Born and raised in southern California, Ari moved to the Santa Clarita Valley just a few years ago with her former co-star and husband Kyle Lowder. The couple, who recently celebrated their 10 year wedding anniversary, have a daughter, Isabella, and the two and a half year old toddler certainly keeps the two busy. “When I look at ‘Izzy’ she makes me a better mom and a better woman, definitely teaching me patience. I’ve been responsible my entire life, but when you have someone who you are responsible for, you have a whole different outlook maintaining a respect for yourself, who you are and what you do for others,” states Ari.
Ari’s talent on screen makes playing the role of Salem’s bad girl look easy. “I love playing the role of Nicole. She is a complicated character, and I love the emotional roller coaster. While I have been doing this for 14 years, there is still a lot of preparation, but it is a part of me, and my emotions sit right on my chest when I am on set. The tears are real.”
While Ari is most known for her role as Nicole on the 45-year running soap, Days of our Lives, what most people don’t know is the crucial part she has played in the lives of helping others. Her passion for charity work and dedication to making a difference in the world has been Ari’s driving force behind the organizations she is a part of. “Being in the media light, whether it is sports, acting, singing or whatnot, there’s a huge responsibility to be a positive influence.” Ari is an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity in the San Fernando Valley, and has travelled to major cities around our country to help others. Last year, Ari went to New Orleans, alongside other Days of our Lives cast members, where she helped build homes and raise money for the families whose lives were affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Taking her passion for helping others and putting it to action, Ari launched a new project, LifeCHANGE. “It was Labor Day weekend, 2007, I was talking to my brother Todd, asking him to help formulate this idea I had,” states Ari. “Being in the education field, my brother showed a lot of interest in creating a program beneficial to families and kids, essentially promoting the family. Together we’ve been really focusing on the program, and while we’re not reinventing the wheel, as there are other programs out there, we are just one of the many trying to make a difference.”
The mission of LifeCHANGE is to give young adults the opportunity to challenge themselves and each other to the highest possible degree, testing their inner soul and human strength by working toward changing the lives of others, while changing their own. “Our leadership program is geared towards 18 to 25 year olds who want to gain leadership skills and challenge themselves,” states Ari. “We tested out the program in Idaho and London and recently went to South Africa as well, and it has been exciting. It is an emotional roller coaster because not only are the kids changing but you are as well.”
Arianne just returned from South Africa where she was filming the program to develop it into an online docu-series that she will executive produce alongside her former Days of our Lives co-star, Jason Cook, who played the role of Brady Black. “Jason is the production side,” states Ari. “We brought him on board because he has experience with documentaries and has done some amazing work. When he heard the concept, he was in and we’ve been working together ever since.”
“We are just trying to make a difference in the lives of others,” states Ari. “You have to work hard at what you do. Life takes effort. The world is tough and you can’t give up, as hard as it may be.”
To learn more about Ari or the LifeCHANGE program visit www.officialarizucker.com or www.lifechange-leadership-programs.com |
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