Mackenzie Phillips' best-selling memoir, "High On Arrival," ranked No. 3 on the New York Times Best Sellers and set the media ablaze by revealing her ultra-personal life. It opened doors and began a trend of lifting the stigma for others, including celebrities, to come forward with their secrets of substance use and incest. With a second book slated for release this year, film projects and an "American Graffiti" reunion coming up, her passion is grounded firmly in the goal of helping others on their road to recovery from addiction.
In a world of increasing use of drugs and substance abuse, Phillips is a crusader, placing her family and newfound second career as a drug and alcohol counselor at the Pasadena Recovery Center before her first career - acting. She's reset her priorities and isn't looking back. She doesn't have to. Focusing on counseling has scored high on the achievement list as well. In fact, because of Phillips' personal accomplishments in overcoming addiction and her memoir, she is being honored in Los Angeles on Feb. 16 with the Experience, Strength and Hope Award, which is "given in recognition of an individual's honest life's memoir including their journey through addiction to recovery, and their dedication and enthusiasm for carrying the message of hope to a society awash in addiction."
Being present in the here and now, Phillips chatted exclusively with Headlines & Global News about the recent loss of her "One Day At A Time" co-star Pat Harrington, reuniting with Valerie Bertinelli and her new book, careers, priorities and helping addicts one person at a time... and yes, one day at a time.
How do you feel about being honored with the Experience, Strength and Hope Award?
I think it's wonderful. I've been involved with the Experience, Strength and Hope Awards for years. I generally get up and do the "thank yous." I've been part of the program, the presentation of the program, for several years, and Leonard, the gentleman who put the whole thing together, is a friend of mine in the treatment industry. They've honored my friend Carrie White for her book "Upper Cut," and then last year it was Joe Pantoliano (Emmy winner for "The Sopranos," author of "Asylum") for his book. "High On Arrival" came out in September of 2009, and happy for all of us, it rated No. 3 on the New York Times list. My second book is coming out September of this year through the same publisher (Simon and Schuster), just under a different imprint of that publisher, Atria books.
What's the title?
That's still a work in progress. It's almost finished. We did the cover shoot a couple weeks ago, so that's coming up. That's exciting.
Does that pick up where the first one left off?
No, it's more of a recovery handbook with personal stories in it. It's not in the vein of "High On Arrival," it's more a practical handbook for people in recovery or people who love people who are still using. A recovery-based book.
Tell us about your film "Girl on the Edge."
Jay Silverman who created the show "The Cleaner" wrote this film and directed it. Elizabeth Pena, Peter Coyote, Taylor Spreitler...I played the role of Taylor's mom, sort of abusive, abrasive...it's about recovery, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, and this young girl is ultimately triumphant in it.
Sounds like a nice showpiece for you.
I'm not actively seeking acting work, but when it does come, if it's appropriate, I will do it. My boss at Pasadena Recovery Center is very supportive. So are my colleagues. The clinical team is very supportive, covering for me when I'm off doing things. That's an excellent position. I get to do something I'm extremely passionate about, which is working with addicts, and then when I have the opportunity to go back to my earlier career, I'm able to do that as well.
In an ideal world, what role and genre you'd like to do?
I've done Broadway, national Broadway tours, musicals, I did "Grease," I did "Annie," I've done stage plays that toured the country. My mom being elderly and kind of infirm, I need to be close by. For me, you know what I'd like? If I were to be involved in acting on a regular basis, I'd like to be like No. 8 or nine on the call sheet. I don't want to be No. 1 on the call sheet. That's 16-hour days. I want to be able to work with my clients. I'd like to be part of an ensemble cast, with some sort of conscious, positive, healing, helping-type storyline where I work two days, three days a month so that I could continue working with addicts and stay close to home. Something in Los Angeles. In an ideal perfect world that would be something I would be very interested participating in.
Otherwise, no. To have done all this work to get where I am to be able to work with others on a daily basis, I can't be like "well, oh, I'll be back in three weeks. I'm going to go to Vancouver, I'm on location." No. That doesn't attract me right now. What attracts me is staying close to home and doing a lot of different things. My main focus is working in treatment with the vulnerable people. I'm not going to do an interview or anything unless I can talk about recovery and talk about the work that I do. I've had enough publicity to last me a fricking lifetime! If it's an opportunity to break the stigma surrounding addiction and help with people be more aware of this as not a moral failing, but more a medical issue, then I'm down. I'll do it.
