WL: Your second children’s book, Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully just came out. I’m going out on a limb and guessing that you are Freckleface Strawberry?
JM: Yes! That was the nickname other kids gave me when I was in school in the Midwest.
WL: How traumatic! Is this what the books are about?
JM: Kind of, yes. They’re about when children start to notice their appearance. The moral being that people should accept and embrace how they look.
WL: Well, you give the appearance of being very civic-minded. Are there other causes you support?
JM: I’ve actually lobbied Congress on behalf tuberous sclerosis complex.
WL: So, you are in Washington a lot? What are some of your favorite things to do here?
JM: I have family in St. Michaels, so when I’m in town, I tend to be either on the Hill or spending time on the Eastern Shore.
WL: Do you think Sasha and Malia Obama might be reading your books?
JM: I hope so. You know Michelle Obama’s children are the same age as mine. I’m sure she shares the same belief as I do in the importance of having equality in the school system.
WL: Does your advocacy work and your work as an author affect your acting career?
JM: Not really, I mean it affects me as a person, but not as an actor. I’m able to keep them separate.
WL: Do you have a favorite child actor?
JM: No, I don’t think children should act at all!
WL: Let children be children, right?
JM: Yes, exactly.
WL: You are currently working on a film entitled The Kids Are Alright with Mark Ruffalo and Annette Bening. Coincidence? I think not!
JM: (Laughs) Not quite. It’s a comedy.
WL: Is there something that our readers can do to get involved with Save the Children?
JM: One thing they can do is sponsor a child. It’s really convenient to do on the Save The Children website. You can sponsor children from around the world or from right here in the U.S. A lot of people don’t know that you can help children right here, but you can.
