Mena Suvari and Jay Bulloch

Mena Suvari is an Australian actress who made the jump from modeling to starring in major budget films like American Pie and American Beauty. After divorcing filmmaker Robert Brinkmann, Mena now lives with Pilates instructor Jay Bulloch after divorcing from Robert.

As an underage teenager, she was a ‘naughty’ girl who enjoyed drug culture, smoking pot and having on-set sex. Additionally, she liked to show off her body by tanning like a ray of sun – which according to her wasn’t always flattering for her physique.

Her early work included a minor role in the beloved classic “The Last Starfighter” (1996) and an offbeat turn as an emo daughter of a wealthy couple in ‘Snide and Prejudice’ (1997). Despite her relative inexperience, Director Gregg Araki noticed her talent with an ensemble appearance in “Nowhere” (1997); later she earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for “American Pie”, catapulting her into fame and fortune.

She wasn’t satisfied with her rebellious lifestyle and set out on an epic eight year journey that involved more than a few casual relationships and some truly bad choices in men. One such relationship was Tyler, a lighting engineer who lived the high life on a budget that left her penniless at month’s end. She claims she slept on the floor, smoked pot daily and didn’t shower for over a year – all while living off of food stamps and cash advances.

The good news was she survived the ordeal, though it took a long time and left her feeling guilty about what had transpired during those eight years. After returning home, it proved difficult for her to get back on track; but ultimately it took a trip to Australia and an appreciation for life’s finer things to get her on track again. Now back on track, the most important lesson learned is: take your time with the right person.