Alyssa Milano Gives Us the Scoop on Project Runway All Stars

Project Runway All Stars season three host and actress (star of the ABC drama Mistresses) Alyssa Milano gives MC the rundown on her stint in the reality show's hot seat.

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MARIE CLAIRE: Have you always been a fan of Project Runway?

ALYSSA MILANO: Yes! My husband [CAA agent David Bugliari] and I have watched it since the first season.

MC: Now that you've done both reality and regular television, which one do you prefer?

AM: They're rewarding in different ways. With Mistresses, there's a creative fulfillment that comes along with playing a character. Project Runway All Stars was about being present in the moment. Reality TV is not about acting, it's about reacting. I found that very liberating.

MC: What was it like being on a judging panel with designers Georgina Chapman and Isaac Mizrahi?

AM: They are complete pros. I've never seen people give insults masked as compliments as well as they do.

MC: How did you hit it off with the guest judges?

AM: Gabourey Sidibe [episode four] was hilarious. She's the kind of girl you want to invite everywhere. She had the quote of the season: "I kind of base fashion on whether or not Beyoncé would wear it."

MC: Which contestants stood out to you as front-runners?

AM: Jeffrey Sebelia and Korto Momolu.

MC: How did your experience working on your own clothing line influence your ability to judge the designers?

AM: I had a better appreciation for choices that were made, fabrics that were used, and time constraints.

MC: Did anything surprise you about hosting Project Runway All Stars?

AM: I have heard that reality TV can be staged, so I was blown away by how raw the emotion was. I thought there was going to be a team of people telling me what to do, and that would have ruined the show for me.

MC: What's the key to being a great host?

AM: Allow yourself to be opinionated and don't worry about being disliked or wrong. Allow what's in your heart to come out. And be yourself.