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JEZEBEL: Happy birthday! How will you be celebrating?

Alyssa Milano Thank you! I’m going out to dinner with my family; they live in Los Angeles.

JEZEBEL: Is this a typical birthday for you?

Alyssa Milano I would much rather go have a quiet dinner than do the VIP thing.

JEZEBEL: What’s your favorite thing about having celeb status?

Alyssa Milano Being able to use my voice to empower people to affect change.

JEZEBEL: Least favorite?

Alyssa Milano Paparazzi! I’m usually not bothered by them because I stay away from the places they stake out. Sometimes it’s inevitable though; like, they’re always camped out at Los Angeles International Airport and there’s no way for me to avoid that. You’re in line, and all of a sudden three guys with cameras start taking your picture, and you’re standing there like a doofus with everybody looking. It’s more embarrassing than anything else.

JEZEBEL: They blow your cover!

Alyssa Milano Yep! It’s a nuisance. But there is a way to avoid it if you’re a celebrity. You don’t have to go eat at The Ivy, you don’t have to shop on Robertson [Boulevard]. I’ve been able to avoid it for the most part.

SHE’S DECIDEDLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND HER 25-YEAR CAREER ATTESTS TO THIS.

JEZEBEL: You were only 10 when you landed the role of Samantha Micelli on Who’s the Boss?! How did you handle growing up in front of America?

Alyssa Milano I have an amazing family–my parents have been married for 39 years–and they instilled in me what is important in life, which is family and being a good person. I was never the “actress”; I was the daughter and sister who acted. That had a lot to do with my normalcy. My childhood was pretty basic.

JEZEBEL: You’ve managed to recreate your image and constantly evolve. How?

Alyssa Milano For me, one of the reasons why I’m still acting and successful is because I never project into the future. I don’t have a set idea other than I like what I do and I would like to continue doing it. The best thing you can do is grow as a human being and hope that your choices, and your career, reflect that growth.

SHE’S JUST AS BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE AS SHE IS ON THE OUTSIDE.

JEZEBEL: You were named a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF six years ago. How did you initially get involved?

Alyssa Milano In 2000, I lived in South Africa for three months and I volunteered at a children’s hospital and a township, and when I got back to the states, I had a really hard time assimilating. My parents suggested I contact UNICEF as an outlet for that [humanitarian] side of me.

JEZEBEL: Recently, you also were named Founding Ambassador by the Global Network For Neglected Tropical Disease Control. What inspired your interest in this form of relief work?

Alyssa Milano My mother is a very giving, nurturing person, and I think that I have a lot of that in me. And, being in South Africa when they were just starting to adjust to apartheid being abolished, it was virtually impossible to not get caught up in their social situation, so I would definitely attribute that as a catalyst. Plus, it brought me great pleasure and happiness.

JEZEBEL: What do your duties entail for each?

Alyssa Milano I do everything from field visits to empowerment. Using my voice to affect positive change in whatever capacity they need me. These are my two passion projects!

JEZEBEL: Another one of your passions is sports! You’re a huge sports fan and a total baseball fanatic, so you’re basically every guy’s dream girl...