JoAnna Garcia-Swisher Interview

JoAnna Garcia-Swisher is ready for a busy Summer with her husband, Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, and prepping for what appears to be a return to TV! She was mum on what exactly the project will be, but JoAnna is eager to get back to filming after her most recent series, Better With You, was cancelled. She's in the midst of a new campaign with Merck called "Let's Go There," designed to encourage women to talk to their docs about birth control options. The topic matters quite a bit to JoAnna, who grew up with an OB-GYN for a dad. In addition to the press work, JoAnna's in the middle of her husband's baseball season. It keeps them plenty busy, but she has time to catch up with other players' wives and girlfriends, like Cameron Diaz. JoAnna spoke to us about life on the road, the joys of being seven months married, and how she loves to scope Nick out as he exercises. She said:

• On how things are different now that she and Nick are married: "There is something so special about it’s not just me anymore, it’s a real we. Any job that I take, he’s very much someone that I consider, he’s my family, he’s everything to me. It is special, it’s really special. And I always say, don’t do it unless you’re ready for it, and don’t do it unless it’s with the right person. There’s ups and downs to marriage, and I’ve seen it. My parents have been married for over 40 years. It’s not always going to be a honeymoon. But the respect, and that sort of sense of respect and obligation to being with each other and being respectful to each other, is a really special place to be."
• On working out with her professional athlete husband: "I love working out with him — he looks good when he works out. He’s really supportive, he’s really like, 'Come on! You can do it!' And I’m just half the time like, 'No! I don’t want to!" But most the time when Nick and I work out I tend to just stare at him a lot."
• On her Summer plans and, hopefully, the Fall's too: "Summer plans right now — [I'm] very excited to be part of the "Lets Go There" campaign right here in New York, [and] also spending time with my husband. Better with You ended, we found out a couple of weeks ago, which is sad, but I’m very excited about what’s to come. Thinking that I’ll probably come back to television sooner or later — I think there’s always something in the works in that regard! I’m very excited, I can’t wait to share all the news. It’ll be exciting and I’m excited to do something a little bit different. I can’t wait to share with you guys!"
• On her dream project: "I love doing comedy. I feel really comfortable there and I love to laugh and I love to be goofy. But I am probably most well known for my comedic work, which is something that I’m humbled by, but I love doing drama too. So I think it’s all about the role for me. And I think I would love to try something edgier and darker and maybe a little sexy — so that’s sort of where my head’s at right now."

To read what JoAnna says about meeting her husband, her and Nick's much-delayed honeymoon, watching baseball with Cameron Diaz, and more, just read more.

• On meeting her husband Nick: "With my husband it was sort of a lightning in a bottle sort of thing. We knew pretty instantly that we were meant for each other which is pretty exciting. Everyone always says when you know you know, and I knew, I really did."
• On what it's like watching games with Cameron and other baseball wives and girlfriends: "There’s not much sports talk! Obviously we love our men and we’re there to support them. But we’re certainly not players and we’re certainly not coaches. Some of the wives are more knowledgeable about baseball than others so I usually pick their brains. It’s a nice time to hang out with girls . . . in the box it’s fun! We usually have a couple of glasses of wine and enjoy our day."
• On a vacation: "We have no vacation days! Nick has no vacation days. I can have a vacation — I could do a girls’ trip! I’m very much looking forward to taking a honeymoon with my husband. We got married during the middle of my season of Better with You. Our lives are pretty demanding. The great part about it is when one’s not working, we’re with each other. I spend a lot of time on the road with my husband, which I love because I love being with him, but it’s a different sort of Summer plan. But it’s going to be my life, so I’m very excited about it."
• On her and Nick's Winter honeymoon plans: "It’s definitely going to happen in the Winter. I’m like where is it warm in the Winter? We won’t be in New York. We will be somewhere in the other hemisphere."
• On how important being a strong woman has been for her: "I grew up with a dream — I wanted to be an actress from a very early age. I was very blessed to be able to move to LA and be able to do that. . . the idea of being an empowered woman means that I’m not going to settle for anything. It means that I’m not going to be in a relationship that’s not working for me, I’m not going to be in a job I’m unhappy at."