Shiri Appleby On Her New Show, 'Dating Rules From My Future Self'

It's true that most TV viewers would recognize Shiri Appleby from her days on Roswell as Liz Parker or Life Unexpected as Cate Cassidy, the gal we cheered for and couldn't help but love. But Shiri—who has a great roster of credits to her name—is just as rockstar as the characters she plays.

I had a chance to talk to Shiri about her web series debuting January 9, Dating Rules From My Future Self, which promises to shed a fun, colorful perspective on owning your own love life and maybe finding yourself in the process. Surely, it will give us yet another reason to fall in love with the 33-year-old (plus, her co-star is The Vampire Diaries' hunk and Lady Gaga's new main squeeze, Taylor Kinney). "You And I" Is Right! Lady Gaga Romances Music Video Co-Star

Here, Shiri fills us in on the series, her busy days producing, writing and of course, her love life:

Tell me more about Dating Rules From My Future Self.
It's a new web series, and I play a character named Lucy Lambert who is an app designer. She's about to get married but he's not the right guy, and she suddenly receives a text message telling her not to go through with it. That's when she begins her journey. Suddenly, it's less about the right guy and more about finding yourself. It's basically about the moment when you start listening to the voices in your head and the kind of woman you want to be.

What kind of transition does Lucy go through?
At the beginning, she's a normal girl: insecure, nervous about telling her boyfriend she's not sure if she wants to marry him, and just doesn't want to make waves in life. But, once she starts receiving messages from the future, she starts to wake up. She starts to explore, hooks up with a guy she meets, goes out on a date with a guy out of her league. But by the end of the show, she starts to discover herself. 

How would you describe your dating life ten years ago in comparison to now?
It's totally different. Then, I was looking for the idea of what I thought I wanted to be happy. It was very ego-driven. But over time, I learned that once you accept yourself, it's much easier to accept somebody else.

What would you tell yourself now that you didn't then?
Don't date for your ego. Enjoy the journey as much as you can. There are so many things you worry about in terms of dating, like what you wear and whether you go to second base. But it takes time to learn that you're dating moreso for character and not for a job or other things we think we should be looking for.

What's the best love advice you've ever received?
The best advice I've ever received was from my Aunt Rose who always told me to find a man with character. She always said that looks, social standing and things like that will fade. But character will get better with time.

Very good advice! So, if you could describe your match, who would it be?
I'm basically looking for my best friend who I want to have sex with. When I was doing Life Unexpected, I was alone and the only thing I wanted was to be cuddled up with my best friend who I also wanted to have sex with. We come up with these things that are dealbreakers and reasons why someone isn't right for us, but at the end of the day, what we really need is someone we can really talk to and who we don't mind getting naked with. 

What characteristics do you value in a mate?
Character is big. Also, someone having a lot of drive is huge for me. I think if someone can wake up in the morning and they're passionate about what they're doing, that is a huge thing. My mom's brother told me that there are two things you need out of life: something you love getting up to do and someone you want to come home to at night. 10 Unmistakeable Signs Your Guy Is Not It

What other things do you have in the works?
Right now, I'm writing a book about dating. It's called "Searching For Mr. Appleby," and it's going out to publishers at the end of the month. I'm also producing a show and a feature. Staying busy!

How is your love life treating you?
I've been with someone for over a year that makes me feel really special! It just got to a point where I figured out what I needed to be happy as opposed to what I thought would make me happy.

What's one dating move or tip you would share with our readers?
I've always thought that going on a date should feel like going to a party. So for that I say, sit at the bar – it could be awkward and nervous sitting across from each other. If you're sitting next to each other, you can interact with the bartender and other people, so time will just fly! And, when all else fails, ask a lot of questions.

Dating Rules From My Future Self debuts January 9. To see a sneak peek, visit Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. 

Photo Credit: Getty