Emmy award-winning actress Donna Mills (“Knots Landing”) chatted about her latest endeavors in the acting and entertainment scene.
‘Ladies of the ’80s’ movie on Lifetime
Most recently, she starred in the Lifetime movie “Ladies of the ’80s,” which was directed by Christie Will Wolf. Larry Thompson served as the executive producer.
Mills starred alongside Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Nicollette Sheridan, and Loni Anderson. “That film was good and a movie of fun,” Mills admitted. “We had a good time. We had to rush it; we finished filming it on the night before the strike.”
“The director Christie was wonderful to work with; she was just great,” Mills said. “We had a really nice time. She is a lovely lady.”
“I had worked with Larry before. He was my manager a long time ago, so we had a good working relationship,” she said. “Larry really performed the impossible. He got it on before the strike, and the writers wrote it within three weeks. Then, he had three weeks of pre-production, which is unheard of. Larry worked really hard on this project.”
Working with the younger actors Taylor Ann Thompson and Travis Burns
Mills also complimented the younger actors Taylor Ann Thompson and Travis Burns. “Travis is just the darlingest guy aside from how good-looking he is. I loved working with him,” she said. “Also, Taylor is a lovely girl. I’ve known her for a while.”
She added that she enjoyed working with Scott Evans (“Access Hollywood”) and Christopher Atkins (“The Blue Lagoon”) who were also a part of “Ladies of the ’80s.” “They were so much fun,” she admitted.
V.C. Andrews movie series
Mills noted that she liked being a part of the V.C. Andrews movie series on Lifetime because they showcased a different side to her artistry. “That was great,” she said. “That was the meanest character that I’ve ever played. My character, Lillian, was interesting and that was fun to do,” she said with a sweet laugh.
“I really think that Lillian is a fascinating character,” she added.
‘Carol of the Bells’ film
For Mills, “Carol of the Bells,” which was directed by Joey Travolta, was a very special project. “That was such a special experience. It really was. Joey does amazing work with the kids,” she said.
“It was such a joy to come to work every day and see how everyone was so thrilled to be there. Joey will always hold a very special place in my heart,” she added
‘General Hospital’
For her acting work on “General Hospital,” she won an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series” for playing Madeline Reeves, the on-screen mother of Nina Reeves (who was played by Michelle Stafford at the end). “I love Michelle Stafford; she is amazing,” Mills exclaimed.
“People think that playing a bad girl is easy,” she noted. “You don’t have to cry as much,” she said with a sweet laugh.
Favorite motto to live by
Her favorite motto to live by is the Golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Mills said, “Renaissance.” “The last year or so has been a renaissance,” she said.
“I hadn’t worked in nearly 20 years because I was busy raising my daughter. Also, I didn’t want to go out of town and I didn’t want to leave her. Then, I decided to go back into acting… and that is mostly because of Larry Thompson, who agreed to be my manager again.”
If Mills were to write, direct, and produce her own short, it would be about “motherhood in later life.” “There are women who have children way too early because they are afraid to wait but it sets up such conflicts,” she said.
“If a woman is ambitious and wants to have a career, it is hard to do both because motherhood is a full-time job. I am an advocate for motherhood later in life. I would love to do a film about that,” she explained.
Talking about being a mother to Chloe with Matt Cohen
Mills was interviewed by actor and former ET host Matt Cohen (“General Hospital” alum) about taking time from acting to raise her daughter Chloe. That “Entertainment Tonight” interview may be seen by clicking here.
“That feature was nicely done… and now, my daughter just got engaged,” Mills shared. “Chloe is just a doll. I saw her last night and she is doing great.”
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, Mills said, “If you love the art of acting, and that draws you, excites you and makes you happy, then study, get good teachers, and work a lot.”
“If you want to be a star, then don’t do it. You have to love the art of acting. If you don’t love doing the work, then it’s not worth it,” she added.
Gregory Zarian
Mills also had kind words about Emmy-nominated actor Gregory Zarian (“Venice: The Series”). “I love Gregory so much, he is a doll,” she exclaimed. “Ever since we did “Nip/Tuck” together, we’ve stayed friends.”
Success
On her definition of the word success, Mills said, “Success, to me, means being happy. If you are happy, you are successful.”
Message for her fans and supporters
For her fans, Mills expressed her sincere gratitude and appreciation.
“First of all, thank you! I hope they know that I take it very seriously. The burden of being a role model is difficult sometimes, but it is terribly worthwhile,” she said.
“I take it very seriously. I want to be the best role model that I can possibly be for people. The fans keep me going for the quest for the best,” she concluded.
To learn more about Donna Mills, follow her on Instagram and check out her IMDb page.
