EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Lisa Rinna on 'Sing Your Face Off' and Transforming into Dolly Parton and Justin Bieber

Lisa Rinna.

You may recognize Lisa Rinna from her role as the free-spirited Billie Reed on NBC's daytime hit Days of Our Lives, or her "love-to-hate-her" Taylor McBride on Fox's long-running primetime smash, Melrose Place. Perhaps you know her as a New York Times best-selling author who has released three books, or watched her host Soap Talk or compete in All-Star Celebrity Apprentice. From daytime and primetime television to Broadway, fitness videos, books and even a new apparel line for QVC, she has become one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.

Rinna's latest project is the ABC talent variety competition series Sing Your Face Off, which features celebrities who are transformed and trained to perform as a legendary musical icon.

Serial Scoop spoke with Rinna this week to find out more about the series and what it's like to transform into artists such as Dolly Parton, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. Check out what she had to say below.

SERIAL SCOOP: You have done so many different things over the years, and this is yet another new one. What were your first thoughts when you heard about the project?
LISA RINNA: I thought it was fantastic. I thought it was the greatest thing to be able to sing, dance and act, and I was thrilled when I saw it. I went after it because I really wanted to do it.

SERIAL SCOOP: I thought your Dolly Parton transformation was fantastic. Aside from the singing, your movements and hand motions were really on point as well. The judges did not give you enough credit on that one. What did you think about that?
LISA RINNA: The whole judging thing is a whole animal unto itself so I don't really care about it to be honest with you. [laughs]

I've been down that road on Dancing With the Stars, and that's a whole other thing. I love doing what I do, and if I embodied the character of Dolly, which I tried my damnedest to do, that's all I really care about. I'm glad you could see the little nuances and hand gestures, and things that really make Dolly Dolly.

SERIAL SCOOP: You may have known some artist better than others going into the show. How did you go about researching the artists you are transforming into?
LISA RINNA: I really knew everybody, not only the ones I was playing but everyone else's pop icons as well. That was helpful but, then again, you have to get in there and, luckily, we have the internet and can go on YouTube and watch hours and hours of video on every single performer and performance. That probably helps the most of anything. For me, that's how I did it. I watched them in everything they had done.

Lisa Rinna as "Justin Bieber" (left) and as "Katy Perry" (right)

SERIAL SCOOP: On this week's episodes you are transforming into Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. What did you think when you found out you would become Bieber? Was this your most shocking assignment?
LISA RINNA: I was horrified because I do 14-year-old Justin Bieber. It was really scary but the most fun I've ever had doing anything probably.

SERIAL SCOOP: One of the things I enjoyed on the first couple of episodes was the glimpse at your family, your daughters and your dog. A cardboard cutout arrived at your house and you peeled it off to find out you would be transforming into Dolly Parton, and your daughters reacted as if this happens to everyone's mom. It was cute.
LISA RINNA: That's a good observation. For my kids, this is all they know. Imagine having your mom and dad do what we do. They are sort of used to us doing really weird and crazy things, it's their normal. I get a kick out of it, too. They've been showing their friends the show that aired last Saturday night, and going on YouTube to watch Dolly and Britney. I think it's really funny that they're sharing it, which means they're not so horrified by it.

SERIAL SCOOP: If someone was going to be transformed into Lisa Rinna, what would you say is the most important characteristic they would need to capture?
LISA RINNA: Clearly, there's some obvious physical traits which the prosthetic department can handle beautifully. Thank God for the prosthetic department. In order to get Lisa Rinna, you'd have to watch obviously some real tape on me because I am very big and loud and go over the top, and much more I think that what you see me play as a character. I'm sort of over the top, at least that's how I view myself, kind of big and bubbly, and you would have to get that down.

SERIAL SCOOP: If you go back to the beginning of your career, before Days of our Lives and Melrose Place, to when you were first starting out in the business and give yourself a piece of advice, knowing what you know now, what would you tell Young Lisa?
LISA RINNA: I would tell Young Lisa to just take a deep breath and relax, and just go with the flow.

NOTE: Sing Your Face Off airs tonight at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

9-10 p..m. ET (Episode 103)
Sebastian Bach = Willie Nelson
Landry Fields = Enrique Iglesias
Jon Lovitz = Billy Idol
China Anne McClain = Michael Jackson
Lisa Rinna = Katy Perry

10-11 p.m. ET (Episode 104)
Sebastian Bach = Freddie Mercury
Landry Fields = Nicki Minaj
Jon Lovitz = Meatloaf
China Anne McClain = Alicia Keys
Lisa Rinna = Justin Bieber