Deborah Tucker
Deborah Tucker has had a successful career on both the silver screen as well as the small screen. Starting her career as an accomplished athlete, she later pursued acting. She was a series regular on the series “Living Dolls” and played J.R. Ewing’s daughter-in-law on the final season of “Dallas.” She worked on a variety of features, shorts and television series. In the last few years, Deborah has appeared in two Christmas movies “Crown Prince of Christmas” and “A Christmas Princess.” She will soon be seen in the upcoming feature film, “About My Father,” starring legendary actor, Robert DeNiro.
ILLUMINATE: Hello, Debbie, and happy holidays. I’m so happy to have you here for ILLUMINATE Magazine.
TUCKER: Well, thank you for having me, Rachelle.
ILLUMINATE: You have a really fascinating history in the film industry, but even before that, you started as a professional ice skater.
TUCKER: That’s right.
ILLUMINATE: Can you tell me how you got started in that?
TUCKER: Yeah, that was just part of childhood where you get these fliers to try anything and everything. And parents, now on the other side, having raised my own, you’re like, “Where can I get this energy?” These gifts found. And for me, it was figure skating. But it was after some gymnastics, some dance, some swimming…some other activities. So I said, “Yeah, I want to do skating and I want to wake up and skate before school in fourth grade.” So it was an early commitment-kind of weirdness, like really? This girl? And I did. I went halfway through college, wasn’t ready to leave the sport yet, even though it’s not a school sport. Wasn’t ready to leave at the end of high school because I’m on the brink of making nationals. So I stayed with that coach. Ends up being the same coach as Nancy Kerrigan in that whole thing. But we came from Wisconsin. I’m in the Chicago area, driving up from age 12, with this coach. He moves to Boston, picks up Nancy Kerrigan. Then, she’s younger than I am.
Deborah Tucker at Universiade Invernale Bellono Nevegal Alleghe Cortina D’Ampezzo Feltre1985
ILLUMINATE: Wow! That’s incredible. That’s amazing. And something I was wondering about, before we transition into how you became an actress, you know, there’s a lot of discipline and a rigorous schedule that both athletes and actors have. What are some parallels that you found between your athleticism and then switching over into the arts? Have there been any parallels, any things, any techniques or disciplines you’ve taken from ice skating and other sports and transitioned into acting?
TUCKER: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think it’s in the write up on my IMDb and it was a shift of performance, just wanting to do that on stage and screen rather than ice. I wanted to warm up a bit. I didn’t want to stay in the rink. I didn’t want to coach. So it was that I wanted to perform. So it was that shift of the bug biting then. So definitely similar that way. Different in that there’s not the dialogue, obviously.
ILLUMINATE: Right.
TUCKER: Performing in a sport. So that was different and new. But when I was in L.A. and so keeping up the skating but working as an actor and going into the rink. And then you get those people that are like in Hollywood, but skaters. And Richard Dryer, he’s an old timer and ice follies, is no longer around. And he said not many people can make that change.
ILLUMINATE: Right.
TUCKER: From competitive skating to acting. So that made me feel really good because I thought, “Oh, right, yeah.”
TUCKER: You’re like, I can do this. I like it. So then when you did make that transition, and like we were talking about before you started the interview, having to decide where you’re going to go, if it’s going to be New York, LA, things like that. What were the decisions that you had to make when you were finally making that switch from ice skating over into performing as an actress?
TUCKER: Right. So, I went from the small school where I started in Wisconsin, following these coaches that would end up being Nancy Kerrigan’s coaches to Boston. Transferring and finishing at Boston University. So when I’m not skating anymore, but I’m getting interested in acting, I’m trying out for plays. I’m not even in the plays on campus. I’m not in the theater school. I’m in communications. They’re kind of in their own little bubble. And I went way out of the end of the red line, and I found this community theater, Brighton Beach Memoirs. So excited when I got that, because I wasn’t known and yet I was cast. And then as far as TV goes, “Spenser for Hire” was going and I went and I was an extra… but I was a featured extra, so busted. And he’s trying to investigate this murdered young girl. So I was featured that way sprawled out on the floor and there began TV. It was very exciting.
ILLUMINATE: Soon after that you were actually one of the lead actresses on ABC series,”Living Dolls,” which the other stars in the series include Michael Learned, Halle Berry, Leah Remini. You were in all the promotional posters. You were one of the leads in that series.
TUCKER: Series regular, yeah.
ILLUMINATE: Oh my gosh!
TUCKER: Yeah, that was six months in moving to L.A. Very, very lucky, as you know. For your audience, there used to be and it’s not so defined anymore, “pilot season” can be any time, but it was sort of like January to March, a really more-defined pilot season. You’d come out for pilot season, you know, and a lot of actors were doing that if they didn’t live in L.A. I was lucky enough to get first, the agent contact, though I did study abroad. The last semester at Boston University, I was actually planting myself in the UK to get the training there. Then I came home and moved to L.A. So I got very lucky having that agent and having that door open. It was after Alison Elliott was and Leah Remini was. But the two characters, two of the four living dolls being recast, my role, and I don’t know who she was that I replaced, but Halle replaced, Halle Berry replaced Vivica A. Fox. So there’s, in their own right, some big names already there. What they went on to do. Great working with Michael Learned. Two episodes with Marion Ross, Mrs. C. from Happy Days! Legends…legends! And very exciting to pull into the parking lot and have Marion Ross waiting for me to get out of my car. She had watched our episode leading up. She knew my name. She’s so sweet! And I’m thinking, “Wow!” You know, it just showed me how a big star is really supposed to stay humble. What a great example. Just super great!
Living Dolls: Halle Berry, Michael Learned, David Moscow, Leah Remini, Deborah Tucker and Alison Elliott
ILLUMINATE: Exactly. It’s amazing when you have those moments with people that you really look up to and you can see who they really are and their personality and when they’re the kindest people on earth, it’s just such a great experience.
TUCKER: Yeah. So, Michael Learned, “Olivia” from “The Waltons.” You know, people that I grew up watching, now I’m working with and then moving into “Dallas.”
ILLUMINATE: Right?
TUCKER: Five episodes recurring. That’s considered a recurring role, not a series regular, but the next best thing. Five episodes at the end of the long series. And icons again. Patrick Duffy and Larry Hagman. Just the most amazing time. Just after Larry’s mom had passed. And I’m invited to lunch with these two, Patrick and Larry. And I just remember Larry was on my left and Patrick, on the right. I’m in the middle here. And this big fist, Larry, just goes well, “Planted, mother, this weekend.” And I’m at lunch with these guys and they’re making these jokes and “Oh my God, I can’t believe… And at that time, he’s got this electric scooter…
ILLUMINATE: I was going to say it’s amazing because, not only are you working with these people, but like, for example, in “Dallas,” you are J.R. Ewing’s daughter in law. In the Ewing family!
Deborah Tucker and Sasha Mitchell in “Dallas” – “Those Darned Ewings”
TUCKER: Yes, exactly. It’s discovered that I’ve got the fourth generation Ewing, the kid he wants…Another side of J.R. Ewing comes out. He’s on the swings, the park swings. We’re getting ice cream. No one saw that side of J.R. until my character came along. He’s feeding the baby, having baby food, flying in his face. I don’t have anybody caught all of that, but it’s like, totally different. The last season. So funny and just the greatest. Again, may he rest in peace. Just when he says, because I’m working with twins when they have such a young kid, you know. Child labor laws…there’s twins. And kind of neat foreshadowing, ended up having my own twins later. So that was cool. But twins, the first set of twins got fired because I think one smacked me or something like that. Or they couldn’t perform or they are too young or something. I don’t know. They got slightly older. Those second (twins) followed directions a little bit better as two year-olds. But anyway, so Larry says to me, he sits next to me, on a moment after the sight is like, “You know, young actor. He’s going to give you some advice here. We are going to have these issues with what’s going to upstage us, children like we’re seeing, you know. These babies and working with the children. Animals. Yeah, I can understand that too.” And he goes, “And genies.” So I’m like, “Oh yeah, of course, in your case, “I Dream of Jeannie.” So that was funny to get from him too.
ILLUMINATE: It’s amazing that you got to have that relationship and it’s amazing what you were saying too, with that being a completely different side of J.R. Because for all those, see, I’m a big fan of “Dallas” for all those seasons watching him. You see multiple sides of him, but you don’t ever get to see that gentle kind of grandfatherly side until you show up, which is so special.
TUCKER: It really was. It really was. It was pretty cool.
ILLUMINATE: That’s amazing. Beyond all that, you’ve had so many TV and film projects. You have a great list. You and I actually worked on a series together called “Escaping the Prophet.” It’s amazing because you are stunning, and you transformed yourself into a very different character.
TUCKER: Yeah, I love it. I love that kind of thing. That’s right. That was quite a show based on true stuff that’s going on. That’s kind of hard. “Escaping the Prophet.”
ILLUMINATE: Tell us about that transformation.
TUCKER: Yeah, I love it. And one really kind of fun example before that was a short film where I played a medieval woman. (Tears of the Fallen) And I actually auditioned with a frazzly, dark brown wig, like totally different…frazzly, dark, different. And I auditioned that way. And then the callback and really told, “We think you’re too young, too pretty for this role.” I’m like, “Oh no. No.” Now I told my 11-year-old at the time, one of my twins, I said, “Photograph me from here. We’ll go on the cul de sac and we’ll do this. And I’ll do this, and I’ll wear no makeup. And, I don’t know, not being campy, but I’m like…but I tried to just end with the wig, of course, and another headshot. Just because, I don’t even think I had that as a headshot, I only came in person with that look and they needed that look and a headshot. So, I’m like, “Quick, quick, deliver that over to the director’s house for the decision.” And then we go for the read through. And I’m of course…I don’t know if I wore my wig….I didn’t think I needed to for the read through. Though, a couple times, the reader’s saying, “Wait, who are you? Coming to my house?” “Well, I’m that character.” and “Oh, right, right. Okay.” And then when I’m totally in character in the makeup and hair chair, but having done my wig myself, the hair person coming at it with a brush, “It’s a wig. Don’t touch it.” And then there’s somebody, like the assistant director or PA, who is like, “Where is Deborah Tucker? She’s late. She’s not here.” I’m in the chair. “I’m here. I’m this,” you know, and they they didn’t recognize me. So, that went on for a while to even to, it was a film festival. I’m so excited to have it shown and go to a film festival at all. And I’m wearing a dress and I’m looking like I want to. Pretty, not like the character. And we go up in the front at the end, like you do with the director. And this guy asked, “Who did you play?” So, yeah, total transformation.
My husband and I went and visited the area where it’s taking place. Like I say, this was real, right? Ours was reenactment up here in Washington State, Eastern Washington. But the real thing was also edited, if you remember. Flora Jessop, in her forties, and we’re telling her story, you’re playing her.
ILLUMINATE: I play her best friend, Sandi.
TUCKER: You’re playing the age of 16, another age earlier. I’m playing her mom in reenactments. But this really goes on in Colorado City and that filming was going on there. And Ron and I were in the area, my husband and I, and I’m like, “Oh my gosh, we have to go.” And we’re a little scared, you know like…and they are out playing soccer with those dresses, with that hair. It is real. And at least they’re running and having fun. But they’re dressed like that.
ILLUMINATE: Right. I think Wardrobe said that they had gotten those dresses authentically from an FLDS store.
TUCKER: Puffy sleeves, pastels or brown or something.
ILLUMINATE: I was so lucky to wear navy.
TUCKER: Oh, I think my pregnant one was brown. I’ve got this one shot. And so, when I’m, like, totally pregnant and totally brown. Talk about (bleh).
ILLUMINATE: You know, we were not attractive gals. No, we were not at our finest.
TUCKER: It was fun. It was a lot of fun.
ILLUMINATE: It was fun. It was interesting because we shot in multiple parts of Washington state. Which was interesting. It was kind of getting to tour our own state, right? In the desert. It was amazing. Did you read Flora’s biography before filming? Did you read her biography?
TUCKER: I didn’t read the whole biography, but I know she escaped right around 16 when we’re like the title “Escaping the Prophet” and then telling the story and helping others in her forties.
He’s since passed away in prison. The real one. So, it’s a real situation. It’s some story. And then as an actor, though, we just want to do that authentically.
ILLUMINATE: I’ve seen so many of the photos over the years of the different characters and one of your most recent projects was the newest film in the “God’s Not Dead: We the People” series. And you’re playing a congresswoman. What drew you to that project and what was it like to get to be a part of that big franchise?
TUCKER: I have to say, first and foremost, prayer for any great project…project and role. That my faith is important to me, that’s going to be honoring to God’s work. So, I was on my knees, first of all, like if I could get a PureFlix film, you know. And this one came out…and this “God’s Not Dead.” And so I was really excited. And I was back with my parents when I found out that I got it, there in the Chicago area.
And Mom was going through chemo, and I was back for one of those visits, and finding out I got this. Ten days with them, and then I’m going from Chicago to Oklahoma. We filmed that in Oklahoma, and it was February of ‘21. We’re still in the pandemic, and you know, emails about “You’re going to meet the COVID tester person at your hotel.” And I got up there and come to know that the production had been shut down for a week because a crew member tested positive a couple of days earlier. So, I’d already been away from my family for ten days. Like I say, I was with my parents, so I flew home and waiting this out this week. And then in the meantime, the director called and he’s like, “Well, how about a bigger part?” A different part? And I made that decision on my own to cut my hair and make it darker. And the glasses on the edge of the nose were already in the script like that.
ILLUMINATE: Well congratulations on that. And I love that you found out with your parents. I bet that was really exciting for them!
TUCKER: Yeah, it was. So, Mom never got to see it because she’s since passed of pancreatic cancer.
ILLUMINATE: I’m sorry.
TUCKER: But like I said, faith is so important, and God was so good. “God is Not Dead.” Certainly, because I would be like, “Lord, you know, I hope I can have more projects and work.” And He would always give me a project in the Midwest after a visit with my parents.
So, like I was either driving to Indiana or I was flying to Oklahoma or gosh, Minnesota, but like obscure places, not the cities and places I’d never been to before. I otherwise wouldn’t have gone. But I looked at those as gifts. Like Psalms 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I was delighting in the Lord. I was putting Him first as He was instructing me. Yeah, “Go see your parents even during COVID. Don’t be afraid of that.” You know, honoring my parents. And then I would get these gifts of jobs. So that’s the way I looked at it. Built my faith.
ILLUMINATE: I think that’s really inspirational for people to think about.
So, on a very Merry, Bright, Christmas note, you actually have two Christmas movies we’re going to talk about really quick. Your newest Christmas movie, “The Crown Prince of Christmas.” I watched it. You play Queen Angelique of Luxenworth. You play the mother of the love interest, Prince Andreas, or better known as Sebastian. You got to completely transform into this regal queen. You had the accent. You had the stature. Tell us about becoming queen, Angelique.
TUCKER: Oh, that was another fun thing. I went for both parts. I auditioned for both the part of the mom of the female lead and the queen, the mum of the prince.
Cindy Busby, Jilon VanOwen and Deborah Tucker in “Crown Prince of Christmas”
ILLUMINATE: And then the other Christmas movie that I watched that you’re in is called “A Christmas Princess.” And what I loved is that your character’s storyline, it’s very bittersweet, and it’s something that a lot of people can relate to. What do you think that people are so attracted to these Christmas movies? Is it the Christmas joy, Christmas magic? What do you think really draws people in and makes them connect?
TUCKER: In the instance of a “Christmas Princess,” I play a military wife whose husband’s been overseas, and I have this son that is young. And the prince, in that case, there’s always a gala. There’s always a prince. It’s funny that somebody wanted to watch me as queen and found that one and says, “You’re not the queen of this.” “No, I’m not. I’m at the gala.” And then the gift, which starts off as a shoplifting gift by my son, you know, he gets caught shoplifting. But the prince and the soon-to-be princess do this favor for my family. And they somehow bring my husband home to show up at the gala when I unwrap a mirror. And then the reflection is he comes in and has a group hug. And Daddy and that kid was great because it was one take that we got to do. Wow, only one take. He’s just like eight years old and “Daddy,” like it was his real dad. He hadn’t seen them for years, you know.
Deborah Tucker and Beckett Santopietro in “A Christmas Princess”
ILLUMINATE: He did amazing with that.
TUCKER: Yeah. So, as far as the attraction to that, wow. When we think of the people who give so much for our country, any of our loved ones. But let’s focus on this situation where they’re not only apart from us, but they’re doing so much for not only our family, but our whole country. So, the reuniting is the joy that, no matter what you celebrate this time of year, but just any or any time of year, the reuniting is, I think, the joy of that movie when he’s coming back…brought tears just by him showing up. He had no lines. It was just that. And these people who write them how to pull at the heartstrings, you know. I think that’s where people get into watching one after the other, after the other. Even if they’re fantastical moments, there’s real things to relate to as well.
ILLUMINATE: Exactly. You have the prince. You have the gala. The fantastical moments. Then you have the little moments in between, like the moment with your character that really connects with everyone. And I think that is beautiful. And it brought a sense of Christmas magic and hope and joy.
TUCKER: Yes. I’m thrilled that I have two in the bag now, so to speak, that will keep coming up every Christmas or now you can rent them any time of the year, I guess. Watch Christmas movies any time of the year. They need a little bit of cheer and that’s good that that’s out there too that way. But “The Crown Prince of Christmas” is on “Great American Family.” I can do a little plug here for a Great American community is a free app and it (“The Crown Prince of Christmas”) can be rented now any time. But still are a few scheduled screenings on a Great American Family, which you can look up the channel finder on their website.
ILLUMINATE: Awesome. So everyone go and check.
TUCKER: It’s going to be Comcast, which is kind of around the country. Cable Basic, that most people have a lot of people have, and then a bunch of streaming services too. But yeah, “Crown Prince of Christmas.” Great American Family.
ILLUMINATE: Awesome. Everyone go check those out. I have a few little Christmas questions for you. What are some ways that you think that people can give back to others to make this holiday season merry and bright for everyone?
TUCKER: Oh, I love that question because I just had this opportunity at the Seattle Union Gospel Missions, Women and Children Hope Place, is what it’s called. And I’ve been going Wednesdays anyway, not just Christmas time since this fall. Since September, to be with the ladies in just kind of a roundtable of faith talk. It’s an actual course that came out of England. The “Alpha” course.
ILLUMINATE: Oh, wow!
TUCKER: Maybe you’ve heard of it. And so I’ve been going regularly. So, my giving back today or this season. We just had a “Happy Birthday, Jesus” party with the kids of some of these moms. So, I wanted to do more than just these Wednesdays, and so I, just a month ago, started in with the kids program on Monday afternoons. And I’m getting to know some of them. And, one of my daughters, not the twins, came and led games with a friend. Sheep, Sheep, Angel instead of Duck, Duck, Goose. It was so cute! We decorated little sticker jewels on gold crowns for the party hats, because after all, Birthday of the King of Kings. So everybody had their own crown and craft. So, that was a gift giving back that felt really good, and relating. And not just in a short moment, but continuing. I’m going to get to know you better as you join the “Alpha.” You know, a new mom who’s there with her tween daughter. There’s these older kids that live there, too, and I look forward to that, getting to know you better. And in hearing their stories and having it go all year.
ILLUMINATE: Oh, I love that. And that’s a beautiful way to connect other people and to make them feel loved and appreciated, which is something that’s so important all year round. But especially during the holidays, because so many people can feel lonely and feel like they need companionship right now. And I think that that’s very special that you are doing that.
And one last question for you. What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions that you’re going to celebrate with your family this year?
TUCKER: Oh, well, my kids are grown, so I can talk about what was always a tradition that we had to put off with adult kids, but we still did it. We cut down our Christmas tree, usually we do it the day after Thanksgiving. But because my twins weren’t here. One twin from the University of Washington went to see her twin at the University of Notre Dame, and they spent it together, to save their running legs. They’re distance runners from travel…and there’s a whole thing there. But anyway, we were apart and so we waited and she said we didn’t have to wait, but I knew they wanted to. We had a lot of fun. So she came back just last Wednesday. And we finally got our tree, just on Friday, because that’s a tradition that we’ve always had where we we didn’t cut it down from scratch. But it’s a fresh tree and it was at Remlinger Farms instead of the other Christmas tree farm…that I think is closed or they ran out of trees or something…anyway, so we had to go somewhere else. But it’s in that area still.
ILLUMINATE: And I love Remlinger!
TUCKER: Yeah, right. And so I have pictures of one of my girls, like in the little haystack and we go different seasons, and it’s just fun. We had to get a pie. Got a pie. Yeah. It may be a new tradition. We’re going to get our tree a little easier a little later. It’s going to stay fresh now. I like it that way, but it was still fun to do together and get our coffees together. It was a girls’ time. It was. It was a Mom and three girls time. So, we didn’t have Dad and big brother’s married and he got his tree in line with the timing of tradition. He’s that kid there in the area. So they did theirs already. But it was Mom and girls time. It was a lot of fun.
ILLUMINATE: Yeah. I love that you got to spend time with your girls and got to continue on that tradition. Even if there were some tweaks, you still got to do it together. I love that.
TUCKER: Yeah, I love it.
ILLUMINATE: Well, thank you so much for being here and thank you for being a part of our holiday edition of Illuminate. I really loved getting to catch up with you. It’s been so long since we’ve talked.
TUCKER: I know, I know. So I definitely wanted to see you and hear from you and you got your voice back. So this was a lot of fun, Rachelle. A lot of fun.
ILLUMINATE: Thank you so much. Have a merry, merry Christmas.
TUCKER: Merry Christmas to you and all the best in 2023.
ILLUMINATE: Yes, 2023 is going to be our year. Talk to you later, Lovely.
