https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/h3ibyu/nikkifinal_-_10_11_21_746_PMbjq5v.mp3
EPISODE SUMMARY:
An acclaimed actress, producer, and blogger, Nikki DeLoach is making her mark in the entertainment industry. In today’s episode, we sat down with Nikki to discuss her experience working for Hallmark, her time on The Mickey Mouse Club, her blog, “What We Are”, and her advocacy and support work for The Alzheimer’s Association and The Fugitive Safe Surrender Program. First, we jokingly asked Nikki about how she manages to sleep within her busy work schedule. After laughing, she explained that as an adult, she now actually prioritizes her sleep more than ever. Having worked with The Alzheimer’s Association, she learned how important sleep is for preventing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. After her grandfather passed away from vascular dementia and her father died from Pick’s Disease, Nikki learned as much as she could, including that dementia effects more women than men. For sleep, women often forego prioritizing rest in favor of taking care of others or focusing on responsibilities. However, Nikki encourages women to make their sleeping habits a more important factor in their lives to improve their health. We also asked Nikki about her time in Canada filming for Hallmark. She told us that while Hallmark does film many of their projects in Vancouver, they’ve slowly started moving more films to the U.S. Nikki’s recent film, Taking the Reins, was filmed in Connecticut, and has also filmed other Hallmark movies in Savannah.
When asked about Taking the Reins, Nikki explained that it’s a story about a woman named Sam. After getting married young, getting divorced, and having to stop her career as a show jumper due to a humiliating experience, Sam finds herself forced to confront her past demons. She ends up having to cover a show jumping championship that her parents are hosting for the magazine that she works for. The movie has drama, romance, and shows a woman dealing with her demons and reconciling with her past. Nikki said that it’s a film that portrays the moment when someone has to ask themselves if what they’re doing is because it is what they love or because it is all they know. The film also shows a complicated relationship between father and daughter being resolved, and Nikki hopes viewers can enjoy and relate to the story’s various themes. Nikki was also part of The Mickey Mouse Club as a child. When asked about the audition process, she said that they auditioned thousands of different children. In the end, she and six other kids were picked to join the already formed cast and were the youngest ones there. It was an experience she describes as surreal and is grateful to have been a part of.
We wondered if Nikki had any tips for looking and feeling good in midlife, and she told us some of her trade secrets. Having struggled with acne her whole life, Nikki prioritizes her skin now, getting regular facials and extractions with a professional esthetician. She also said that drinking tea, staying hydrated, and staying active has tremendously helped her. After having her first child, Nikki suffered from suicidal post-partum anxiety. For her, the only thing that helped her through it was exercise. Now, she exercises not for body image but for her mental and physical wellbeing. For other tips, Nikki mentioned not drinking too much alcohol, eating foods in moderation, and making sure you’re getting a good amount of sleep. We also briefly talked about podcasts, and Nikki said she feels that podcasts have become the new, entertaining version of talk radio. It gives platforms for people to talk about important issues. For women, it gives them space to discuss their experiences in a society that has tried to keep them silent for years.
Nikki’s blog, “What We Are”, was started when she and her blog partner Jen became friends. After vowing to always be open with one another, the two realized that they wanted to create a community where other women could share their authentic selves without being shamed or judged. On “What We Are”, Nikki and Jen highlight women who have been through incredible experiences and discuss a variety of topics including post-partum, MS, fertility issues, and more. When discussing her work with The Alzheimer’s Association, Nikki spoke on her personal ties to the cause. Her grandfather had vascular dementia caused by strokes, and her father had Pick’s Disease. She had noticed shifts in her father’s personality prior to his diagnosis and had taken him to get evaluated, where he found out he had early onset Pick’s Disease. He passed away in July surrounded by Nikki and love. Nikki chose to work with The Alzheimer’s Association because they not only look for cures but do research on preventative measures. Nikki also works with Mind What Matters, the only organization focused on the wellbeing of dementia caregivers. Through Mind What Matters, Nikki helps raise money to help those caring for their loved ones find the best care possible.
Nikki also has personal ties to The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. When pregnant with her second son, she learned that the baby would have several heart defects and would need many surgeries. When he was born, he had two heart surgeries, and will need more in the future. While at The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Nikki and her family received the best care and got to work with one of the top heart surgeons in the world. The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles does not turn away any family that does not have insurance or cannot pay and offers lifesaving care. During her time there, Nikki learned that 1 in every 100 babies is born with a heart defect, but due to a lack of echocardiograms for babies, many of the defects are never caught early. She now advocates for echocardiograms for infants, wanting more babies with heart defects to receive the care they need as early as possible.
Finally, we asked Nikki about her upcoming projects and her connection to The Fugitive Safe Surrender Program. For upcoming films, Nikki said she has a romance movie coming out on Hallmark, is going to be filming a Hallmark Christmas movie, and wrote a movie for Hallmark that will be filming soon. When asked about The Fugitive Safe Surrender Program, she explained that the program was started after authorities realized how many New Jersey warrants for nonviolent misdemeanors were out there that people could not afford to take care of. Through the program, individuals with warrants for nonviolent, smaller crimes can turn themselves in and work with a judge to clear their names. To boost the people’s trust in the program, the church became involved. People could turn themselves in at the church and work to reenter into society with a clean slate. Now, Nikki is looking for people who have been saved by The Fugitive Safe Surrender Program to give them a voice and share their stories.
Nikki DeLoach
Born in a small town in South Georgia, Nikki DeLoach always knew she wanted to be an entertainer. She started dancing at the age of three, eventually adding singing, modeling and acting to her repertoire. All her hard work paid off when at age 12, DeLoach became a member of The Mickey Mouse Club, alongside Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Christina Aguileraand Ryan Gosling. After “MMC,” DeLoach spent several years in Los Angeles pursuing acting and landed a starring role opposite Mark Wahlberg and Bill Paxton in the feature film Traveller, and the TV series Misery Loves Company. She also played Anthony LaPaglia’s daughter in the television movie Never Give Up: The Jimmy V Story. In 1997, DeLoach put her acting career on hold to enter the world of pop music, signing with RCA and BMG Records to become part of the girl group Innosense. When the group disbanded in 2003, DeLoach returned to Hollywood and has gone on to enjoy a successful and diverse acting career.
DeLoach’s most notable credits include her starring role on MTV’s critically acclaimed series, Awkward, where she was considered one of television’s “hottest moms” with her portrayal of Lacey Hamilton. Although she is perhaps best known for her roles on Awkward and the iconic The Mickey Mouse Club, DeLoach has also been guest starring on some of TV’s biggest hit shows, including NCIS, Criminal Minds, CSI, CSI: NY, Cold Case, Mad Men and Without a Trace, among many others. She was also a series regular on the popular show North Shore. Her films include Love & Other Drugs, Flying Lessons, opposite Maggie Grace and Hal Holbrook, and the French comedy Hollywoo. Hallmark Channel viewers will also recognize DeLoach from her starring roles in the network’s original movies The Perfect Catch, Christmas Land, A Dream of Christmas, Truly, Madly, Sweetly, Two Turtle Doves, and Love Takes Flight, which premiered as a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation. She also developed, executive produced, and starred in Reunited at Christmas and starred in the 2020 movies Sweet Autumn and Cranberry Christmas. She is next set to return to the network as the lead in Taking the Reins, which follows a writer who goes back to the family ranch to write an article about her passion for horses. Along the way, she discovers what ended her marriage and why she stopped riding. The movie also stars Scott Porter and will be premiering September 25th.
Outside of acting, DeLoach is dedicated to sharing her passions and ideas with others. She co-founded “What We Are”, a community of women that celebrates their unfiltered selves. She is also a passionate supporter and spokesperson for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where she serves on the Foundation Board of Trustees, and The Alzheimer’s Association in honor of her father who recently lost his battle with a rare form of dementia called Pick’s Disease. DeLoach recently joined the board of Mind What Matters, a non-profit organization that supports Alzheimer’s caregivers. She also shares her love for acting by coaching at the renowned Warner Loughlin Studios. DeLoach currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two young sons, Hudson and Bennett.
Nikki DeLoach’s IMDb
In this episode, we discuss…
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