By Anna David, Photographs: Mark Liddell

ver the last decade, Molly Sims has grown accustomed to random comments from strangers. But she still wasn't prepared for what people would say to her in Las Vegas, the city her hit NBC show is named for and based on.

"They call you by your character's name, which is a little weird," Sims laughs, adding that her favorite spot in town is the Palms and that she has seen "all the Cirque du Soleils" and Elton John's show. Despite its name, Las Vegasis made primarily in Los Angeles; many of the exteriors are shot in Vegas, however, and the cast comes into town for a few specific episodes. "There are just so many things there. The lights go down and they're pumping oxygen." But despite her high energy level and athletic background–the avid yoga student was a competitive swimmer from the time she was six to 13–Sims says she burns out fairly quickly on the city that never sleeps. "It's great for two days–it kind of feeds you," she concludes. "And then…." Her voice dwindles off.

Sims' alter ego, Delinda Deline–the beautiful, scheming daughter of security head Big Ed (James Caan) and sometime paramour of Daddy's protégé, Danny (Josh Duhamel)–wouldn't dream of tiring of Vegas so easily. But Delinda also hasn't come close to accomplishing what supermodel Sims has at 32: The Kentucky native studied prelaw at Vanderbilt University for two years before dropping out to pursue a modeling career after a friend convinced her to send her photo to the Next agency. She then graced such magazines as French Vogue, Marie Claire and Sports Illustrated, modeled for Victoria's Secret, Armani and Nautica, scored advertising campaigns for Old Navy and Cover Girl, and was passed the mantle to be the new host of House of Style.

But instead of following the path of least resistance carved out by other stunningly gorgeous creatures who made the leap to celluloid through sheer aesthetic appeal alone, Sims signed up for an intensive, two-year course to learn the famed Sanford Meisner approach to acting. "It was the most amazing, hardest, most therapeutic time in my life," Sims says of the class. "And during the last four months of it, I booked Las Vegas."

Meisner acting or not, Sims has helped make Las Vegas NBC's number-one drama. Just remember, if you want to thank her in person for it, don't call her "Delinda."

VEGAS: Before you became a model, were you one of those women who hated being tall?

MOLLY SIMS: I absolutely hated it. I got tall when I was 14 or 15–I mean, I was 5'9" my senior year. My mom begged me when I was going to the prom to wear heels, but I had to have flats.

Are you really close to your family?

Oh, yes. I grew up with good parents with good morals. The best thing my parents gave me was confidence. It didn't matter what I did–if I wanted to jump off a bridge, they were like, 'Okay, do it. But give it your all.' They're very, very supportive and you can't buy that. My parents are self-made people. My dad started a wholesale book company almost 30 years ago, and it's one of the most successful wholesale companies in the world. We would travel with him and really went to a lot of places, like all the different college campuses. That's ultimately how I got my kicks in fashion. It was like, Wow, the girls in college are wearing their hair straight ...

For the full story, Subscribe to Vegas Magazine now!