What drew you to this project about playing a woman who deals with dating after having breast cancer?

First of all, I've been a fan of Lifetime for a long time. I'm always looking for projects where I can not only stretch my muscles as an actress, but also that I can believe in and that are pro-woman. The story was about cancer, but it was also about survival. It was very much an uplifting story. Pun intended.

 

Do you see any of yourself in this character?

My personal experience is that I had breast reduction surgery in my early twenties. For me, it's certainly not cancer, and it's not a mastectomy, but it's about dealing with the fact that I have scars. Is somebody I'm dating going to be OK with that? I'm definitely self-conscious about my body, and I've been dealing with body issues my whole life, so I certainly can relate to that aspect of it. And I am myself in my thirties and am dealing with being single. It's all kind of relative, I think.

 

Were there any scenes in the movie that were particularly difficult or emotional to shoot?

A lot of them. I have to say, it was not an easy job for me. It's very emotional. I joked that I was either making out with some guy or crying and saying, "Am I going to die?" It was definitely intense.

 

RELATED LINKS

What was your take on all the Mr. Wrongs your character dated in this movie? What's the quickest way for you to spot a Mr. Wrong?

I have no idea. I'm just back in the dating world. I haven't been single in 14 years, so for me, I don't know how that works at all. I'm sure that for me personally, I'm going to have to kiss a lot of frogs before I find my prince. It's comical with all the dates my character has, but I haven't really been out there long enough to know how to spot the bad ones.

 

Have you had any personal experience with breast cancer?

Yes, I had a very close friend of mine who was 28 years old and was diagnosed with stage-two cancer. It spread to her lymph nodes and she was very sick. She had a new baby, and I would accompany her to her chemotherapy. It was very powerful for me to see someone so young going through that. I also lost my grandmother to cancer. She died at a very young age, 58, and it prompted me to get involved and to do stuff for breast cancer organizations. I did the three-day breast cancer walk back in 2000 — a 60-mile walk. I trained for 10 months and raised a lot of money and awareness. It's definitely been a cause that's close to my heart.

 

Could you tell us more about what the experience of participating in the breast cancer walk was like?

It was unbelievable. Most who walked were either going through treatment or were breast cancer survivors. And the walk was so taxing on our bodies. Women's toenails were falling off. It was a heavy-duty thing. This wasn't a "let's do a 3k march through town." This was from Bear Mountain to New York City. And this was the year before 9/11, so we were able to cross the George Washington Bridge. It was so emotional. And I remember, they had me at the front when we crossed the finished line, and I couldn't contain myself, thinking of all the women we were doing this for, and especially my grandmother and my friend. It was an amazing experience.

 

Did either your grandmother or your friend participate with you?

My friend did. She was still going through treatment, but she managed to do a 60-mile walk. I want to say it was life-changing. It was really powerful to be able to raise awareness about something that's so important and affects so many people. To be able to help, and experience it with my friend, was huge.

 

Are you still doing work for breast cancer?

When I can. I'm always doing stuff for women. My documentary that I made about birth is coming out. I've been working on that for three years, and it's been my baby. It's all the same issue. Fighting for the rights of women. Whether it's health care or having choices, it's great that I'm able to do these projects. I feel like in some way, I get to give back.

 

Could you tell us a little more about your upcoming documentary?

It's called "The Business of Being Born," and it's a documentary that looks at the medical system when it comes to births, primarily in the United States, and how we're not necessarily doing a very good job, both with the maternal death rate and the fetal mortality rate. Our numbers are terrible considering what we spend per birth. And with the C-section rate and malpractice insurance, those issues really affect both the birth experience and mothers' safety.

 

What do you hope viewers will get out of watching it?

I'm hoping to shed some light on the misinformation and the fear-based information that's out there. I'm hoping that women will look at their bodies and trust them a little bit more. They need to learn to do the research to make the best decision for them. I talk about my birth experiences and how I had my second son at home in a drug-free, quiet environment and how effective that was for him. It's not advocating that everyone have a home birth, but it's really advocating choice.

 

And is it true that we actually see part of that birth in the movie?

You do. It's not gratuitous, it's not thrown in for any other reason than that I wanted to show that I'm practicing what I'm preaching. It's a small, small part of the film. But it's the best thing I've ever done. Other than having my two children, this documentary is the most important thing to me. And on top of that, to be out there doing a movie for breast cancer for Lifetime, it's a thrilling time for me as an actress and as a producer.

Fast Facts:
What's the last good movie that you saw?
I just saw "Sicko."

What's the last good CD you listened to?
I'm listening to this new CD by Rilo Kiley, "Under the Blacklight."

What's the last good DVD you saw?
"The Bourne Supremacy"

And what's the last good book that you read?
"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert