What Lauren Sánchez Is Really Like When Nobody Is Watching, According To Her Former Friend

Lauren Sánchez has been in the spotlight more than ever thanks to her relationship with Jeff Bezos. But boasting credits as a television host and well-known news anchor, Sánchez was already a famous face long before she was in Bezos' orbit. Although many recognize her name, however, only a select few know who the real Sánchez is behind the scenes. And we're not just talking about Bezos. Debbie Matenopoulos was the best-selling author's longtime friend and spilled some little-known facts about Sánchez that paint a more complete picture of who she really is. The two crossed paths in Los Angeles, California, where they worked at the same news station.

After hitting it off immediately, Sánchez's work ethic and ability to look good on the job left a lasting impression on Matenopoulos. "She always was prepared. She always looked amazing, and she did her own makeup," she revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail. Never running out of kind words to say about Sánchez, Matenopoulos also asserted that the pilot was a stand-up friend. Sánchez showed her compassion after Matenopoulos was let go from "The View." Sánchez was one of the women who auditioned to be her replacement. But before their friendship really kicked off, the "Extra" reporter had to let Matenopoulos know that she had been given the chance to possibly take "The View" gig (although Sánchez ultimately didn't get the job). "When I got to LA, she was like, 'I need to tell you something — after they fired you, I went and auditioned for your job,' and then we became friends," Matenopoulos recalled.

Lauren Sánchez's face has seemingly changed a lot over the years. But it seems that she hasn't gone through the same drastic transformation internally that she has physically. Even though Sánchez and Debbie Matenopoulos lost touch, Matenopoulos still found herself valuing their past friendship after years of minimal contact. "She's somebody that I think you'd always want in your corner. She's a very cool girl. She's super smart," Matenopoulos said to the Daily Mail. Her description matches the same one Sánchez has received from her peers and colleagues over the years, dating all the way back to high school. Several friends who Sánchez grew up with described her as ambitious, a diligent worker, and driven to succeed.

Out of all the men Sánchez dated before finding love with Jeff Bezos, even her old high school sweethearts still had fond memories of their former flame decades after she left New Mexico. One ex-boyfriend might've unknowingly given insight into how Sánchez nabbed the Amazon founder. "She could pretty much get who she wanted," Ian Smelser, an ex-jock who dated Sánchez, told The Times. "Let's just say, if she wanted somebody, she was going to go straight after them," another former classmate named Cherie Sadler Mann echoed. It appears that most people who know the real Sánchez are smitten by her in some way. Given her accomplishments and the fact that she charmed one of the richest men in the world, it makes sense why Sánchez found little reason to change who she is.