IF ACTRESS SASCHA KNOPF DOESN'T BLOW YOU AWAY with her exotic beauty, she'll drop you with her comedic wit. It's this one-two punch that has elevated the Long Island native from little-known indies to the big time. This June, Knopf plays opposite Danny DeVito as his ball-busting girlfriend in the highly touted MGM feature What's the Worst That Could Happen?
Still often recognized (and getting tired of it) as the model for the cult classic Vampirella comic book, Knopf says landing the role couldn't have come at a better time. "It's great for my career," says Knopf in between bites of lunch at Beverly Hills' Mandarette restaurant, "I have done lots of little projects, so this was quite a thrill, and a bit of a relief, if you want to know the truth — like taking 10 valiums or something like that. Indie projects are fun, but it gets tiring working 16 hour days and eating pizza for breakfast."
In What's the Worst That Could Happen?, Knopf plays a Playboy bunny who desperately wants to change her life and become a newscaster. DeVito owns the station where she applies for the job, and in order to qualify, she sleeps with him. "DeVito plays somewhat of a buffoon," Knopf says, "so my character has to sort of bite the bullet in order to further her career."
Word of Knopf's hilarious performance in the film got around to the Farrelly Brothers, and the famed directing team was so impressed with Knopf they added a part just for her in their next film Shallow Hal. Most recently, Knopf was seen in a cameo in The Believer, which received critical acclaim and won several awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
Knopf hopes her roll lasts forever, as she thrives on performing. "I love the magical moments where you completely forget where you are. Call it brilliance or God — it makes everything worth it, all the rejection and the hard work. I guess I'm just lucky to be getting paid to be creative. I've wanted to be in this position for a long time. And I'm very proud of my work because I've done it pretty much all on my own. No family in the biz or anything like that, just lots of training."
One of the best things about starring in a big feature, says the actress, is being treated as if you're important. "Sometimes I feel like I'm fooling everyone," she says, "But it definitely feels good to know that believing in yourself pays off. When I was 10, an agent told me I was too 'ethnic' looking. It ruined me for 12 years. I didn't audition again until my 20s. Some of that hurt still stays with me. But I use it to remember how far I have come."
—David Kohner Zuckerman
