Josie Bissett Part 2: From Melrose Place to an Incredible Midlife

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

From starring on the hit television series Melrose place, to becoming an acclaimed children’s book author, Josie Bissett has made her mark in the entertainment industry as a talented and multifaceted entrepreneur. In part two of our interview, we spoke to Josie about the success of her book, Tickle Monster, her personal experience going through perimenopause, and what she hopes to accomplish in the future.

First, we asked Josie about what kinds of acting projects she’d like to work on next, and she said that she would love to be part of an ensemble cast for a television series. For her, being the leading role in a show can take a toll on a person’s mental and physical health, so she’d rather be part of a team. She also finds working with ensemble casts to be a more fun, for everyone can bond more. Shifting from her acting career, we also spoke about Josie’s hit children’s book Tickle Monster. When asked what her inspiration was for writing it, she explained that the idea came to her one night while she was tickling her then two-year-old son. While listening to him laugh, she realized that tickling is a universal parent and child bonding experience. It took her several years to write the book, and she loves how interactive it is. By making the book an interactive kit, it allows for the parent to be fully present while reading to their child and makes the experience of the book more memorable. Now, Tickle Monster is wildly successful, and Josie said she didn’t expect it do this well but is so happy to hear stories of children and parents enjoying the book.

We also asked Josie how she would feel if one of her children came to her and said they wanted to pursue a career in acting. Being in the industry herself, Josie knows how difficult it can be to make a living as an actor. However, she would be fully supportive of her children, for she feels it is important for people to do what they love. She believes people should focus more on what makes them happy, and that when we notice something that is bringing us joy, it is our body’s way of telling us that it is something that we love.

When asked about perimenopause, Josie shared that she had a fairly smooth experience. However, hot flashes were a huge problem for her. Balancing her hormone levels helped with her symptoms, as well as maintaining a mostly plant-based diet. She said that she’s glad doctors are starting to have more conversations about connections between menopause and diet, for eating the right foods for your body can help manage and diminish symptoms.

Finally, regarding future plans, Josie said that she’s focused on working on her new home. She bought a house with a ton of land, wanting to make it a space for family to build upon and enjoy. Home environments are very important to her, and she wants to create a space that is not only livable but feels like a true home for herself and her loved ones.

Josie Bissett

Josie Bissett is recognized internationally for her role as the popular ‘Jane Mancini’ on FOX-TV’s Melrose Place, which ended its successful seven-year run in May 1999. To date, she has graced over 50 magazine covers, including such publications as TV Guide, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Shape’s Fit Pregnancy, New Woman and FIRST For Women.

Josie starred opposite Jack Wagner in the highly-rated Hallmark Channel franchise movie The Wedding March as well as The Wedding March 2: Resorting to Love, which debuted in June 2017 and marks the network’s highest-rated and most-watched original June movie premiere among HH ratings and Total Viewer delivery. A third movie, Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride, aired in February 2018, the fourth movie, Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New, aired in June 2018, and Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend’s Back aired in June 2019. She next stars in Sealed with a Kiss: Wedding March 6, which premiered August 14, 2021.

She had a recurring role of ‘A.J.’ opposite Jack Wagner in the Hallmark television series When Calls The Heart. Josie appeared for five seasons on ABC Family Channel’s hit breakout teen-pregnancy drama series The Secret Life of the American Teenager created and executive produced by Brenda Hampton (7^th Heaven). Josie played “Kathleen Bowman”, mother to good girl “Grace” (Megan Park).

She previously starred opposite James Brolin in Hallmark Movie Channels’ first-ever original holiday movie, Christmas with Tucker, which premiered as part of their “Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas” holiday initiative. Christmas with Tucker was the Most Watched Hallmark Movie Channel Original Premiere among HH’s and W25-54 in network history! Josie also starred opposite Matthew Settle in the original Christmas film Paper Angels, which premiered on UP TV. Additionally, she starred in the Lifetime original telefilms A Mother’s Instinct and Pregnant at 17.

Her first children’s book, Tickle Monster, became a national sensation which got kids and parents to laugh, laugh, laugh! Tickle Monster is an inspiring and beautifully illustrated storybook for kids, based on a treasured family tradition that Josie has continued with her own kids. Fuzzy ‘Tickle Monster’ mitts, an interactive companion piece to the book, are available and packaged in an adorable gift set. Parents can wear the gloves to tickle their children while reading along to the clever text.

Tickle Monster was awarded the PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved) Media Inc.’s Seal of Approval for excellence in parenting products. Tickle Monster earned the Publisher’s Choice Award from the Family Magazine Group. Josie was named Celebrity Mom of the Year by the Mom’s Choice Awards (MCA), an annual awards program that recognizes authors, inventors, companies, and parents for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products, and services.

Josie and her children were also featured on the cover of MCA’s Entro magazine. Josie’s ability to offer parenting advice and bring laughter in the lives of families, along with her mission to live life as a whole and balanced person, made her the perfect choice for the Mom’s Choice Team.

As a follow-up to the highly successful Tickle Monster, Josie wrote her second children’s book, Boogie Monster, and both titles are currently available in major bookstores. With a lovable new character from Planet Boogie whose only mission is to inspire kids to dance, dance, dance, Boogie Monster teaches kids that there’s no right or wrong way to dance. In the process, kids build confidence and have fun exercising. Also available is a complete dance kit (packaged in a colorful, reusable keepsake gift box with magnetic closure), which includes a Boogie Monster book, a pair of Boogie Monster Legs Leggings and a full-length music CD by Recess Monkey.

The Boogie Monster Dance Kit was the recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award, honoring excellence in family-friendly media, products, and services. In addition, the Dance Kit won the Moonbeam Gold Medal at the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards.

Josie’s first book, Little Bits of Wisdom, was inspired by the birth of her first child in 2001 and is now in its third printing. It is a heart-warming collection of parenting wisdom and child-rearing “tricks of the trade” gathered from more than 1,000 parents and grandparents throughout the world. Two years later, she completed a second book, Making Memories, which featured over 200 ways for parents to create rich family memories with their children that last a lifetime. Tens of thousands of parents have already embraced this magical book, the premise of which is so simple and powerful: The moments with our children pass so quickly, but the memories we create today will last forever.

The Seattle native began her career in front of the camera at the age of 12 as a model in print advertisements and television commercials. At 16, she left home and moved to Japan to further her career and at 17 headed to Hollywood to make her mark.

Josie soon landed the role of “Cara” on The Hogan Family, where she spent two seasons. Within two years of her arrival in Los Angeles, Josie was cast on Melrose Place and quickly became one of television’s most recognizable actors. In recent years, she has had the opportunity to explore many diverse and interesting characters in such projects as the ABC movies The Fire Above and Dare to Love, the FOX telefilm Deadly Vows, and the USA cable film Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear. She starred in the ABC Family Channel original film I Do, They Don’t, a romantic comedy about two widowed parents whose spontaneous marriage thrusts them into the position of having to blend two families into one. In addition, Josie starred in the Lifetime Television

original film The Other Woman based on the best-selling novel by Joy Fielding and directed by Jason Priestley. She has also made numerous guest-starring appearances including NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

On the big screen, she made her feature film debut in Oliver Stone’s The Doors in which she played the wife of Doors’s guitarist Robbie Krieger. Her subsequent films include the coming-of-age comedy Book of Love and the psychological thriller Mikey.

In addition to acting, Josie has hosted numerous shows. She co-hosted Lifetime Television’s morning talk show, The Balancing Act. She previously hosted Parenting Beyond, a show that offered parents creative solutions to everyday problems, so that they can have more quality time to enjoy their family and watch their children growing up. She also hosted the PBS educational special, “Teach More, Love More”, which

followed four families, each with a child in one of the four critical stages of early childhood development — newborn, infancy, toddlerhood, and preschool. As host, Josie guided viewers through the program which explores the joys, fears and a myriad of questions that accompany the beginning of life. “Teach More, Love More” included interviews with nationally renowned experts such as Dr. T. Berry Brazelton.

Josie has been the face of several national commercial campaigns, including Neutrogena’s skin care line and Dr. Scholl’s Pedicure Essentials, an entire line of 14 different products designed to pamper the feet. Additionally, she was a spokesperson for Murad Skin Care’s Resurgence® Regimen, the first comprehensive line of products formulated exclusively to help revitalize and rebuild hormonally aging skin.

She is currently working on her next children’s book series. Josie resides in Seattle with her husband, Thomas Doig, and her 17-year-old daughter Maya. Her 19-year-old son Mason is in his sophomore year in college.