The new Bionic Woman -- Michelle Ryan -- shows what it takes to impress an ambitious girl whose life is better, stronger, and faster than yours
By: Mike Zimmerman, Photographs by: Brian Bowen Smith
By: Mike Zimmerman, Photographs by: Brian Bowen Smith
Color me disappointed. I meet Michelle Ryan -- Jaime Sommers on NBC's reimagining of Bionic Woman -- at Trader Vic's Lounge in the Beverly Hilton, and not once during our time together do I hear the bionic sound: ch-ch-ch-cheh-cheh (or however you write it). There's no slo-mo when she lifts her elegant wrist to sip her drink. She does pull her supernatural brown hair back from her super ear at one point, and I just know she can hear my belly gurgle. If peristalsis turns her on, I'm her dream guy.
Ryan, 23, is a new face for American audiences, although she's been acting in her native England for 7 years, including a stint on the hit Brit show EastEnders. Now she's set to follow in the footsteps of Jessica Alba (Dark Angel) and Jennifer Garner (Alias), and become TV's sexiest ass kicker. This Jaime Sommers, after all, is not a relic from the '70s. The stunts and effects are more Matrix than Mannix.
Ryan, 23, is a new face for American audiences, although she's been acting in her native England for 7 years, including a stint on the hit Brit show EastEnders. Now she's set to follow in the footsteps of Jessica Alba (Dark Angel) and Jennifer Garner (Alias), and become TV's sexiest ass kicker. This Jaime Sommers, after all, is not a relic from the '70s. The stunts and effects are more Matrix than Mannix.
For Ryan, this means training -- lots of it. She works out 90 minutes every morning, and three times a week she does 2 hours of Krav Maga (Israeli self-defense). Since Bionic Woman shoots in Vancouver, she also gets to enjoy the "Grouse Grind," a full-out scramble up Grouse Mountain, which is 15 minutes north of the city. "And don't forget the smoothies, nuts, and healthy food," she says with a grin. "It's really intense, but mentally it feels so good having to get in shape and trek up mountains. I love it."
Her blue eyes shine brightly enough to cut glass when she talks about her new job. She's clearly jazzed at the prospect of being consumed by a hit TV show for several years. (She has a 7-year contract.) "When I had a shot at the job, I thought, It's a dream role. I'm 23 and my character's 24, so we're almost the same age. I'm on this journey of self-discovery, moving away from home for the first time, taking my first big job, living on my own for the first time, and doing things for myself. I feel like I'm constantly learning and growing. There's so much to explore."
And that, gentlemen, is the challenge we face when presented with an irresistible woman who has bionic ambitions: a career, responsibilities, and commitments. And we're not just talking about TV stars. We're talking about doctors, lawyers, executives, and entrepreneurs. We're talking about single moms, teachers, soldiers, policewomen, and any women training for triathlons. In short, we're talking about any woman who doesn't need a man. Does she want one? Of course she does.
"Underneath, we're still women," Ryan says. "We still want a man to tell us everything's going to be okay. At the same time, we want to be able to say, 'I can do things for myself. I'll make my own choices.' All the strong females I admire have good hearts. They're not bitchy, but they won't let themselves be taken advantage of. Ultimately, though, they're still women who want a man to hang out and have fun with."
But can your average guy face not being top priority all the time? That's the test, says Ryan, who is currently single and hasn't had much time lately for dating.
"I can be quite serious. Bionic Woman is such a challenge that I just want to focus on it." And that, Ryan feels, will ultimately lead to a man catching her eye. "When you want something and really plan for it, it doesn't work out. But when you're busy having a life and being in the moment, that's when amazing things come up."
In Hot Pursuit of a Super Woman
They're everywhere: women with great careers who are seeking sidekicks for private adventures. One such woman -- a bionic one, no less -- gives her rules of engagement.
Approach Her as an Equal
Remember, this woman is a person with a brain who would like to meet another person with a brain. Your first meeting doesn't have to be more complicated than that. "Don't try to be flash," says Ryan. "There's a thin line between confidence and arrogance. A confident man with a sense of humor about himself is someone I can hang out with."
Strip Down (Psychologically)
Power struggles and similar nonsense have no place in a relationship. "I don't understand the instinct for game playing," she says. "People, not just men, overcomplicate things. Everything in life can be simple. We like each other, so let's hang out and stop playing games."
Find Comfort in the Shadow
Dating a woman with status means having to share her. "You have to be prepared when you're dating someone like that," Ryan says, and she speaks from experience. "When I go to a party, people are always coming up and saying, 'Michelle! Michelle!' If you understand that it's all part of it, that's another expression of confidence."
Don't Look for a Trophy
If you're pursuing a woman simply because her status will improve your own, don't bother. Girls like Ryan have bionic bullshit detectors. "I've been working since I was 16, so I think I have quite a good handle on feeling people out now," she says. "I can tell if a guy is just interested because of 'Oh, it's the girl from TV.'"
Never Intrude on Her Choices
An interesting twist on this incarnation of Bionic Woman: Jaime Sommers is made bionic without her consent, by her bionic-researcher boyfriend, and she's pissed about it. Okay, he did it to save her life. But still. . . . "I think I'd feel the same way," says Ryan. "They want to control her." Then Ryan flashes a devious grin. "Good luck with that."
©MensHealth.com October 2007
Her blue eyes shine brightly enough to cut glass when she talks about her new job. She's clearly jazzed at the prospect of being consumed by a hit TV show for several years. (She has a 7-year contract.) "When I had a shot at the job, I thought, It's a dream role. I'm 23 and my character's 24, so we're almost the same age. I'm on this journey of self-discovery, moving away from home for the first time, taking my first big job, living on my own for the first time, and doing things for myself. I feel like I'm constantly learning and growing. There's so much to explore."
And that, gentlemen, is the challenge we face when presented with an irresistible woman who has bionic ambitions: a career, responsibilities, and commitments. And we're not just talking about TV stars. We're talking about doctors, lawyers, executives, and entrepreneurs. We're talking about single moms, teachers, soldiers, policewomen, and any women training for triathlons. In short, we're talking about any woman who doesn't need a man. Does she want one? Of course she does.
"Underneath, we're still women," Ryan says. "We still want a man to tell us everything's going to be okay. At the same time, we want to be able to say, 'I can do things for myself. I'll make my own choices.' All the strong females I admire have good hearts. They're not bitchy, but they won't let themselves be taken advantage of. Ultimately, though, they're still women who want a man to hang out and have fun with."
But can your average guy face not being top priority all the time? That's the test, says Ryan, who is currently single and hasn't had much time lately for dating.
"I can be quite serious. Bionic Woman is such a challenge that I just want to focus on it." And that, Ryan feels, will ultimately lead to a man catching her eye. "When you want something and really plan for it, it doesn't work out. But when you're busy having a life and being in the moment, that's when amazing things come up."
In Hot Pursuit of a Super Woman
They're everywhere: women with great careers who are seeking sidekicks for private adventures. One such woman -- a bionic one, no less -- gives her rules of engagement.
Approach Her as an Equal
Remember, this woman is a person with a brain who would like to meet another person with a brain. Your first meeting doesn't have to be more complicated than that. "Don't try to be flash," says Ryan. "There's a thin line between confidence and arrogance. A confident man with a sense of humor about himself is someone I can hang out with."
Strip Down (Psychologically)
Power struggles and similar nonsense have no place in a relationship. "I don't understand the instinct for game playing," she says. "People, not just men, overcomplicate things. Everything in life can be simple. We like each other, so let's hang out and stop playing games."
Find Comfort in the Shadow
Dating a woman with status means having to share her. "You have to be prepared when you're dating someone like that," Ryan says, and she speaks from experience. "When I go to a party, people are always coming up and saying, 'Michelle! Michelle!' If you understand that it's all part of it, that's another expression of confidence."
Don't Look for a Trophy
If you're pursuing a woman simply because her status will improve your own, don't bother. Girls like Ryan have bionic bullshit detectors. "I've been working since I was 16, so I think I have quite a good handle on feeling people out now," she says. "I can tell if a guy is just interested because of 'Oh, it's the girl from TV.'"
Never Intrude on Her Choices
An interesting twist on this incarnation of Bionic Woman: Jaime Sommers is made bionic without her consent, by her bionic-researcher boyfriend, and she's pissed about it. Okay, he did it to save her life. But still. . . . "I think I'd feel the same way," says Ryan. "They want to control her." Then Ryan flashes a devious grin. "Good luck with that."
©MensHealth.com October 2007