Spec
Age 45
Accomplishments Starred as Dr. Addison Montgomery on ABC’s Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy; founder of beauty/lifestyle brand Boyfriend
Base Los Angeles
What’s the first information you consume in the morning?
I’ve been thinking about that—do I tell the truth or do I make myself sound a little more interesting? I usually go right to my iPhone—I won’t lie—and after I check personal messages and emails, I go to Yahoo and Twitter.
Are you very active on Twitter?
I used to tweet constantly on the set of Private Practice during breaks. When I started working on the show, Shonda [Rhimes] told me, “You’ve got to get on Twitter!” And I was like, “No! That’s the downfall of Western civilization!” And then I signed up and thought it was the best thing ever. When you’re on a set, you can feel so isolated, and Twitter makes you feel like you’re in contact with the rest of the world. It’s also a great way to interact with fans.
You also do a lot of blogging and social media for Boyfriend, your beauty brand.
Totally. Part of my concept for starting Boyfriend was wanting to push it digitally. We don’t have a real advertising budget, so we have been doing a lot of promotion via social media, and that’s been amazing.
Are you a TV junkie?
Yeah—but I should qualify that I’m a TiVo junkie. I have a DirecTV app, so I can program my TV from my iPhone, and I love binging on shows. I consume most of what’s on HBO—Game of Thrones, Girls. House of Cards was great. And I love Mad Men. Those are my top shows.
How do you wind down at bedtime?
I love The Week magazine. It’s great to peruse before you go to sleep. Not that The Week puts you to sleep by any means—it’s just got little tasty nuggets of everything.
Do you ever read on a tablet?
No! I like holding a book. I can’t read on a tablet at all. Don’t like them. And if you get a reflection of your face, it’s horrible. It’s the worst angle—like below your chin, up your nose. I guess I never knew I was that vain!
What’s your biggest digital indulgence?
Generally speaking, I would just say my iPhone. It took a long time for me to convert to the iPhone—I was really holding onto that BlackBerry, which now feels like a stone and chisel. I remember watching people with iPhones and thinking, “God, put that thing down! It’s so annoying!” Now I get it—I rarely use my laptop for anything.
With such a bloated media universe, how do you cut out the fat?
I try to be in the moment as much as I can—I just want to be present in my actual life, not my virtual one. I meditate twice a day to slow down and help clear my mind.
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