“Leave it to Lamas” on E! stars our cover girl Shayne Lamas and the madcap adventures of a Latin family from true Hollywood royalty.

It all began with screen legend Fernando Lamas who in the 50’s was the prototype for the ‘Latin Lover.’ He married classic beauty – and movie star – Arlene Dahl and Lorenzo Lamas was born.  Lorenzo went on to star in films, including “Grease,” 80’s primetime soap “Falcon Crest” and the 90’s syndicated series “Renegade,” among others.  Then came his daughter  Shayne Lamas who began on “General Hospital” and went on to win season 12 of “The Bachelor.”  Add to this her brother AJ, sister Dakota, and mom Michele and you have E’s new hit series.

We spoke to Shayne during her exclusive photo session with HOMBRE, inspired by her ‘old Hollywood’ past now coming full circle to a modern day reality.  

H: How does it feel to be followed by cameras 24/7?

Shayne Lamas: It’s definitely a challenge.  But after a while it feels almost normal, which is good because we want to give our viewers everything real, nothing fake.

H: How did the concept for the show come about?

SL: E Network approached me about doing a reality show and I said let me think about it.  We shot a mini pilot and they loved it and they said ‘how would you feel about getting your family on board?’  I went to my mother and she signed on and then I talked to my sister and then my brother and my dad was the last to sign on; it became something more than what I thought it would be and it’s amazing.

H: How is it working with the family?

SL: We said we’re all going to get to work together, see each other, be with each other and through that process we’re going to get  to work on our relationships, the dynamics we have with each other.  The audience will see everything inside our family.

H: Tell us about the show.

SL: It revolves around my life and the family dynamics in my life so you’ll see my 19 year old sister Dakota starting her music career, recording her album and she’s my best friend.  You’ll see my brother and follow his career. My mother is mom to all of us, she comes in and out and you see that dynamic and of course you see the dynamics my father and I have and the relationship that’s trying to heal between my father and my brother.  We play very important roles in each other’s lives and we’re a very close family so it’s a family show. Our viewers can relate, everyone has family issues.

H: Viewers will compare your show to “Keeping up With The Kardashians,” how are the shows different?

SL: “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” is a great family show and E picked us as their next family show. We’re just different in our dynamics, our personalities. Each one of us is a wild card. Drama happens around each one of us and between us together all the time.   We’re more raw; we just open ourselves up to the audience to show what is really going on.  We come from Hollywood royalty, my grandfather  was Fernando Lamas and grandmother was Arlene Dahl.  We grew up in this Hollywood town and it shows  what goes on in a real Hollywood family from generation to generation.

H  What are your expectations for the show?

SL:  It’s just funny, dramatic and real. It’s been an amazing time working with my family and I just hope that people watch it and say ‘I want to be like that with my father, I’m going to go tell him how I really feel;’ ‘I’m going to try and fix this relationship with my mom.’ I hope they get something from our show instead of wasting 30 minutes of their time.

H:  Tell us about your career prior to the show.

SL: After high school, it was Hollywood or college and I booked a role on “General Hospital” so I started working and after “GH” I moved on to films.  Then I went on “The Bachelor” on ABC and got engaged and then came back with more films. I’ve been acting for a long time, acting classes since I was a child. Growing up on my dad’s set I knew that’s where I wanted to belong.  That’s where I felt the most normal and watching the craft unfold in front of my eyes is a beautiful thing and the best rehearsal for my career.

H: What are the films you have coming up?

SL: “In The Pines” is a teen thriller where I play the lead girl and “Deep in the Valley” with Denise Richards which is a funny, quirky, cute movie. Those are the ones that are coming out soon.
I’ve always been an actress at heart.  Reality unfolded on our laps, it was an opportunity we could not pass up because of what it will do for our family as far as relationships and working together. We’re all actors, that’s our job.  This is a great project and I wish it all the best and success and many more seasons to come but at the end of the day we all have our own careers on the side and the show documents that. We are working actors doing our business and our careers, and you will see that on the show

H: Tell us about your heritage.

SL: To me, I will always have my Latin booty (laughs), that will never go away!  It’s a wonderful mix of blood that I have and that my dad passed on to me. I have Latin roots and I love it. It’s a part of me and I embrace it 100 percent.  I’m proud to be a blonde Latin woman!

H:  Okay, let’s get personal, what’s your relationship status?

SL: Single Shayne, living my life at the beach with my sister Dakota. Single, looking for the one!

H:  What’s your idea of ‘The One’?

SL: A man that makes me laugh and supports me and embraces his heritage and my heritage; embraces my life. At the end of the day a man who will cuddle up with me on the couch, with a glass of wine, and make me laugh, will definitely steal my heart.

H: What other advice do you have for a man to win your heart?

SL: For a man to try and win my heart he would have to smile, call once; don’t call twice until I call you back!

H: What’s a good date for you?

SL: I’m a normal girl; a walk to the beach with my dog Madison, a good dinner and a good glass of wine. I’m very simple to please, I’m not that high maintenance

H: So he doesn’t need to pick you up in a helicopter?

SL: No, you don’t need a helicopter (laughs), but you do need to be wearing great, fabulous shoes! And you always have to come with something in your hand on the first date or you will not be allowed!

H: Something?

SL: Anything, a flower, a note, anything!

H: How was the experience of participating in “The Bachelor”?

SL: It was a hard experience, you like somebody and there are 20 other girls who like the same man but it’s an experience. I would rate it a 10 and I would never take it back.

H: It must have been unusual for you to compete for someone’s attention?

SL: It was interesting to me. A lot of girls looked at it as a competition and I just couldn’t.  No one can win somebody’s heart. It’s how the other person feels also.  You just pray that at the end of the night this man has as much feelings as you do and there are enough feelings that you’re the one left at the end. I was blessed that that is what happened to me.

H: What did your father think of you doing the show?

SL: In our family we don’t dis anyone for what each other does career or entertainment wise. All we’re there to do is support. I support my father in his career and he supports me in my love life and my career.  We’re a very close family.  So whatever I do my dad will support me, he will definitely have questions and thoughts and he will speak his mind as far as men go and any man that tries to mess with me, it will not end pretty!  And I love having that, having a dad that protects me.

H: Why should viewers watch the show?

SL: Viewers should tune into the show because we give them every level. There are so many dynamics going on  with everyone’s different personalities.   So there will be somebody for someone to relate to and at the end of the day we are the most entertaining family you could ever watch in your life.  We are hilarious, dramatic; we lead this fabulous, beautiful life we are blessed to have and anybody that tunes in will see the love and will see the laughter and they will laugh themselves and they will cry themselves. The dynamic of the show goes on every level and that is what makes an amazing television program.

Tune in to the E Network on Sundays at 10.30pm!   

Text: Francisco Romeo
Photographed exclusively for HOMBRE by Shacham Zaguri
Styling: Claudia Kaye
Hair: Lana Grand
Makeup: Carla Farra
Additional imaging by Stoffel
Location: Beso, LA, CA www.besohollywood.com 
Special Thanks to Patrick McCarthy and Anderson Group Public Relations