Kate Upton may be starring in The Other Woman but we all know that in real life, she’s that woman: The curvaceous cover girl of that famous 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The voluptuous All-American blonde who silenced her haters by surpassing her supposed 15 minutes of fame and landing subsequent covers of Elle, GQ, Esquire and Vanity Fair. The model who fast-tracked to the “supermodel” category by gracing the covers of Vogue in Brazil, Italy, United Kingdom and, ultimately, the United States.

Upton has had bit parts in 2011’s Tower Heist and 2012’s The Three Stooges but she now shares top billing with Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann in The Other Woman.

Young and nubile Upton may be the woman that every other woman loves to hate, but starring in Nick Cassavetes’ latest comedy, about three angry women teaming up to plan revenge on a deceitful, three-timing rogue, could be proof that she’s more than her body and sex appeal.

What goes on in that touseled blonde head of hers? More than you’d expect. Here’s what TODAY learnt, right from the horse’s mouth.

The Other Woman opens in cinemas April 17.

1. SHE DOESN’T THINK MEN ACTUALLY CHEAT MORE THAN WOMEN.

I have a lot of guy friends, and they have experienced women cheating on them as well. All of us have been through a cheating situation. It’s really all about how you handle it, and that’s what this movie shows. It is about dealing with cheating and getting over it. At first the girls take the easy way out by getting a little bit of revenge, but they end up taking the high road by being strong enough to move on.

2. SHE CAN OFFICIALLY CALL CO-STARS CAMERON DIAZ AND LESLIE MANN HER BFFS.

We were playing girlfriends on the set, but we became real girlfriends. I feel so close to them. We would hang out and talk and download our days. I knew I had a support system to go to if anything difficult happened. That’s why girlfriends are important. It was a really cool relationship and I’m so happy that we are still friends. I’ve always looked up to Cameron and Leslie. They’re inspiring, lovely, kind, genuine people and they really helped me through my first film. I am so grateful. They’re also so talented, the best of the best at what they do, and I was able to watch them at work.

3. SHE HAS A CLOSE GROUP OF GAL PALS EVERYWHERE.

I have girlfriends everywhere because I started in the modeling industry when I was so young. Whenever I’m in town (anywhere), we always make time to hang out, gossip, talk and drink some wine. It’s so much fun.

4. HER FAVOURITE DAY ON THE OTHER WOMAN FILM SET WAS WHEN SHE CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY.

(It was the day) I turned 21. We were filming the scene where we all meet. Cameron and Leslie’s characters are in the Hamptons and they have found out that Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s character isn’t just seeing the two of them, there’s another mistress. We were all a little under the influence, because our characters were in such a weird situation. We were all bonding over wine, having a good time, and Leslie and I end up dancing on the table. Then after we finished filming, we went back to the hotel and they threw me a little party at a bar next door. We danced all night. It was so much fun and that was definitely my most memorable experience.

5. SHE’S NOT PARTICULARLY COGNISANT OF THAT FACT THAT SHE’S SEXY.

I’m probably not as aware as I should be about the attention. I guess it’s a bit of a confidence boost but I honestly don’t look at myself as sexy. I grew up in Florida and I was always running around in a bikini, which was natural, so it seems strange for people to look at me in that way.

6. SHE LOVES WOMEN AND WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW IT.

I love women, and I love my female friends. I never want girls to think I’m a threat because I’m competitive with myself; I am not competitive with other women.

7. SHE DOESN’T DO DIETS.

The thing that is most important in my life is to be happy. If I am not eating, or if I hate my body, then I’m not happy in my life. When you eat healthy food, you feel better. When you go to the gym, you feel better, so it’s good for me to be in my best shape and have the best attitude while I’m working. I live a healthy lifestyle. I don’t go on diets. You should be striving to do something else, besides just focusing on your image in the mirror. Your body and your image can’t run who you are because that’s not who you are. I feel very confident with myself, and I am happy with my body. I love that people view me as sexy. But that isn’t all I am.

8. SHE’S A REGULAR COMEDIENNE.

I thought I was funny growing up (laughs). But there’s a bit of a difference between being funny and thinking you’re funny. My whole household is funny. Even now, if you saw my family, everybody would be joking around. Everybody is laughing constantly. Growing up, I would act stupid or dumb to get a good laugh. Just hearing laughter keeps me driven. It’s almost like a high to get people laughing at my jokes.

9. SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO MODEL AND ACT.

I lived right by Disneyworld and whenever we’d pass the studio, I’d be, like, “I want to be in a Disney Channel movie”. My mom would say, “I don’t think that’s how it works”. Now, I’m in a Fox film and I am so excited. People weren’t 100 per cent sure that a model could act, but I focused on acting. I worked hard and I took classes for two years. If I do something, I want to be good at it.

10. SHE HAS HER FEET PLANTED FIRMLY ON THE GROUND THANKS TO HER FAMILY.

I was always a happy child. We weren’t caught up in celebrities or in Hollywood or in any of that, so it took me a moment to catch up with everybody. I have two older sisters and a younger brother. I grew up with a barn in the backyard. I always had from two to five horses at any given time. It was a fun childhood. My parents taught me good values. There wasn’t a moral handbook; I learnt just by watching them.

11. SHE DOESN’T TAKE HERSELF TOO SERIOUSLY.

I don’t like living my life in negativity. It is important to be positive. My life is really great right now, and if I sat on this couch and told you all the negative parts of my life, I wouldn’t be grateful for what I have. I feel the reason I got to this place is because of who I am and what I stand for. I want to remain authentic and true to myself first, before pleasing other people. As long as I know who I am, I can go out and do what I really want, because I have my morals intact. That’s what I keep with me all the time in every adventure I take.

12. HER IDEA OF A PERFECT DAY IS TO SLEEP ALL DAY.

Sleep in then spend all day at the barn. When I am in Florida, I ride my horse, Robbie, all the time. It’s almost like therapy for me. It’s calming, and it feels like home. I love spending all day with animals and being outside.

Transcript courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox