SWEENEY SOLVES HOLLYWOOD
Who needs the butcher and the candlestick maker? The baker, as played by Alison Sweeney in the Murder She Baked television movies, is doing just fine. The feel-good franchise features Sweeney as bakery owner Hannah Swensen, an unlikely sleuth. Sweeney spo
Q You’re both the star of the Murder She Baked movies and an executive producer. What convinced you to become so invested in Hannah Swensen?
A She’s someone everyone can relate to, and the movies just make you feel like the classics do — like when you read Agatha Christie, or when you see Perry Mason or Columbo or Murder, She Wrote.
It’s also something your kids can watch with you, something you can enjoy and not worry about having to cover your eyes. I just find that so much TV is super-graphic these days and a lot of people want a different choice.
Q How do you rank your own detective abilities compared to Hannah’s?
A I think that I might be good — I just don’t know if I’m willing to risk life and limb to go charging into the murderer’s house to get that final piece of evidence. I’m pretty sure I’d be like, ‘Safety first!’
Q You played Sami on Days of Our Lives for almost 22 years, and a lot has changed since you started out. What do you think of the state of soap operas today?
A You can see the industry growing and changing and dealing with the finances that everyone is struggling with these days. The four soap operas are still going strong because they’re staying true to the formula that works. I think there still is a place for soap operas. I think that people still yearn for that entertainment during the day, that fantasy and escapism. The key is to tell a good story.
Q You also hosted The Biggest Loser for 16 seasons and are vocal about healthy living. What are your personal mustdos for feeling your best?
A I went through a struggle with health and I’m learning to take care of myself. It’s a lifelong journey — not a sprint. I cook a lot of food at home and I think that’s a huge thing we could encourage people to do more of.
For example, I make a stirfry for my kids and they love it. And yes, I put rice in it. Why? Because who doesn’t want a little rice? But my portion is like a quarter of a cup of rice. And then I pile it with every vegetable under the sun, and protein, whatever I have. If I might say, it’s delicious and it’s good for them.
To me, one of the biggest problems we have now is that there’s so much fast food, microwaveable food, food that’s just processed and produced and delivered, and there are so many chemicals in it.
Q You started in commercials at age five and landed Days of Our Lives in your teens. What was it like growing up in Hollywood?
A I had a great experience. I’m really the anomaly. I have two loving, fantastic, strong parents. I grew up in L.A. for my parents’ careers, so they weren’t there for me. I always had to keep my grades up to get to keep acting. If I ever misbehaved, my mom’s threat was, ‘I’ll take you home. You don’t get to do this.’
Q Writing seems to be another creative outlet for you — you recently released your third novel, Opportunity Knocks.
A It’s definitely an outlet for me and I get so many ideas from everyday experience because I write about things behind the scenes. Things happen and I’m like, ‘Oh, sorry. I’ll change your name, but that’s going in my next book!’ I love pulling back the curtain on Hollywood, poking fun at actors like myself and the crazy antics we get into.