The former Maxim model tells us what it was like to get the role of a lifetime playing Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos, chats about her latest performance in the comedy flick Jewtopia, and answers the Same 10 Questions We Always Ask Everyone.

How was getting the role of Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos a pivotal moment in your life?
I think for obvious reasons of how it changed my career, but I had never been in front of a camera before, I had never been on a set before, so everything was brand new. I came from doing community theater on Long Island to being on that show. So it was my acting school, it was my everything school. I felt very protected on that set, I think being one of the only two kids on the set, Jim [Gandolfini], everyone, the whole crew, really looked out for us and made sure we were comfortable and confident, so it gave me everything for my career and my craft, and also just as person. And to have trust in other actors and things like that…It was nothing but positive. I really can’t think of one negative thing from that entire 10-year experience. And that’s really lucky to say.

At the beginning, was it like you were being thrown into the deep end? Were you completely unprepared?
For sure. I’d say my first few days, yeah. I think my first day on set I woke up early and blew out my hair because I thought I had to do my own hair. I didn’t realize I would have people do my hair and makeup. So for sure the first few days it was a little intimidating. But I was a teenager, and being 16-years-old you just kind of try and pretend like you know what you’re doing, or at least that was the kind of teenager I was. So you kind of fake it ‘til you make it. Had that experience come when I was 26 instead of 16 I think it would have been entirely different. It was probably better that I was a kid. When you’re young you’re less afraid of consequence, and I think that helped me.

Read my entire interview with Jamie-Lynn Sigler at Maxim.com