In The Spotlight - Atlantic Business Magazine

Follow Shannon Tweed
on Twitter and
you’ll soon realize there’s never a dull moment for the St.
John’s, N.L. native. She’s made her mark in modelling, acting
and most recently reality TV, starring from 2006-12 alongside
her husband (KISS rocker Gene Simmons), and their two
children, Nick and Sophie. Through seven hit seasons of Family
Jewels on A&E, audiences were given an insider’s view to
everything from the glamour of world tours to the candour of
couples counselling. We watched the kids grow up and witnessed
the couple, who had avoided marriage for 28 years, finally walk
down the aisle. It was ratings gold!
Fast forward to spring 2014 and Shannon is once again poised to
provide viewers with a look at life through her eyes – this time, for
the W Network. Shannon & Sophie will profile the mother and daughter team as they navigate exciting new chapters in Sophie’s career –
like cutting her first record, continual charity work, managing money
and men … even the world of acting.
Matter of fact, the two first partnered up for the dramactic when Shannon
returned to Republic of Doyle for a season five reprise as the gun wielding Frances Lemont. Sophie played her shifty sidekick and since then has
added three more on-screen roles to her credit.
Being back in the homeland for Doyle last summer coincided with two
back-to-back KISS concerts at Mile One. “I got to show Soph around my
old stomping ground, meet some family friends and reminisce with my
sister Sara,” Shannon told us. “I always thought it was important to show
the kids where I come from. I’ll get Nick there one of these days.”
While her work and personal life have taken Tweed around the globe and
then some, there’s no denying the joy she feels being back in Newfoundland. “It makes me happy. I suppose because I was so young when we
relocated to Saskatchewan, most of my memories are childlike – so I
always have that happy feeling when I come back.”
A numbers game...
ONE best piece of life advice? Don’t believe your own press.
TWO for the road: cross country car trip – who’s your co-pilot?
Sophie for sure (Nick and Gene in a sidecar because they’ll have to stop
to look at the girls for Nick).
THREE for the show: your choice triple bill – what’s playing?
The Maltese Falcon (1941), King Kong (the 1976 version, but they
were all great) and Sophie’s Choice.
FOUR seasons: which one is your favourite? I like the fall in
places that actually have four seasons. It’s the most colourful and
even though things are dying, it seems most alive and dramatic in
the fall. Plus I just hate being hot and sun burned.
FIVE-alarm fire: five things you would take? My disc drives
loaded with all my family photos, important papers, dogs (I’ll
count all six as one thing), my two cats and Gene. Everything
else is replaceable and the kids don’t live at home.
You can follow Shannon Tweed on Twitter @shannonleetweed
and visit her official site: shannontweed.com. Photo: Still from Shannon
& Sophie Courtesy Force Four Entertainment, series premiere May 20,
2014 on W Network. Feedback: dchafe@atlanticbusinessmagazine.com;
@SeaAndBeScene; @AtlanticBus; @ABM_Editor; #InTheSpotlight