Interview: Eva La Rue

For seven years on CSI: Miami, Eva La Rue‘s Natalia Boa Vista tracked down the creepiest creeps and witnessed some devastating scenery. Now, with the show no longer on the air the actress is setting her sights on more glamorous horizons with the launch of her new jewelry line. As one door closes, another door opens, and La Rue talked to Shane Saunders about the latest projects in her life.

CSI Files: Now that CSI: Miami is over you have a new jewelry line out. What drew you to the idea of working in women’s accessories after finishing a run on a popular TV show?

Eva La Rue: About two years ago I started tinkering with the idea and it sort of happened by accident. My jeweler suggested the idea and I thought about it and went, “Why not?” It would be fun to do while I’m on hiatus during the summer. Last summer I started sketching some things out and started putting together a group of people that I liked and trusted enough to work with, and I always thought I would work on it during my hiatuses; it turned out my hiatus went on a little bit longer that I imagined. [Laughs.] It ended up being perfect timing. Really perfect timing.

CSI Files: You see celebrities with a clothing line, the hair products, cologne scents, just a variety of different products these days. What sets yours apart from the others?

La Rue: What sets mine apart? I’m going to be really honest: most people put their name on a line that already exists. The celebrity goes in, picks out a grouping of things that they like the most, and then they put their name on it. My line, start to finish, I did the designing.

CSI Files: This is really new territory for you, coming from a background where you’ve mostly participated in acting. What kind of research did you do to understand the jewelry market?

La Rue: I’m still learning as I go, and definitely learning a new business is fraught with its ups and downs. I’m loving it because it’s another cathartic artistic outlet for me that I’m really finding, not only fruitful, but just… I love it. People keep asking me since CSI: Miami‘s been over “you must be bummed,” “how are you coping?” “what are you doing now” and I’m pretty happy with what I’m doing. Obviously, I would like to work in the business again and I really want to do a comedy next; I really would like to do a comedy next. Until them, I’m feeling pretty creative doing what I’m doing. There’s a big learning curve, but it’s been really fun.

JEWELSOURCE_SEP1 6 — Samples from Eva’s line

CSI Files: Is this something you foresee yourself expanding upon? Would you start branching out into clothing and perfumes?

La Rue: I think I want to stick to jewelry. Perfumes are for the bigger media stars, and I think that works well for them. I don’t think you have to be a big star to have a jewelry line; if something’s pretty, I think people will want to buy it.

CSI Files: Miami ends, you move on to a pilot with Mandy Moore…

La Rue: Oh my gosh, I was so excited about that, but it wasn’t meant to be.

CSI Files: People were a little confused about what your involvement with Miami would be if the pilot got picked up. Hypothetically, would you have worked consecutively on both projects? Or would it mostly be the comedy and then appear on Miami every now and again?

La Rue: I was just going to be doing the comedy and then appear every now and again on Miami. We had heard a lot of things like we might only get a partial season of Miami even if we were picked up. The problem with being the whim of the network is that you’re at the whim of the network. I really felt like I needed to explore other options because I might end up without a job; which I did. [Laughs.] And all of our writers were looking for other jobs! My contract was up and it didn’t look like they were going to bring me back.

CSI Files: Help for the Holidays is your upcoming TV movie airing on the Hallmark Channel. How different of a project was this to what you had been working on for the past seven years?

La Rue: It was a fun, sweet Christmas movie! It’s all about the family and being more available for the family. There’s love and tears and joy, so it’s a sweet little movie. [My daughter] Kaya has a little cameo in this one. A little nepotism working her way. [Laughs.]

For more on Eva’s new product line, and to stay up-to-date with all of her latest projects, visit EvaLaRue.com