Who's The Boss?

Pia Miller is a woman in charge. Plain and simple. Cosmo's Mel Evans meets the actress who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and what she believes in.

- Mel Evans

Whatever is asked of Pia Miller on her Cosmo cover shoot, she does with a dimpled grin. Maybe it’s her modelling background creeping back in, or perhaps it’s simply because she is the consummate professional. One minute she’s propped in a Jessica Rabbit-red Paolo Sebastian gown, twirling saucy pasta on a fork as the camera flashes and no less than 10 people look on, no doubt wondering how someone can make starchy carbs look so goddamn chic (and how much the dry cleaning bill will be if one slurp goes rogue). The next she’s running down a hotel hallway in precarious stilettos, careful not to trip on the layers of tulle. ‘Notes?’ she’ll ask the photographer, preparing to do it all again in the quest for The Perfect Shot.

We all know the story of the model-cum-actress who became a mother at 19, married footballer Brad Miller, expanded on their family, scored a role on Australia’s biggest soapie, moved to Sydney, split with said footballer husband and, in turn, became one of the country’s most recognisable faces. Right? If not, now you do.

But it only took around 2.5 minutes for me to learn that this summer bae is not just a goddamn perfect face. Beneath her glossy chestnut hair, glowing skin and cheeky dimples only eclipsed by a blinding smile (yeah, look, the woman is gorgeous) is someone so warm, honest and fiercely protective of her privacy and loved ones – in the best way.

‘I pride myself on saying no… probably more than saying yes,’ she says. ‘I feel like the best thing I learnt was to say no.’

Frankly, all this talk of ‘no’ makes me feel grateful she said ‘yes’ to my interview today. After all, I’ve caught actress Pia Miller on a ‘rare’ day off from filming her role as policewoman Katarina Chapman on