Despite her glam image, Morgan Fairchild is refreshingly down-to-earth.
SHE’S FAMOUS FOR GLAM ROLES, BUT THIS ACTRESS’ HOME LIFE IS SURPRISINGLY DOWN-TO-EARTH
From gloriously catty starring roles on Flamingo Road and Falcon Crest to memorable recurring parts on hits like Mork & Mindy, Roseanne and Friends, Morgan Fairchild has been bringing high drama to TV for decades. “I am the original drama queen,” says Morgan, who bares her claws on the campy new melodrama Mélange.
Yet despite a prolific career that took off in 1967 when Morgan was hired as Faye Dunaway’s Bonnie and Clyde body double, the actress, 70, lives a decidedly dramafree existence. “I always love that old Abraham Lincoln saying that a man is generally about as happy as he makes up his mind to be,” she shares. “That’s gotten me through a lot of things — just get up in the morning and decide to be happy!”
During the COVID-19 crisis, Morgan has been apart from her longtime partner, film producer Mark Seiler, who was convalescing in a rehab facility when the virus shut down the country. “I’m here with my cats and I’m getting through it,” says Morgan, who had one brief, teenage marriage before meeting Mark. “He is a wonderful guy and I love him very much. It’s definitely a long-term commitment.”
While her partner is away, Morgan has made an effort to call and check in with her friends often. “I think people have started to feel very alone,” she admits. “I’ve tried to bring some cheer to my Instagram and Twitter accounts by posting a lot of pictures of flowers to let people know that I’m thinking of them.”
Like so many, she’s become a bit obsessed with the news. “One of my hobbies is emerging viruses and epidemiology. I stocked up on toilet paper very early,” laughs Morgan.
Comfort comes from small things like playing with her beloved rescue cats and watching episodes of her “guilty pleasures” Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. “I get up every day. I do my chores and I do my exercises. I go for a walk,” she says. “I try to eat right.”
BEAUTY SECRETS
The still-gorgeous 5'3" actress has been following a keto diet to prepare herself to shoot new episodes of Mélange.
“I’ve lost 30 pounds,” says Morgan, who explains that she suffered weight gain and bronchial prob
lems from mold in her home. Now she subscribes to a meal plan called Ideal Protein. “It’s not a hard diet, just very specific,” she explains. “I’m from Texas and I like my guacamole and chips, but when I’m really sticking to the diet, my weight goes down very fast.”
Morgan also attributes her youthful beauty to clean living. “No drinking, no drugs, no smoking,” she says. “And I stay out of the sun.”
BRING ON THE DRAMA
Morgan hopes that television audiences will gain a little lighthearted distraction by tuning into Mélange. “It’s high drama with lots of camp,” says the actress, who plays a vindictive woman battling for control of her late ex-husband’s gay nightclub. “It’s fun and very over-the-top,” says Morgan. “I get to wreak havoc and say lots of arch things!”
We would never have expected anything less.