Dedee Pfeiffer talks ABC’s Big Sky!

Dedee Pfeiffer – Interview

[00:00:00] Melissa: This is spoiler country and I’m Alyssa searcher to be on the show. I’m excited to welcome my next guest from the hit show on ABC, big sky D D Pfeiffer. Welcome to the show.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Thank you, Melissa.

Melissa: Thank you for having me. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day. And as you said, you’re moving. I know you’re super busy, so I appreciate you coming on the show to talk to me.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Oh, thanks. Yeah. Thank you for having me. Give me a break from like packing and looking at all my junk.

Melissa: Yeah, no. As you were mentioning, this show is moving locations. That’s fine. Was that due to anything in particular or just a thought?

Dedee Pfeiffer: It’s a good question. Well, one of the running things, if someone has heard me interview, I apologize.

I do repeat myself, but I am known as like the last cast member to know anything which is funny, considering more related to you’d think I’d be the first person. Well, I’m not. And that goes with in my family as well in my family. I’m always the last. So the shooting, the big size is no different. So, but I did find out that we [00:01:00] started in New Mexico.

We shut down because of the pandemic we went and picked up again. When we, when we were allowed to, we did the first season in Canada. Now we’re going back to New Mexico. So basically I think it’s, I don’t really know why I’m sure someone has the answer. I don’t imagine that something to do with the fact that we kind of started there.

Melissa: Okay. Yeah. And it’s supposed to be like a small town in Montana. Right. Okay. So maybe it has to do with locations looking similar, you know, to the town, things like that. Who knows? Right. Well, you know, tell us a little bit about, you know, big sky for those who may not be familiar with the show and who.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Well, big sky is basically based around CJ boxes, novels. There’s like three of them in which that particular big sky evolved around these two detectives there kind of like they used to be friends and then they had a guy that kinda got in between there. So they’re unlikely partners. They’re very different cats.

These two girls they get along really well though. They’re kind of would say to kill almost seeing to the yang a little bit. And they’d go off on. [00:02:00] The first season would be the first book had to do with sex trafficking and all of these crazy characters that they bump into along the way that also have all these dark back history and background and complicated like character defects is kind of what I does.

And I played Denise, that’s basically the Optima office manager, like mama bear. She’s like the mama bear. She’s like the grounding element in the show for sure. Cause the girls go out and get into a lot of trouble. Like I said, they’re always running into characters that are crazy. One thing I love about big sky is that it’s emotionally charged.

We have incredible guest stars. Well, the original cast is amazing as well, and yet. Amazing guest stars on. And then things happened to them. I think the best way to describe it without doing any spoiler alerts is watched the pilot. And if that doesn’t shock you into how we fly on big sky, then nothing will cause it just sets up the fact that [00:03:00] nobody is safe in the cast of big sky.

And that makes it a really, I think, interesting and fun texture show to watch not to mention, we have a diverse cast from younger to older newcomers, all comers. We have a trans character who is, I just love her Jessie. She’s my girl. And you know, again, like, you know, Labarsky up.  who’s played by John it broke and me, we literally all come from like this generation of actors, you know, we’re like kind of recycled.

We’ve been around a long time. And then there’s these newcomers that are fantastic. Brian guarantees is, it’s just the nicest guy into the showpiece search with it. It’s so cool because what happens with big sky too, is that you, you love to hate the bag. Characters, the bad people, especially like the the second bottleneck, which are flying saucers, but it’s like, you liked them, but you hate them and you like to hate them, but you also kind of like with Ronald anyways, you feel bad for hating him.

Cause he’s almost kind of the victim himself.

Melissa: Okay. Yeah. [00:04:00] It’s like that classic villain. I mean, a good villain is one that’s multilayered, and then you try to like empathize with them a little bit. Yes.

Dedee Pfeiffer: All of the villains in big sky are multilayered. They’re not just bad for the sake of bad, you know, and the way all the actors approach this amazing writing, I might add NCJ boxes, original characters is just layer on, on top of layer of talent, you know?

So what you end up with is this like triple Decker take of just amazing awesomeness, you know, and then you might get killed.

Melissa: It seems to be you know, something like a device that a lot of shows use now, you know, and I don’t know if game of Thrones kind of started it, but we’re, you know, no one character is safe, really, you know, even people that have top billing, you know, sometimes end up, you know, and there was a little bit of controversy, I think with Ryan Phillipi because some of his fans were disappointed that he was, you know, killed off pretty quickly on, did that change the dynamic of the show?

I mean, were you. Oh, was that supposed to happen originally? Or did

Dedee Pfeiffer: he have, that was [00:05:00] in the original script that I got, I read it. I thought it, I thought I was missing a page. I have a reading disorder, so I thought I read it wrong. So I went back and read the last two pages again, over and over again. And I’m like, Nope, I’m reading that.

Right. And I called my manager. I said, well, did you read any cause well, no, I don’t have, I didn’t have the script at that point. His script was so undercover, you know, it was really secretive. And I was like, oh, I’m not going to say anything, but this is right. Wait, is this ends? I was so shocked. And I said, I really thought I read the end wrong.

So my initial interpretation of the first of the pilot was just like everybody else’s. So I think it. Got angry. Sure. But then you kind of have to tune back in to see what else are we going to do right

Melissa: now? Does this show follow the book closely or is it kind of go off on its own thing?

Dedee Pfeiffer: Well, the bones are definitely there to do [00:06:00] box has amazing characters and the stories and all that.

And I think, well, like for instance Jessie’s character, Jerry, that that was not a trans David, you know, cast that, you know, is that, and then Cassie is not You know, I’m a woman of color. And then Catherine’s character was really little in the first book, like really little, right. So they took creative license and took, CJ’s bought the box, the book and played with it.

Massage did, and like took creative license and made it kind of modern and threw in some fun stuff. And and actually now I think about it Jessie’s character. Jerry died in the first book. Oh, wow. Right. So that she, she really kind of, they really took her in a whole different path. So there are definitely a lot of things with the same, but they’re also different.

If you’ve read the books, you’ll see the differences. There’s some big, big differences. And then, and also not that big, she’s not really that big now, but she’s when she is seen, I hope that she makes an impact in the scene, you know, light laughter. She’s a little [00:07:00] sarcastic, you know, I’ve been around the block and

Melissa: yeah, love that.

Yeah. Kind of like tough on the outside, but probably a big softie, you know? Yeah. Well, did you do any research for like a row about like detective work or private investigating

Dedee Pfeiffer: at all? No, because I decided that Denise really she, she was, I felt if I had to create my own storyline because no one ever told me anything about Denise David called me one day and said, I think I have a perfect role for you.

Show that I’m about to do. And so I read it and I was like, oh my God, I get that. That’s kinda a lot like me, she’s a smart ass. She’d been around. She, she’s 50 I’m 57. So I’m playing a younger girl. Yeah. So, because she was so she’s, there was nothing really specifically ever said about Denise. I created my own background and it’s very parallel to my own life, for instance I’m in recovery almost three years sober.

So I made Denise in recovery, which is why he was noticed. She drinks a lot of coffee. That’s such a, like a wink at the [00:08:00] sober community. And then those of us who are addicts in recovery, the coffee man, coffee, coffee, got a habit. Right. And. She also, I think I’m hoping to see that we go into that a little bit more.

I think they might. I’m not sure I made it that she’s divorced a few times. Like me. I made it, except for me. I have two kids. I raised them my own. Hence the teenager, the other one told me my stuff is outdated and I should give it to Goodwill. Denise doesn’t have one of those. She, I, unless they, unless this season they write, oh, Denise has kids, which might happen in a big sky.

Literally I’m playing it, that she missed the boat on kids, which is why she treats like the girls kind of. Older daughters, you know, and the community like her children and that Denise, I think, came from a different path. And I think she may have even been like a stripper or something and been physically abused and emotionally abused and have had some really hard knocks so that when she got this job, she didn’t really know what [00:09:00] to do, but she knew enough and that she wants to learn.

She,

Melissa: yeah. Yeah. That’s a really interesting backstory, I think, because especially the line of work that she’s in, you know, it would make sense for her to have these, you know, issues you know, from her past, I think that would bring a lot to, to that kind of a role in being in that environment.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Exactly. I’m sorry. I hope you didn’t hear that. I’m getting my charger. Cause I know my batteries died. No worries. I’d like to say I’m a hot mess. I’m not forget what the hot part that’s. And like I said, in the middle of trying to get to Albuquerque. So the thing is, is that when, like, for instance, when you, if you see the show, you’ll notice she, Emilia has this quick bond with Jerry’s character and you have to ask yourself, well, you know, why is that?

You know, what’s that about? And I think it’s one of the qualities I gave Denise is that she’s the most unjudgmental person you will meet. Now. That does [00:10:00] not mean she doesn’t have an attitude. And she is, she doesn’t, she likes everything. I mean, you know, there’s, this there’s a difference. She may not like someone’s behavior, but she’s not gonna judge it because she doesn’t like the feeling of being judged.

And I think that, and Denise’s past, she was probably heavily judged and it doesn’t feel good. So, you know, She accepts people for what they are. And more importantly, what they’re not. And she’s curious about the, the not part, which I think is keeps you away from the judgment lens and keeps you more into life.

She’s curious about life. She’s curious about odd things, you know, to me that for her that’s texture in life creates this beautiful kind of like tapestry that she weaves around her, you know, and big sky is such a ferry. It’s a tapestry, all right. With every fabric and color and texture, you can imagine.

And even some you’ve probably never imagined. And that’s what makes it kind of really fun. We’re not a big show and Denise is certainly not a beige character, you

Melissa: know? Yeah, no, there’s a lot of dark themes. A lot of Iowans and a lot of [00:11:00] heavy themes, you know, that that the show tackles now I want to ask, what is it like or what was it like working with your brother-in-law, you know, because family members sometimes working with family members can be tricky.

So what was that like? Cause you two have never worked together on set before it was like cracked,

Dedee Pfeiffer: right? That that’s correct. I know. What’s so funny is that everyone asks me that question, but they forget, we started with. Oh, yeah. I never met more than half the cats think about it. Cause everything was zoom.

So basically I saw David twice on a zoom call with the cast when we did a read through and we did an inter we did a press thing, but there was all these windows and there’s all the casts and they’re all like, oh David, David, you know? So I kind of just felt awkward and odd and I didn’t know what to do because I just wanted to be like, yo David, when are we going to go fishing with the family again?

You know, didn’t really know how to behave. Thank God I was, they kind of ignored me in general is going to be perfectly happy with me because I didn’t really know how that we’ve. We [00:12:00] don’t talk shop in my family. We don’t like, I, I didn’t even know shell was about to go do a movie again and tell my other sister said, oh, you know what?

She’s going to London or where I’m actually going. I’m like, no, I’m the last one to know. And. Of course, she claims that she told me, I know she didn’t, but whatever she probably did, I forgot. But we don’t talk shop in the family. So it’s actually awkward and weird to talk shop, you know? Interesting. So yes, when he called me out of nowhere, he’s never called me or he didn’t call me.

He texted me he’s next to me. We see each other on holidays, you know, like, yeah. Right. And when he texted me to, Hey, I think I was really, are you still happy to have this role for you? I, I was fainted. I own, first of all, why are you texting me? You never text me. And what do you mean? Well, for me, you know, you bet on that.

Melissa: Yeah. You’re like, let me get right on the brain. Exactly. Yeah. It’s pretty exciting. And you did take a break for a long time and was that due to like, you know, your recovery you know, what, [00:13:00] what kept you away for 10 years? And obviously this is what brought you back is what I’m

Dedee Pfeiffer: guessing. Yeah, absolutely.

Actually, a a, some people in the interview, I maybe it’s, I’m not very clear. Like most high functioning, alcoholics are high functioning addicts, whatever your doc drug is, whether it’s heroin, meth, sex, gambling, food, booze, whatever. If you’re a high functioning addict, which I was, when I, when I say addict, that means addiction to alcohol.

That was my thing. But . Mm, for the most part under, under the radar for the most part, but like most people with a problem, it surfaces ahead and we write it off. Right. Or we talk it off right off where we go, whatever. Right. And, or if I had, you know, trauma, like she had, I’d be drinking too, too heavy on a Saturday night, but whatever, but that’s not why I took off.

I took off 10 years ago. Cause I was a little frustrated with the industry. Felt like it wasn’t as loyal to me as I was to it. I was raising two boys on my own. I started looking at a lot of social welfare issues that were really bothersome to me. And although I’ve done years and years of [00:14:00] volunteer work with animals and social welfare issues and people such the children hospital, project, angel food, tons of volunteer work.

I felt like it maybe is a good time for me to try to help people on a larger scale. And I didn’t know how to do that. And I think that my sister, Michelle was like, you know, I, I said, how about college? I think she said it. And I was like, yeah, I’m going to try that. So 11 years ago now I literally thought I could just go to a community college.

Cause I never, I graduated Navy. Yeah. Yeah. And I didn’t have anything. Two cell phones, computers, nothing. And my spin, my, my education unfortunately, was. Not that good. So, I graduated, so I guess that’s something. So basically I went up there and I just went to the nearest committee calls and said, Hey, you know, I want a degree.

And they’re like, okay, what? I said, I don’t know. I want to help people. They’re like little degree. And I go, I don’t know, you tell me. And they’re like, no, that’s not what works, man. You’re supposed to tell us. And they were like, how about a slight degree? I said, okay, sounds good. So that’s kind of how it started.

I thought I could get it like a year or two. [00:15:00] This thing called a degree and go help people. I had no idea. You had to get like an AA first and then you had to get a BA

Melissa: and then it’s a long process.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Oh my God. And then they tested me and I had all these learning disabilities that went undetected because when I grew up, they just threw you in group three, with Bobby who ate paste.

They just assumed I was dumb, basically stupid is what they basically said. And now, ironically, I have a degree to help those Bobby’s who eat pigs, by the way, the advocate for the Bobby’s, who he pays. Now I’m about to get up like, okay, I’m getting off my soapbox. But although it’s, what’s not, woe is D D that I was stuck in these groups and how they treat us back then they didn’t know any different.

That’s just how it was right. Smack you in the store and the grocery store. If you got out of line and no one called the postal service and they were like, the kids deserve that smack

Melissa: different times.

Dedee Pfeiffer: I, yeah, right. I mean, nobody can, that’s just [00:16:00] what the generation I grew up in. So anyways, it’s certainly not a coincidence that I ended up becoming the that I had tons of prerequisites.

I didn’t know what that word meant. Right. I didn’t even know what that meant basically was saying, honey, you can’t testing below somebody who’s allowed to go to college. So I had a ton of prerequisites very humbling. So my AA took four years. I took kids until again, single mom. Then I got to CSUN another over here in the valley and I got my bachelor’s of psych.

And then at that point I fine tuned it and went back and forth and where I wanted to go. And I realized social work. Was it not to work with kids, but to work with a diverse population and the education you get, which was at UCLA. That’s amazing. Right. I learned about human behavior from a bio-psycho-social perspectives and about communities from a macro macro mezzo and micro level two is again, again, all different perspective and different lenses.

So, it [00:17:00] really was a fantastic academic journey longer than I had expected. It didn’t have any tension exp expectations of doing it for 10 years, but there you go. But a lot of it also had to do with after my first year in. It all caught up with me, all the trauma, all the years of hiding my addiction, my mom passed.

I mean, it’s just numerous new MIPS or divorce. It just all caught up. And my family started. They knew, but no one, like anybody who’s in the family, nobody really wants to try to confront the person with the disease in the family. Cause it’s uncomfortable

Melissa: people. Don’t like to rock boats

Dedee Pfeiffer: number and say, Hey, we think you have a problem.

And that it’s really hard. And I was looking at that my family did, and they were lucky enough that when they did come to me and say that, and so they wanted to do an intervention. I said, yeah, I, I that’s don’t even bother that’s ridiculous. I was already looking at 800 numbers to call. I just didn’t know how to ask for help.

I was [00:18:00] riddled with shame society, even though there I was, I was learning all the tools and never about like, not shaming your clients and in society and supporting open conversations about all these, these topics and things that are really hard to talk about yet. There I was living my own existence in shame and social stigmas that are alive and kicking as we speak, which is my journey.

Now that I’m back in front of the cameras and I have a platform like this one I’m in today. Thank you to be able to say that we went out there. You’re not alone, even a Pfeiffer, right. Had trouble saying. I know, deep inside, I have a problem and I don’t know where to go for help. I don’t know how to say the words and have my family approach me any sooner than I was ready.

They would have gotten a very defiant, defensive person. You know what I mean? A whole different response. So it’s timing. You have to be ready. I was more than ready. So

Melissa: yeah, that’s an important matter.  for you to definitely give out. Cause like you were [00:19:00] saying, you know, a lot of times people, they woke up to celebrities and they see this perfect, you know, photo-shopped images and red carpets.

They don’t realize that, you know, you’re also human and struggle with things behind the scenes. And I think that’s great because more people will have courage, I think, to face it’s when they see their heroes and the people that idolize saying, Hey it’s okay. I’m I’m going through it too.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah. I agree. And that’s why, like, I always tell the story, but like when I go on the set of big sky and they’re like, I’m like to the crew, like, Hey Dan, thank you.

Bye. Bye. I’m sober. And they’re like, oh, okay. Wow. And it’s funny. Cause I want like everyone to know who I am. Like, I kind of do that as a way to laugh it off. But also to say before you asked me out for happy hour, cause I know you think I’m a lot of fun and I am very fun. I’m a lot of fun. Probably does not want to ask me for happier.

That’s cool. And I might go and have coffee or, you know, a Coca-Cola I love Coca colas.

But you know, or if I say, no, I can tell you, you [00:20:00] know, I’m, I’m still trying to find my sober legs and that is true. I’m still, yeah. I think that, cause you have to learn how to live a sober life and people think, oh, they’re getting boring. Your journey in recovery can be really boring or could be really exciting.

I’m choosing mine to be exciting. Yeah. And so, and also, and part of that is putting myself out there and allowing myself to be vulnerable and say, I am in recovery. And it’s okay to talk about it, even if it’s painful. And there are people who understand who go, I get it, man. I get it. And also when I was on the set, I had people come to me and whisper, Hey, I love the way you’re so open about your recovery.

And you’re like, I have 15 years, my dad has 35 years and I’m like, why, Hey, why are you whispering? Right. And I, and they of gave me like, I, right. We’re looking at you. You’re whispering as we still have a problem with talking about addiction because you’re whispering right. Not whispering. And I’m saying, this is who I am.

It doesn’t [00:21:00] define me more than cancer defined somebody with cancer. Absolutely not. Right.

Melissa: Right. A hundred percent, hundred percent. No, it’s just a part of your journey.

Dedee Pfeiffer: It is. And yeah, my dad was an alcoholic high functioning. Well, actually he wasn’t as high functioning as me. I made him look kind of amateur at it, but I was taught by the best he provided for the family barely, but he certainly never, which was potential.

My father never lived to his potential because of alcoholism. And I thought, wow, here I am. But I’m getting A’s in college. My kids are provided for never drank during college or during my pregnancies or at work when I was acting. So I could check all the boxes to see, I wasn’t, I didn’t have a problem.

Right. That was absolutely false. So until I was able to embrace my truth and stop hiding behind able checking the boxes. Right, right. And, and understand the real definition of what an addict is and how we think, how we feel, how our brains work and [00:22:00] allow it to be something that I live with that. It does not own me.

It owns me when I’m active in my disease. Oh, you bet it does my alcohol. Oh, she owns me tenfold. Oh, she does right now. I own it right now. It’s you know, and every day, every minute I choose not to use is another day where it is just something that I am like, I am a woman. I am 57. I have wrinkles.

Melissa: No, that’s great.

It’s brave. And it’s important. And I think that’s great that you sound to have a great support system around you, too. Family and, and probably friends as well in your children.

Dedee Pfeiffer: I have a fantastic sober group. It’s actually 1, 2, 3, 3 people watching on my separate group four. I have a small group of people that I went to rehab with that we still are on a group texts every day and nothing better than somebody who knows.

And we’re very different people. Ages one is a meth head, the other one’s an eating disorder, the other one and an eating disorder [00:23:00] alcoholic and the drugs. And I’m just like the bulky. But, and once gay the other one’s straight, they’re the ones in our twenties, other ones in his fifties, you know, we’re all like, just like this melting pot of eclectic people with the same common denominator denominator we met in rehab, we’re trying to save our lives and we didn’t know how to do that.

And we finally hit a bottom, our bottom individual bottoms with different and said we want help. And from that day on, which is almost three years ago. So we’re still friends. And I don’t know, like my friends. Personal journeys in life through their sobriety. But I understand what it means for them to not use on that day and how hard it might be.

And I’m there to sit to lean on, just be like, well, I get it, man. You’re with the family and all it is, and they’re all drinking. That’s hard. So what’s our plan. What’s your plan, dude. Right? Right. Exit plan. You let them all know, listen, you know that I’m recovering from meth. Here’s what we’re going to do for an hour.

Maybe less, maybe more, but so get, get [00:24:00] your yada yada now and be mad at me or whatever. But this is my journey. I need you. You don’t even have to understand it. Just, I need you to be okay with, I might leave. I know it’s the holidays. Right. And then you kind of like bring people in to your recovery, but you gotta like, let them know, Hey, I did that this my first time out.

The holidays were really hard. I spent a lot of times chips and drinking Coca-Cola was in bed watching. Well, ancient aliens. It’s a great show. Thank you. I knew I liked it. That’s what it got me through some really tough nights and then woke up the next day going, Hey, I remember what happened last night.

I didn’t make an ass of myself. I didn’t relapse it. Wasn’t maybe what I would like to have done, but guess what? That’s okay. Hey. Cause I have another day that I can say I didn’t use, and now this is a new day and until I figure out, like I said, literally how to get my sober legs which is kinda fun at 57 to be learning something

Melissa: new.

Yeah, [00:25:00] absolutely. And congratulations on that, especially. Yeah,

Dedee Pfeiffer: 57. A lot of people are going out, we’re going down. We’re like, yeah, I’m like, I’ll kill you unless you’re traveling and your retirement and reading books and D you know, doing things, keep your brain and your body alive and stimulated. I want to always make sure that I’m the best.

I also have two teenage boys that I’m going to be around for. I told them I’m going to be here till a hundred. Yeah. That’s because, yeah.

Melissa: Yeah. And that’s another, you know, thing that comes up is, you know, kind of ageism, especially in Hollywood you know, especially for women do you. You know, you said you had, you were disappointed with Hollywood years ago.

Did that have anything to do with like the roles that were available for women or and now as you’re 57, you know, do you see that kind of ages on now that you’re back in the

Dedee Pfeiffer: industry? It’s actually funny because we talk a lot about, of in college. Like they, like they’re there it’s real, like when I got to college, that was gonna be one of my factors, is that, are they going to hire the older woman or the, the, the young buck?

Right. [00:26:00] And you have to kind of believe in your truth. And there are people who. Once someone, a little more seasoned, who’s already had their kids. Who’s already, you know what I mean? Who’s embracing their older years in a really affective, healthy way, you know? I mean, cause the thing is you can choose to start dying or you can choose to continue living.

Right, right. Yeah. How are you? But I ain’t going anywhere soon. My aim is to go to a hundred. Right. And so I got the bar high. So that means being curious and stimulated and you know, take better as much care of myself as I can. I know the potato chips and a lot of the coffee drinking, but come on. Well

Melissa: you have to allow yourself to have something I think, and coffee is probably one of the few risks of, you know, and I’ve heard actually that drinking coffee, a cup of coffee a day is actually good.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Oh, good. I’m not sure what the pot, the venture.

Melissa: Yeah, maybe the pot’s supposed

Dedee Pfeiffer: to hang [00:27:00] it. One glass is good, then the bottles gotta be great. Right? Right. Yeah. It has to be excessive and spicy and hot and crunchy and a lot.

Melissa: Yeah. You seem like you’re very like all or nothing.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Watch that because that’s, that’s a rabbit hole thinking that’s really not good for anybody in recovery.

That’s something I’m mindful of. But I do allow myself to go all or nothing when it comes to like certain things like spice, I just go all out. Yeah.

Melissa: Yeah. And you have a lot of energy too. Do you do you meditate at all or does that, is that kind of like annoying? I know like sitting still sometimes can be hard, you know, and challenging.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Well, he noticed you see in the background there, I have my spirit animal, which is a male lion and I have the most with that are the elephant behind them, really quiet and peaceful being in the car cat. Okay. Stuff around me to remind me to take those breaths. I have a lot of things [00:28:00] around to remind me how, when I meditated in rehab and rehab, it was, oh, I want, I went to I want to give them a great plug.

Cause if no one knows where to go and people come from around the United States to go to this rehab it’s a brief like healing center. Kathleen Murphy runs it and it is phenomenal. It is phenomenal because they have a multidisciplinary and an airy multi-disciplinary approach to alcoholism that is also from a focus based.

So it’s not just to the addiction, which is also part of the treatment plan, but also trauma because most. Have detected unassessed undiagnosed trauma for certainly not treated right. Which is why somebody uses their doc. Right? You can get anybody sober, that’s easy, but there are relapse waiting to happen.

If you don’t get to the why they’re using. And that’s the roots of it. And that’s the pain, that’s the hard step that we’re running from almost [00:29:00] always is that ugly, deep, rooted trauma that when you tap into that and do the work that needs to be done in that, it’s not pretty, it’s not pretty, it’s not fun.

But guess what you have to ask yourself is the quality of life in which you’re living now, running from that point. Yeah, how’s that working for you? Right? But again, some people, I was resilient, man. I could just take the blows left and right. And be like, didn’t hurt, hurt, getting hurt. Whereas somebody else might take one blow and go bottom.

There’s my bottom. I’m ready. I uncle, uncle, I want recovery, you know, so I’m not wanting to ever judge somebody right. When you’re ready, you’re ready. And if you are, this is a fantastic rehab. It’s in LA, but people fly over their insurance companies often supply the air flight for them. But what’s so fantastic is one of the things I learned was actually to meditate and I was very resistant.

I was like, oh, I don’t want to do that. I want to just jog, get it all out. I want to meditate, but can I tell you it was actually really cool because when I realized, when they said meditation is [00:30:00] very individual, you don’t have to do it like everybody else. Does it sitting with your, with your the mind basically be sitting with your thoughts.

Right. You know, I always had monkey mind and I still do, when I started look at my money, monkey mind, for instance, nobody’s sitting there quiet listening to the music and I would be like, wow, I’m thinking about my kids. I’m thinking about, oh my God, I’m going through menopause. I’m in, I’m in rehab. I’m an alcoholic.

Wow. Not sexy DD. I mean, if people knew where I’m at now, oh my God. All this stuff. Right. My mind, I started to look at the thoughts instead of allowing the thoughts. Right. To trigger all these feelings, I would say, wow, you’re thinking about all divorces. You’re thinking about children. Huh? You think if you think that your menopause, okay.

Oh, maybe you need to go to hormone medicine. That’s interesting. You have a, you know, I’m wondering if that’s, you know, you start looking at your thoughts [00:31:00] and that’s kind of how I meditate is looking at my thoughts. And then each thought eventually starts to simmer down and go away. And then I’m with my spirit animal, which is this male lion would come to my, in my head was on a sound, if there’s any truth in that or not.

But how about this? It works for me. So cares. Yeah. Whatever,

Melissa: whatever works is what you have to do. I mean, and it’s nobody else’s place to tell you, you know, differently. I’m curious. Have you ever read the power of now buy a car?

Dedee Pfeiffer: You know, I have, let me tell you when I was still in my disease and I was reading it from a different perspective, it’s, it’s only as effective, right?

I love effort. I actually, he, I get the emails and stuff and the pictures, those blinders a moment. I love those because those also stop me. When I go through my email, I stop and I see it. I look a big cleansing breath and I look at it and then I’ll take a picture of it and send it to my friends [00:32:00] as a way, give back, like, I want to share this with you because I’m not sure what you’re doing in your day, but you might need it to stop for a second and breath and look at this beautiful picture of something about mother earth and something he might say.

So anyways, the thing with me is that as long as I was still active in my disease and, and had not dealt with my trunk, It was only so effective because it really helped with an addiction. He’s not gonna help you with your trauma per se, depending some he might. Absolutely. Yeah, but me, it was very layered.

And also, again, again, I go back to the fact I’m from an older generation, I come from a generation that says, buck up, it doesn’t hurt when you get hit in the face and you go down, you get up, you brush it off and you go right. Rub some

Melissa: dirt on it.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. Like, you know, yeah. Very old school mentality.

And by the way, you are. Told. Wow. Look how tough she is. Look how tough [00:33:00] that, that kind of ignoring your trauma. Not giving it any, not leaning into it at all. Was a sign of strength when now looking back. No, it was not all it did was show me how to run from it. No wonder I was drinking. Are you kidding me?

That’s painful. And I was never given the opportunity to deal with a proper yeah. What?

Melissa: Cause she just like locked it all up and didn’t process anything and didn’t Really let yourself feel it, I guess. Right. I mean, that’s

Dedee Pfeiffer: kind of what happened. Go there. And process process is different for everybody, but yet process all the mixed emotions that come with trauma.

There’s a lot in there, you know, and often we’re so scared of that, of whatever comes up, but you know, I’ve got to tell you it’s really more about the fear itself because it’s kinda like the dentist. You’re still scared to go smile a little bit, but not as much as my narrative. Great. I know a lot about our narrative.

How many times have you tested your narrative? I do. [00:34:00] You know where I go? Oh, this is just conversation with my son about drug and alcohol is going to be really bad. And then I actually talked to him and it’s not half as bad, you know? Yeah. And then I’m like, which kept me from having that conversation with him for a lot longer because of the fear.

That it was right. That I imagined I had, which is only my narrative, not reality. And reality often proves my narrative wrong. That’s a big one for me in life, because that then enables me to not constantly live and make choices in my life through the lens of fear. Yeah.

Melissa: Yeah. And the fear of fear too, you know, because oftentimes like you were saying, the anticipation, the buildup to something is always, it’s worse than the actual thing you’re doing.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah, exactly. And, and you think about one’s narrative comes from there. You know, your history, your life experiences, right? Not from the other persons. So when I go in there and I tell the boy, or I’ll have conversation or something, they’ll be like, well, [00:35:00] mom, mom jumped back in your own lane. I taught them that too, unfortunately, but I’ll get all up in their lane, you know, and they’ll be like, mom, you’re in my lane.

And it’s like, you know, you’re right. Thank you for reminding me that I’m totally in your lane. And I do want to remind you as a parent, you didn’t come with a manual, how to do this with a sober brain in a sober mind. And I love you and know that I’m coming from a place of love. They’re like, we know you love us, stay at Arlene.

Okay. Got it. Thank you. Right. That’s great. But I’m telling you right now, this is for you more than it is for me. And I’m like, God,

Melissa: we will entertain you. Yes.

Dedee Pfeiffer: And you know, it’s also kind of empowering to start to take on. Responsibility and ownership of your participation in things in life. On a daily basis, you have a tendency to like have the finger pointing everyone else around us creating this victim.

And I.

[00:36:00] Melissa: Right. No, and I think that’s a good narrative to stay away from is that whole victim narrative and, you know, kind of reclaim your power back.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Right. And you know, there’s, I’m not saying that being victimized doesn’t exist. Right. Of course. Yeah, of course. But that’s different than feeling like the victim.

And I’m not saying people don’t get shat on all the time because of course they do. I have to. Okay. If you really want to go there, but here’s my question then. It’s okay. Let’s acknowledge, just shitting all over you. Okay. What are we going to do about it? Right. Let’s tease it out. Tease it out. Where do you actually have some control and change things?

Tease it out. Where do you have a little bit of control on some things and what things do you have? No control. Because really everything fits into those three categories.

Melissa: Yeah, absolutely. And then it becomes like self-deprecating, if you don’t fix that and get ahold of it, you know, before it spirals the site

Dedee Pfeiffer: and especially for women too, and we have my generation too.

There was it’s.

Melissa: Yeah, yeah, yeah. There’s a lot more on our shoulders, I think. Then [00:37:00] we still, I mean, there’s obviously been great strides and things are changing, but there’s still a lot of work. Yes, absolutely. And from an acting standpoint, you know, having gone through what you’ve gone through and achieved what you’ve achieved and you, you know, you mentioned, mentioned feeling a little awkward, like in the zoom chats and stuff, but like when you were actually on set, did you was it weird to step back onto a set in an acting role?

Or did you feel like, oh, wait, I remember this

Dedee Pfeiffer: both. Okay. Honestly, it was weird. Because I’m used to going, having a drink with the crew or the cast or afterwards, or having already had a drink with everybody in the bonding before you film, everyone goes in, meet and greet. You usually go get smashed in a bar or a restaurant, right.

Like, didn’t do that. And then I knew I wasn’t looking forward to that cocktail afterwards. So I was mindful of that. It’s kind of like riding a bike, but it was different because like, again, I was trying to find, cause there’s always that fear. Like I’m not going to be as good as I was when I [00:38:00] was drinking.

A lot of people who are out there struggling with, with being a high functioning addict. We know what is interesting. I’m not going to be as textured. I’m not going to be as dot, dot, dot, dot dot, because all I know is how to do what I was doing while using your drug of choice. Right. Or right. So when you take that out of the picture, you need to replace it with something else.

And for me, it was like, I had to replace that with knowledge and facts. Like every time I started to feel insecure, like, I didn’t know what I was doing or, and things had totally changed by the way in 10 years, I might add

Melissa: I’m

Dedee Pfeiffer: sure. I was like, what do you mean you can hot dog and you’re going off script, you’re adding lines.

Or you’re adding words to the script. When I was with TV, you were not allowed to change one word. And that was like, what? You know? And I was telling other actors, and I think they’re looking at me like VD kind of, we’ve been doing this for a long time. Last time and TV, I guess you’re [00:39:00] allowed to do that now.

I, you know, so, what things have changed but it was I had to kind of like embrace my truth, meaning. Almost kind like what, what would I say to my son if they were in my situation or a good friend, I’d say, wow, can you give yourself a little bit of a break? Right? This was Johnny or who I’m making names up now.

Them I’d be like, you know, Johnny, hold on. Wow. You look at what you’ve accomplished, man. You got your ass sober at a late age. You also just came from being in college for 10 years with a bunch of young bucks and you’re holding your own and you got great grades, Pell grants, Cal grants, raising two kids.

You’re out there in the field, working with the homeless, working with the department to help them. You did a lot of stuff and now you’re back in the screen. So carry that with you and give yourself a teeny bit of a break. And if you don’t know all the answers or you’re, you’re out of whack and you haven’t been doing it for 10 years.

It’s okay. No, one’s asking for perfection. How about just, how about like, what do you ask your kids? Well, on the [00:40:00] report card, I always ask for effort. I want, yeah. Effort. If you could have a and effort and a C in the, in the math, in math, if you got an, a in effort and a C in the actual academic grade, I love that because I see an, a, an effort that is amazing.

The C says, you need a little extra help. That’s all that’s means there’s something not academically where you’re not getting it. So what can we do to help provide you a little more support? But I love that effort because that means you’re giving it your all. Yeah.

Melissa: That’s a great way to look

Dedee Pfeiffer: at it. Yeah.

And I had to remind myself, it’s not about the grade at the end. Like, did you go on your lines? Yes, you did. Okay. But guess what? The young bucks are also going up on their lines to just stop that, just stop you because I can really beat myself up real good. I don’t need anybody else to do it for me. Great job.

Yeah.

Melissa: And you’re only human and, and you are, you know, getting back into an industry that like you said has changed and you know, you’re trying to get your, your, your acting chops back, you know, [00:41:00] to where they were. And that takes time too. I mean, you definitely have to give yourself patience, I think as well, but from what I’ve read, you know, your character is a very well-liked character.

I’ve read some great things and the show is really popular. So, I mean, that’s just, you know, a huge accomplishment right there.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah, I do feel fortunate. I don’t read any other reviews. I never have even back when I was at because I remember when my, I remember in the beginning I got like good reviews and bad reviews and it’s really what I heard read the good reviews.

I was like, woo. And then the bad reviews would devastate me. Remember, I think it was Peggy fury. Yeah. Yeah. She used to be the, the, the gal back in the day. And I remember her saying to me, here’s the deal with reviews guys. If you believe the good ones and you have to believe the bad ones, and if you believe the bad ones and you have to believe the good ones, right.

Where does that leave you? Yeah. Like constant rollercoaster pick and choose and say, I’m not going to believe the good ones, but I’m only going to leave the balance. So I can feel like shit about myself. Or I’m only going to look at the good ones, the bad ones [00:42:00] at you guys. Right. That doesn’t make any sense.

So she goes, you really? So basically we’re looking at the balance. If you can read them objectively and have that be what they are, which is opinions. And they’re very subjective. Right. Cause if you have one guy and then another guy goes, I love her and right. It was right there. Right. It’s their opinion.

But like my dad, just hands, I won’t say it, but you know,

But he didn’t say, but if he said yes, but but you know, so it was back then. I decided that I’m not going to read them any of them because it’s just a roller coaster of emotions. And I actually do care what people say. Yeah. I’d like to say I don’t, but that’s a lie. I do care. So I’m not gonna read any of them.

I mean, just try my hardest time and good reviews. And I’m telling you right now to get bad reviews, a farm, I asked him big sky. They’ll just chill, Denise off bad reviews. Cause it’ll be like, and then Ronald kills, Denise.

Melissa: And that would make for very I guess, awkward Christmas dinner. Right.

[00:43:00] Dedee Pfeiffer: You know, it’s funny.

People are never Achilles your brother-in-law I’m like, are you kidding? Yes, he would. That would be the best thing he would make history in TV. Did he kill? He kills his own. Sister-in-law a big sky. That would be hilarious. I think it would be funny as hell if he killed him, it would make me sad. Cause I really kind of need the money right now.

I’ve been in college for 10 years, you know? So, you know, financially I kind of need the scratch. So can you live with a third season

Melissa: story story

Dedee Pfeiffer: arc please? Yeah, right.

Melissa: Yeah, no don’t yeah. The reviews are you know, it’s like that with books too, you know, when you have the good reviews and you have the bad reviews, like you said, it’s subjective. And you know, someone told me once that the reviews book reviews are not for the author, they’re for the reader.

So try, you know, try not to pay [00:44:00] attention to them essentially. And I think it’s the same way. You know, film and television, like the reviews are supposed to be for like the audience, right. To not, not like a direct letter to the actor, like saying, Hey, you suck or, Hey, you’re wonderful. So I think like you saw it just kind of looking at them objectively and not getting too attached to, you know, and some people are just jerks, to be honest to you, you’re always going to get like the people that only leave bad reviews on things and not.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah. Like I always tell my, I was telling my friends back in the day, when, you know, I’d say, listen, you don’t know if that person had a bad dinner, indigestion, their wife left them. Their dog got ran over with the hay, you know, before they saw your movie and you reminded them of their, of their neighbor.

They’re going to get a bad review. I’m sorry. More than likely. Right. And you don’t know. So part of me thinks it’s so objective, you really kind of can’t take it personal, but you don’t know where it really comes from, or someone’s just being snarky because they like to be snarky or they’re really negative people.

That’s why I just don’t read them at all because I’ll [00:45:00] be honest with you. I’d rather sit and watch ancient aliens, do an Instagram. I follow like safari life, AF Africa diary, all these amazing little posts about all the animals in the world and all these natural phenomenon to me. That is exciting and exhilarating for me.

And that excites me and keeps all the dopamine and serotonin produced in my box. Right. That makes me feel good about being alive and also gives me hope in a world right now. That’s a little scary to be honest, right? Probably not, but that’s a solid, as far as I’ll go with that, but considering kind of all the changes that are going on some good nuts, some not so good.

When I look at stuff like that, surround myself with some positive stuff like that, versus say a review for me that keeps my energy around. Yeah. Like the way you’re seeing it right now. And that works for me. Right. And important.

Melissa: And, you know, speaking of ancient aliens, like I have to ask you, we don’t have to go off on a huge tangent about it, but you know, [00:46:00] what do you think about all this new stuff coming out that the government’s been releasing about UFO footage and all this?

Dedee Pfeiffer: Are you kidding me? First thing I said, I blasted this to my family, my boys. I said about time we’re ahead of them. They’re so late in the game, are you kidding me? Ancient international, not serious. And all that. I mean, if you look at caves, I’m about to go off. If you look in canes, they’ve been talking about this stuff for I long time.

Well, before the Congress figured it out, you know, in other countries embrace things that the phenomenon of the unknown, they embrace their hotlines. You can call the some video and they’re like, I sent it over. I mean, they’re not considered crazy or anything. They’ve embraced it. We’re just late in the game.

And so I just kind of laughed. I laughed. I said, but, but it gives credibility to me cause I’ve always been the crazy family member, like talking about the aliens again and now I’m like, Hmm. You’re like, yep. I told you my one son, he’s still like, mom. Just because Congress and politically, you know, and he gets all like a mouth, like, all right, fine.

You don’t have to believe her, [00:47:00] but we’re going to New Mexico. And I said, if I get objected, you’re really sorry. I’m going to come back and tell everybody that I got abducted and how exciting and fun it was. And I needed a vacation anyways from here. Yeah.

Melissa: I know. Gosh, I’d forgotten New Mexico is sort of like all the phenomenon and yeah.

Roswell

Dedee Pfeiffer: right now. I can’t get there fast enough. I’m so excited. I want to get up that. I want to see something that I can’t explain. I think that would be what scares most people I think is exciting because I think honestly, if there is other life. Whenever that is. If they want to hurt us, they would have done it by now.

So you’re right. If they wanted to hurt us, they would have, by now they’ve been checking us out. They’re up there. They’ve been watching them and looking, they’re curious,

Melissa: we’re like a TV show for them. Probably

Dedee Pfeiffer: experiment their experiment and they’re watching. It’s going, wow. You guys are getting some stuff really wrong.

Really? Think that they’re looking at going, they’re missing some fundamental thing. [00:48:00] We’re going to experiment gone awry right now that we need to really get back on

Melissa: the track. And I like turn into that. What does that show Westworld?

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah. Whatever. I’ve never seen it, but yeah. Oh yeah.

Melissa: Definitely check it out.

I think that would be right up your alley. You might really like it. It’s about these hosts that are, they’re not real people there, but they work just like real people and yeah, it’s an interesting

Dedee Pfeiffer: show. Sounds makes a lot of sense. I dated some of those.

Exactly.

Melissa: Yeah. Well, so the finale, you know, I, I would have to definitely ask about this for the fans. It ended on such a cliffhanger, speaking of that

Dedee Pfeiffer: dark or the show on a cliffhanger and we ended it. Yeah. Yeah.

Melissa: I don’t know how much, you know, or if anything’s even been written yet, but do you think the fans will get like an immediate answer to that cliffhanger, like in [00:49:00] Susan,

Dedee Pfeiffer: too?

Well, let’s loop back to the beginning of the interview. Once again, Ms. Pfeiffer doesn’t know anything going on when I get the script and not a minute before I’m not here. Sometimes another care. Another one of the cast members may heard from the show runner this or that, you know, and I sometimes hear that stuff, but I don’t know what we’re doing.

Last time I heard we have a new show runner. David is still executive producer, but he’s no longer the show runner. Now it’s Elwood. And he had mentioned, he’s still trying to figure out the story last I heard. So, I did hear that Denise will be a little bit more involved snakes. I guess my dogs are earning my money now instead of whatever the heck it was doing when I wasn’t filming, which was usually looking for Indians and feeding Canadian birds.

So, I don’t know what’s going on. I’m excited to find out how they’re going to bring the show back alive with that cliffhanger because, oh, I do know one thing I can’t tell you damn, but it’s really cool. And it’s [00:50:00] so cool. I heard they were playing with an idea and I’m pretty sure they’re going to do it.

And it’s so cool, but what’s exciting. Watch Ronald and that crazy girlfriend, he’s got a Bonnie and Clyde thing they got going on. You think you’re scared of him? I be scared of her. I’m not feeling sorry for one old, I’m telling you, she seems a little

Melissa: bit

Dedee Pfeiffer: scarier. I don’t know, but I would imagine she’s going to Jack him up.

Melissa: Well. What would you like to see happen like

Dedee Pfeiffer: for your character? Oh, I hope that they keep running the office. I like that. She’s mama bear. I like that. She’s I think I like the, I’m not a big fan of change. Like I go to the same restaurant all the time, but I think we’re not allowed to not run. I don’t know.

COVID I like things that are the same, you know, I’m I do love cha I don’t. I do like change, but for Denise, I hope we just kind of, I’d love to maybe explore a little bit more of who she is. [00:51:00] I want her to be somebody that a lot of people in the audience can relate to. She did had a jacked up traumatized childhood or a young adult life, you know, and she is a survivor I’d love for them to go into the fact that she is in recovery because you know what I did with Cody.

You remember Cody had a problem with alcohol? Yeah, and I, I told Ryan dude, I’m making it. This is why they were close. Is that I was his sober sister and he was my, like my sober brother. Okay. That’s what you have in life. And so when he died, she lost her sober brother, you know, cause part of keeping sober or keeping away from you’re keeping your addiction, not active is having someone who you lean on and vice versa give up times.

And so for me that was kind of left behind. Off-camera how Denise processed that it would be kind of nice to maybe see that a little bit. [00:52:00] Right. See how, like she embraces Jerry Jerry’s line of work, which was, you know, the lot lizard thing was because she wanted to be a singer. Right. And I think that Denise I think she personally, I think she was strict.

Interesting to pay for college. Yeah. I wanted to help people and she had no other way to support herself. So for her, she was, it was justified. It was a job that she could get. Cause she was uneducated and she, you know, where else was she money? I think she’d been beat up. I think that she’s had a hard, you know, I think she’d had DV, domestic violence a lot of trauma, which would bring her into her addiction because now you need her and dueling white and she’s really survived all that.

And not jaded. She’s not a dry drunk, she’s actually the opposite or whatever. Right. So that way Denise gets to show America what recovery looks like through my recovery, bringing that to my character. That’s what I would like. Ain’t no rider. Okay.

Melissa: I think that would be great because it’s such a unique perspective, you know, and not, not a stereotype.

[00:53:00] Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah. That’s what, that’s what I also would. Just, my only thing with Denise is I’m always an advocate to make sure she’s not being. I don’t want base. She’s got to have color and texture and I want people to be like, I get, I get her. I’ve always asked them, please give Denise the lines that audience are thinking.

Yeah. Like, like when Ronald, we thought he had died and he didn’t and Denise go, how does he live through it? How does he still alive?

Melissa: What everyone thinks when they’re watching? Yeah.

Dedee Pfeiffer: He’s still alive. And how can they still be alive? That’s exactly what the audience is going to. Exactly. So I’m always like, please make sure that she says things that bring the audience, like she’s the voice of the audience in the show.

Right. And

Melissa: every show needs, I character like that. I think too, just that character, that kind of finagle through and as the glue, really between all the other ones, like you saw how you’re kind of like in the office and you’re keeping the peace between, you know, the other two ladies [00:54:00] who have a rich history, you know, and, and attention and all that.

So. Kind of smooth it all

Dedee Pfeiffer: out. Well, yeah. I also kind of look at them like, well, my boys used to fight, even when I started seeing the actors, you know, that the act is so fun and like the writer made them kind of have all these problems, right? Like almost child like that. I just, I did the knees looking at him, like, do I have to, I really, I wanted them to give me a line.

Like, do I have to give you guys a timeout because I will. That

Melissa: would be a great line.

Dedee Pfeiffer: That’s how I diffuse it. Like with my friends, when I see them going at it, you know, I’ll be like, do I have to give you time? Cause I promise you, I will defuse tough things. Maybe this year they’ll do that. I think that we are going to get more into like the actual characters of who we are to each other.

I did hear that.

Melissa: That’s awesome. Cause obviously, you know, character driven shows are so much more layered and just have some richness to them when you have, I mean, you can have these crazy plots and that’s all fun and, and [00:55:00] everything, but I know, you know, as an audience as a fan, you want to, you want to see the characters really go deeper and learn more about them.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Melissa: Yeah. So before I let you go, I do want to ask, you know, other than big sky, you know, what, what has been one of your favorite roles that you’ve, you’ve played in the past?

Dedee Pfeiffer: Oh God. I’ve, I’ve been so fortunate to have worked a lot of, so many people, amazing people and my dad my favorite role.

Yeah. Actually somebody else, my sister the other day. And I’m going to say Denise, and do you know why? Okay. Because. I think she’s the most real character I’ve ever played. She’s the character that’s most personal, closest to my life. And it’s the first time Mackey was sober legs and although challenging and moments I’m doing it.

So it’s like every time I’m doing it, I feel like I’m showing other [00:56:00] people, you can do it too. And that’s exciting. And sharing my, my sobriety and my recovery with other cast members and the crew, and a lot of people make, and to me that then makes me even more comfortable in front of the camera.

And I think people might be picking up on that. They’re like, this is real. It’s about you. I said, cause I’m so real behind the camera. The camera’s not on I’m real. And I’m connecting with the crew and the cast on the level I never have before. Cause I’m not hiding anymore. Yeah.

Melissa: You’re fully present.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah, exactly.

And I know my truth and knowing your truth knows, meaning I know what I am and I know what I’m not and that’s okay. That’s all right. That’s cool. That’s all right. And I’m owning it. And. I’ve never been in front of the cameras like that before. So I’m going to have to say Denise. Yeah. Denise Brisbane is my favorite character.

Melissa: That’s awesome. No, that’s absolutely brilliant. And yeah, I mean, congratulations on everything. I mean, the show is so successful and you’ve just accomplished so much and you should definitely be extremely proud of yourself. And thank you [00:57:00] for sharing your story with me as well. I, it was fun getting to, to know more about you.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me on your show.

Melissa: Yeah, absolutely. And I know that season one, obviously just finished last night but you can stream it on Hulu and ABC and then hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for season two.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah. I met in two weeks, my son and I, and my Rottweiler and my cat and our cockatoo are all gonna drive over to New Mexico and get a, we have a rental and we’re going to settle in and we’re going to start shooting here in about a month, month and a half, something like that.

So we are already in the process of giving you guys some new episodes, and I’m very excited to see that first one up because we do have that cliffhanger. So I’m excited. Oh,

Melissa: I bet. Yeah. And I must be hard too, to like, not be able to talk about it as well. Like once we get the script, you’re going to have to like,

Dedee Pfeiffer: you know, Not be able to talk about it is when you don’t know, it’s not hard because I don’t know [00:58:00] if it makes anything purposely.

Cause they know I’m chatty as hell and be like, do not sell her. She will slip and tell somebody and then it’ll be Patty. And I do love to give, but I would never do a cliffhanger. Well, that’s not true. I have said first start interviewing for the show. It was really hard because we had filmed like, I think quite a few pitch to show without saying, because every show had a clip, every show took you in all these different directions.

And I was so trying not to give that away, but get you excited about the show. You know, it’s just, it’s challenging. Well, I

Melissa: think it worked because I think people were very, very surprised in every episode, you know, especially the first one and especially the finale. So, great job.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Thank you. Hey, maybe they’ll have Denise get having an abduction.

She comes back and she tells everybody in there like Denise. And she said, no, I’m sorry. It’s not like, are you drinking again? [00:59:00] That would be

Melissa: awesome. I vote for that. That would be

Dedee Pfeiffer: because then I can represent all the people in the world who’ve had abductions and no one believes them,

Melissa: especially since you’re going to be in New Mexico.

Dedee Pfeiffer: I’ll research it right there. Exactly.

Melissa: You’ll have everything right there at your fingertips. It’ll be a, a big sky ancient aliens crossover. You can bring that one guy with the hair on to, you know, be a consultant. You know,

Dedee Pfeiffer: I loved your honestly, people. Who would you like to meet in the world? I want to meet Giorgio wrote to them books over there.

Chariots of chariots of the gods and I’m concentrated to name the ancient aliens. I love to meet him too. He’s a with the hair, my dad, I’m like, what’d you want to meet this person or that, but I’m like, no, I want to be Giorgio

Melissa: ear. Like I would get star struck.

Dedee Pfeiffer: I wouldn’t probably [01:00:00] choke on my apple, like I did with Jack Nicholson or water.

When I met him, when I met Steve, I have this thing that choking on things. When I meet people that I. Yeah. I turned to ask real quick and I’m gonna get to the last myself. So if I met George, I’d probably choke on something. God knows what

Melissa: I think we’ve all been there. You know, we’ve all had that one experience where we’ve had the word vomit when we’ve met someone like who we really admire is super famous or something like that.

And you’re like, oh my God, did I really just say that? Well, thanks again for coming on. You’re absolutely delightful. And I would love to have you back on again, anytime you want. Cause it’s been,

Dedee Pfeiffer: we’ll be back on the show starts and we’re going to see our prediction about Denise can induct it.

Exactly.

Melissa: We’re going to wait for episode one and then we’ll have you on and we’ll

Dedee Pfeiffer: analyze it. No show starts up again. Cause it’s about, I know that we’re just going to get crazy again this season. I just, I can feel it. I can feel it. Yeah.

[01:01:00] Melissa: Yeah. I think you know, I was reading a couple different articles online you know, from the writers and the producers and I, you know, obviously people are hinting at dark.

You know, crazier more explosive. So, you’re going to definitely push the boundaries, I think, and satisfy the fan base. Yep.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yep. Exactly. I’m excited. Yeah. Painful to be employed at, like you said, at 57 and a female in an industry the less than 1% work at any time. So I, and certainly in my age range and group and stuff.

So I am like, I like to always say it out loud and put it into the universe and I’m so grateful to be working really. I am I don’t take my job for granted at all. I, yeah.

Melissa: So yeah, absolutely. Well, that’s awesome. And yeah, there’s a lot of great female cast members, which is awesome too. I love seeing ensemble shows with lots of women.

That’s, that’s a big plus for me.

Dedee Pfeiffer: Yeah.

Melissa: Awesome. Well, Dedee, thank you so much for coming on. Everyone go watch big sky and [01:02:00] get ready for, you know, a crazy season too. You can binge watch these in one. Now that way you’re ready. When it comes out, hopefully next year

Dedee Pfeiffer: binge, because it just gets you really route don’t before you go to sleep, because you’re going to be up all night going, oh my God.

Right.

Melissa: Having a dreams about it and trying to figure everything out. Yeah.