Heather Locklear isn’t worried about returning to the media that made her famous.
Amanda “Bitch” Woodward returns to television in a new Lifetime film produced by former “The View” co-host Meghan McCain, and she looks considerably different this time around.
Locklear, 60, is navigating wholesome new ground in the upcoming “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story,” discarding the sultry ’80s nymphet style that persisted for decades following her “Dynasty” and “T.J. Hooker” debut.
The film is based on Kristine’s and her late husband’s inspirational book of the same name, which lasted more than 100 weeks on best-seller lists and is still considered one of the fastest-selling books of all time, with over 15 million copies sold worldwide.
The veteran actress talked up about her trepidation of returning to the small screen — in an anti-type character, no less — after four years away during Lifetime’s Fall Movies advertising event on Tuesday.
“The tough aspect of it was so terrifying for me,” Locklear said of her first acting role since a “overdose” in 2018, which was followed by a rehab term and an arrest for allegedly assaulting an EMT summoned to her home during a domestic argument.
After a public sabbatical, Locklear later stated that returning to filmmaking was “very easy” for her. “I’m not sure why I was so afraid of memorizing lines, but how about putting emotion across?” she said of the difficulties she overcame.
Valerie Bertinelli, 61, a Food Network star, fellow ’80s “it girl” actress, and friend who will soon be seen in an equally anti-type role as Demi Lovato’s mother in the NBC sitcom “Hungry,” encouraged her to return to acting. “It felt incredibly good to hear from someone else who was afraid the same way I was,” Locklear remarked.
The actress from “Spin City” was last seen appearing fresh-faced in June when paparazzi caught her going makeup-free while enjoying a bite to eat. Locklear reached a major milestone in 2020: one year of sobriety. “She is doing fantastic and looks great,” a friend of the actress told People at the time.
“She’s gardening, going for walks, and cooking like a maniac,” a friend added, noting that Locklear prepares for her aging parents. “It’s incredibly considerate. She’s powerful and clear-headed, and she cares about other people.”
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