Cypriot entertainment journalist is a professional name dropper

Miss Ntertainment takes her stories on a run around New York, PAUL LAMBIS finds a driven woman a long way from her island family

Greek Cypriot Nadia Neophytou has spent time on the red carpet, interviewing Hollywood’s biggest stars. When she is not mingling with A-listers, she is out running and conducting interviews with people all over New York, soothing and energising her mind, in her successful web television series called The Rundown.

It all began in December 2010 when she relocated to New York City as a young South African journalist with the goal and dream of one day meeting Meryl Streep over lunch in the West Village. Two years later, she had the opportunity to sit down with the three-time Academy Award winner, though not for lunch, but for afternoon brownies. American actor and film director Tommy Lee Jones was also present at the press junket, talking to Nadia about their film Hope Springs; however, Nadia believed she had accomplished her mission when Streep uttered the words, “new best friend,” after receiving a gift bag from Nadia filled with delicious brownies.

“I refer to myself as a “professional name-dropper”, as a disclaimer of sorts,” Nadia admits, “since I spend a lot of time in the company of celebrities, primarily interviewing actors and singers about their latest projects.”

Nadia believes that entertainment has the power to inspire, motivate, inform and educate people. “Arts, culture, music, movies and theatre have had a huge impact on my life, and I love talking about entertainment, especially good entertainment.”

Nadia was born in rural Benoni, South Africa, the same town as South African Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron. “At first, I wanted to be an investigative journalist,” Nadia tells Living. “I wanted to make a difference in society by influencing others through my work.”

While working as a full-time journalist for a leading African-focused media and advertising company, Nadia acquired a love for South African music, which she credits for her respect for the arts. After being assigned to cover an exclusive, star-studded event at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in honour of Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday, Nadia felt that a life in New York City would be the perfect fit to develop her career as a respected entertainment journalist.

Her dedication to her career, combined with her friendly and confident approach, have earned her the title of ‘Miss N-tertainment’ among her social circles. She has interviewed an impressive list of celebrities, including Tom Cruise, Forest Whitaker, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sarah-Jessica Parker, Colin Firth, Will Smith, Hugh Jackman, Celine Dion, Melissa McCarthy, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Pharrell Williams, Jennifer Aniston, Samuel Jackson, Rebel Wilson and Oprah Winfrey.

“I believe I reached the pinnacle of my journalistic career when I interviewed Oprah Winfrey, because that is, in my opinion, the high of the high,” Nadia says. “You only have three minutes with a celebrity at a press junket, and your brain typically goes into overdrive when you are thinking of a question that has never been asked before. Thankfully, Oprah was impressed with my line of questioning, and I joked that if she was happy, I could retire.”

From covering high-profile events such as the Oscars, Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival, to one-off memorable celebrations that include Prince William and Prince Harry’s weddings and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Nadia has found her voice, as well as her niche in entertainment coverage.

While she clearly loves what she does, Nadia has also penned many pieces that have been published by international publications and has also served as US correspondent for global media networks, covering major political events, disasters and serious news of widespread importance. “This has given me a greater sense and understanding of the world around me,” Nadia admits.

But when she is not in front of a camera or interviewing, Nadia spends her free time running marathons and talking about running as much as she can. She has competed in and completed numerous marathons around the world, even though running was not her favourite sport. “As someone who grew up despising the sport, it proves the old adage that everything is actually possible in this life.”

In her popular series The Rundown, Nadia combines her passion for running and entertainment journalism by interviewing celebrities and people of all walks of life while on the run, at the same time taking viewers on an informal tour of New York’s most famous boroughs. “I have this enthusiasm of getting up in the morning and discovering something new,” she says. “As an entertainment journalist, there is so much out there that we have not seen or done, and you often feel like you are missing out; however, you learn things when they are meant to be learned, and that is what makes the discovery process so enjoyable.”

A few days before the 94th Academy Awards, following a prolonged labour, ‘Miss N-tertainment’ gave birth to her daughter Zoë-Rose. “It was a marathon that became an ultra,” she admitted on social media. “However, I did not have to wait until the Academy Awards to learn who won Best Picture.”

Watch the full interview here.