Between the years of 1973 and 1987, actress Brenda Dickson molded The Young and the Restless's Jill Foster Abbott into one of the sultriest, and most notoriously villainous characters in Daytime television. Brenda has spent time away from acting since then, and Soaps.com recently had the pleasure of catching up with this remarkable woman, who after surviving some life challenges, not only has a book and a DVD coming out, but is ready to revitalize her acting career!
As Soaps.com readers may know, clips of Brenda Dickson's infamous 1980's era video, "Welcome To My Home," were posted on the Internet and quickly became a cult classic hit as viewers indulged in a fascinating "piece of pop culture." New York Magazine calls the film "must see." Brenda told me she thinks the interest in the video is "amazing," and that "glamour has come back." The fashion and décor styles in Brenda's video are 'hot' once again, as today's trends go retro, and the health and exercise advice Brenda gives in the video, then ahead of it's time, still works in 2009! The big news is that Brenda, in response to requests from her fans, is re-vamping and re-releasing the video on DVD for purchase on her official website, with an added portion that she says, "brings it up to 2009."
The other piece of big news Brenda shared with Soaps.com is that she has taken everything she has learned about make-up, health, diet, and fashion in the past 23 years, and put it in a new book! In it she outlines "the perfect diet," which, she jokes, "no one can stay on!" She assured me, though, that if readers have the knowledge in her book, they will always be able to get back where they belong. "If you don't have these building blocks of knowledge, you're sort of lost!" She is proud of the fact that the book focuses on a daily regime that can be done at home with minimal expense.
Although Brenda wouldn't give away the title of her book, which she expects to be out in a few months, she did elaborate, sharing that the "in-depth" book is partly autobiographical, touches on spiritual well being, provides many secrets and tips, and will boast fabulous photos featuring plenty of over-the-top fashions! Now that sounds good!
When Soaps.com pressed Brenda to give up her #1 health and beauty tip, she replied, "Your skin is one of the most important things that you have to take care of," warning that women's skin is more vulnerable to the adverse effects of things like smoking and drinking because women have smaller kidneys. So, while Brenda has no problem with enjoying a glass of wine with dinner, for example, she recommends maintaining a healthy diet and drinking adequate water to keep skin healthy and looking its best.
As far as Brenda's acting career goes, her chance at landing the plum role of Edie's (Nicolette Sheridan's) sister on "Desperate Housewives" was lost when series creator/producer, Marc Cherry, was unable to reach her. Brenda, incredibly, was incarcerated in Hawaii at the time! As a result of a dispute with her ex-husband, who is an attorney in Honolulu, Brenda confided that she was terribly mistreated, and consequently missed this excellent opportunity to re-ignite her acting career. However, Brenda is a resilient woman, and after hearing her story, one realizes that she has turned it all around. Not only is she fighting back legally, but she has also been helping other women who have written to her with similar stories. Details of Brenda's experience, including a stunning video, can be viewed on her personal website.
