December 2, 2025 • 25 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actress Alexandra Breckenridge, known for her beloved role as Mel on the hit series Virgin River and Sophie from This Is Us. Now, she’s stepping into a surprising new character in her holiday film My Secret Santa. Alexandra opens up about what drew her to the unexpected challenge of playing Santa, the brutally cold shoot at a Canadian ski resort, and the joy of bringing festive magic to the screen. She also talks about the deep emotional parallels between her own life and Mel’s journey, the personal experiences that shaped her performance, and the ongoing challenge of keeping a long-running character fresh and grounded. Plus, Alexandra shares the holiday movies she can’t stop rewatching, the behind-the-scenes friendship that keeps Virgin River fun, and a childhood story she’s never told before involving bullying, dyslexia, and choreographing dance routines to Prince and Elton John. My Secret Santa premieres December 3rd on Netflix.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy Di Dario. Christmas movies are on repeat in
my house because tis the season to feel some warm
and fuzzy festive magic in our lives. And my guest
today she is starring in what is sure to be
a holiday favorite. You know and love Alexandra Breckenridge from
playing mel in the smash hit Netflix series Virgin River.
(00:23):
It is one of the longest running original series for
the streamer, and for good reason, both her and Martin Henderson.
They deliver these multi layered nuance and in many moments
such relatable performances and coming out on Wednesday, December third,
is Alexandra's Christmas movie called My Secret Santa, which is
all about a single mom living a very festive double life,
(00:44):
we'll say, one in which she disguises herself as a
man to get the job of Santa. So what can
go wrong?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Right?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
And something I know we all enjoy about the holidays
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(01:11):
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leave your headaches at home. All right, let's see if
today we can get Alexandra to say something that she
(01:32):
has never said before.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Alexandra, how are you? It's so nice to see you.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
It's nice to see you too. I'm doing great, very good.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Well, I'm very excited to be celebrating the holiday season
with you, and we're going to get into all the
fun things. But first, I am an Italian from Jersey
who loves to cook. I know you love to cook,
and I need to know what is a holiday dish
that you are known for nice.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I'm also Italian, but I'm also so Irish, so it's like,
I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Ah, we do a lot of cooking, uh, don't we?
I what is my favorite thing to cook?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
That's a really hard question because I love to cook.
You know what I usually do. I usually cook a turkey.
I don't do I just I sort of repeat Thanksgiving.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Hmm, I know, is that bad? I don't want to
do duck. I don't want to do I'm a meatate.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Obviously, I'm not so big into ham, but I'll have
ham because you know, other family members enjoy him. I
make a really good garlic mashed potato.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Oh oh yeah, so good.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
You got to boil the potatoes with the garlic clothes
to infuse the potatoes with garlic, and then you almost emulsify.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Oh that sounds good. What about a chicken cutlet?
Speaker 4 (02:52):
Chicken cut I haven't done that.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
No, okay, well you might need to.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
You know, expand the Horizons is a chicken cutlet is
very good with those garlic mashed PoTA.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
So I'm just saying I google and figure it out
in New York Times, but I could pray exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah yeah, yeah, that's amazing you Now I'm hungry, so
that's great.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
But I love I love following you. I love seeing your.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Stuff because you bring so much joy, and you're bringing
so much joy in this holiday movie, which I know
people are going to love. My Secret Santa. It's out
December third, so I guess to kick it off, let's
get festive. Why were you like, sign me up, I
gotta do this movie.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
I became an actress because I wanted to. I wanted
to be a character actor. I saw Gary Oldman in
Dracula and the Sidon Nancy movie and The Fifth Element,
and you know, amongst others that you know, other character actors,
and I was like, I want to do that. That's
(03:53):
what I want to do, and it's not I was
shocked that they came to me with this role because
I'm not really on a short list to play Santa Claus,
you know. I mean, I would figure they'd probably call
on a comedian of some kind or you know, somebody
that's not on a romantic drama, because it's just I
(04:15):
just felt like I was presented with this opportunity that
I wouldn't normally have had, and it just goes along
with everything I've ever wanted to do. So and I've
been able to play characters in the past. I played
Moira in American Horror Story that was very much a character,
and she's the man.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
I played Monique.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
She was very much a character, but it's just few
and far between, and so I said, and it's also
terrifying and I have to do things that scare me sometimes.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
So and I'm really glad that I did it.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
I'm really glad because I think it's really I think
it's a really great movie.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Because it's really cute.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
There's a lot of like slapstick comedy, but it's also
it touches upon, you know, really heartfelt you know moments
with my character who's a single mother and you know,
her struggle and wanting to make holiday magic happen for
her daughter, and also realizing that she can find love again,
(05:28):
which is I think a huge thing for her as
well in the movie.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yeah, those are really I think a lot of people
are going to connect with all of those themes because
it is very relatable, with the elements of course the
slapstick comedy. But that's why I love the films. There
are many messages I think people can pull from this.
Is doing a Christmas movie a special as it seems,
or is it totally weird doing it when it's probably
like eighty five degrees out and not Christmas.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
It's funny you should mention weather, No, it was it
was negative nine degrees.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Oh we were filming.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I don't know if you noticed, but it looks like
all of us are smoking vapes out there because of
the amount of condensation coming from us when we were
just talking real it was freezing cold.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I almost got frostbite a couple of times. But you know,
we we worked really hard, and I think everybody involved
in the movie was, you know, a total pro and
and so you know, it was kind of like par
for the course that it was freezing outside, kind of
(06:38):
I mean that much snow, you know, really powdery.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
It was on and we filmed two weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
At an actual ski resort called sun Peaks Ski Resort
in British Columbia.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
So yes, But when.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Filming a Christmas movie, I mean we did, you know,
we did a Christmas special on Virgin River that I
found to be really enjoyable and I got so into
the Christmas spirit spirit when I was filming that that
I started and that was I think we were filming
that gosh, like not even close to Christmas, like months
(07:15):
away from Christmas, and I started just buying more Christmas
decorations on my phone while we were working because that
was just like so in the mood for Christmas, and
this was this was really no different. They did such
a like set decoration, did such a such an amazing
job in every location that we filmed in, and it
(07:40):
felt Christmas. Ye, it felt joyful and it was fun
and funny.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah, And this is going to be a go to
holiday movie for many people.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Do you have a go to holiday movie of your own?
Speaker 4 (07:54):
I really hope that's the case. Well, every year we do.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Uh National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation because my husband's brother laughs
the loudest laugh that you've ever heard, and it's so joyful.
So we watched that for him every year. But you know,
like obviously I don't know Home alone. I just I
(08:23):
can't get enough of that one. I love that one.
It's a wonderful life classic.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
There's so many The Grinch.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
I actually particularly like the Grinch cartoon.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Oh it's so good.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
It's so good. Was that Benedict cumber Batch? Which did
he play the Grinch?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Is that right? I feel like I want to say yes,
but I'm not totally sure.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
I should have fact check that.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
It's all right, We'll fact check that I love it.
I love it. No, I'm with you, though.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Those are all solid choices, and there's nothing like a
holiday movie this time of year. So it's really cool
that you are part of it, and you know, you
got the tastes as you mentioned with Virgin River, which,
by the way, that series, I mean, I don't need
to tell you is one of the hottest TV shows.
I feel like in the history of television. You're going
on another season. People are so excited for that.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Your character Mel.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Means so much to so many people because she's gone
through it and people can relate to her in so
many ways. What are you most proud of in creating
that character?
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Well, first of all, I took that job thinking it
would go for a season.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
But you know, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I just don't have a good gauge on what people
enjoy watching it, apparently, but the book series was so popular,
so we already had an audience there. And I think
Martin and I we were just cast. We didn't chemistry,
read or anything together, but we got so lucky and
(09:56):
we get along so well. And I think that all
of the characters on the show have this incredible chemistry
between I mean, Tim and Annette and.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
You know, uh, Zibby and Ben and we all just
got lucky.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I mean, and I'm I'm mostly proud of the fact
that I think I really let go in the beginning
of that series, and.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I let a lot of my.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Own personal vulnerability come out in the character because I
could relate to a lot of what she was going through,
and I thought, you know, if you're if if not now,
then when just you know, this is what we do.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
As actors.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
We wear our heart on our sleeve, and so I
think that's that's what I try to do. I try
to continue that within working on the show, which can
become after you've done a show for so long, can
it can become hard because it's sort of you know,
(11:09):
it's we try to keep it fresh, like every year
is a little bit different, but it's not often that
you get to play the same character on a show
for as many years, and so you get sort of
like locked into this sort of this sort of way
of doing it. And so I think what I'm trying
(11:30):
to say is to keep it fresh, but keep it grounded.
Can be tricky, but I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Yeah, you're not just trying, and you're succeeding. Let me
tell you you are succeeding because that is not easy
to do. It's it's it's hard. It's hard when you're
season after season after season, and that's not the reality
of so many shows now. So it's a testament to
the work that you guys are doing to keep it
so fresh.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
And Mel has gone.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Through so many things that people relate to things my friends,
you know, a lot of women in my life can
relate to Is there something for you that was the
most relatable thing in your life?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Oh gosh, I mean, I feel like it's just the
show is constantly slapping me in the face with that
kind of thing.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
You really my you know.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
In the first season, Mel's dealing with a lot of
grief from her experience with losing her husband and her baby.
And I experienced a loss with a partner that I
had had years and years prior. I wasn't married, but.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
But yeah, I lost someone.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
And then my son was deathly ill at the age
of one and so, and this was only we started
filming Virgin River, I think, not even maybe a year
after he got out of the hospital. So it was
all very fresh and real to me. And I think
when you go through something like that with a child.
(12:56):
You almost My husband and I talk about this a lot,
almost experience the reality of their death even though they haven't,
so I could really relate to what mel was going
through on such a deep level, and it's carried me
through the show in that way that if I hadn't
(13:20):
gone through that, I don't think I don't think I
would be able to be as present with her emotionally.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
As I have been.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
No, that's I mean, those are some tough things to
go through, and I thank you for sharing more about that,
because I think a lot of people listening will say,
oh my god, Wow, I maybe didn't realize that she
went through that too.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Yeah. No, I haven't really talked about it that much.
I've decided to start opening up about it, I think
mainly because I was like, if I start talking about it,
I'll probably just start crying. But then I realized that
I'll just probably start crying for the rest of my life,
and so what you know, I'd rather talk about it
and then maybe, you know, find a way to help
(14:03):
other parents who are going through the same things.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Then just be silent.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
So yeah, yeah, no, it's it's really I mean, this
word I know can sound so corny and cheesy, but
it is. Braves talk about things like that because it's
not always the easiest thing to do. And I hope
that your son's and everything's good.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
No, No, he's fine.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
He's great. He's great.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
He's nine years old. He's very he's like the strongest
of the family. It's so funny. He never gets sick now,
he just it's like, has the sniffles occasionally.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
He's good. I'm happy to hear that. I'm really happy
to hear that he thought he.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Thought this movie was hysterical.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Well it is.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
And when you get your kids approval, you're probably the
coolest mom in the world now, I mean kind of.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
At first, when they heard I was playing Santa CLAUSA
were really confused. They were like, what are you doing?
Why would you be doing that. My daughter looked at
me and she was like, I don't understand. I was like,
you just trust me. I trust me.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
It's gonna be great.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
I tried to FaceTime them when I was in full
prosthetics and I was doing the Santa Claus voice, and
they were like no.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
They were like, mom, stop, no, we can't do that.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
So I had to Yeah, if I talked to my
regular voice, they're like okay, and then they're like okay,
so we have to go.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Now the kids have to draw the line somewhere. So
you know, I don't I don't blame them. Did you
FaceTime in the full Santa outfit and the voice? You're
a co star from Virgin River Martin Henderson. I feel
like he would appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
He you know what he was, so he was so
funny about it. When I told him and I started
sending him pictures, He's like, don't he said, don't send
me this.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
I have to be interacted to you. I can't see this.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I was.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
I was like, darling.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Husband, television husband, It'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Right, You're like all these seasons in we gotta spice
it up, baby, I know.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
I know.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I'm like, get used to it. So now I send
him these really funny stickers. You know, I can make
stickers of all you need to make stickers with your pictures.
And I have several different character characters that I came
up with while I was doing the Santa prosthetics, Like
as it would go, I was a witch, I was
held up. I was Jebediah, and then finally, Santa Claus.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
And I love that you've had this great friendship of
Marin over there. He's on my show a bunch. He's
just such a good guy. How is your friendship evolved
from season one to now?
Speaker 4 (16:49):
You know, it's it's funny.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
We don't talk that much when we're not filming, but
we spend so much time together when we're filming that
I feel like it just it's great. We take a
break from each other and then we come back and
we spend fifteen hours a day together. But we've gotten
along since the very first day. And I think it's
(17:12):
because we both have a similar sensibility and sense of humor.
And you know, he's very very smart and just fun
fun to be around, and we joke a lot. We
make Yeah, I mean it's yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
I don't know if you've ever seen on we did.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
We did a couple of cooking shows called The Inappropriate
Cooking Show.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Oh I saw, Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
So that's kind of how we are on set. But
like we try to be pecy about it, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Yeah, that keeps it fun, That keeps it really fun. Well,
I know that the world is ready for a new season.
I know you can't say much. Is there anything you
can tease?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I come toos that we we really get into.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
What is going to happen.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
With Marlee, Uh, Marley wanting to give her baby to
melon Jack. We go on a little trip towards the
end of the season. I was told that I was
allowed to talk about that. There's a little honeymoon action,
(18:24):
which was really fun. But I think the overall arc is,
uh is what you know, what Melan Jack are going
to do in terms of adoption.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
So okay, look forward to part of the storyline.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Yeah, yeah, we really look forward to that.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I'm so impressed by artists like you because you've been
working a long time.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You've been doing this since a teenager.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Right fifteen when I started working out.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yeah, that's that is a long time doing it and
pivotal years of growing up and becoming who you are,
I mean, from from then to now. What has kept
you believing in yourself and you know, trusting your inner
voice to keep going Because it's not easy.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
No, it's not I've almost quit acting multiple times. I
mean it's hard. There's a lot of rejection. I went
through a period of time where I would get panic
attacks when I was auditioning and had to get a
doctor's script for beta blockers just to be able to
get through an audition. It's been really hard, but I
(19:26):
think ultimately, I think there's like always that voice in
your head this is you know one thing, will say, well,
everybody else is doing it, so why try? Or other
people are doing it better than me, or what do
I have to offer. I mean, there's so many different
like loops that your brain will go into when you
(19:47):
are rejected that much. And I just decided that I
love myself and then if I want to be happy
and you know, forget success, but just be happy in life.
I have to trust in the fact that who I
am and what I bring to the table is you know,
(20:10):
worth it. It's unique in and of itself, and I
don't care if somebody else is already doing it. I'm
doing it different. I'm here and I'm doing me. And
it's important to remind yourself and love yourself.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
I think ultimately the most.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, it's a really good reminder for all of us
in any profession, by the way, to practice those things
because it isn't always easy. And I think that's awesome
that you can still continue to remind yourself of of
what matters and what's really important.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
So that's really really cool. The name of the show
is called.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I've Never Said This before, and it was born because
I work a lot of red carpets and junkets for
other shows that I work on, and you know, you
got three minutes on a carpet if you're lucky, or
five minutes in a junk ket. So I said to iHeart,
I want to create a pod where people can come
on and share things they want to share that they
don't get a chance to share maybe in those quick environments.
So it's a question I asked everybody, which is, what
(21:09):
is one thing you've never said before in a public forum?
Which it can mean anything in the world to you.
There's no right or wrong answer. It's just a chance
for you to say anything you want.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Well, when I was in elementary school, I was bullied
a lot because I was in like the sort of
special learning classroom quite a bit because I had dyslexia,
and so the kids on the playground would call me,
you know, terrible names all the time. So I would
fake asthma tacks to stay home from school and during
(21:43):
the day, what I would do because my mother would
have to go to work. She was a single parent,
and I would make up dance routines to Prince Elton
John the Toys soundtrack. Do you remember this movie with
Robin Williams.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, like enya uh, all sorts of difference.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
I would.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
I would stay in my room and I would just
do cartwells back and forth, and I would make up
these elaborate dance routines. And in my head I thought
I was going to become a dancer and that did
not happen.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Well, I think you did just fine.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
It's the only thing I can think of.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
I love that. I love that. I think that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
And also, like again, thank you for sharing something you
went through as a kid, because that's that's also very
relatable and something like what you just said. You're not
going to randomly whip that out on a red carpet,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (22:42):
No, not really, Well maybe I don't know. I don't
say stuff.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
That's the thing, right, Well, you like me, Like I
saidm Italian, I have very little filters. But that's cool,
and I think that's really fun to know that that's
how you got through a really difficult time in your
life because it is something that we do. It's we
all have our coping mechanisms to get through something that's hard.
And it's cool to know you were dancing and choreographing
routines to.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
All those still cope.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
All I will put on I will blast music and
I will dance if I'm having a crappy day and
I have to pump myself up to get out there
and do something and put on my you know, I
don't know if you're allowed to say put on your
big girl panties anymore, but I do, and I, you know,
listen to my music and I dance around and then
it it brings.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Me back to life.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
I couldn't love that more. I couldn't love this conversation more.
I feel like all I want to do now is
talk for two more hours and drink wine and cook garlic.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Mashed potatoes and chicken cutlets.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
That's all I want.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Well, it is possical, stand come on, let's go, like move.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
To New York and that's what we're gonna do. And
my husband's a great cook too, and we're just gonna
have fun.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Okay, great, great, Thank.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
You for hanging Remind everybody the movie where to watch?
Speaker 4 (23:53):
All the things, all the things.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Oh, my secret Santa, obviously, my secret Santa. I play
Santa Claus. I pretend to play I'm a woman who
pretends to play Santa Claus. I know it's confusing. It
comes out December third on Netflix.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
Please watch it. You'll have a great time.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Please watch it, and please release those videos of you
doing strange voices in costume.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I will because I'm hoping that that's going to lead
to my next job as like a witch. I'm hoping
that I become what I always wanted to be, which
is a character actor.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
I feel like.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
This is this is my second act, and people are
going to hire me for some fun stuff. Oh.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
I couldn't love it more.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I'm getting a supernatural future for you, a whimsical fantasy
world future for you. I can't wait to see that.
I can't wait for all the things coming. The movie
is so good. Everybody go watch it. Alexandra, thank you
for hanging out.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I've never said this before. Is hosted by me Tommy Diderio.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts For more, rate, review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(25:16):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Jadario
Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy Di Dario. Christmas movies are on repeat in
my house because tis the season to feel some warm
and fuzzy festive magic in our lives. And my guest
today she is starring in what is sure to be
a holiday favorite. You know and love Alexandra Breckenridge from
playing mel in the smash hit Netflix series Virgin River.
(00:23):
It is one of the longest running original series for
the streamer, and for good reason, both her and Martin Henderson.
They deliver these multi layered nuance and in many moments
such relatable performances and coming out on Wednesday, December third,
is Alexandra's Christmas movie called My Secret Santa, which is
all about a single mom living a very festive double life,
(00:44):
we'll say, one in which she disguises herself as a
man to get the job of Santa. So what can
go wrong?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Right?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
And something I know we all enjoy about the holidays
is traveling to see our loved ones, but not when
travel becomes complete chaos. So my personal sponsor for today's
episode is Travel Guard, and they want to make sure
we safely and peacefully say hello to our next destination
this holiday season. They offer vacation insurance plans that will
protect your trip and investment with coverages like trip interruption
(01:11):
or cancelation, medical expenses and evacuation, lost or delayed baggage,
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lately traveling is bananas. So visit travelguard dot com to
learn how you can protect your holiday travel plans and
leave your headaches at home. All right, let's see if
today we can get Alexandra to say something that she
(01:32):
has never said before.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Alexandra, how are you? It's so nice to see you.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
It's nice to see you too. I'm doing great, very good.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Well, I'm very excited to be celebrating the holiday season
with you, and we're going to get into all the
fun things. But first, I am an Italian from Jersey
who loves to cook. I know you love to cook,
and I need to know what is a holiday dish
that you are known for nice.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I'm also Italian, but I'm also so Irish, so it's like,
I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Ah, we do a lot of cooking, uh, don't we?
I what is my favorite thing to cook?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
That's a really hard question because I love to cook.
You know what I usually do. I usually cook a turkey.
I don't do I just I sort of repeat Thanksgiving.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Hmm, I know, is that bad? I don't want to
do duck. I don't want to do I'm a meatate.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Obviously, I'm not so big into ham, but I'll have
ham because you know, other family members enjoy him. I
make a really good garlic mashed potato.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Oh oh yeah, so good.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
You got to boil the potatoes with the garlic clothes
to infuse the potatoes with garlic, and then you almost emulsify.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Oh that sounds good. What about a chicken cutlet?
Speaker 4 (02:52):
Chicken cut I haven't done that.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
No, okay, well you might need to.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
You know, expand the Horizons is a chicken cutlet is
very good with those garlic mashed PoTA.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
So I'm just saying I google and figure it out
in New York Times, but I could pray exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah yeah, yeah, that's amazing you Now I'm hungry, so
that's great.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
But I love I love following you. I love seeing your.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Stuff because you bring so much joy, and you're bringing
so much joy in this holiday movie, which I know
people are going to love. My Secret Santa. It's out
December third, so I guess to kick it off, let's
get festive. Why were you like, sign me up, I
gotta do this movie.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
I became an actress because I wanted to. I wanted
to be a character actor. I saw Gary Oldman in
Dracula and the Sidon Nancy movie and The Fifth Element,
and you know, amongst others that you know, other character actors,
and I was like, I want to do that. That's
(03:53):
what I want to do, and it's not I was
shocked that they came to me with this role because
I'm not really on a short list to play Santa Claus,
you know. I mean, I would figure they'd probably call
on a comedian of some kind or you know, somebody
that's not on a romantic drama, because it's just I
(04:15):
just felt like I was presented with this opportunity that
I wouldn't normally have had, and it just goes along
with everything I've ever wanted to do. So and I've
been able to play characters in the past. I played
Moira in American Horror Story that was very much a character,
and she's the man.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
I played Monique.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
She was very much a character, but it's just few
and far between, and so I said, and it's also
terrifying and I have to do things that scare me sometimes.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
So and I'm really glad that I did it.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
I'm really glad because I think it's really I think
it's a really great movie.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Because it's really cute.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
There's a lot of like slapstick comedy, but it's also
it touches upon, you know, really heartfelt you know moments
with my character who's a single mother and you know,
her struggle and wanting to make holiday magic happen for
her daughter, and also realizing that she can find love again,
(05:28):
which is I think a huge thing for her as
well in the movie.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yeah, those are really I think a lot of people
are going to connect with all of those themes because
it is very relatable, with the elements of course the
slapstick comedy. But that's why I love the films. There
are many messages I think people can pull from this.
Is doing a Christmas movie a special as it seems,
or is it totally weird doing it when it's probably
like eighty five degrees out and not Christmas.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
It's funny you should mention weather, No, it was it
was negative nine degrees.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Oh we were filming.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I don't know if you noticed, but it looks like
all of us are smoking vapes out there because of
the amount of condensation coming from us when we were
just talking real it was freezing cold.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I almost got frostbite a couple of times. But you know,
we we worked really hard, and I think everybody involved
in the movie was, you know, a total pro and
and so you know, it was kind of like par
for the course that it was freezing outside, kind of
(06:38):
I mean that much snow, you know, really powdery.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
It was on and we filmed two weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
At an actual ski resort called sun Peaks Ski Resort
in British Columbia.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
So yes, But when.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Filming a Christmas movie, I mean we did, you know,
we did a Christmas special on Virgin River that I
found to be really enjoyable and I got so into
the Christmas spirit spirit when I was filming that that
I started and that was I think we were filming
that gosh, like not even close to Christmas, like months
(07:15):
away from Christmas, and I started just buying more Christmas
decorations on my phone while we were working because that
was just like so in the mood for Christmas, and
this was this was really no different. They did such
a like set decoration, did such a such an amazing
job in every location that we filmed in, and it
(07:40):
felt Christmas. Ye, it felt joyful and it was fun
and funny.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah, And this is going to be a go to
holiday movie for many people.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Do you have a go to holiday movie of your own?
Speaker 4 (07:54):
I really hope that's the case. Well, every year we do.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Uh National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation because my husband's brother laughs
the loudest laugh that you've ever heard, and it's so joyful.
So we watched that for him every year. But you know,
like obviously I don't know Home alone. I just I
(08:23):
can't get enough of that one. I love that one.
It's a wonderful life classic.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
There's so many The Grinch.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
I actually particularly like the Grinch cartoon.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Oh it's so good.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
It's so good. Was that Benedict cumber Batch? Which did
he play the Grinch?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Is that right? I feel like I want to say yes,
but I'm not totally sure.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
I should have fact check that.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
It's all right, We'll fact check that I love it.
I love it. No, I'm with you, though.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Those are all solid choices, and there's nothing like a
holiday movie this time of year. So it's really cool
that you are part of it, and you know, you
got the tastes as you mentioned with Virgin River, which,
by the way, that series, I mean, I don't need
to tell you is one of the hottest TV shows.
I feel like in the history of television. You're going
on another season. People are so excited for that.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Your character Mel.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Means so much to so many people because she's gone
through it and people can relate to her in so
many ways. What are you most proud of in creating
that character?
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Well, first of all, I took that job thinking it
would go for a season.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
But you know, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I just don't have a good gauge on what people
enjoy watching it, apparently, but the book series was so popular,
so we already had an audience there. And I think
Martin and I we were just cast. We didn't chemistry,
read or anything together, but we got so lucky and
(09:56):
we get along so well. And I think that all
of the characters on the show have this incredible chemistry
between I mean, Tim and Annette and.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
You know, uh, Zibby and Ben and we all just
got lucky.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I mean, and I'm I'm mostly proud of the fact
that I think I really let go in the beginning
of that series, and.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I let a lot of my.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Own personal vulnerability come out in the character because I
could relate to a lot of what she was going through,
and I thought, you know, if you're if if not now,
then when just you know, this is what we do.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
As actors.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
We wear our heart on our sleeve, and so I
think that's that's what I try to do. I try
to continue that within working on the show, which can
become after you've done a show for so long, can
it can become hard because it's sort of you know,
(11:09):
it's we try to keep it fresh, like every year
is a little bit different, but it's not often that
you get to play the same character on a show
for as many years, and so you get sort of
like locked into this sort of this sort of way
of doing it. And so I think what I'm trying
(11:30):
to say is to keep it fresh, but keep it grounded.
Can be tricky, but I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Yeah, you're not just trying, and you're succeeding. Let me
tell you you are succeeding because that is not easy
to do. It's it's it's hard. It's hard when you're
season after season after season, and that's not the reality
of so many shows now. So it's a testament to
the work that you guys are doing to keep it
so fresh.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
And Mel has gone.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Through so many things that people relate to things my friends,
you know, a lot of women in my life can
relate to Is there something for you that was the
most relatable thing in your life?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Oh gosh, I mean, I feel like it's just the
show is constantly slapping me in the face with that
kind of thing.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
You really my you know.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
In the first season, Mel's dealing with a lot of
grief from her experience with losing her husband and her baby.
And I experienced a loss with a partner that I
had had years and years prior. I wasn't married, but.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
But yeah, I lost someone.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
And then my son was deathly ill at the age
of one and so, and this was only we started
filming Virgin River, I think, not even maybe a year
after he got out of the hospital. So it was
all very fresh and real to me. And I think
when you go through something like that with a child.
(12:56):
You almost My husband and I talk about this a lot,
almost experience the reality of their death even though they haven't,
so I could really relate to what mel was going
through on such a deep level, and it's carried me
through the show in that way that if I hadn't
(13:20):
gone through that, I don't think I don't think I
would be able to be as present with her emotionally.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
As I have been.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
No, that's I mean, those are some tough things to
go through, and I thank you for sharing more about that,
because I think a lot of people listening will say,
oh my god, Wow, I maybe didn't realize that she
went through that too.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Yeah. No, I haven't really talked about it that much.
I've decided to start opening up about it, I think
mainly because I was like, if I start talking about it,
I'll probably just start crying. But then I realized that
I'll just probably start crying for the rest of my life,
and so what you know, I'd rather talk about it
and then maybe, you know, find a way to help
(14:03):
other parents who are going through the same things.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Then just be silent.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
So yeah, yeah, no, it's it's really I mean, this
word I know can sound so corny and cheesy, but
it is. Braves talk about things like that because it's
not always the easiest thing to do. And I hope
that your son's and everything's good.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
No, No, he's fine.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
He's great. He's great.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
He's nine years old. He's very he's like the strongest
of the family. It's so funny. He never gets sick now,
he just it's like, has the sniffles occasionally.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
He's good. I'm happy to hear that. I'm really happy
to hear that he thought he.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Thought this movie was hysterical.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Well it is.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
And when you get your kids approval, you're probably the
coolest mom in the world now, I mean kind of.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
At first, when they heard I was playing Santa CLAUSA
were really confused. They were like, what are you doing?
Why would you be doing that. My daughter looked at
me and she was like, I don't understand. I was like,
you just trust me. I trust me.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
It's gonna be great.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
I tried to FaceTime them when I was in full
prosthetics and I was doing the Santa Claus voice, and
they were like no.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
They were like, mom, stop, no, we can't do that.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
So I had to Yeah, if I talked to my
regular voice, they're like okay, and then they're like okay,
so we have to go.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Now the kids have to draw the line somewhere. So
you know, I don't I don't blame them. Did you
FaceTime in the full Santa outfit and the voice? You're
a co star from Virgin River Martin Henderson. I feel
like he would appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
He you know what he was, so he was so
funny about it. When I told him and I started
sending him pictures, He's like, don't he said, don't send
me this.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
I have to be interacted to you. I can't see this.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I was.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
I was like, darling.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Husband, television husband, It'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Right, You're like all these seasons in we gotta spice
it up, baby, I know.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
I know.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I'm like, get used to it. So now I send
him these really funny stickers. You know, I can make
stickers of all you need to make stickers with your pictures.
And I have several different character characters that I came
up with while I was doing the Santa prosthetics, Like
as it would go, I was a witch, I was
held up. I was Jebediah, and then finally, Santa Claus.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
And I love that you've had this great friendship of
Marin over there. He's on my show a bunch. He's
just such a good guy. How is your friendship evolved
from season one to now?
Speaker 4 (16:49):
You know, it's it's funny.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
We don't talk that much when we're not filming, but
we spend so much time together when we're filming that
I feel like it just it's great. We take a
break from each other and then we come back and
we spend fifteen hours a day together. But we've gotten
along since the very first day. And I think it's
(17:12):
because we both have a similar sensibility and sense of humor.
And you know, he's very very smart and just fun
fun to be around, and we joke a lot. We
make Yeah, I mean it's yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
I don't know if you've ever seen on we did.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
We did a couple of cooking shows called The Inappropriate
Cooking Show.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Oh I saw, Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
So that's kind of how we are on set. But
like we try to be pecy about it, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Yeah, that keeps it fun, That keeps it really fun. Well,
I know that the world is ready for a new season.
I know you can't say much. Is there anything you
can tease?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I come toos that we we really get into.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
What is going to happen.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
With Marlee, Uh, Marley wanting to give her baby to
melon Jack. We go on a little trip towards the
end of the season. I was told that I was
allowed to talk about that. There's a little honeymoon action,
(18:24):
which was really fun. But I think the overall arc is,
uh is what you know, what Melan Jack are going
to do in terms of adoption.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
So okay, look forward to part of the storyline.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Yeah, yeah, we really look forward to that.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I'm so impressed by artists like you because you've been
working a long time.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You've been doing this since a teenager.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Right fifteen when I started working out.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yeah, that's that is a long time doing it and
pivotal years of growing up and becoming who you are,
I mean, from from then to now. What has kept
you believing in yourself and you know, trusting your inner
voice to keep going Because it's not easy.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
No, it's not I've almost quit acting multiple times. I
mean it's hard. There's a lot of rejection. I went
through a period of time where I would get panic
attacks when I was auditioning and had to get a
doctor's script for beta blockers just to be able to
get through an audition. It's been really hard, but I
(19:26):
think ultimately, I think there's like always that voice in
your head this is you know one thing, will say, well,
everybody else is doing it, so why try? Or other
people are doing it better than me, or what do
I have to offer. I mean, there's so many different
like loops that your brain will go into when you
(19:47):
are rejected that much. And I just decided that I
love myself and then if I want to be happy
and you know, forget success, but just be happy in life.
I have to trust in the fact that who I
am and what I bring to the table is you know,
(20:10):
worth it. It's unique in and of itself, and I
don't care if somebody else is already doing it. I'm
doing it different. I'm here and I'm doing me. And
it's important to remind yourself and love yourself.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
I think ultimately the most.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, it's a really good reminder for all of us
in any profession, by the way, to practice those things
because it isn't always easy. And I think that's awesome
that you can still continue to remind yourself of of
what matters and what's really important.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
So that's really really cool. The name of the show
is called.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I've Never Said This before, and it was born because
I work a lot of red carpets and junkets for
other shows that I work on, and you know, you
got three minutes on a carpet if you're lucky, or
five minutes in a junk ket. So I said to iHeart,
I want to create a pod where people can come
on and share things they want to share that they
don't get a chance to share maybe in those quick environments.
So it's a question I asked everybody, which is, what
(21:09):
is one thing you've never said before in a public forum?
Which it can mean anything in the world to you.
There's no right or wrong answer. It's just a chance
for you to say anything you want.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Well, when I was in elementary school, I was bullied
a lot because I was in like the sort of
special learning classroom quite a bit because I had dyslexia,
and so the kids on the playground would call me,
you know, terrible names all the time. So I would
fake asthma tacks to stay home from school and during
(21:43):
the day, what I would do because my mother would
have to go to work. She was a single parent,
and I would make up dance routines to Prince Elton
John the Toys soundtrack. Do you remember this movie with
Robin Williams.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, like enya uh, all sorts of difference.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
I would.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
I would stay in my room and I would just
do cartwells back and forth, and I would make up
these elaborate dance routines. And in my head I thought
I was going to become a dancer and that did
not happen.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Well, I think you did just fine.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
It's the only thing I can think of.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
I love that. I love that. I think that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
And also, like again, thank you for sharing something you
went through as a kid, because that's that's also very
relatable and something like what you just said. You're not
going to randomly whip that out on a red carpet,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (22:42):
No, not really, Well maybe I don't know. I don't
say stuff.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
That's the thing, right, Well, you like me, Like I
saidm Italian, I have very little filters. But that's cool,
and I think that's really fun to know that that's
how you got through a really difficult time in your
life because it is something that we do. It's we
all have our coping mechanisms to get through something that's hard.
And it's cool to know you were dancing and choreographing
routines to.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
All those still cope.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
All I will put on I will blast music and
I will dance if I'm having a crappy day and
I have to pump myself up to get out there
and do something and put on my you know, I
don't know if you're allowed to say put on your
big girl panties anymore, but I do, and I, you know,
listen to my music and I dance around and then
it it brings.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Me back to life.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
I couldn't love that more. I couldn't love this conversation more.
I feel like all I want to do now is
talk for two more hours and drink wine and cook garlic.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Mashed potatoes and chicken cutlets.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
That's all I want.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Well, it is possical, stand come on, let's go, like move.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
To New York and that's what we're gonna do. And
my husband's a great cook too, and we're just gonna
have fun.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Okay, great, great, Thank.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
You for hanging Remind everybody the movie where to watch?
Speaker 4 (23:53):
All the things, all the things.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Oh, my secret Santa, obviously, my secret Santa. I play
Santa Claus. I pretend to play I'm a woman who
pretends to play Santa Claus. I know it's confusing. It
comes out December third on Netflix.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
Please watch it. You'll have a great time.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Please watch it, and please release those videos of you
doing strange voices in costume.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I will because I'm hoping that that's going to lead
to my next job as like a witch. I'm hoping
that I become what I always wanted to be, which
is a character actor.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
I feel like.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
This is this is my second act, and people are
going to hire me for some fun stuff. Oh.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
I couldn't love it more.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I'm getting a supernatural future for you, a whimsical fantasy
world future for you. I can't wait to see that.
I can't wait for all the things coming. The movie
is so good. Everybody go watch it. Alexandra, thank you
for hanging out.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I've never said this before. Is hosted by me Tommy Diderio.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts For more, rate, review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(25:16):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Jadario
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.