November 25, 2025 • 47 mins
Episode Summary
In this episode, Damien Swaby is joined by the remarkable Barbara Niven, an actress whose dedication, versatility, and heart have made her one of Hollywood’s most enduring and admired talents.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Barbara has starred in over 100 film and TV roles, been featured in thousands of commercials, and contributed her experience and leadership to the Screen Actors Guild.Barbara discusses her work on Hallmark’s highest-rated series and films — including Chesapeake Shores, Cedar Cove, Murder She Baked, and Crossword Puzzle Mysteries. She talks openly about the discipline it takes to maintain longevity in Hollywood, as well as the joy she finds in each new character she inhabits.
She also reflects on her critically acclaimed portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in HBO’s The Rat Pack, still considered one of the top depictions of the icon to date. Her award-winning performances in independent cinema, including A Perfect Ending and Hamlet’s Ghost, showcase her range, intuition, and emotional intelligence as a performer.
Outside the screen, Barbara has built a global reputation as Hollywood’s top Media Trainer and Video Marketing Coach, teaching professionals across industries through her signature program Unleash Your Star Power!™. She helps people break through fear, speak confidently, and shine with authenticity.
Barbara is also a best-selling author, renowned speaker, mental health advocate, and a National Ambassador for American Humane.
This episode is packed with inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom for actors, filmmakers, creators, entrepreneurs, and anyone pursuing their passion.
Key Topics Covered
Call to Action.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share the podcast. Follow Damien Swaby for more filmmaker interviews and insights into the craft and business of storytelling.
In this episode, Damien Swaby is joined by the remarkable Barbara Niven, an actress whose dedication, versatility, and heart have made her one of Hollywood’s most enduring and admired talents.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Barbara has starred in over 100 film and TV roles, been featured in thousands of commercials, and contributed her experience and leadership to the Screen Actors Guild.Barbara discusses her work on Hallmark’s highest-rated series and films — including Chesapeake Shores, Cedar Cove, Murder She Baked, and Crossword Puzzle Mysteries. She talks openly about the discipline it takes to maintain longevity in Hollywood, as well as the joy she finds in each new character she inhabits.
She also reflects on her critically acclaimed portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in HBO’s The Rat Pack, still considered one of the top depictions of the icon to date. Her award-winning performances in independent cinema, including A Perfect Ending and Hamlet’s Ghost, showcase her range, intuition, and emotional intelligence as a performer.
Outside the screen, Barbara has built a global reputation as Hollywood’s top Media Trainer and Video Marketing Coach, teaching professionals across industries through her signature program Unleash Your Star Power!™. She helps people break through fear, speak confidently, and shine with authenticity.
Barbara is also a best-selling author, renowned speaker, mental health advocate, and a National Ambassador for American Humane.
This episode is packed with inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom for actors, filmmakers, creators, entrepreneurs, and anyone pursuing their passion.
Key Topics Covered
- How Barbara became one of the busiest actresses in Hollywood
- Working on Hallmark’s biggest and most beloved series
- Bringing Marilyn Monroe to life in The Rat Pack
- What it takes to stay relevant and fulfilled in entertainment
- The creation of Unleash Your Star Power!™
- Overcoming fear, self-doubt, and perfectionism
- Living a life of purpose, passion, and service
Call to Action.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share the podcast. Follow Damien Swaby for more filmmaker interviews and insights into the craft and business of storytelling.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
You are listening to the IFH podcast Network. For more
amazing filmmaking and screenwriting podcasts, just go to ifhpodcastnetwork dot
com to.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Down filmmaking conversations. I sit down with one of Hollywood's
most prolific and inspiring actresses, Barbara and Neven. For more
than thirty years, Barbara has been one of the busiest
and most versatile performers in the industry, hosted numerous shows
and info commercials, and even spent three years serving on
(00:35):
the National Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild.
Barbara is a fan favorite across Hallmark's biggest series and movies,
including Chesapeake, Shaws, Murder. She baked the popular crossword puzzle
Mysteries franchise. She has delivered unforgettable work throughout her career,
(00:58):
from her acclaimed trail of Marilyn Monroe in HBO's The
Rat Pack to award winning performances in independent films like
Perfect Ending and Hamlet's Ghosts. Her range extends across and
network television as well, with appearances in NCIS, Cold Case, Charmed,
One Life, to Live, Parks and Recreation, and more. But
(01:22):
Barbara isn't just an actress. She's also one of Hollywood's
most respected media trainers and video marketed coaches, helping professionals
around the world overcome fear, build confidence, and communicate their
message with authenticity through her Unleash Your Style power system.
(01:43):
This conversation goes far beyond acting. It's about resilience, purpose, reinvention,
and the courage to create the life you truly want.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
If you're in the world of filmmaking or simply searching
for inspiration, Barbara Niven's story stay with you long after
this episode ends. Hi, Barbara, how are you today?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Hey? How are you? Demien? I'm so proud to be
on your podcast. I love the things that you've been doing.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Oh, thank you so much. So I really appreciate that
it means a lot to me coming from you, because
I absolutely love the things you've been doing in front
of the camera and your advocacy work and everything else
and so much more.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Thank you so much. I think the reason that we
have some sort of maybe whatever however you define success
is so that we can pay it forward, Because I
honestly feel if I can make this crazy dream come
true of being an actress, and I didn't start even
going after it until I was almost thirty, a single
mother in Portland, Oregon. And if I can make that
(02:44):
dream happen, then anybody can do anything. And that's what
I feel like we're here to do to help pay
it forward. And that's what you do.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Thank you. And that is an amazing story and will
reality and we'll get into it, that's for sure. So
what first inspired you to become an actress? And I
ketch you going through the early challenges of breaking into
the industry.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well, I used to study with somebody named Melton Kitselas
who calls us all unlikely winners and you just have
to keep sweeping the alley, keep doing it til you
make it. But I didn't even start acting until, as
I say, almost thirty, when I got something in the mail.
You know, when you come for your ten year high
(03:27):
school reunion, they always send out something at like coul
did you marry? How many kids you have? Where do
you live? And the last question on mine was have
you achieved all you thought you would in your life
by now? And that hit me like a ton of
bricks because I remember being a little girl my very
first show, Kindergarten, and I remember every detail because it's
(03:49):
just steered into my brain wearing footy pajamas, carrying a
teddy Bear and singing me I'm my teddy Bear and
looking at the audience, and I got those goosebumps that
I'll get when I'm on a set or when I'm
creating with somebody doing what I love to do. So
my advice for people is just to follow your passion.
(04:09):
If there's something that you want to do, you just
you just gotta do it, because you don't want to
wonder what if at the end of your life. And
I believe that your passion and your love leads you
to your purpose. It's like your GPS. So if you're
loving what you do, you are connected and you are
in line with your destiny and what you are, what
you're meant to do here on this.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Earth, and what or who influenced you to love what
you do and follow your passion in the way you do,
because so many of us, especially when we get to
kind of late twenties, early thirties, there's certain responsibilities and
everything involved and we just say no way, you know,
get it an all for strapl I.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Just thought it was worse to think what if I
never tried it? I couldn't live with myself like that.
I think I watched my mom. Maybe she had She
has a movie star photo basically from just from Walla Walla, Washington,
and she went out with Roy Rogers when he came
through town one time with his movie because he was
(05:07):
a theater usher at that time, which was pretty big
deal in those days in the you know, in the
probably in the forties, I guess, But I just feel like,
I don't know, maybe I watched her, maybe feel like
she didn't achieve her full potential, although she did, like
(05:28):
she raised a family, she taught us that we could
do anything, and she was there in the audience, like
every time I had a school assembly or a game,
or I was cheerleader, she'd be and my dad would
be in the front row. But I just feel like
I watched her kind of litter dreams, like take a
backseat to everybody else, And I didn't want to want
(05:48):
to do that. So when I started acting, I say
when I would late late twenties, almost thirty, and just
took stock of what I could do. Was getting a divorce.
I had a little kid, like two and a half
years old at my daughter Jess, and I just decided,
you know, okay, what can I do? I got to
take stocks, so I need to get a job. I'm
getting divorced. What do I do? So I thought, well,
(06:11):
and I did not graduate college. I just got married
and had a baby, so I really was under the gun.
But I knew I could write, and I knew I
loved camera. I loved talking to people. So I thought, ah,
I could Why don't I maybe do news TV news?
So out of the blue, I went to the NBC
(06:31):
affiliate in Portland, Ore, which is KGW, and I knocked
on the news director's door, out of the blue, no experience,
and said, Hi, I want to work for you. If
I bring you scripts and stories, will you mentor me
and I'll pay it forward someday. And so he gave
me a script to use as a sample for news.
And then I would go out and I would lie
(06:54):
and tell people, call businesses and say, hi, I am
an associate producer with KGW, but I need to reproduce
you and give you an interview before we'll do an
actual story on you. It was not okay, and they
all wanted to be on TV, so they all said yes,
So I would take my maybe those big tape recorders,
the big boombox tape recorders with the with the tape,
(07:15):
that actual tape that you'd put in. So I would
take that, do an interview tape recorder, race back to
my house, pull out the sound bites that I wanted,
and in the script, I would put out what shot
if I were, if I were, had a cameraman, what
shot we would stay on, et cetera. Really try to
learn my job with no college, and I would take
(07:35):
it in the next day. And I think the guy
was shocked every time that I would keep showing up
and but eventually he put me on as an intern
with no college as the first time they'd ever done it.
And then I don't know where I got my confidence,
but as an intern, because you're not union, you can
only do one story before you get taff tartlead into
(07:55):
the into the union, you know. And so I said
this story, I'm going to sell it to a network,
and everybody said, oh, forget it, honey, honey, But I did.
I found a national bent for it. It was an
Easter ay hunt and the White House lawn and I
made I had this great cameraman who just we did
(08:17):
a really funny feature on it, and I did it
got picked up by by NBC nationally, and so that's
how I got started. So you just have to figure
out a way. You don't have to buy into the
way everybody else does it, because it's not gonna work
for you. You have to use your own strengths, figure
out your pluses, your minuses, how you can, how you
(08:41):
can talk with somebody and then find a mentor who's
doing the exact job that you want to do, and
then tell them, please if you mentor me, I promised
to pay it forward someday when I reached my own success.
And who would say no to that.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
That's an amazing story. I can't believe that. I mean,
that's this, that's als very inspiring. I really admire your energy,
drive and passion to do something such as that. And
at that point you had done something that's amazing and
passionate and driven. And we can all see that and
know that what was your relationship like with your mother
(09:15):
who had not done what you had done and potentially
not fulfilled the whole potential at that point?
Speaker 4 (09:21):
You know, we never talked about that, to be honest,
and she was, oh man, she was amazing because she
was so into sports before women really did that like
she uh. In fact, Okay, I grew up in Portland, Oregon,
and you've heard of Mount Hood, you know, with a
ski resort and everything. She used to hike up Mount Hood.
(09:44):
They all used to do that, carrying their skis just
so they could ski down it. So that's the kind
of drive that my mom did. That my mom had,
But they just women, I think, just didn't have the
opportunities or think outside the box that they could have
those opportunities. You just kind of you know, became a
housewife and she was so involved in her church. She
(10:06):
was so giving. She she volunteered all the time, and
she like she she gave us the wings to go
after our dreams too. So I think I part of
this I do for her as well. And my grandmother
who was her name was Sarah. She was just strong
as anything too, So we come from some warrior stock
(10:28):
on my side.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
We women a lot of the fact that she gave
you the wings to go and do the things you
do you wanted to do because you appeared in over
one hundred film and TV rows from the wrap pack.
Oh you know you deserve it. You the time and
go through there and the driver and everything. Looking back,
What were some pitiful moments that shaped your path as
(10:50):
an actress?
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Did you say pitiful or beautiful?
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Sorry, no, but we could we could cover all three.
There's been some pit up when trust me, Okay, so
there there are a few again unlikely winner here right
so after after when when I also got that uh
that notice in the mail my ten year high school
(11:17):
school reunion to kick me in the butt, that kick
all of us in the butt? Really that if we
hadn't started yet, what are you waiting for? Because ten
years is already passed, toney. So I knew I wanted
to be an actor, I mean news. It just didn't
let me feel as much because you you get a
whole great story and you put it into a minute
(11:37):
twenty seconds of by this is bourbon, but blah, you
know it's not. You don't make people feel, which is
what makes me seeing, my spirits seeing. So I remember,
and I didn't tell anybody at all, but I remember
going to a powe of bookstore in Portland, Oregon, which
is the one of the largest used bookstores in the
(11:57):
country at least at that time. An entire block of
used books. I would take my daughter Jess in her
stroller and give her some coloring books to do, and
I would sit on the floor in that store and
just read acting books like I didn't know what a
monologue was or what a scene was, and I would
just voraciously read everything and then buy all the books
(12:18):
because they were very cheap. They were used, so I
could stop my own library, and that's something that would
feed me. And I didn't tell anybody, my mother, I
didn't tell my husband, who was getting divorced from at
that point, or I didn't tell anybody. I just kept
this secret because I think I was embarrassed even say
I want to be an actress. That sounds so illogical,
you know. And so and then ABC we heard that
(12:43):
ABC was doing a nationwide search for a role on
One Life to Live. Now listen, I had not. So
A monologue is some if you guys don't know out there,
A monologue is a whole scene where you're just talking
and nobody else is talking, but in your head you
have to listen to maybe what they might say. You know,
(13:04):
I know you've seen it a lot. So I did
one from Neil Simons chapter two, and it was exactly
what I was feeling going through divorce and who am
I now, et cetera. So I learned that thing, and
I learned that they were going to be doing a
search to meet Bobby Hawkman, who was the ABC casting
(13:24):
director then for One Life, to live up in Seattle,
Washington on a certain day. And remember I live in Portland, Oregon, right,
So I secretly am practicing this. I've never had it
out of my mouth, but I'm secretly knowing these words
and knowing this character. And so when the day comes,
I have arranged to take my daughter and Parker at
my mom's for the day, you know, Grandma, and to
(13:46):
drive up to Seattle, Washington to do this thing and
not tell anybody. Well, it turns out that there was
a black ice storm in Oregon and Washington that day,
so I did it anyway. I was the only car
on the freeway basically on ice. Black ice is ice
you can't see, and it was dangerous. I drift Jessica
(14:09):
to my mom's, drove up there, got dressed and did
my makeup in the car, went in and met Bobby
Hoffman who had a tape recorder, you know, a camera
et cetera. And he put my tape on on my
audition on tape, and then I drove back home, didn't
say anything. That's like a three and a half hour drive.
It drove back home, It picked up Jessica and went home.
(14:33):
Nobody knew. Well, guess what. And that was the first
time out of my mouth I'd ever done it. I
got I was one of five people that got flown
to New York to a screen test for One Life
to live out of that. I didn't know what I
was doing, so I was terrible at this thing. I
didn't have any My voice used to be up like
this because I was a people pleaser and they call
(14:54):
me Barbie and so just I was terrible. But I
I learned that and the ABC Marilyn Henry, who was
that just the head of ABC Daytime, She told me, Hattie,
you have no star power and with that voice, all
you're ever gonna do is play a victim. So instead
(15:15):
of shutting me down, maybe mad and I came back
and said, Okay, I'm gonna learn this. I hired a
radio an old radio guy who taught me and we
practiced all the time, reading the newspaper and he taught
me how to use my voice, which I now teach
other people in my unleast your star power stuff. But like,
listen to this, so you can I can play.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
Whatever kind of characters one two three four four one
two three four four, Like I can talk like this,
like most women don't use their full there comes vocal
power because we're taught to be nice. But this would
be more of a CEO. You know where I have
a powerful voice.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Or if the microphone goes out God forbid, and you're
you're speaking to an auditorium, you can reach reach the
raptors in the back row if you know how to
your voice, or you can do it like this. So
voice there's a really powerful tool to be able to
really communicate and tell people who you are, who you
want them to see you as, and just get the
(16:13):
message across in the most effective way.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Your portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in The Rap Pack is
still considered one of the most authentic and ever captured
on screen. How did you prepare it for such a role,
I mean, such an iconic figure.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
First, she very kind, thank you. There was such an
honor to get to play her. And I'll tell you
again I got out of the box, as I said.
I studied with Milton Kitsellas who started the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
I was in his masterclass for twelve years and he
used to say, go after something to the nth degree,
(16:51):
like don't just try something, go after it to the
nth degree to see it, and then you have no regrets,
whether you you know, make it or not. At least
you feel good about yourself. So Rob Cohen directed the
rat Pack and I just got called in for a
regular audition and with a casting director in the little room,
put me on tape and I thought, well, you know,
(17:13):
there's not much to that that Cassine I just did
and I thought, I know I can play her. So
would you believe? I wrote Rob Cohen a letter? This
was this was eighty six, I think it was, So
it's a long time but people still wrote letters then,
not emails, letters, right, And I said, I told him,
you don't know me, but if you didn't see what
(17:36):
you's what you wanted on my audition, please call me
in because I can play her. I know her. And
would you believe? He did? I met him in person
and I got the job over everybody. You all. I
mean just because I did something out of the box,
I didn't. I didn't think, oh, nobody wants that or
nobody does that, that's impolite or whatever. If you are
(17:59):
passionate about that's what you're meant to do. Peep In
love to work with people with passion and who love
what they do. And also I tell actors and people
in the business or probably everybody that a job is great.
I mean, you celebrate, Wow, you got hired for something,
but don't get too cocky and don't get too comfortable,
(18:20):
because repeat business is a career, especially in my business.
And so I have people that I work for, like
I've been doing Hallmark what fifteen years all the time,
did like thirteen Lifetime movies for one executive producer. But
it's because you make the set better, You make the
(18:40):
job place better wherever you're working at. You are fun
to work with. You don't bring the crap from and
the bad energy in, and you just make it better.
And everybody wants to work with you. Everybody wants to
be around that good energy. And you feel better about
yourself too.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Tell us a bit about one of your thirteen films
or Lifetime.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Oh I used to. I used to Lifetime used to say,
if there's a crazy bitch, put Barbara nibbing in it.
So and they're so fun to play. And of course
now I'm on Lifetime, so I play all the nice
moms and grandma's and it's kind of outlandish characters. Doing
more comedy now too, which is fun. But playing crazy
is great. And also it's fun to leak it to
(19:23):
the camera too, because you can do all of this,
all of this like sweet and I look, I look
kind of sweet, or I can and then and then
all of a sudden, when you know how the camera
moves in on your face, when you tune around the camera,
and then you go, you leap to what you're really thinking. Oh,
(19:43):
it's just fun. It's fun to cra craft all of
those little nuances that go into a performance and become
a different character each time.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
And Chasapeake Shaws became one of whole Mak Channel's most
beloved series and one of mine and your to Megan
right O'Brien, sorry, has resonated with so many fans. What
drew you to the role and how has it evolved
for you over the seasons.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Well, we've we got canceled now, so we're not shooting anymore.
And it was an epic time because Treat Williams has
now passed away and so did Diane Ladd just recently.
So no, yo, but that's that's what happens. You have
to treasure people while they're here. The playing Megan O'Brien
(20:31):
and that whole time was epic because I grew as
much as I always grow with the carriages. They always
teach me something that I put into my real life.
And Megan O'Brien was kind of steadfast, steady for the family.
She had regretted decisions that she made and all the
(20:52):
misunderstandings that that came because of that with her children
and her ex husband Treat Williams Nic O'Brien, and she
taught me that it is never wait to say I'm
sorry and try again. And I think that's what people
resonated with a lot, and she just she had to
win them back over, but she just did it steadfastly,
(21:14):
you know, one moment at a time, getting rejected, but
then trying again, not with pride, but just with a
mom's love. And I love Megan O'Brien. I love that
whole cast I was. We were just talking about that
after Diane Ladd passed recently, and we're all just saying
we were so blessed and lucky to be that family
(21:36):
because we were that family.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Oh, that's amazing to hear. It really is. And when
I watched the first episode, I was taken aback. I
didn't expect what. I don't know what I expected, to
be honest, but I didn't expect your character to kind
of just go and you know, the daughters there in
a running gear and it's like mom where aruing the
whole the broader elements of the family was such a
(22:00):
great experience for me as the viewer to engage in
this story, in these characters, and it wasn't predictable at
all from where I stood watching, and I really really
enjoyed it. I felt some of the strongest moments, if
not these strongest moments, were with your character and the
youngest daughter trying to build that bridge together again, especially
(22:21):
when she had the bed and breakfast the B and
B Hotel tell us about working with that actress and
that character and how you developed the role between the
both of you, and that type of storytelling, because it
can be hard to watch with some people that would
be in that experience, but at the same time it
can be quite enlightening because of what you did with
(22:42):
your talents and skills. Skills.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Well, gosh, you're so kind. Thank you and thank you
for really looking into that and thinking about that, because
as an actor, as you know, you think about all
of those things and you live those regrets. You think
about what it must have been like to leave your daughter.
And the storyline we didn't say postpartum depression because we
(23:06):
just didn't say that, but I know that that's what
Megan had gone for. She had five kids, and after
the last one she just couldn't do it all herself.
She needed time to do it. And then Mick well
Treet William's character was just so powerful, had the money
and everything. And I remember feeling like that too when
I in my own life, when I got divorced, I
(23:26):
didn't I wasn't earning money, you know, I, and then
trying to be an actress and all of that. You
just feel like you're not worthy or you can't give
the kids the lifestyle that you think they deserve. But
that's that's not true. They need you more than any
kind of lifestyle, but as a parent we want to
give them everything. So Lacey Maylee is the one that
(23:48):
played my daughter Jess and that, and she's such a
talented actress. She's so funny in this thing too. You remember,
although comedic, she's just and that's not who she is
in life either. She's just a great actress and very
solid and mother herself. And it was hard to do
those scenes because I just put myself where in the
(24:16):
in the regret I guess of not not being there
for my daughter and not giving her what I should
have been, felt selfish, all those yes no things that
I need her to go but I shouldn't have gone,
and all of that. So I think the writers and
the in homemark gave us a really good chance to
portray a family with some great depth all of us.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
And you mentioned voice work, which you're really good at.
Obviously we've heard it on the podcast. And then you
have a so and we've got a bit of singing
from you on this podcast as well.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Oh no, I'm the worst singer. I'm a comedy singer.
It's okay, but but I've acknowledge it my grandchildren even Yes, yes,
I'm the comedy singer of the family. It's okay, I'm
old enough now, I don't really care.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
One scene again in the show that I really liked,
considering you didn't speak in the moment of the scene
is when there was some a buried treasure chest, like
a child's buried treasure even and ye, one by one
they went, it went through the whole family, and you
had to look and see what was going on for
(25:22):
each and every one of them, knowing there was a
certain problem and situation whatever. Tell us a bit about
that scene and acting without using your voice, just you're
just a medium wide shot from what I can remember.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Oh gosh, you're so good. Yeah. It was going back
to buried treasure basically something that the family had buried
from a certain time when I was not there. So
as each one of them brought something out of that
treasure box, it just was another knife thinking I should
(25:58):
have been there, like I didn't know that was your
life at that point. And then just the one the
my youngest daughter that we were just talking about, brings
up a I believe it was a bunny, a bunny
rabbit or something, and and I do remember that, and oh,
just cry when I h when I think of that
because that is like our first, our first little move
(26:21):
towards each other. Because she remembers that, and and I
remember that, and it's like one little tiny centimeter of
a connection for that moment that Megan O'Brien would just
keep building on. She would take those those wins and
celebrate those wins, and it made up for all the losses,
(26:41):
you know, and just one by one she rebuilt the relationships.
And I love her for that. She taught me a
lot about it's never too late to say I'm sorry,
and to build it and to to just be there.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
How different was it for you as an actress preparing
for scenes with your daughters rather than with your sons
that you had to prepare for, especially the young son
who went on to become a lawyer.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
So all we had to do was just be in
the scene with them. Really, everybody brought it each time,
and everybody supported each other too. Like when I remember
there's a few times, you know, it's not all perfect
and it's not all happy all the time, and I remember,
and you get emotional, you know, and oh my god,
I can do the ugly cry, like if it goes
(27:29):
over the edge, it's like getting ready for the wedding scene.
When we all went up there to do the rehearsal
for the wedding scene, when I'm Mick and I are
going to do our bows. That was we knew that
we were being canceled, and that was one of the
last times I was up in front of all the crew.
(27:50):
And nobody knows this. I've never the only people that
were there in front of all the crew, in front
of the family, in front of the extras. Everybody I
started the ugly cry. I couldn't say a word. I
just couldn't do it, and everybody just it did embrace me.
And Brendan Penny was my h was a hero for
me because sometimes he would be waiting outside my trailer
(28:13):
just to say, are you okay? Just like that, just
like that. So these are really special people, good actors,
but good people.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
And the O'Brien family dynamic in the show explores forgiveness,
which we've spoken about, family and second chances. How much
of yourself do you see in Megan O'Brien when you're
not on set, when you're with your own family, Oh.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Megan O'Brien is me. Every character you play as you know,
as an actor is part of you. All we have
to use is our instrument, and you just bring you know,
you just put yourself in this situation. How would I
react to it? So we've all had to deal with
forgiveness and second chances and family and regret and you know,
celebration and all. That's what a family is. It's not
(29:02):
all happy, go lucky. And you just put yourself in
that situation and and and maybe it's it a bit
because you want some drama to so maybe make it
a little higher in some places, make it a little lower,
a little more subtle, depending on how close the camera
is to But you just and that's the fun of
it because you get to live through these characters. Like
(29:26):
my life can be kind of boring. I'm always busy.
I rescue animals, I've got grandkids, I mean, all of
this stuff. But you get to live and I think
it's more intense when you're on camera and just everything
quiets down and you just live that moment to moment
and just let the camera read what's happening and just
open up and just it's some An actor once told
(29:50):
me that it's like rating pearls on a necklace that
each color, you know, one color, and then you think
just a different thought and a different thought and different
thought and different thought, and it all makes how we
think all the time because we don't just think like
I'm going to be regretful right now or this, but
it's all the yes and knows. Maybe are they listening
(30:12):
this time, or no, they didn't get me. Don't show
that I'm hurt this time, you know? Or you put
all those different colors in and it's just I get
consponse thinking about it because you get to live. So
the music just maybe is a little louder, a little
more intense when you're acting than in your life because
it's all put down into a certain time period. But
(30:34):
you still put all the colors in, so you get
all the feels out of it that you want that
you could never hope for. That's why I love back.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
When you receive the scripts and you read them obviously
and you're thinking about them, what relationships do you have
with directors on the show or shows in particular that
have influenced you and help you inform the decisions you
make as an actress. Whether or not you like the
screenplays that you read, you know.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
If you've been doing a character for a while, like
Mega O'Brien, like a dider for six years, We've been
doing Hannah's Wentz and I've been playing Dolores Wentson with
the mother to Alison Sweeney in this Hallmark mystery series
called hannahs went and Mysteries for I think we've been
doing eleven twelve years now, can you believe that? And
she is such a different character. Her name is Dolores,
(31:22):
big hair, big boobs, big jewelry and a big mouth,
you know, trying to get the Medley mother, trying to
get her her daughter married. So she lives larger than life.
So we know those characters that we've done before, and
so we bring what we do. But the director, that
is the person that is watching, you got to trust them.
(31:42):
And if it's also been an actor, then you know
he's going to know exactly he or she is going
to know exactly what little words to whisper in your
ear or what if this and doing adding those little
colors to and making magic together. To me is that
is the high flight of this whole career. I love it.
(32:05):
I just did an NCIS guest star in James Whitmore Junior.
Oh yeah, James Whitmore Junior, who it was on my
bucket list to work with, To be honest, we just
we just worked together and that's exactly how he worked.
And it was so emotional this scene we did, and
and and he would just come over and just go,
you know, with everybody out here, just kind of lean
(32:27):
in and go and I go, oh oh, And then
he would walk away and let it sink in, like
oh yeah. And then you let it sink in and
into your cells and then it comes out and in
your own way. You don't do it exactly like anybody
else does, but you got to let your character and
your own music come from within you.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
What was it about his work that made you want
him on your bucket list?
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Because I've seen his name four years. He's about my age,
maybe even a little older, and nobody's older anymore. But
I've seen his work forever, and I know people who've
worked with him. One of my my dearest friends and
is Dan Laurier, who used to be the dad on
the Wonder Years. And he's a friend of Jimmy, and
(33:13):
you call him Jimmy, which I didn't know, but now
I know. Because I have now worked with him from
my bucket list, but you know, he's a legend. And
it's just the more the longer I get to do this,
the luckier I feel because I'm still.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
Doing what I love and.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
Not buying into by the way, that you have to
as an actress to quit working after a certain age,
because no, I'm killing all the younger actresses that it
just gets better because you start doing character work and
you start taking chances and you don't try and so
instead of saying, what do they want me to do?
(33:52):
Who do I need to be for this? Nope? You
just go in and do you and the leader love
it or hate this, but they're going to remember you
for the next time when something comes up.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Do you I love that? Do you think many people
are still thinking in this day and age that there's
a kind of time limit in when it comes to
age and being Oh?
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Absolutely, because yeah, and be absolutely. I hear it all
the time. And everybody's worried about you know, the young
kids are getting lips, slip injections and you know, fillers
and all that stuff, and you I wish we didn't
put that on women. I mean, I've had botox before.
(34:33):
I don't. I don't do much because you got to
have your face to be able to act, to express.
So we all buy into that. I had an eating
disorder for years when I was very young. He's thinking,
oh my god, I've got to be you know, look
a certain way. I'm never gonna be a skinny mini.
I'm gonna look great for me, and I am healthy.
(34:53):
I have a trainer, and I believe now that strong
is beautiful. So you you just have to use what
you got and your own quirky sense of humor, all
those weird things that you only do in your by yourself.
You know, you've got to do the mountain open because
that's what makes you compelling and interesting. So be weird,
(35:15):
be you, and just that's what they're going to hire you.
So you don't look like everybody else, because everybody else
looks plastic or they're trying to fit into a mold.
And the older I get, the better I feel about
just being me, and I hope they like it. But
if they don't like it this time, keep on doing
it and maybe next time I'll get the job.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Wise words spoken, wise word spoken. I love that. And
you've worked in both major network shows and independent films
like a Perfect Ending and Hamlet's Ghost. How does your
creative process shift between those two words, the indie spirit
versus the structure of a big production.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I think with an indie film you get to push
the edges a little more. And I always I would
like I love doing homemark, it's my brand, it's makes
people feel better. I love the energy. But I also
want to do things that really scare me. Sometimes that
make a difference. So again, what my teacher in mountin
Casellis used to say is if it scares you, you
(36:18):
got to do it. And so that was a perfect ending.
That's why I did a perfect ending. I think I
did it when I was fourteen years ago, I guess,
and it scared me. It's an little I love the script.
I helped write and format some of the script for
my character, and it's just said and my father had
(36:41):
just died, and I needed to process that. Yeah, I
needed to process that. And the way our process is
to work it through and sometimes it helps to just
work it through another character and not me. And then
I realized I can see the other side by working
it through a character.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Have you ever been in a situation as an actress,
where you've been scared and you haven't taken an opportunity,
and what was that like for you?
Speaker 4 (37:10):
Yeah, when I was younger, oh my god, it was
like terrible. Oh my god, it was terrible. And I
don't know how I got hired, But I learned my craft,
you know, you learn on set. Another thing that helped me,
and what I tell young actors coming up probably is
to do everybody else's job on set once or if
(37:32):
we forget a line, everybody's going to do it over again.
So an actor is no more important than anybody else.
And the two worst jobs on set I have ever
tried to think acting is the easiest job. The two
worst one was doing craft services, which is the food,
the snack table that you give for all that the
(37:53):
crew and the actors to go get chocolate cookies wherever,
because nobody says thank you, and everybody messes up your
beautiful spread and I just want to say, can you
say thank you please? And here's a napkin, you know.
And then but the worst job was holding that boom
microphone out of the shot. My arms were giving out,
my back was giving out, and I was I was
(38:15):
just tears running in my fists. Please God, let them
y'all cut before before I lose it and I ruin
the shots. So you know, actors really do have the
easy job. We just learn our lives and are totally
prepared and then when we get this that we just
get to play and everybody else is doing the hard work.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
I can agree with that. I've held the boom before. Yeah,
not an easy ride, and I don't understand how some
of those guys do it because some of them are
not the biggest people. But that I have to do,
I agree with you. It's a lot easier being the
night press.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Yeah, And nobody's more important either, because it's a team sport. Acting. Yes,
so many TV is. You know, if you're on stage,
you know you kind of you have to do it yourself,
but this is a team sports and if one person
messes up, everybody does it over. So that again is
making the set better because there's a magic that happens
when everybody's doing it and everybody's on and it just
(39:13):
you know, you're making magic, and it's a feeling like
it's incredible that that you know, and you're all high
and there's an emotional scene and you look around and
the crew is crying. You know, they yield it, you know,
or you're doing something funny and everybody is trying to
like in the corner, like not to laugh, so you
don't hear you know that they're go you know. So
(39:36):
that is man, it's fun.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Funny indeed, And one of the other things I wanted
to speak to you about. So many different things I
want to speak to you about, but one of the
other things is, well, that is really impressive and I
love when people are able to do it. This type
of thing is advocacy and having a personal mission. You're
a passionate advocate for American humane and a producer with
I Am a Superwoman. How do you see storytelling as
(40:01):
a tool for social change?
Speaker 4 (40:04):
Ah, great question, because again I quote Milton could sell
us a lot back up about this book here that
I take Acting Class Action. I just I'm gonna put
it up here because people should get this if you're
an actor and Dreams Into Action is his other book,
(40:25):
because whatever your dream you have, it just shows you
how to get organized and and just make sure that
you're on track to keep going towards your dream. But
what he used to say is that art is the
only thing that can create change because if you think
about it cuts across all language barriers, all cultures, all
(40:46):
colors of people, and when people are watching it, they're going,
that's just like my Aunt Donna, or that's just like
Uncle Fred or whatever. And you can create change that
way because people are empathetic towards the people that they're
seeing and they can live that story with us. So
(41:06):
I think that artists are vital, especially right now, to
be able to get people back on track with kindness
and with you know, just so we can create some empathy,
because I think we've lost a lot of that.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
Is there a film, a story, or play in particular
that you can tell us about that influenced you and
made you decide you know what storytelling is perfect for
social change?
Speaker 4 (41:35):
Well, how about just a simple one like Gets a
Wonderful Life? You know, People has always been one of
my favorite movies, and it's about people who you know
you can yes, I mean the whole story. You know.
He gets he gets self stressed, he says, I don't
want to be here anymore, and then they show what
(41:58):
happens when he's not, what happens to world, the people
that he loves and then he gets a second chance.
So with movies or documentaries, we show what's going on
and people can identify with that and see it not
just in words or in a maybe a screen grab
on your phone or whatever, but you can actually feel
(42:19):
what's happening. And then once you feel that, I think
it spurs people to maybe get more invested and start
reaching out to create that change. I see.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
I do like documentaries too, so I completely understand what
you mean. I'm a huge fan of them. There's so
many available now due to streaming platforms and everything you
can just and onlinely YouTube and then Vimeo. There's there
are so many. And I'm not surprised that you have
a motto speaking to you today. It rings through don't
(42:52):
give up five minutes before the miracle. That's your mottel
has inspired you so many. Where did that come from
and how did it guide you through your own pups
and downs?
Speaker 4 (43:06):
I think it came again from Melton, from sitting in
his class and just knowing that each of us, as
I said, is an unlikely winner. Who would ever think
that this little girl from Portland, Oregon divorcee at you know, thirty,
with a little kid would be able to make a
living acting. I mean, against all odds, But if you
(43:28):
think about it, we're all living against the odds. Who
is to say that somebody is going to be a
huge success or a huge star, or you know, have
a career where you make a million dollars, which is
not many people do, or you know, or you succeed
just in little ways like with your family or with
a school, or now maybe my daughter now is putting
(43:51):
together a community food bank because of what's going on
in our country right now. And you know, we can
all make little differences and maybe seem instrumountable, like who
am I to be incredible and powerful and wonderful and
talented and gifted and blessed? But who were you not
to be?
Speaker 6 (44:10):
So if just take all those blocks away and listen
to your passion and figure out a way to do it,
and just keep doing it a little bit each day,
just plugging away at it, and the universe rewards action,
and then just believe and don't give up five minutes
(44:31):
before the miracle, because honestly, if I can make this
crazy dream happen, you can do anything anything to.
Speaker 3 (44:37):
You beautifully, pull beautifully pool give me a lot to
think about today, Barbara, you certainly have.
Speaker 4 (44:43):
Thank you you too, and you too.
Speaker 3 (44:45):
Lastly, looking back on at everything you've accomplished, actor, producer, coach, advocate,
what do you hope your legacy in film and the
media will be?
Speaker 4 (44:57):
Oh, in film immediate? You know, I never thought about that, honestly,
because my legacy I identify so much with being a
mom and being a grandmother. I feel like that is
my legacy and I love that that legacy. With that,
I think the legacy would just be that, just take
(45:17):
off the self limitations, honestly, don't don't buy into what
society says, or that you're too old or the wrong
color or the wrong shape or the wrong you know,
gender or whatever, and just go after your dream gam
it because honestly, if I can do this, you can
do anything too. And I think that's what I want
(45:39):
people to take away. I used to think because I
love acting so much, and I used to think, well,
I just I just booked a job. It's so great.
It's about me, But it's not, and it's not for
any of us, because it's about giving me a maybe
a bigger sphere of influence or fans or people too
that I can reach. It's just like you are right
(46:01):
now with your reach to make a bigger difference with
to maybe implant a seed, maybe implant the possibilities that
people can do that, so we can just reach more
people and pay it forward. That's what I think we're
here for, and that's what I help my legacieds.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
I remember that great legacy, great great legacy for sure. Baba,
thanks so much for coming on the podcast. I really
appreciate you taking the time speak to me. Imagine you're
very busy, like you said, you a mother, grandma, and
you're filming all the time.
Speaker 4 (46:32):
I'm just packing because I'm leaving in two days and
I've got so much to do. But I uh, you
know that that's part of it too. Just live full
out and just with another. And Milton used to say,
when you get busy and you want to like panic,
just say yes to more because again the universe rewards
action and just keep saying yes and you will be rewarded.
(46:54):
So I'm going to say yes as I pack.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Thank you for joining us on this episode Filmmaking Conversations
with Me, your host Damien Swaby. My deepest thanks to
Barbara for sharing her extraordinary career, her wisdom, and, more
than anything else, her heart. Her message that you should
never settle for anything less than wonderful and never give
(47:19):
up five minutes before the Miracle is a reminder to
all of us chasing creative dreams. Barbara's honesty about her struggles,
her triumphs, and her passion for helping others find their
voice truly embodies the spirit of this show. If today's
conversation inspired you, please share it with someone who needs
a little encouragement and creativity in their life. Until next time,
(47:43):
keep creating, keep learning, and keep the conversation going. And
subscribe to Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby
You are listening to the IFH podcast Network. For more
amazing filmmaking and screenwriting podcasts, just go to ifhpodcastnetwork dot
com to.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Down filmmaking conversations. I sit down with one of Hollywood's
most prolific and inspiring actresses, Barbara and Neven. For more
than thirty years, Barbara has been one of the busiest
and most versatile performers in the industry, hosted numerous shows
and info commercials, and even spent three years serving on
(00:35):
the National Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild.
Barbara is a fan favorite across Hallmark's biggest series and movies,
including Chesapeake, Shaws, Murder. She baked the popular crossword puzzle
Mysteries franchise. She has delivered unforgettable work throughout her career,
(00:58):
from her acclaimed trail of Marilyn Monroe in HBO's The
Rat Pack to award winning performances in independent films like
Perfect Ending and Hamlet's Ghosts. Her range extends across and
network television as well, with appearances in NCIS, Cold Case, Charmed,
One Life, to Live, Parks and Recreation, and more. But
(01:22):
Barbara isn't just an actress. She's also one of Hollywood's
most respected media trainers and video marketed coaches, helping professionals
around the world overcome fear, build confidence, and communicate their
message with authenticity through her Unleash Your Style power system.
(01:43):
This conversation goes far beyond acting. It's about resilience, purpose, reinvention,
and the courage to create the life you truly want.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
If you're in the world of filmmaking or simply searching
for inspiration, Barbara Niven's story stay with you long after
this episode ends. Hi, Barbara, how are you today?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Hey? How are you? Demien? I'm so proud to be
on your podcast. I love the things that you've been doing.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Oh, thank you so much. So I really appreciate that
it means a lot to me coming from you, because
I absolutely love the things you've been doing in front
of the camera and your advocacy work and everything else
and so much more.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Thank you so much. I think the reason that we
have some sort of maybe whatever however you define success
is so that we can pay it forward, Because I
honestly feel if I can make this crazy dream come
true of being an actress, and I didn't start even
going after it until I was almost thirty, a single
mother in Portland, Oregon. And if I can make that
(02:44):
dream happen, then anybody can do anything. And that's what
I feel like we're here to do to help pay
it forward. And that's what you do.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Thank you. And that is an amazing story and will
reality and we'll get into it, that's for sure. So
what first inspired you to become an actress? And I
ketch you going through the early challenges of breaking into
the industry.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well, I used to study with somebody named Melton Kitselas
who calls us all unlikely winners and you just have
to keep sweeping the alley, keep doing it til you
make it. But I didn't even start acting until, as
I say, almost thirty, when I got something in the mail.
You know, when you come for your ten year high
(03:27):
school reunion, they always send out something at like coul
did you marry? How many kids you have? Where do
you live? And the last question on mine was have
you achieved all you thought you would in your life
by now? And that hit me like a ton of
bricks because I remember being a little girl my very
first show, Kindergarten, and I remember every detail because it's
(03:49):
just steered into my brain wearing footy pajamas, carrying a
teddy Bear and singing me I'm my teddy Bear and
looking at the audience, and I got those goosebumps that
I'll get when I'm on a set or when I'm
creating with somebody doing what I love to do. So
my advice for people is just to follow your passion.
(04:09):
If there's something that you want to do, you just
you just gotta do it, because you don't want to
wonder what if at the end of your life. And
I believe that your passion and your love leads you
to your purpose. It's like your GPS. So if you're
loving what you do, you are connected and you are
in line with your destiny and what you are, what
you're meant to do here on this.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Earth, and what or who influenced you to love what
you do and follow your passion in the way you do,
because so many of us, especially when we get to
kind of late twenties, early thirties, there's certain responsibilities and
everything involved and we just say no way, you know,
get it an all for strapl I.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Just thought it was worse to think what if I
never tried it? I couldn't live with myself like that.
I think I watched my mom. Maybe she had She
has a movie star photo basically from just from Walla Walla, Washington,
and she went out with Roy Rogers when he came
through town one time with his movie because he was
(05:07):
a theater usher at that time, which was pretty big
deal in those days in the you know, in the
probably in the forties, I guess, But I just feel like,
I don't know, maybe I watched her, maybe feel like
she didn't achieve her full potential, although she did, like
(05:28):
she raised a family, she taught us that we could
do anything, and she was there in the audience, like
every time I had a school assembly or a game,
or I was cheerleader, she'd be and my dad would
be in the front row. But I just feel like
I watched her kind of litter dreams, like take a
backseat to everybody else, And I didn't want to want
(05:48):
to do that. So when I started acting, I say
when I would late late twenties, almost thirty, and just
took stock of what I could do. Was getting a divorce.
I had a little kid, like two and a half
years old at my daughter Jess, and I just decided,
you know, okay, what can I do? I got to
take stocks, so I need to get a job. I'm
getting divorced. What do I do? So I thought, well,
(06:11):
and I did not graduate college. I just got married
and had a baby, so I really was under the gun.
But I knew I could write, and I knew I
loved camera. I loved talking to people. So I thought, ah,
I could Why don't I maybe do news TV news?
So out of the blue, I went to the NBC
(06:31):
affiliate in Portland, Ore, which is KGW, and I knocked
on the news director's door, out of the blue, no experience,
and said, Hi, I want to work for you. If
I bring you scripts and stories, will you mentor me
and I'll pay it forward someday. And so he gave
me a script to use as a sample for news.
And then I would go out and I would lie
(06:54):
and tell people, call businesses and say, hi, I am
an associate producer with KGW, but I need to reproduce
you and give you an interview before we'll do an
actual story on you. It was not okay, and they
all wanted to be on TV, so they all said yes,
So I would take my maybe those big tape recorders,
the big boombox tape recorders with the with the tape,
(07:15):
that actual tape that you'd put in. So I would
take that, do an interview tape recorder, race back to
my house, pull out the sound bites that I wanted,
and in the script, I would put out what shot
if I were, if I were, had a cameraman, what
shot we would stay on, et cetera. Really try to
learn my job with no college, and I would take
(07:35):
it in the next day. And I think the guy
was shocked every time that I would keep showing up
and but eventually he put me on as an intern
with no college as the first time they'd ever done it.
And then I don't know where I got my confidence,
but as an intern, because you're not union, you can
only do one story before you get taff tartlead into
(07:55):
the into the union, you know. And so I said
this story, I'm going to sell it to a network,
and everybody said, oh, forget it, honey, honey, But I did.
I found a national bent for it. It was an
Easter ay hunt and the White House lawn and I
made I had this great cameraman who just we did
(08:17):
a really funny feature on it, and I did it
got picked up by by NBC nationally, and so that's
how I got started. So you just have to figure
out a way. You don't have to buy into the
way everybody else does it, because it's not gonna work
for you. You have to use your own strengths, figure
out your pluses, your minuses, how you can, how you
(08:41):
can talk with somebody and then find a mentor who's
doing the exact job that you want to do, and
then tell them, please if you mentor me, I promised
to pay it forward someday when I reached my own success.
And who would say no to that.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
That's an amazing story. I can't believe that. I mean,
that's this, that's als very inspiring. I really admire your energy,
drive and passion to do something such as that. And
at that point you had done something that's amazing and
passionate and driven. And we can all see that and
know that what was your relationship like with your mother
(09:15):
who had not done what you had done and potentially
not fulfilled the whole potential at that point?
Speaker 4 (09:21):
You know, we never talked about that, to be honest,
and she was, oh man, she was amazing because she
was so into sports before women really did that like
she uh. In fact, Okay, I grew up in Portland, Oregon,
and you've heard of Mount Hood, you know, with a
ski resort and everything. She used to hike up Mount Hood.
(09:44):
They all used to do that, carrying their skis just
so they could ski down it. So that's the kind
of drive that my mom did. That my mom had,
But they just women, I think, just didn't have the
opportunities or think outside the box that they could have
those opportunities. You just kind of you know, became a
housewife and she was so involved in her church. She
(10:06):
was so giving. She she volunteered all the time, and
she like she she gave us the wings to go
after our dreams too. So I think I part of
this I do for her as well. And my grandmother
who was her name was Sarah. She was just strong
as anything too, So we come from some warrior stock
(10:28):
on my side.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
We women a lot of the fact that she gave
you the wings to go and do the things you
do you wanted to do because you appeared in over
one hundred film and TV rows from the wrap pack.
Oh you know you deserve it. You the time and
go through there and the driver and everything. Looking back,
What were some pitiful moments that shaped your path as
(10:50):
an actress?
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Did you say pitiful or beautiful?
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Sorry, no, but we could we could cover all three.
There's been some pit up when trust me, Okay, so
there there are a few again unlikely winner here right
so after after when when I also got that uh
that notice in the mail my ten year high school
(11:17):
school reunion to kick me in the butt, that kick
all of us in the butt? Really that if we
hadn't started yet, what are you waiting for? Because ten
years is already passed, toney. So I knew I wanted
to be an actor, I mean news. It just didn't
let me feel as much because you you get a
whole great story and you put it into a minute
(11:37):
twenty seconds of by this is bourbon, but blah, you
know it's not. You don't make people feel, which is
what makes me seeing, my spirits seeing. So I remember,
and I didn't tell anybody at all, but I remember
going to a powe of bookstore in Portland, Oregon, which
is the one of the largest used bookstores in the
(11:57):
country at least at that time. An entire block of
used books. I would take my daughter Jess in her
stroller and give her some coloring books to do, and
I would sit on the floor in that store and
just read acting books like I didn't know what a
monologue was or what a scene was, and I would
just voraciously read everything and then buy all the books
(12:18):
because they were very cheap. They were used, so I
could stop my own library, and that's something that would
feed me. And I didn't tell anybody, my mother, I
didn't tell my husband, who was getting divorced from at
that point, or I didn't tell anybody. I just kept
this secret because I think I was embarrassed even say
I want to be an actress. That sounds so illogical,
you know. And so and then ABC we heard that
(12:43):
ABC was doing a nationwide search for a role on
One Life to Live. Now listen, I had not. So
A monologue is some if you guys don't know out there,
A monologue is a whole scene where you're just talking
and nobody else is talking, but in your head you
have to listen to maybe what they might say. You know,
(13:04):
I know you've seen it a lot. So I did
one from Neil Simons chapter two, and it was exactly
what I was feeling going through divorce and who am
I now, et cetera. So I learned that thing, and
I learned that they were going to be doing a
search to meet Bobby Hawkman, who was the ABC casting
(13:24):
director then for One Life, to live up in Seattle,
Washington on a certain day. And remember I live in Portland, Oregon, right,
So I secretly am practicing this. I've never had it
out of my mouth, but I'm secretly knowing these words
and knowing this character. And so when the day comes,
I have arranged to take my daughter and Parker at
my mom's for the day, you know, Grandma, and to
(13:46):
drive up to Seattle, Washington to do this thing and
not tell anybody. Well, it turns out that there was
a black ice storm in Oregon and Washington that day,
so I did it anyway. I was the only car
on the freeway basically on ice. Black ice is ice
you can't see, and it was dangerous. I drift Jessica
(14:09):
to my mom's, drove up there, got dressed and did
my makeup in the car, went in and met Bobby
Hoffman who had a tape recorder, you know, a camera
et cetera. And he put my tape on on my
audition on tape, and then I drove back home, didn't
say anything. That's like a three and a half hour drive.
It drove back home, It picked up Jessica and went home.
(14:33):
Nobody knew. Well, guess what. And that was the first
time out of my mouth I'd ever done it. I
got I was one of five people that got flown
to New York to a screen test for One Life
to live out of that. I didn't know what I
was doing, so I was terrible at this thing. I
didn't have any My voice used to be up like
this because I was a people pleaser and they call
(14:54):
me Barbie and so just I was terrible. But I
I learned that and the ABC Marilyn Henry, who was
that just the head of ABC Daytime, She told me, Hattie,
you have no star power and with that voice, all
you're ever gonna do is play a victim. So instead
(15:15):
of shutting me down, maybe mad and I came back
and said, Okay, I'm gonna learn this. I hired a
radio an old radio guy who taught me and we
practiced all the time, reading the newspaper and he taught
me how to use my voice, which I now teach
other people in my unleast your star power stuff. But like,
listen to this, so you can I can play.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
Whatever kind of characters one two three four four one
two three four four, Like I can talk like this,
like most women don't use their full there comes vocal
power because we're taught to be nice. But this would
be more of a CEO. You know where I have
a powerful voice.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Or if the microphone goes out God forbid, and you're
you're speaking to an auditorium, you can reach reach the
raptors in the back row if you know how to
your voice, or you can do it like this. So
voice there's a really powerful tool to be able to
really communicate and tell people who you are, who you
want them to see you as, and just get the
(16:13):
message across in the most effective way.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Your portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in The Rap Pack is
still considered one of the most authentic and ever captured
on screen. How did you prepare it for such a role,
I mean, such an iconic figure.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
First, she very kind, thank you. There was such an
honor to get to play her. And I'll tell you
again I got out of the box, as I said.
I studied with Milton Kitsellas who started the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
I was in his masterclass for twelve years and he
used to say, go after something to the nth degree,
(16:51):
like don't just try something, go after it to the
nth degree to see it, and then you have no regrets,
whether you you know, make it or not. At least
you feel good about yourself. So Rob Cohen directed the
rat Pack and I just got called in for a
regular audition and with a casting director in the little room,
put me on tape and I thought, well, you know,
(17:13):
there's not much to that that Cassine I just did
and I thought, I know I can play her. So
would you believe? I wrote Rob Cohen a letter? This
was this was eighty six, I think it was, So
it's a long time but people still wrote letters then,
not emails, letters, right, And I said, I told him,
you don't know me, but if you didn't see what
(17:36):
you's what you wanted on my audition, please call me
in because I can play her. I know her. And
would you believe? He did? I met him in person
and I got the job over everybody. You all. I
mean just because I did something out of the box,
I didn't. I didn't think, oh, nobody wants that or
nobody does that, that's impolite or whatever. If you are
(17:59):
passionate about that's what you're meant to do. Peep In
love to work with people with passion and who love
what they do. And also I tell actors and people
in the business or probably everybody that a job is great.
I mean, you celebrate, Wow, you got hired for something,
but don't get too cocky and don't get too comfortable,
(18:20):
because repeat business is a career, especially in my business.
And so I have people that I work for, like
I've been doing Hallmark what fifteen years all the time,
did like thirteen Lifetime movies for one executive producer. But
it's because you make the set better, You make the
(18:40):
job place better wherever you're working at. You are fun
to work with. You don't bring the crap from and
the bad energy in, and you just make it better.
And everybody wants to work with you. Everybody wants to
be around that good energy. And you feel better about
yourself too.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Tell us a bit about one of your thirteen films
or Lifetime.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Oh I used to. I used to Lifetime used to say,
if there's a crazy bitch, put Barbara nibbing in it.
So and they're so fun to play. And of course
now I'm on Lifetime, so I play all the nice
moms and grandma's and it's kind of outlandish characters. Doing
more comedy now too, which is fun. But playing crazy
is great. And also it's fun to leak it to
(19:23):
the camera too, because you can do all of this,
all of this like sweet and I look, I look
kind of sweet, or I can and then and then
all of a sudden, when you know how the camera
moves in on your face, when you tune around the camera,
and then you go, you leap to what you're really thinking. Oh,
(19:43):
it's just fun. It's fun to cra craft all of
those little nuances that go into a performance and become
a different character each time.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
And Chasapeake Shaws became one of whole Mak Channel's most
beloved series and one of mine and your to Megan
right O'Brien, sorry, has resonated with so many fans. What
drew you to the role and how has it evolved
for you over the seasons.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Well, we've we got canceled now, so we're not shooting anymore.
And it was an epic time because Treat Williams has
now passed away and so did Diane Ladd just recently.
So no, yo, but that's that's what happens. You have
to treasure people while they're here. The playing Megan O'Brien
(20:31):
and that whole time was epic because I grew as
much as I always grow with the carriages. They always
teach me something that I put into my real life.
And Megan O'Brien was kind of steadfast, steady for the family.
She had regretted decisions that she made and all the
(20:52):
misunderstandings that that came because of that with her children
and her ex husband Treat Williams Nic O'Brien, and she
taught me that it is never wait to say I'm
sorry and try again. And I think that's what people
resonated with a lot, and she just she had to
win them back over, but she just did it steadfastly,
(21:14):
you know, one moment at a time, getting rejected, but
then trying again, not with pride, but just with a
mom's love. And I love Megan O'Brien. I love that
whole cast I was. We were just talking about that
after Diane Ladd passed recently, and we're all just saying
we were so blessed and lucky to be that family
(21:36):
because we were that family.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Oh, that's amazing to hear. It really is. And when
I watched the first episode, I was taken aback. I
didn't expect what. I don't know what I expected, to
be honest, but I didn't expect your character to kind
of just go and you know, the daughters there in
a running gear and it's like mom where aruing the
whole the broader elements of the family was such a
(22:00):
great experience for me as the viewer to engage in
this story, in these characters, and it wasn't predictable at
all from where I stood watching, and I really really
enjoyed it. I felt some of the strongest moments, if
not these strongest moments, were with your character and the
youngest daughter trying to build that bridge together again, especially
(22:21):
when she had the bed and breakfast the B and
B Hotel tell us about working with that actress and
that character and how you developed the role between the
both of you, and that type of storytelling, because it
can be hard to watch with some people that would
be in that experience, but at the same time it
can be quite enlightening because of what you did with
(22:42):
your talents and skills. Skills.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Well, gosh, you're so kind. Thank you and thank you
for really looking into that and thinking about that, because
as an actor, as you know, you think about all
of those things and you live those regrets. You think
about what it must have been like to leave your daughter.
And the storyline we didn't say postpartum depression because we
(23:06):
just didn't say that, but I know that that's what
Megan had gone for. She had five kids, and after
the last one she just couldn't do it all herself.
She needed time to do it. And then Mick well
Treet William's character was just so powerful, had the money
and everything. And I remember feeling like that too when
I in my own life, when I got divorced, I
(23:26):
didn't I wasn't earning money, you know, I, and then
trying to be an actress and all of that. You
just feel like you're not worthy or you can't give
the kids the lifestyle that you think they deserve. But
that's that's not true. They need you more than any
kind of lifestyle, but as a parent we want to
give them everything. So Lacey Maylee is the one that
(23:48):
played my daughter Jess and that, and she's such a
talented actress. She's so funny in this thing too. You remember,
although comedic, she's just and that's not who she is
in life either. She's just a great actress and very
solid and mother herself. And it was hard to do
those scenes because I just put myself where in the
(24:16):
in the regret I guess of not not being there
for my daughter and not giving her what I should
have been, felt selfish, all those yes no things that
I need her to go but I shouldn't have gone,
and all of that. So I think the writers and
the in homemark gave us a really good chance to
portray a family with some great depth all of us.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
And you mentioned voice work, which you're really good at.
Obviously we've heard it on the podcast. And then you
have a so and we've got a bit of singing
from you on this podcast as well.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Oh no, I'm the worst singer. I'm a comedy singer.
It's okay, but but I've acknowledge it my grandchildren even Yes, yes,
I'm the comedy singer of the family. It's okay, I'm
old enough now, I don't really care.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
One scene again in the show that I really liked,
considering you didn't speak in the moment of the scene
is when there was some a buried treasure chest, like
a child's buried treasure even and ye, one by one
they went, it went through the whole family, and you
had to look and see what was going on for
(25:22):
each and every one of them, knowing there was a
certain problem and situation whatever. Tell us a bit about
that scene and acting without using your voice, just you're
just a medium wide shot from what I can remember.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Oh gosh, you're so good. Yeah. It was going back
to buried treasure basically something that the family had buried
from a certain time when I was not there. So
as each one of them brought something out of that
treasure box, it just was another knife thinking I should
(25:58):
have been there, like I didn't know that was your
life at that point. And then just the one the
my youngest daughter that we were just talking about, brings
up a I believe it was a bunny, a bunny
rabbit or something, and and I do remember that, and oh,
just cry when I h when I think of that
because that is like our first, our first little move
(26:21):
towards each other. Because she remembers that, and and I
remember that, and it's like one little tiny centimeter of
a connection for that moment that Megan O'Brien would just
keep building on. She would take those those wins and
celebrate those wins, and it made up for all the losses,
(26:41):
you know, and just one by one she rebuilt the relationships.
And I love her for that. She taught me a
lot about it's never too late to say I'm sorry,
and to build it and to to just be there.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
How different was it for you as an actress preparing
for scenes with your daughters rather than with your sons
that you had to prepare for, especially the young son
who went on to become a lawyer.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
So all we had to do was just be in
the scene with them. Really, everybody brought it each time,
and everybody supported each other too. Like when I remember
there's a few times, you know, it's not all perfect
and it's not all happy all the time, and I remember,
and you get emotional, you know, and oh my god,
I can do the ugly cry, like if it goes
(27:29):
over the edge, it's like getting ready for the wedding scene.
When we all went up there to do the rehearsal
for the wedding scene, when I'm Mick and I are
going to do our bows. That was we knew that
we were being canceled, and that was one of the
last times I was up in front of all the crew.
(27:50):
And nobody knows this. I've never the only people that
were there in front of all the crew, in front
of the family, in front of the extras. Everybody I
started the ugly cry. I couldn't say a word. I
just couldn't do it, and everybody just it did embrace me.
And Brendan Penny was my h was a hero for
me because sometimes he would be waiting outside my trailer
(28:13):
just to say, are you okay? Just like that, just
like that. So these are really special people, good actors,
but good people.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
And the O'Brien family dynamic in the show explores forgiveness,
which we've spoken about, family and second chances. How much
of yourself do you see in Megan O'Brien when you're
not on set, when you're with your own family, Oh.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Megan O'Brien is me. Every character you play as you know,
as an actor is part of you. All we have
to use is our instrument, and you just bring you know,
you just put yourself in this situation. How would I
react to it? So we've all had to deal with
forgiveness and second chances and family and regret and you know,
celebration and all. That's what a family is. It's not
(29:02):
all happy, go lucky. And you just put yourself in
that situation and and and maybe it's it a bit
because you want some drama to so maybe make it
a little higher in some places, make it a little lower,
a little more subtle, depending on how close the camera
is to But you just and that's the fun of
it because you get to live through these characters. Like
(29:26):
my life can be kind of boring. I'm always busy.
I rescue animals, I've got grandkids, I mean, all of
this stuff. But you get to live and I think
it's more intense when you're on camera and just everything
quiets down and you just live that moment to moment
and just let the camera read what's happening and just
open up and just it's some An actor once told
(29:50):
me that it's like rating pearls on a necklace that
each color, you know, one color, and then you think
just a different thought and a different thought and different
thought and different thought, and it all makes how we
think all the time because we don't just think like
I'm going to be regretful right now or this, but
it's all the yes and knows. Maybe are they listening
(30:12):
this time, or no, they didn't get me. Don't show
that I'm hurt this time, you know? Or you put
all those different colors in and it's just I get
consponse thinking about it because you get to live. So
the music just maybe is a little louder, a little
more intense when you're acting than in your life because
it's all put down into a certain time period. But
(30:34):
you still put all the colors in, so you get
all the feels out of it that you want that
you could never hope for. That's why I love back.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
When you receive the scripts and you read them obviously
and you're thinking about them, what relationships do you have
with directors on the show or shows in particular that
have influenced you and help you inform the decisions you
make as an actress. Whether or not you like the
screenplays that you read, you know.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
If you've been doing a character for a while, like
Mega O'Brien, like a dider for six years, We've been
doing Hannah's Wentz and I've been playing Dolores Wentson with
the mother to Alison Sweeney in this Hallmark mystery series
called hannahs went and Mysteries for I think we've been
doing eleven twelve years now, can you believe that? And
she is such a different character. Her name is Dolores,
(31:22):
big hair, big boobs, big jewelry and a big mouth,
you know, trying to get the Medley mother, trying to
get her her daughter married. So she lives larger than life.
So we know those characters that we've done before, and
so we bring what we do. But the director, that
is the person that is watching, you got to trust them.
(31:42):
And if it's also been an actor, then you know
he's going to know exactly he or she is going
to know exactly what little words to whisper in your
ear or what if this and doing adding those little
colors to and making magic together. To me is that
is the high flight of this whole career. I love it.
(32:05):
I just did an NCIS guest star in James Whitmore Junior.
Oh yeah, James Whitmore Junior, who it was on my
bucket list to work with, To be honest, we just
we just worked together and that's exactly how he worked.
And it was so emotional this scene we did, and
and and he would just come over and just go,
you know, with everybody out here, just kind of lean
(32:27):
in and go and I go, oh oh, And then
he would walk away and let it sink in, like
oh yeah. And then you let it sink in and
into your cells and then it comes out and in
your own way. You don't do it exactly like anybody
else does, but you got to let your character and
your own music come from within you.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
What was it about his work that made you want
him on your bucket list?
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Because I've seen his name four years. He's about my age,
maybe even a little older, and nobody's older anymore. But
I've seen his work forever, and I know people who've
worked with him. One of my my dearest friends and
is Dan Laurier, who used to be the dad on
the Wonder Years. And he's a friend of Jimmy, and
(33:13):
you call him Jimmy, which I didn't know, but now
I know. Because I have now worked with him from
my bucket list, but you know, he's a legend. And
it's just the more the longer I get to do this,
the luckier I feel because I'm still.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
Doing what I love and.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
Not buying into by the way, that you have to
as an actress to quit working after a certain age,
because no, I'm killing all the younger actresses that it
just gets better because you start doing character work and
you start taking chances and you don't try and so
instead of saying, what do they want me to do?
(33:52):
Who do I need to be for this? Nope? You
just go in and do you and the leader love
it or hate this, but they're going to remember you
for the next time when something comes up.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Do you I love that? Do you think many people
are still thinking in this day and age that there's
a kind of time limit in when it comes to
age and being Oh?
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Absolutely, because yeah, and be absolutely. I hear it all
the time. And everybody's worried about you know, the young
kids are getting lips, slip injections and you know, fillers
and all that stuff, and you I wish we didn't
put that on women. I mean, I've had botox before.
(34:33):
I don't. I don't do much because you got to
have your face to be able to act, to express.
So we all buy into that. I had an eating
disorder for years when I was very young. He's thinking,
oh my god, I've got to be you know, look
a certain way. I'm never gonna be a skinny mini.
I'm gonna look great for me, and I am healthy.
(34:53):
I have a trainer, and I believe now that strong
is beautiful. So you you just have to use what
you got and your own quirky sense of humor, all
those weird things that you only do in your by yourself.
You know, you've got to do the mountain open because
that's what makes you compelling and interesting. So be weird,
(35:15):
be you, and just that's what they're going to hire you.
So you don't look like everybody else, because everybody else
looks plastic or they're trying to fit into a mold.
And the older I get, the better I feel about
just being me, and I hope they like it. But
if they don't like it this time, keep on doing
it and maybe next time I'll get the job.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Wise words spoken, wise word spoken. I love that. And
you've worked in both major network shows and independent films
like a Perfect Ending and Hamlet's Ghost. How does your
creative process shift between those two words, the indie spirit
versus the structure of a big production.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I think with an indie film you get to push
the edges a little more. And I always I would
like I love doing homemark, it's my brand, it's makes
people feel better. I love the energy. But I also
want to do things that really scare me. Sometimes that
make a difference. So again, what my teacher in mountin
Casellis used to say is if it scares you, you
(36:18):
got to do it. And so that was a perfect ending.
That's why I did a perfect ending. I think I
did it when I was fourteen years ago, I guess,
and it scared me. It's an little I love the script.
I helped write and format some of the script for
my character, and it's just said and my father had
(36:41):
just died, and I needed to process that. Yeah, I
needed to process that. And the way our process is
to work it through and sometimes it helps to just
work it through another character and not me. And then
I realized I can see the other side by working
it through a character.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Have you ever been in a situation as an actress,
where you've been scared and you haven't taken an opportunity,
and what was that like for you?
Speaker 4 (37:10):
Yeah, when I was younger, oh my god, it was
like terrible. Oh my god, it was terrible. And I
don't know how I got hired, But I learned my craft,
you know, you learn on set. Another thing that helped me,
and what I tell young actors coming up probably is
to do everybody else's job on set once or if
(37:32):
we forget a line, everybody's going to do it over again.
So an actor is no more important than anybody else.
And the two worst jobs on set I have ever
tried to think acting is the easiest job. The two
worst one was doing craft services, which is the food,
the snack table that you give for all that the
(37:53):
crew and the actors to go get chocolate cookies wherever,
because nobody says thank you, and everybody messes up your
beautiful spread and I just want to say, can you
say thank you please? And here's a napkin, you know.
And then but the worst job was holding that boom
microphone out of the shot. My arms were giving out,
my back was giving out, and I was I was
(38:15):
just tears running in my fists. Please God, let them
y'all cut before before I lose it and I ruin
the shots. So you know, actors really do have the
easy job. We just learn our lives and are totally
prepared and then when we get this that we just
get to play and everybody else is doing the hard work.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
I can agree with that. I've held the boom before. Yeah,
not an easy ride, and I don't understand how some
of those guys do it because some of them are
not the biggest people. But that I have to do,
I agree with you. It's a lot easier being the
night press.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Yeah, And nobody's more important either, because it's a team sport. Acting. Yes,
so many TV is. You know, if you're on stage,
you know you kind of you have to do it yourself,
but this is a team sports and if one person
messes up, everybody does it over. So that again is
making the set better because there's a magic that happens
when everybody's doing it and everybody's on and it just
(39:13):
you know, you're making magic, and it's a feeling like
it's incredible that that you know, and you're all high
and there's an emotional scene and you look around and
the crew is crying. You know, they yield it, you know,
or you're doing something funny and everybody is trying to
like in the corner, like not to laugh, so you
don't hear you know that they're go you know. So
(39:36):
that is man, it's fun.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Funny indeed, And one of the other things I wanted
to speak to you about. So many different things I
want to speak to you about, but one of the
other things is, well, that is really impressive and I
love when people are able to do it. This type
of thing is advocacy and having a personal mission. You're
a passionate advocate for American humane and a producer with
I Am a Superwoman. How do you see storytelling as
(40:01):
a tool for social change?
Speaker 4 (40:04):
Ah, great question, because again I quote Milton could sell
us a lot back up about this book here that
I take Acting Class Action. I just I'm gonna put
it up here because people should get this if you're
an actor and Dreams Into Action is his other book,
(40:25):
because whatever your dream you have, it just shows you
how to get organized and and just make sure that
you're on track to keep going towards your dream. But
what he used to say is that art is the
only thing that can create change because if you think
about it cuts across all language barriers, all cultures, all
(40:46):
colors of people, and when people are watching it, they're going,
that's just like my Aunt Donna, or that's just like
Uncle Fred or whatever. And you can create change that
way because people are empathetic towards the people that they're
seeing and they can live that story with us. So
(41:06):
I think that artists are vital, especially right now, to
be able to get people back on track with kindness
and with you know, just so we can create some empathy,
because I think we've lost a lot of that.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
Is there a film, a story, or play in particular
that you can tell us about that influenced you and
made you decide you know what storytelling is perfect for
social change?
Speaker 4 (41:35):
Well, how about just a simple one like Gets a
Wonderful Life? You know, People has always been one of
my favorite movies, and it's about people who you know
you can yes, I mean the whole story. You know.
He gets he gets self stressed, he says, I don't
want to be here anymore, and then they show what
(41:58):
happens when he's not, what happens to world, the people
that he loves and then he gets a second chance.
So with movies or documentaries, we show what's going on
and people can identify with that and see it not
just in words or in a maybe a screen grab
on your phone or whatever, but you can actually feel
(42:19):
what's happening. And then once you feel that, I think
it spurs people to maybe get more invested and start
reaching out to create that change. I see.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
I do like documentaries too, so I completely understand what
you mean. I'm a huge fan of them. There's so
many available now due to streaming platforms and everything you
can just and onlinely YouTube and then Vimeo. There's there
are so many. And I'm not surprised that you have
a motto speaking to you today. It rings through don't
(42:52):
give up five minutes before the miracle. That's your mottel
has inspired you so many. Where did that come from
and how did it guide you through your own pups
and downs?
Speaker 4 (43:06):
I think it came again from Melton, from sitting in
his class and just knowing that each of us, as
I said, is an unlikely winner. Who would ever think
that this little girl from Portland, Oregon divorcee at you know, thirty,
with a little kid would be able to make a
living acting. I mean, against all odds, But if you
(43:28):
think about it, we're all living against the odds. Who
is to say that somebody is going to be a
huge success or a huge star, or you know, have
a career where you make a million dollars, which is
not many people do, or you know, or you succeed
just in little ways like with your family or with
a school, or now maybe my daughter now is putting
(43:51):
together a community food bank because of what's going on
in our country right now. And you know, we can
all make little differences and maybe seem instrumountable, like who
am I to be incredible and powerful and wonderful and
talented and gifted and blessed? But who were you not
to be?
Speaker 6 (44:10):
So if just take all those blocks away and listen
to your passion and figure out a way to do it,
and just keep doing it a little bit each day,
just plugging away at it, and the universe rewards action,
and then just believe and don't give up five minutes
(44:31):
before the miracle, because honestly, if I can make this
crazy dream happen, you can do anything anything to.
Speaker 3 (44:37):
You beautifully, pull beautifully pool give me a lot to
think about today, Barbara, you certainly have.
Speaker 4 (44:43):
Thank you you too, and you too.
Speaker 3 (44:45):
Lastly, looking back on at everything you've accomplished, actor, producer, coach, advocate,
what do you hope your legacy in film and the
media will be?
Speaker 4 (44:57):
Oh, in film immediate? You know, I never thought about that, honestly,
because my legacy I identify so much with being a
mom and being a grandmother. I feel like that is
my legacy and I love that that legacy. With that,
I think the legacy would just be that, just take
(45:17):
off the self limitations, honestly, don't don't buy into what
society says, or that you're too old or the wrong
color or the wrong shape or the wrong you know,
gender or whatever, and just go after your dream gam
it because honestly, if I can do this, you can
do anything too. And I think that's what I want
(45:39):
people to take away. I used to think because I
love acting so much, and I used to think, well,
I just I just booked a job. It's so great.
It's about me, But it's not, and it's not for
any of us, because it's about giving me a maybe
a bigger sphere of influence or fans or people too
that I can reach. It's just like you are right
(46:01):
now with your reach to make a bigger difference with
to maybe implant a seed, maybe implant the possibilities that
people can do that, so we can just reach more
people and pay it forward. That's what I think we're
here for, and that's what I help my legacieds.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
I remember that great legacy, great great legacy for sure. Baba,
thanks so much for coming on the podcast. I really
appreciate you taking the time speak to me. Imagine you're
very busy, like you said, you a mother, grandma, and
you're filming all the time.
Speaker 4 (46:32):
I'm just packing because I'm leaving in two days and
I've got so much to do. But I uh, you
know that that's part of it too. Just live full
out and just with another. And Milton used to say,
when you get busy and you want to like panic,
just say yes to more because again the universe rewards
action and just keep saying yes and you will be rewarded.
(46:54):
So I'm going to say yes as I pack.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Thank you for joining us on this episode Filmmaking Conversations
with Me, your host Damien Swaby. My deepest thanks to
Barbara for sharing her extraordinary career, her wisdom, and, more
than anything else, her heart. Her message that you should
never settle for anything less than wonderful and never give
(47:19):
up five minutes before the Miracle is a reminder to
all of us chasing creative dreams. Barbara's honesty about her struggles,
her triumphs, and her passion for helping others find their
voice truly embodies the spirit of this show. If today's
conversation inspired you, please share it with someone who needs
a little encouragement and creativity in their life. Until next time,
(47:43):
keep creating, keep learning, and keep the conversation going. And
subscribe to Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby
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