For those of you who saw the sneak previews, you might remember Evonne the exotic dancer in the film.

Many of you have expressed concern and interest about her life these days, so I asked her to write an update for you. She posted her update in the forums, but I thought it was significant enough to copy it here as a blog. I should explain that since the film, Evonne stopped dancing for a living. Also, her hands were shaking on the film because of some prescription medication she was taking - not anything illegal. She talks about her medical issues below. Here goes:

Liza asked me to write and give an update, as many viewers expressed concern for me and/or were wondering what I have been up to since filming ended. First, I'd like to thank those of you who were concerned. You had good reason to be, I was a mess when those interviews were taped!

I think it was touched on in the film, but right around the time of filming my husband left me for our neighbor then was killed in a motorcycle accident. His friends and family treated my very cruelly during this time, even going so far as to bar me from his funeral. I had done nothing to deserve that kind of response.

At the same time, I was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr and I'd also had a rather complicated sinus surgery in which a facial nerve was damaged leading to a horrible, 2 year addiction to serious painkillers like Dilaudid and Fentanyl. I was extremely depressed and felt absolutely hopeless and angry at the world. Shortly after filming, my cat BooBoo (who was in the film) died of cancer. She was all I had left and I fell apart.

After all of that crazy tragedy, I took stock of my life and realized that things could not continue as they were for one more minute. I checked myself into the hospital and detoxed for 7 days, finally getting off the painkillers...it was possibly the hardest thing I've ever had to do, both mentally and physically. I went back to church, got a job and 2 new baby kittens and I haven't taken painkillers for 3 years now!

I am still struggling to figure out what to do with my life as far as a career, and am still single, but happily single. One major difference from the film is that I now realize that it's OK to be alone...that I probably won't turn into the crazy cat lady I feared I would become...but even if I do, it's OK as long as I am content in my heart. I finally realize that I don't need someone else to make me complete, that I am just fine on my own.

In the film, I felt that I came across very "woe-is-me" and it was hard to watch myself looking so sad and hurt. Most of my opinions have not changed and I still feel that my looks and my subsequent reliance on them have been a destructive force throughout most of my teenage and adult life. Upon reflection after being a part of the film, I came to the conclusion that perhaps it is not whether or not one HAS beauty, but rather what one chooses to do with it.

- Evonne