Mackenzie Phillips

Mackenzie Phillips
Mackenzie Phillips in 1975
Born Laura Mackenzie Phillips
(1959-11-10) November 10, 1959
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Nationality American
Other names Mackinzie Phillips
Education Highland Hall Waldorf School
Occupation Actress, singer
Years active 1972–present
Spouse(s)
Jeff Sessler
(m. 1979; div. 1981)

Michael Barakan
(m. 1986; div. 2000)

Keith Levenson
(m. 2005)
Children 1
Parent(s) John Phillips
Susan Adams
Relatives Bijou Phillips (paternal half-sister)
Chynna Phillips (paternal half-sister) Brother-Jeffery Phillips, brother Tamberlane Phillips

Laura Mackenzie Phillips (born November 10, 1959) is an American actress and singer best known for her roles in American Graffiti, as rebellious teenager Julie Mora Cooper Horvath on the sitcom One Day at a Time, and for the Disney Channel science fiction show So Weird.[1]

Early life

Born in Alexandria, Virginia, she is the daughter of John Phillips, singer in The Mamas & the Papas, and his first wife, Susan Adams. She is the sister of Jeffrey Phillips and a half-sister of Tamerlane Phillips, actress Bijou Phillips, and singer Chynna Phillips.

Phillips attended Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge, California.[2] At age 12, Phillips formed a band with three of her classmates and was spotted by a casting agent during one of their performances.[3] She was given an audition for a role in the 1973 hit film American Graffiti, which she won.

Career

Phillips was 12 years old during the filming of American Graffiti, and 13 when the movie was released. She was cast as Carol Morrison, a young girl accidentally picked up by hot rodding teenager John Milner (Paul Le Mat). Because of California state law, producer Gary Kurtz became Phillips' legal guardian for the duration of the filming.[4]

Mackenzie Phillips in 1975. She is seen here alongside fellow cast members Bonnie Franklin and Valerie Bertinelli

Phillips gained stardom in the 1970s, when she played boy-crazy teenager Julie Cooper (when the character got married, her married name was Horvath) on the long-running television show One Day at a Time, for which she earned $50,000 (equal to $227,396 today) a week.[3] During the show's third season in 1977, Phillips was arrested for disorderly conduct. Because of her drug and alcohol abuse, Phillips began arriving late and was even incoherent for rehearsals. The producers ordered her to take a six-week break to overcome her addiction but were ultimately forced to fire her in 1980.[3]

After two near-fatal overdoses, Phillips voluntarily entered Fair Oaks Hospital to undergo treatment. After she completed treatment in 1981, the producers of One Day at a Time invited her back to the show.[3] However, in 1982, Phillips resumed her cocaine use and the following year, she collapsed on the show's set. When she refused to take a drug test, she was fired again, this time for good. Her character was written out of the series. In 1992, she entered a long-term drug rehabilitation program and underwent intensive treatment for nine months.[3]

From the mid 1980s to the early 1990s, Phillips performed with a re-formed version of The Mamas & the Papas, known as The New Mamas and The Papas.

In 1999, Phillips co-starred with Cara DeLizia in the Disney Channel series So Weird, playing a fictional rock star named Molly Phillips. She sang original songs written by show producers Jon Cooksey and Ann Marie Montade. In 2002, she appeared in the Disney Channel original movie Double Teamed. Phillips guest-starred on episodes of ER, Without a Trace, 7th Heaven, and Cold Case.

Phillips won an Honorary Best Actress award on March 20, 2011, at the closing night awards gala of the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for her performance as Sharon in the 2010 independent film Peach Plum Pear. While in Toronto, she was interviewed on Canada Am, ET Canada, and The Marilyn Denis Show .[5]

She currently works at the Breathe Life Healing Center in West Hollywood, California, as a drug rehab counselor.[6]

In 2017, Phillips appeared in an episode of the rebooted One Day at a Time, featured as Pam Valentine. The role was ironic given Phillips' history: she portrayed a counselor.

Phillips in 2008

In 2018, Phillips appeared as Barbara Denning in multiple episodes of Netflix original Orange is the New Black.

Personal life

Phillips has been married three times: first to rock group manager Jeffrey Sessler, son of Freddie Sessler (from 1979 to 1981); then to rock guitarist Michael Barakan – now known professionally as Shane Fontayne (1986-2000). She has one child, son Shane Barakan (born 1987), a musician. Her third marriage was in June 2005 to Keith Levenson.

Substance abuse and arrest

Phillips has had a lifetime troubled by drug abuse. On August 27, 2008, she was arrested by the Los Angeles Airport Police on charges of possession of cocaine and heroin after she went through airport security screening.[7] On October 31, 2008, she pleaded guilty to one felony count of cocaine possession, and was sentenced to a drug rehabilitation program.[8] Phillips' drug case was dismissed after she successfully completed a drug diversion program.[9]

She appeared on the third season of Celebrity Rehab, which aired in January and February 2010. She later discussed her recovery on the March 17, 2010, episode of The View.[10]

Relationship with father

In September 2009, Phillips's memoir High on Arrival was released, after which she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show for an hour-long interview. She told Winfrey that she first tried cocaine when she was 11 years old, and that her father had taken drugs with her, and had also injected her with cocaine.

During the interview, Phillips read excerpts from her book. She said that at the age of 19, on the night before her first wedding, "I woke up that night from a blackout to find myself having sex with my own father", and that when she confronted her father months later,[11] asking why he had raped her, her father simply replied, "Raped you? Don't you mean we made love?"[12]

Phillips told Oprah Winfrey of having a consensual sexual relationship with her father,[13] describing her participation as "sort of Stockholm Syndrome, where you begin to love your captor."[14]

Geneviève Waïte, who was John's wife at the time MacKenzie claimed the incest first began, denies the allegations, saying they were inconsistent with his character. Michelle Phillips, John's second wife, also stated that she had "every reason to believe [Mackenzie's account is] untrue."[15]

However, Chynna Phillips, Mackenzie's half-sister and Michelle Phillips' daughter, stated that she believed Mackenzie's claims and that Mackenzie first told her about the relationship during a phone conversation in 1997, approximately 11 years after the supposed relationship had ended.[16]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1973American GraffitiCarol Morrison
1975Rafferty and the Gold Dust TwinsRita "Frisbee" Sykes
1979More American GraffitiCarol "Rainbow" Morrison
1982Love ChildJ.J.
1998True FriendsConnie
1999WhenCatherine Brown
2005The JacketNurse Harding
2011Hercules Saves ChristmasHelen DunnAlternate title: Santa's Dog
2011Peach Plum PearSharon
2014Suburban GothicMrs. Richards
2014BlackoutSarahShort film
2014North BlvdLinda
2015Girl on the EdgeDeborah Green
2016Sacred JourneysTiffShort film
2018North BlvdLinda
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1973 Go Ask Alice Doris Television film
1974 Movin' On Chessie Episode: "Roadblock"
1975 Miles to Go Before I Sleep Robin Williams Television film
1975 Baretta Mindy Episode: "On the Road"
1975 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Francie Episode: "Mary's Delinquent"
1975–83 One Day at a Time Julie Mora Cooper Horvath 123 episodes
Main cast (Seasons 1–5) Recurring role (Seasons 7–9)
1976 Eleanor and Franklin Eleanor Roosevelt, age 14 Television film
1978 The Love Boat Allison Scott Episode: "The Big Deal"
1979 Fast Friends Susan Television film
1979 The Incredible Hulk Lisa Swan Episode: "Metamorphosis"
1980 The Silent Lovers Lillian Gish Television film
1982 The Love Boat Rachel Johnson Episode: "Gopher's Roommate"
1985 Murder, She Wrote Carol Needom Episode: "Murder in the Afternoon"
1986 Kate's Secret Deyna Television film
1994 Beverly Hills, 90210 Counselor Ellen Marks Episode: "Intervention"
1995 Melrose Place Maureen Dodd Episode: "Melrose Impossible" & "A Hose by Any Other Name"
1996 Guiding Light Rachel Sullivan 4 episodes
1996 NYPD Blue Mary Donaldson Episode: "Sorry, Wrong Suspect"
1997 Caroline in the City Donna Spadaro Episode: "Caroline and the Singer"
1997 Walker, Texas Ranger Ellen Simms Episodes: "Lucas" (Parts 1 & 2)
1998 Chicago Hope Valerie Boyd Episode: "Risky Business"
1998 Viper Heidi Rosen Episode: "The Full Frankie"
1999–01 So Weird Molly Phillips 63 episodes
Main cast (Seasons 1–3)
2000 The Outer Limits Boo Weston Episode: "Down to Earth"
2001 Kate Brasher Tracy Del Rey Episode: "Tracy"
2001 Crossing Jordan Elaine Stahler Episode "The Dawn of a New Day"
2002 Double Teamed Mary Burge Television film
2002 ER Leslie Miller Episode "Damage Is Done"
2003 The Division Carol Johnson Episode: "Thus with a Kiss I Die"
2004 Without a Trace Theresa Caldwell Episode: "Lost and Found"
2004 NYPD Blue Lorraine Stuval Episode: "Fish Out of Water"
2004 7th Heaven Allison Davies Episode: "Why Not Me?"
2005 One Day at a Time Reunion Herself Television special
2007 Cold Case Sheila Swett Episode: "That Woman"
2009 Radio Needles Tonya Taylor Television film
2012 Interns: The Web Series CEO Episode: "Accepted"
2012 Criminal Minds Ellen Russell Episode: "The Pact"
2012 She Made Them Do It Jamie Long Television film
2014 Phineas and Ferb Female Judge / Jump Instructor (voice) Episode: "Act Your Age"
2014 The Daily Helpline Herself Co-Hostes Episode: "Mackenzie Phillips"
2015 Hot in Cleveland Kaylin Episode: "About a Joy"
2016–18 Milo Murphy's Law Principal Elizabeth Milder (voice) 6 episodes
Recurring role (Season 1)
2017 Battle of the Network Stars Herself Episode: "TV Moms & Dads vs. TV Kids"
2017– One Day at a Time Pam Valentine 3 episodes
Recurring role (Seasons 1–)
2018 Orange Is The New Black Barbara "Barb" Denning 6 episodes
Recurring role (Season 6)
Stage
Year Title Role Notes
1994-98 Grease Betty Rizzo Broadway Touring Revival
1999 The Vagina Monologues Performer Westside Theatre
2001–02 A Delicate Balance Ford Theatre
2002 Same Time, Next Year Shubert Theater
2004–05 How I Learned to Drive Alex Theatre
2005–07 Annie Lily St. Regis Touring revival

Published works

  • High On Arrival (2009)
  • Hopeful Healing: Essays on Managing Recovery and Surviving Addiction (2017)


Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2005 TV Land Awards Favorite Singing Siblings (Shared with: Valerie Bertinelli) One Day at a Time Nominated
2012 LA Femme International Film Festival Meritorious Achievement Award Herself Won
2017 Behind the Voice Actors Awards Best Vocal Ensemble in a New Television Series (Shared with cast) Milo Murphy's Law Nominated


References

  1. ↑ "The New York Times". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ Phillips, Mackenzie (September 23, 2009). High on Arrival. New York: Simon Spotlight Entertainment. pp. 14–16. ISBN 978-1-4391-5757-2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mackenzie Phillips Biography (1959-)". The Biography Channel. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  4. ↑ Baxter, John (1999). Mythmaker: The Life and Work of George Lucas. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-3809-7833-5.
  5. ↑ "9th Female Eye Festival Reveals Mackenzie Phillips & Alanna Masterson As Special Performance Award Recipients" (Press release). Female Eye Film Festival. March 10, 2011. Retrieved 2018-09-20 – via Skylar Entertainment.
  6. ↑ "Mackenzie Phillips Joins Breathe as Addiction Counselor". KFMB-TV News (Press release). March 15, 2016. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  7. ↑ "Mackenzie Phillips arrested at LAX on suspicion of narcotics possession". The Seattle Times. Reuters. August 28, 2008. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  8. ↑ Lee, Ken (October 31, 2008). "Mackenzie Phillips Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Possession". People. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  9. ↑ "Drug case dismissed against Mackenzie Phillips". USA Today. Associated Press. April 20, 2010.
  10. ↑ Episode guide: The View, first aired: March 17, 2010, TV Guide
  11. ↑ High On Arrival p. 110
  12. ↑ ABC News9/23/09
  13. ↑ "New Bombshell from Mackenzie Phillips". CBS News. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
  14. ↑ Schmidt, Veronica (2009-09-24). "Mackenzie Phillips, daughter of Mamas and Papas star, reveals their incestuous affair". The Times. London. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
  15. ↑ Eng, Joyce. "Mackenzie Phillips' Family Split Over Star's Incest Claims". TV Guide. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  16. ↑ Everett, Cristina (2009-09-23). "Chynna Phillips recalls learning about sister Mackenzie Phillips' affair with father, John Phillips". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
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