Freddie is stil the best for me...."
