BEVERLEY OPENS UP
Beverley Mitchell dishes on 7th Heaven and growing up on TV.
How has the kid sis on a beloved ’ 90s family show aged? “I am not the prude I come across as on television,” says Beverley Mitchell, 36, who played young Lucy Camden on 7th Heaven for 11 seasons. “I actually love swearing!” And that’s what she gets to do on POP’S Hollywood Darlings, an unscripted docu-comedy series co-starring fellow child actors and Beverley’s real-life friends Jodie Sweetin, 35 (Stephanie Tanner on Full House) and Christine Lakin, 38 (Al Lambert on Step by Step). The actress, who lives in suburban Calabasas, Calif., with her accountant husband, Michael Cameron, daughter Kenzie, 4, and son Hutton, 2, recently took time to chat with In Touch’s Jaclyn Roth about her new show, her 20-year friendship with Jessica Biel and her strangest fan encounter ever.
Why Hollywood Darlings? BM: Jodie and Christine and myself wanted to do something together. I think it’s fun for our fans to be with us as adults, to connect with us as older women. [ Laughs] Well, not old. Let’s say wiser women.
You play an exaggerated version of yourself, right? BM: Yes. In real life I am not as uptight. I’m a really chill mom and get ridiculous when I’m watching sports. I scream.
Were you and Jodie and Christine close all these years? BM: At times we lost touch, but we all grew up in the business, so there is a connection that no one else can understand.
In this brave new social media age, is it harder to be a child star? BM: Oh, yeah! It’s a very different landscape with people who hide behind computers and type horrific things.
Any drawbacks to your 7th Heaven run? BM: In this industry, when you play a character for 11 years, you get typecast. Producers don’t think of me as a drug addict or a sexy mistress — though maybe I don’t, either!
Do you talk to former co-stars? BM: I talk to Mackenzie [Rosman] and Barry [Watson] every once in a while, and David [Gallagher] if we can find him. Jessica [Biel] is one of the most important women in my life.
Do you see each other often? BM: We’re both very busy, so when we can we’ll just get the kids together and hang. Kenzie loves her son, Silas, and is very sweet to him. Hutton likes him, too, but they are still trying to figure each other out.
Are you open to a 7th Heaven reunion? BM: What they did with Fuller House with the same characters but a whole new concept. I think that could be a lot of fun.
You’ve been in the limelight for two decades. What’s the weirdest stunt any fan has pulled? BM: I have literally had someone walk into a public bathroom stall with me.
And? BM: I was very polite. I said, “Thanks, but I think I can take care of this on my own!” ◼