Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe HOLLYWOOD, June 20 (UPI) -- Young wannabe actresses dream of glamour, mansions, limos, dating Tom Cruise, award-winning wardrobe and goddess status. Then there's Mindy Sterling who co-stars in the new "Austin Power in Goldmember," due for theaters this summer. Advertisement Sterling, an attractive 48-year-old character actress, may have dreamed of becoming a stunning magazine cover girl but she has fallen somewhat short of that questionable goal. In place of becoming an alluring sex kitten, she has attained a different level of fame, or perhaps infamy. Sterling, bless her heart, plays Frau Farbissina in the new Austin Powers comedy, just as she did in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" in 1999 and "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" in 1997. For the uninitiated, Frau Farbissina is the "henchperson" of the malevolent Dr. Evil in the hugely successful Austin Powers comedy series. Advertisement Doubtless, Frau Farbissina is not what Sterling had in mind as her career destination when she made her acting debut in "UFOria" back in 1980. All the same, the comely Mindy Sterling finds herself an integral part of what may prove to be the most enduring comedy series since the Marx Brothers. The Austin Powers movies are a not-too-subtle takeoff on the wildly popular, long-running James Bond 007 cloak-and-dagger pictures, spoofing the British clandestine operative with wildly improbable plot twists and outrageous characters. Among the most outrageous is Frau Farbissina, who may best be described as a combination of Frau Blucher in "Young Frankenstein" (played hysterically by Cloris Leachman), and Lotte Lenya who played the ineffable oddball Rosa Klebb in "From Russia With Love," a 1963 Bond movie. As Frau Farbissina, actress Sterling is a formidable figure in the path of hero Austin Powers and the mistress of the baneful Dr. Evil, both played by Mike Myers. Sterling finds the off-center Farbissina a godsend for a character actress. "I've loved doing these three Austin Powers pictures because Frau Farbissina is so much fun to play," Sterling said this week. Advertisement "I want her to continue to do more Austin Powers. Mike (Myers) is so much fun to work with and the ensemble cast and crew is like family. "It doesn't even feel like I'm working. I feel like I'm going to a party when I report to the studio. It's wonderful. "Mike makes the films at the old Goldwyn Studios. Now they just call it 'The Lot.' "They're saying this is the last Austin Powers film but I don't believe them. I keep thinking there will be more. "I also love these picture because they only occupy about six weeks a year for me, leaving plenty of time for other acting projects." Asked if there were any similarities between herself and the imperious nut case Farbissina, Sterling chuckled. "I hope not," she said. "But I have a pretty loud mouth and I could probably make myself heard. But I'm essentially sweet; that's the big difference between us. "I also like to think I'm a little better looking than Frau Farbissina." Sterling clearly is about 200 percent more attractive than the disagreeable battle-ax she plays. "The makeup department makes me look somewhat more severe for Farbissina who is pretty bitter. They apply darker makeup and go heavier on the face." Advertisement She enjoys the freedom Myers and director Jay Roach give the actors in these films. "They're very generous with listening to ideas on the set," she said. "If you make a suggestion or something, Mike makes it easy to play with. "But we don't like to take liberties with the script because it's fabulous as it is, yet we feel perfectly free to contribute. "I've been very lucky and blessed to find this part; these movies have become so successful." Sterling, however, has mixed feelings about fans of the Austin Powers series who approach her to offer congratulations, praising her performances. The distinction between Farbissina and Sterling is as great as the gulf between Rosie O'Donnell and Nicole Kidman. "More doors have been opened for me as a result of playing Farbissina," Sterling said. "It's one of those parts that an actress dreams about. "These are very big movies and would make any actress happy. They make a lot of money, and, thank goodness, my salary keeps going up. I would like to see it continue." Since the first Austin Powers comedy five years ago, Sterling has worked in six movies, including "Drop Dead Gorgeous," "Idle Hands," "The Sky is Falling" and "Totally Blonde." Advertisement "I had no idea so many parts would come my way because of these films," she said. "I've been swept up in the Austin Powers fever. "I'm a character actress and play all kinds of different stuff. Character roles add richness to movies -- and we get to keep our clothes on!"
