Thomasville’s Julie Moran stops for a photo during a red-carpet event for “The Hatfields & McCoys,” which featured her husband, Rob Moran.

As we headed to the world-famous Sana Monica pier for dinner, Julie Moran, University of Georgia graduate, former beauty queen and current television personality, tuned her car radio to a popular Los Angeles country music radio station.

“I love country music,” said the Thomasville native, who has not allowed her noteworthy success in television, lately with NBC’s “Access Hollywood” and the Fine Living Network, to distance her from her roots. “When I am in the car, I listen to country music.”

The Julie Moran story is really the Julie and Rob Moran story.  There is considerable upside, owing to honest-to-goodness team effort. Her actor husband, Rob, has some very flattering credits, the most recent role coming in the History Channel hit, “The Hatfields & McCoys.” The movie was filmed in Romania, which allowed for an exposure to a different culture, a welcomed and enlightening byproduct of his profession.

“You find,” Rob said at dinner, “women walking a dusty road with bundles of firewood on their heads.”

The central focus in the Morans’ life is the activities of daughters Maiya and Makayla, who are straight-A students at The Brentwood School and are into sports in a big way.  Rob coaches Maiya’s soccer team and expects to maintain his coaching role when Makayla joins the team.

“Coaching your kids!”  Rob exclaimed. “How great is that?”

See Sunday’s edition for rest of story.