Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark - “I Had A Deep Dark Secret No One Knew.” - Interview with Alexa PenaVega

Episode Date: January 21, 2022

Today on The Spillover, Alex Clark sits down with Alexa PenaVega to talk about her deepest darkest secret, hidden predators in Hollywood, modesty, the #MeToo movement, her celebrity marriage, pro-life views, and her relationship with God. Alexa’s recommendation for eating disorder treatment programs and resources: HERE.If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder and needs immediate help, call 404-465-3385Looking for like-minded friends? Join the Cuteservative Faceboo...

I have something to admit. I didn't always want to work in politics or be the host of my own show. People tend to assume that I was always just interested in talking into a microphone. While I am here to set the record straight, I actually wanted to be a storm chaser. Really? I mean, obviously, I was not your average six-year-old. I had big dreams of chasing tornadoes. Can't you picture it?

I could have a cute pink van and I'd take you along with me. We bring my producers and editors to, and it'd be a whole thing. Every storm season, we'd go stock tornadoes. I am made for it even now. I mean, I've had breakups far scarier than a tornado. Let me tell you. So I can handle a little storm chasing. Okay, but obviously the dream kind of died and my love of radio ended up winning out.

A lot of you know the story. It's a great one. But the reason I was so obsessed with being a storm chaser someday is because I saw the film Twister. And if you do not know this movie, you go and watch it right after this interview. This is your homework. It is the perfect movie to cuddle and watch with someone you love. Anyway, today's guest starred in that movie. Now, think about maybe who I'm talking about. If you do not know, here's another hint. She became famous for being a spy. Oh, now you're really, you think, okay, wait, I think I know who this is. Okay, here's one more hint.

She's the queen of the Hallmark Channel, a former Dancing with the Stars contestant and mom of three amazing kids. Now, if you still don't know who I'm talking about, do you even watch movies? She's also an outspoken conservative and pro-life actress. This conversation went so many places that I was not expecting. We get into eating disorders and the Me Too movement and a lot of different things that I haven't touched on at all with any other guests. Please welcome to the spillover.

actress Alexa Penna Vega. Alexa, I just want the record to show that I mentioned on an episode of Poplitics that I wanted to have you as a guest on the spillover. And then I asked cute servatives to tag you in the comments so that you would see that I wanted you to come on and it worked. Flooded. I was flooded with messages. It was awesome.

I have to say, you have some amazing cute servatives. They are like, they are hardcore. They went after me. They really are the best. And, you know, that's the thing is, like, we're so excited to talk to people, you know, celebrity and otherwise that share our values. And that's so exciting because sometimes it feels like we truly are alone. So then when we have someone like you who's actively posting about their conservative beliefs and everything on social media, it's like a breath of fresh air for us. I think it's just, it's rare nowadays because, I mean, I don't know.

I feel like it's actually always been rare. but now it's even more rare or taboo to talk about these types of things. But it's been who, it's always been a part of us. Like we've always been a family of faith. We've always just kind of try to post more positive content, more kind of conservative, I guess type stuff if that's what it's like quote unquote conservative type stuff. But I don't know. Yeah, it's just who we are.

So we can't help but just post who we are. I love that. And that authenticity is why I think your following is just, so huge. Obviously, people know you because you're famous and you're an actress, but also I think that a lot of people want to stick around because of how open you and your family are about sharing everything about your life. Well, we've been super blessed to have a platform to even say anything, you know, but I think the biggest thing for us is we're like, man, what do we want to see when we're on social media? And we gravitate towards the people who are raw and real. And I think

there is this like weird stigma that we have to put on like an act everywhere we go. And obviously, like, you don't air all your dirty laundry, but you want to be helpful and you want to be a light. And part of that is talking about the, like, difficult journeys that you go through or the hard sides of parenting or pregnancy and all this stuff. So, so for us, I kept looking at like, who do I follow and why do I follow them? And I go, okay, that's what I want to be. I want to be not this, like, influencer generation, but somebody who actually can maybe influence people in, in like, a life. changing way. Yes, exactly. And I did that too in the new year. I just took inventory, looked at who I was following on Instagram, and then I was like, do I really care about their post? Is it feeding me spiritually,

you know, am I engaging with their account? Do I like them? Do they make me feel better about myself? You know, and so I unfollowed any accounts that I didn't feel that way. But I have to tell you that Twister is one of my favorite movies of all time. I was a baby. You were, you were, you were so little and I was little when that movie came out. I was like six or seven years old and it was my favorite movie. I would watch it over and over and over again. And for a huge part of my childhood, I would tell people that I wanted to be a storm chaser because of that movie. And I know you were just in the opening scene, but I have to ask you if you remember filming that experience or if it was scary as a kid, the storm scenes. All of it. Yes. So we actually filmed it in Oklahoma.

during like tornado season, which I don't know if there's ever an end or start to that, but it was, we had to go underground so many times because of tornadoes while we were filming that movie. And I remember as a little girl, there were all of like the flashing, the flashing lightning and the crazy thunder. That was like wild to me. But the big, big thing was the house that flies away and gets destroyed in the beginning of the movie.

Yes. They bought a house and blew it up. So as a kid, you're working in this house. it's super awesome and then the next day you show up and it is like blown to bits. That I remember being kind of dramatic because, you know, you don't expect like this cute little house that you're filming in to just be completely demolished and that stuck around with me. Well, I've been posting on my stories because everybody's so interested in it,

but I'm trying to redo my apartment. And one of the things that I thought, man, would it be cool to try to find like a vintage twister movie poster to hang like in my room or something? I was literally thinking that. I wonder, I bet you could find eBay. eBay has everything. 100%. So one of the other movies that you're the most famous, I would say most famous for, one of them is sleepover. And I watched that movie growing up almost every single sleepover that I went to. And I just, I have to tell you, justice for Yancey. I mean, what an icon. I know. I know. Yancey with her orange face after the Presto Tan. I haven't seen that movie in years.

But, you know, it's so funny because looking back at that time, the movie bombed like terribly, terribly. Which is so weird. It's a cult classic. But it's weird that like all these people talk about having seen it. I'm like, really? I thought five people saw that movie. So it's funny that so many people watch it at sleepovers. But I guess it makes sense.

Were there any teen actresses at the time that you were filming movies like Sleepover that you were idolizing as other teen girls like me were idolizing you? You know, it was weird because I was growing up in the Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, who else was there, Raven, the Olson twins. Maybe more. Yeah, similar in the same age. Like we even did this Vanity Fair spread thing where it was like, I think it was their only tween cover that they've ever, or that they had at the time at least. And you just didn't know, like, there were like rumors.

Oh, am I going to make the cover? Are you going to make the cover? who's making the cover? And then, I did not make the cover, but I had a lot of fun. But in that particular issue, it was like all the girls, all like the tween pop stars of that time. And it was really cool. It was fun to be included in that group. But certainly there were other people where, you know, like Hillary Duff still is so awesome.

And she is really cool. She is. She's so cute. And she has a new show coming out and plug in her show. Look at that. So nice. But, yeah. No, there are just so many people that I've been fortunate to even grow up with and know and love and care about that I don't know that I necessarily had somebody that I idolized.

I guess it would have been like Natalie Portman or somebody like that in the acting world. Was it hard as a teenage actress not to compare yourself to your peers like Lindsay and Hillary and people and where your parents trying to talk to you about don't, you know, let comparison steal your joy in this business? Yeah. You know, I had a weird, kind of very different upbringing. So luckily, I was kind of sheltered from everything. Like my mom was very, very strict. So we grew up in a strict household, very tight-knit. So we didn't actually get to see a lot of like what was going on in like Hollywood at the time

because we were so sheltered from it all. And we didn't have social media back then. So that changed everything. Like social media now, like if I had to go through sleepover or spy kids or anything like that now, it would look completely different. Like we were still able to be kids at the time. So for the most part, I feel like I had a pretty normal time, although I did end up going through a really bad eating disorder in my teen years

because it was during all of like the Lindsay Lohan stick thin, like cover of us weekly. All these girls are like this big. And that's what they wanted in all these movie projects. Yeah. I feel like I don't even know. that I've heard you talk about that much. Do you share that often? Yeah, you know, I've talked about it a few times, but it's not something that, um, that I guess like, it's not like something I lead with. Like, hey, how are you? I used to have an eating disorder, um, but I have shared it. Uh, and it was actually a long

time. Like, I had it for six years and it started when I was 15. So it went on for a long time. Um, and it's terrible because it's this thing that like, I was still me and I had this secret that I just hid from everybody. I went through bulimia and I was so scared that anybody would find out like that's like your biggest fear because you're like they're going to think that I'm not me and I know I have this secret but I'm still who I am but I have this thing that I can't get rid of. And honestly as I kind of started diving into my faith and and really like learning for me like the word and like what verses say and like what God thinks of me, I just started turning everything around and like, Right when I was like 21, I just got out of it, which is a huge blessing.

Did you tell someone your secret and that's how it got out or did someone find out? So my family knew that I was struggling with this. And actually in my first marriage, my ex did not know. And my family ended up confronting him before the marriage. Like you cannot get married and he can't like know that you have this. So he ended up finding out that I had it through them. He stuck with me and he like, I have. to say like praise him for this he like stood next to the bathroom every time i went to the bathroom

he was just making sure that i was not having any sort of relapse and you know in the beginning of all of that i definitely was not changing for me it was kind of like a forced change so this was like early early on in like the recovery stage and then um and then when we split i like relapsed into it again and then found like completely turnaround was going to Bible study and then I met my husband and had never looked back from it. I was going to say, do you feel like it was getting saved that broke those chains of the eating disorder from you? So yet, yes, but there's more to it.

So I would say I grew up in a somewhat of a Christian household. Like the Christian household where you like check the box, you go to church on Sunday, and that's kind of it, which was good. but then when we were 13, we stopped going to church, but I always craved that relationship with God, but all I knew was Sunday. I didn't know, I knew there was more, but Sunday didn't tell me that there was more, if that makes sense. So when I turned 16, I started driving myself to church and kind of like to little different high school groups and college groups just to like try to dive in. But even then, I wasn't kind of getting the depth that the real relationship, I guess, I should say.

Like I was looking at Christianity as a religion versus like this awesome. relationship with God. But it's funny because without really understanding biblically the relationship with God, I naturally crave that. And I would talk to him all the time without really understanding it, if that makes sense. And then when I started going to Bible study was when I learned about the armor of God, where you know, you put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, your belt of truth and all of this. And like I always had my faith. Ever since I was little, I always felt like I had my shield of faith, but I didn't have my sword, which is the word of God. So once you start diving into the word, you have your sword to defeat the demons that are in your life.

I think before I had my shield, so I could like shield things off, but it couldn't really defeat them. And once I like really dove in, man, I destroyed so many things that had like a stronghold over me. And I was able to break every chain, like between like people that were not meant to be in. my life. Even like, you know, difficulties. Family can be really, really tough in creating healthy boundaries with family. Like, you love them, but sometimes you do have to create healthy boundaries. And I learn that through scripture. And it's been awesome. Girl, you're dropping, like, amazing bombs right now. Like, I have cold chills. I've never heard of it. You know, a 16-year-old, I feel like, you know, I hear stories about them ditching church and

sneaking off and going to parties. I've never heard someone say when I was 16. I was excited to get my license and drive myself to church. It's okay, hold on though. I still had my issues, right? Though, like I'm this 16 year old who's driving to church, but like on the way, stopping at McDonald's and throwing up and then going to church. So I had plenty of issues that I knew I couldn't get through on my own. The idea of like rehab terrified me.

Also, I had friends who had gone through rehab that did not help them whatsoever. In fact, it gave them like weird body complexes that they're still working through. I've heard of this. You know, and I think that's why like, man, like, I don't want to sound preaching because that's not, but that was not my goal at all today. It just kind of, I didn't even know we would be talking about this. I didn't either, but I love that. I love that.

It's just, you know, let it flow. Let it flow. Let it flow. But, you know, it's just there were so many things that there's no way you could fix on your own. And like, that's why God created the word. and he put great people in front of you and you have to have amazing people

that surround you to help you through all of this kind of craziness and to keep you on track. Especially in the industry that we're in, we're so surrounded by yes people. You got to throw in some no people. The people that will totally kick your behind or tell you like, I know you think you look pretty right now, but you don't.

Well, I always think about when you see stuff about train wrecks in Hollywood, like teen girls that go off the deep end I think about somebody who is she's easy to make fun of, but I won't put you in that position. But I mean, she obviously is struggling a lot is Demi Lovato. And one of the things that she said, not me, is that when it came to getting drugs, her overdosing and almost dying,

she said everyone on her team would tell her yes. When she would ask for things or want to do things that were dangerous for her or put herself in, you know, a physically dangerous situation, everyone would just say yes to her because it's like, well, this is the celebrity that's paying my bills. You know, how am I going to say no? They're afraid to lose their, whether it's their income or, you know, they know somebody famous.

Like they have their inn in Hollywood. So if I say no to this, I might lose that in. No, it breaks my heart. Like when you hear about these stories, whether you know the people or whether you don't, it's always heartbreaking. I happen to know Demi more so early in her, earlier on, like a while back. And just so sweet and lovely and heartwarming. She dated a very close friend of mine for years. So it's tough when you hear the people go through stuff like that because you don't have to.

But who you surround yourself with matters so, so much. They don't even have to be doing the drugs, but they cannot, what's that word? Enable. They cannot be enablers. Right. Okay. So let's talk about the moment that you woke up and you were like, oh, my gosh, I'm famous. I mean, it had to have been with spy kids, right?

No, no. not at all. Like even, I mean, like, come on, really. We're just, we're parents now.

So for us, uh, I think that word is so weird. I don't know. I think everybody's famous now because of like social media. Everybody has some sort of platform and, and they're all like these fame seekers. So it's weird hearing like the word famous.

Um, I don't know. Spy kids came out. I mean, social media didn't exist. So you're, it didn't exist. So.

Okay. So. So. say this we were at i was 11 years old and we were at our first autograph signing for spy kids and it was before it came out the isuzu um car company wanted to like do this whole campaign because they put their cars in in the movie so they were like okay we're going to set up these mall signings across america you're going to do like 10 of them something like that um and and that'll be that so i go i do it and like no one showed up i think we had like two or three people for each signing just like feeling

sorry for us, so they would like go and get an autograph. Then the movie came out and they sent us to the Mall of America, but we had no in between. It went from two or three people to, I'm not kidding. There had to be over 10,000 people just screaming like in its different levels at Mall of America. And then there's like a line cut off. They can only have so many people actually do the signing. And at this point, like, you know, we're 12 years old. So we can only handle. so much. But that I think was the biggest moment of, whoa, people like this movie. They like Carmen. Like that, that's really weird and really cool because I started acting when I was four. And I loved filming. I've always loved filming. Set feels like home to me. And I've always been

super passionate about it. So then when I book Spy Kids, I'd never done a movie like this. The sets were unreal. They built everything. Flup's Castle, the safe house. our awesome house, like all these different cool gadgets. I mean, it was a kid's dream. We were literally playing dress up every single day. So then when it was time for the movie to come out, we hadn't seen it yet. Like they saved the movie. They wouldn't let us see any clips, nothing.

They saved it until this like huge Las Vegas showing just to get our reactions. When you saw it, did you actually love it as a viewer? Yes, I remember because like we'd never filmed anything like that. It was it was such a wild experience. So I just remember my like legs shaking in the chair and being so exciting and looking at so excited and looking at Daryl just going, oh my gosh, we're finally seeing this. We're finally seeing this. And we were kids. We weren't looking at it like, oh, I hope this is successful.

We could care less if it was successful. It was more about like we finally get to see this thing that we made. It was just such this innocent excitement that like, man, I wish kids still had nowadays with like, with like, movies and whatnot. Please tell me that you saw because it's one of my favorite pop culture stories of the last year, that you saw the story that Daryl

and his wife, Megan Trainor, had two toilets stalled in next to each other in their bathroom so they could poop together. Yes. Okay. So I know people were like freaking out

being like, that's super weird. So in Carlos's old house, he did not, sorry, I'm like hitting this. They weren't next to each other completely, but there were these two toilets, like his and hers and

you would shut them and we would both probably usually go at the same time so that we could hang out. But I will attest to we love, when you find somebody who you love and don't want to be without, you can't help but spend every moment with them. And it's so funny, for me and Carlos, we very rarely travel separately. We are almost always together. And that's something that my mom taught me early on. She did not necessarily have a strong, like, marital relationship to kind of look at. But she taught me early on that you keep the family together. So when I went to go film Spy Kids, which was in Texas, she brought all of my siblings with me. She didn't just abandon them in California and have some nanny watch them. And she also just didn't

abandon me and have some nanny watch me. When they say it was a family affair, literally the entire family move to Texas and film these movies. So I feel like there is something to be said about like keeping your family tight knit and why we were kind of able, even though like I went through the eating disorder stuff, why we were able to kind of like make it through the childhood actor phase and for my siblings. It's because we were close together. And I look at that in our family. Like I don't want to be the absent mom where nannies raise my kids.

So we only get help when we need help on projects. otherwise like we're full on parent mode i love that and that's that is such goals to me i just want to let you know that as a young woman who's hoping to have a family soon one day like i look up to you so so so much for that because even just girls i know that are i mean are not actresses and you know going away on movies i just feel like so many people are doing the nanny i'm not saying that that's wrong but i think there is something to be celebrated and just think it's awesome that you're like no i'm going in full mom mode i'm doing everything on my own yeah and and it's a balance too, right? Like I'm still learning to find the balance of, all right, we need our

time and we're exhausted. So you do need times to reset because you do become a better mother out of that. You become a better wife. So don't forget about the reset times. Those are very important and I'm still teaching myself that. But I don't want somebody else raising my kid. Like I see the fruits when I raise my children when I'm working on a set and I can't be a mom who like really disciplines my kids and make sure that they don't, they need their no person, you know? So I have to kind of set those boundaries for them. And I notice like when we come off of a shoot, they are like a little bit more wild, a little bit more rambunctious, not quite as like, I don't know, are like tight knit home within our boundaries. So we always have to kind of like, all right, let's bring it in,

guys. Like we're going to bring the family back together. I don't know if this is making any sense, by the way. And I love their names. Beautiful names, beautiful kids. just I love it. I want to get into that too. But speaking of families and just how youth feeling like your family being so close and it helped you kind of get through those trials and tribulations together, do you feel like, you know, a lot of times the families of child stars do naturally just have a lot of dysfunction in them, you know, with like Brittany and Lindsay Lohan's families? Did you feel like your fame, your jump in fame added any dysfunction to you? your family life growing up? I think, I think sure. You know, it's a weird thing. It's so hard when it, when it comes to people who are in the spotlight in any way, I feel like whenever you hear these stories and then people are like, oh, poor me. I like went through that. Nobody cares. You know, and I always wonder if that's like, oh, do you think like shut up you're famous or do you think like shut up, you have, you make more money than I do? Because there's always like,

this weird thing when you hear these stories come out of like these young girls who had either traumatic experiences growing up or you find out this stuff um i'll i promise this goes back to your question um i was reading this one rebecca black article um do you remember her the friday girl like oh yeah friday friday whatever so she does this article years later about how she was like suicidal after that like all the people were making fun of her she was only 13 years old when that song came out and they just ripped her apart, right? Like, nobody thinks of the child. They just think, like, this song is ridiculous.

This video's ridiculous. The whole situation's ridiculous. So, ha, ha, ha, we'll laugh at her, not realizing, like, this is really traumatic for her. And then years later, she writes about it. And I remember reading the comments underneath it. And people were like, who cares? You're rich. Like, shut up.

And just being so appalled. And honestly, it actually scared me into kind of not necessarily. I wasn't so afraid once I got past my eating disorder, but when I was still like dabbling in it, I feel like it comments like that, not necessarily from that interview, but comments like that on other people's posts or interviews or whatever, that make me go,

oh, I don't ever want to air anything. Like who would want to air their dirty laundry because you're not going to ever get sympathy? You're just going to get like, oh, poor rich girl, like, sucks for you, ha, ha. Like, I don't know. There's just not a lot of sympathy. anymore. So all that to be said, I think that there is this dysfunction that does come with the

entertainment industry. And unless you have a really solid foundation, it can really disrupt your family. So I have a cookie family. I wish I could say I had a better relationship with my mom. Like I love my mom. But we have dysfunction in our family. And, you know, we find ways to just all have our healthy boundaries with one another and just respectfully know, like, we can disagree on things and we can disagree on, you know, certain, I don't know, like, just, we can just disagree on things, but we can move past it and still be loving and kind and respectful. But I think what's hard is when you are in the thick of it in fame, especially as a kid looking at like the Lindsay Lowhands as like an example, I think it wasn't just her that was famous. Her parents,

parents were famous and they were also like under all these tabloids and kind of experiencing the wild limelight that she was experiencing and that I think made her situation really difficult. I was fortunate that like my mom did keep us super sheltered. So even though we had our own dysfunction like what family doesn't have their stuff, their junk, we were still able to be raised pretty in a pretty normal household and doing normal kid things. Like when I didn't, when I was acting up or wasn't being like a good child, my mom would pull me out of the industry. So there were times where I had movies lined up that we literally had to can. Oh my gosh. So your mom wasn't like you're grounded, go to your room. Your mom was like you're grounded. You're not starring in a

movie. Basically that, which sounds like to anybody like agents and whatnot, like they don't understand that. They're like, this is insane. You're crazy. Were there any big? roles that you missed out on because you got in trouble? What did? Yes. Yes. They pulled me out of two movies, but it was so long ago that I can't remember. I don't remember what they were, but it was like when I was 10 or something like that.

I was a kid. Did you ever feel like you were being groomed by predators in the business or exploited in any way as a child star? Conservatives want to support conservatives. I get messages every day asking for my recommendations on different. brands, products, and companies with like-minded values that I love. If you have a product or company that supports values like freedom of speech and small government and love the spillover, you can become a sponsor of this show. Email ads at TPSA.com to learn more.

Did you ever feel like you were being groomed by predators in the business or exploited in any way as a child star? You know what? Not when I was a kid. it was when I was in my 20s, or like right 19, 20, 100%. Because they get you when you're like vulnerable. And for me, when I was a kid,

I was always so protected and had my mom around. But suddenly like you're this young person who, you know, clearly like you could see the types of movies that I was doing then versus now. I wanted people to see me as more of a grown-up. So I was becoming like more, I guess, sexual in my, appearance like it wasn't just oh I like this because I feel like I look good in it it's like I want people to view me differently so I was doing stupid things and and being a little bit more

provocative in how I would carry myself which I look back I'm like darn what was I thinking yeah well I think I think about you in machete kills right you know that definitely more grown up look for you and I think about I feel like is that one of the hardest things that child stars go through is when you're transitioning into adulthood, you want to be seen for a female as a young woman, you know, Miley Cyrus going zero to 60 with her sexuality and everything. It's just a desperation to please see me as a grown up now? Well, it's two things.

It's one you want to be seen more grown up, but also it gets so much attention. Look at how people are praised when they do that. And it's when you don't, it goes back to like when you don't have that foundation where you have, like all your needs, whether it's like in God or have like your needs set at home, you're going to seek elsewhere. And elsewhere is not going to provide that for you.

And you're going to find that it's going to feel like really empty afterwards. So you kind of give your body over in this weird way. I don't know what males have to go through. Like the females certainly just like shed their clothes, try to be sexy, be provocative, be outrageous. And it gets praised. And you see it work again and again and again. So you're just like, all right, that's what I have to do.

And, you know, I did like machete and whatnot. But I remember at the time my PR people were like, and that's it. Like you're not going to do any of these magazines. You're not going to do any of these like photo shoots that they want you to be like super sexy. And they were very protective of me because they grew up with me. They knew what my values were. And then I was clearly kind of like straying from that. And in a very kind way, they really.

reeled it in without making me uncomfortable or hurting my feelings. Like they really were just kind of like, you know, we don't want to see you. Like, you're classy. We don't want to see you doing trashy things. Like it's one thing for you to do a movie role. It's another thing for you to be doing like these magazines that are more sexual versions of like Alexa. If you want to play this character, great. But Alexa should not be doing this.

And that was also an eye opener, which I was very appreciative of. Well, besides being more modest and everything now, you're, you know, we talked about how you're also outspoken about your views. If you disagree with something, you're not afraid to say it. And I think about Brie Larson, who is in Sleepover with you, very, very outspoken about her leftist views, you know. So do you feel? Oh, I've seen Brie. It's so long. Oh, my gosh.

Well, does it feel like sometimes that you're alienated from Hollywood because you don't subscribe to all of its narratives? You know what? I have been so fortunate to be in this industry for a really, long time and to have people that I love and care about who I have always had my views. They've never changed ever since like, you know, I've never been like this big political person per say, but I've always had conservative values, conservative views on things. So it's not, I think because I know with social media and with the news nowadays, we take the heart out of everything.

And it's really easy. That's why you see these trolls go off online. It's like they take the heart out of it. When you actually have to have a face-to-face conversation with somebody or sit down with them and just have like your, whether it's a politic conversation or a religious conversation, like there are so many people in Hollywood who do not share the same faith with me at all. Like I am I am one of the small minorities in that group,

but it doesn't take away my enjoyment of those people. So when I see them being passionate about the things that they believe in, I just think they're being passionate about things they believe in. But they still have a heart. They still have, like we can completely disagree on something. And I have a friend who's close to me that we disagree on basically everything, even like the really big, big stuff that I'm like super passionate about. I'm like very, very pro-life, hardcore pro-life.

And that will never, ever change. And my friend is not. And we have still been able to just have this really loving and respectful relationship that you don't really get to see anymore. It's like if you're on this side, you can't be friends with that side. And that doesn't make any sense to me. How do you make that work though? Do you mutually agree not to discuss those issues that you're going to disagree over? No, because we have discussed those issues.

and we continue to discuss those issues. But I think if you go into the conversation going, I have to change this person's mind, then you're going to be left disappointed because you usually don't change somebody's mind over a conversation, certainly not over a heated conversation, right? So I think for me, even looking at our social media, for instance, like we're very consistent in who we are.

And I think that's the best testimony anybody of faith can give it's like sure you can preach all day long but what are the fruits of your life and if you can show over like the last however many years the consistency of who you are in your walk that's your testimony right there and it's when people waiver that people start asking questions or can really kind of come at you saying well you said you believe this but you're doing this that doesn't add up and I think that's kind of a lot of why people don't like Christianity today is it looks super wishy-washy. It doesn't look like really what it was intended to look like. And, you know, there's no, it's not like a book where it's like, do this, this, this, this and

this exactly. Like it's very, it's left to some of the things are left to interpretation where you have to go, okay, I know I'm going to be modest, but how modest? Like I live on an island. I live on a beach. So I'm going to be in my bathing suit every single day. But I think intention and heart, has so much to do with what you're doing. So whether it's how you dress or your political beliefs or the type of work that you do, what is your intention and your heart behind it? You brought up being, oh, it makes perfect sense. And I hope that people will go back and write down some of what you said because it was incredible advice. And I agree with that too. I've had multiple people say that they've changed their mind when it comes to just conservatism or anything else because, you know,

it's planting a seed and then over time they see that I really believe that or I live that life. And then that is kind of the witness to them, whether that's about faith or your political views or what have you. But that's so well said how you put that. And you brought up being pro life. When Michelle Williams said that she wouldn't have been as successful in Hollywood if she wouldn't have had an abortion, how did that stick with you? It made me sad because girls really believe that and she believes that. And I think that's what's difficult. It doesn't make me angry. It makes me hurt for her.

It makes me hurt for people who believe that they can't have a successful life being a mother, that they can't have a successful life being exactly who God intended them to be. And I think that's something that's really hard for people to wrap their heads around. It's like, I don't believe that God makes mistakes. I think there are bad people out there. Like, you know, the one thing people always want to bring up is like, well, what happens in cases of rape and whatnot.

And, you know, that's, that's hard. Like, I can't even imagine what somebody would go through in that situation. But I think that there's evil out there that if you allow God to turn it into a testimony, he absolutely can. Like, obviously, you know, he's a god of free will. So people have free will, which is why, you know, evil exists and, you know, bad things happen. But you don't have to further that bad. And I'm never ever going to take away, you know, I can't, like I said, like I've been in a position where I have been

taken advantage of and it's awful and terrible. But had something come of that position, I would have kept the baby because I 100% believe that that is an innocent life completely. So for me, and to second that, I think the problem is a lot of people believe that pro-life means pro-birth, not like caring about the moms, not caring about what happens after they give birth. And there are so many amazing organizations that cater to these women who not just like, not just during the process of being pregnant, but afterwards and their well-being and they check up on them and they make sure that the babies are doing great. And they continue to grow with them, which is beautiful and special. And they find a community. And I think we just need to raise more awareness that

there's more after the baby is delivered. It's not just this pro-birth movement. Oh, absolutely. And one of my favorite pro-life activist, Christine Yergan, she is all over social media. And she does a really cool thing where she works with mothers who are in need, who are maybe considering abortion. And then she starts registries for them and then has everybody donate and give them all the supplies that they need. And so she does all this stuff on Instagram. And somebody on Twitter, she had tweeted something pro-life. And the other day somebody had asked her about, you know, well, I just feel like pro-life people only ever care about babies in the womb. They're only pro-birth.

Exactly what you said. And so she said, well, I actually come up with registries to give items to my. mother's in need for before and after baby. If you would like to donate, I'll give you the link. That's fantastic. That's fantastic. But I think that's the hard thing is like a lot of people, they'll hear a blurb of, oh, well, pro-life people only care about pro-birth.

Like they don't care about what happens afterwards. And then they're like, well, then how many kids are you adopting? Well, then, like, you know, there's always going to be this, you have to just tune it out because there's always going to be this like, I don't want to say demons. but that's kind of what it is. It's like, what can I do to spark you? What can I do to get this rise out of you? Which, again, like always bring everything back to God.

Like, when you have his peace, you can have all these things like barking at you, screaming at you. But like, there's this weird feeling of like, oh, man, instead of getting mad at them, I feel sorry for them because they're just really confused right now. And they don't, they don't see you and they don't see the beauty in you. And they don't necessarily see the beauty in this baby. They just keep thinking it's a clump of. of cells. They keep thinking it's just this thing. But like if they were to see a baby born,

it doesn't matter if it's 15 weeks, 12 weeks, 20 weeks, like they were to actually see this baby, I know they would feel differently about it. There's no way you could see a baby like that formed and go like, all right, we're going to rip its leg off. Like you can't, you can't think like that. But they're so trained to think that way. And I think that's kind of what's, happening with kids nowadays. It's like they're really numb to it because they just don't know. Well, someone says too, oh, you're pro life. Well, are you really pro life if you don't adopt 10 kids? You know, that's the same as saying to somebody who says like, well, I'm serving at a soup kitchen because I really have a passion for helping the homeless. And then it's like saying to them,

oh, well, are you really passionate about homeless people? Are you going to build 10 rooms on your house? Yeah. It's like, well, there's ways to serve those communities. And some people may be called to adopt 10 kids that are pro-life. Well, hold on. That's what I was going to say. One of my closest friends, he literally saw this homeless guy on the street. And he's like, you know, God just kept pushing me that he needed to come stay at my house. So he invited him to stay in his house.

And the guy lived there for a couple weeks. And it just kind of blew my mind. You know, he so my husband and I met at Bible study. And it was his Bible study that we met at. And it just shows you like we're all called to different positions in, in our walk and in our lives. and you might be called to be like a missionary to go off around the world. You might be on the mission field right where you are, right in your house. Like it doesn't really matter.

Like we're all called to be passionate about different things. If we were all just passionate about one thing, so many causes would go left unspoken for. And I think that's what's tough. It's like, I think if you don't speak on every single movement, then it means that you don't care. And it's like, no, I care about all of these things, but I'm really passionate about this one thing. But I hope to find somebody who's passionate about that so they can fill that void.

Let's talk about, yeah, no, makes sense. I always struggle because I have mom brains. So it like kind of, how what is it? It's like a choo-train going up a hill. No, you're, you're so well-spoken on that subject. And I'm just thinking like, oh, my gosh, this episode comes out, you know, today, technically, when this comes out, it'll be March for life. And I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm going to that. wish that you could go. Maybe in a few years you could come and bring your daughter or something

that would be so fun. But I know you love it. Although it's not going to be as nice weather as Hawaii. It's okay. It's okay. We like to travel. Well, you bring up that you met your husband Carlos in Bible study. And so many Christian coutervatives are like, oh my gosh, I'm, you know, I go to church. I'm involved in small group. And there's a guy that I really think is cute. But I don't want to be weird and make the first move and say that I'm interested and then ruin things at church, who made the first move between your husband and you? Oh, Carlos, for sure. I, because I was fresh off a divorce, so I wanted no relationships at all. I just really wanted to focus on God. And then I was, okay, so that's like half true. I wanted to focus on God, but also like,

I kept going in and out of like, I need to dive in. So this was, it was my first Bible study ever. I'd been going to church and my friend Andrew just kept reaching out to me like you've got to come to Bible study. I think you would really love it. And I'm like, yeah, no, I know I need to go. Like it's time to dive in. Like I'm fully ready but I'm working right now. So I'm out of town. But, you know, one of these days I'll go. I was kind of starting to date this one guy who I had recently met, but I was still like, I didn't want anything serious. It was just kind of talking. And then finally I got back to town and And me and my sister were like, yeah, we should go. We should go to Bible study.

Let's go check it out. And I show up. And there's Carlos. And he's so dorky. He said, I like walked into the room and he saw me. He's like, I'm going to go talk to that girl. So he like jumped off the counter and like beeline right towards me and started a conversation. And he was an Uber nerd.

How long did it take between you guys first meeting to him asking you out? Um, oh, like a week. But we were just hanging out. Like so my best friend was Andrew and his very close friend at the time was also Andrew. So we were the trio. We would go everywhere, but we were just friends. And he was like, nah, we are not going to be just friends. But he wasn't like a creep about it.

But he was such a flirt and he's Carlos. He's so cute and fun. And yeah, he definitely won me over pretty quickly. But I friend zoned him for a long time just to really get to know him first. Yeah, get to know him, you know, and make him work for it a little bit. Exactly. Exactly, exactly. When you guys got married, I'm assuming you've talked about this before, but you had conversations

that you didn't want your kids to end up growing up around Hollywood like you guys did, correct? Well, half and half, I mean, if they wanted to get in the entertainment industry, they could. Like, I really was sheltered from the craziness of this industry. And I think it all goes back to foundation. If you could set a healthy foundation for your children, for your home life, you can bring that wherever you go. I mean, we travel a lot, but our foundation never changes. Our core of who we are as a family, that never changes. So if our kids wanted to get into it, we would just navigate those waters.

I would never be like, no, I don't want you to be in this industry. I think that the industry has kind of seen some weird roller coasters as of recent. where, you know, I happened to back off at a time where, um, there were just a lot of controversial things happening out there. And like what? I think like, like all the Me Too movement stuff happened a few years ago. And I think had I continued to be in the industry, uh, the way I once was, um, without pulling back. I think I would have had a real, a lot of tough questions that I don't know if I would have been ready to answer, and I am more of an outspoken person. So if I have an opinion, I'm not going to lie.

I'm not going to say, like, oh, I agree with you just to agree with you. I will push back and ask the hard questions. And that probably would never have gone over well, particularly right when everything came out. When the Me Too movement first took off, was there someone whose face or name immediately popped up in your head? you were like I could call them out? Yeah, full on, a few people. Absolutely. And I think it's hard because there was this like, do I call these people out?

Do I believe in redemption? Do I believe in like you can forgive somebody that doesn't mean that you have to forget. But there's also this like, all right, well, if I thought that somebody was continuing to be a predator, I would handle that quickly because I don't believe in. being silent if there's a predator on the loose and they're going to continue that behavior. But I do believe that there have been times where people were very inappropriate and they're either, they either are terrified that they're going to go to jail so they clean their act up or they've changed. But for most of those people, I have not seen them in many years.

Have you spoken to them? Did you text them? I have. I have with somebody for me, who is particularly very aggressive with me. I did speak with them and it's tough. And I think this is where it becomes very, very difficult with women is it doesn't take away. Like guys, there are some bad guys out there. And there are some guys who their behavior is disgusting and ridiculous. In my particular situation, this person was, the behavior was terrible. but I also was not in a good position either.

Like had I, I would never get myself in that position now, right? Like I'm in a very different place in my life that I look back and I'm like, okay, it's not your fault, but you put yourself in a very vulnerable position. Was it just like a casting couch type of situation or what? No, no, no, no. It was somebody that I knew that I was very comfortable with that I saw, that I saw often, that, you know, again, I'm dressing more provocatively, more comfortable with, like, I think wanting people to see me as like this big girl.

So you show up, you see this per, like for me, I saw this person and automatically had the, they automatically had the assumption that that meant that I wanted something from them, not that I just wanted them to see me as a bigger person or like a grown up, if that makes sense. but I think of like how often you hear these stories of oh man like these women who are you know in like a more vulnerable situation whether they're dressed provocatively which is an annoying word because it's like I know so many people are like who cares how you dress it's the guy's fault and I do think that like guys need to be able to contain themselves because you can't just go and jump on somebody just because they're dressed a certain way

however like you do have to try to go all right and what am i doing to protect myself in this in these situations if i think that you know there could be a possibility that there might be some sort of like vulnerable position that i can get in or if i'm going to be alone with a male i should be a little bit more careful so that i don't necessarily send the wrong message um or just be very upfront and make sure that they know where you stand that you are not interested in them. And I think we're in this weird kind of gray area where like for me I didn't like really want to hurt that person's feelings. So like you don't, it's not like this quick like I don't, I'm not into you. It's it's kind of like, oh, well, and you're like in this weird place because

we're all people pleasers. And that's like the worst thing you can be is a people pleaser. You're afraid of hurting someone's feelings. You also don't. don't want to be looked at as like this bad person. You don't want them to not like you anymore. They're like so many weird emotions that I think mainly girls have to deal with when it comes to guys or being alone with guys. So I think that looking back at my situation and that's all I can talk on. I can't talk about anybody else is I would have done things so differently.

I would never have like gone to this place alone. I would never have dressed as, I would not have dressed that way to make it maybe look like I was insinuating that I wanted something. And I think those are the triggers now that I'm like, okay, well, when I have my like girl grow up, my little daughter, I want to inform her of all of these things because, you know, you think you can know somebody, but there are guys out there who are just dogs, man. like they are, but I don't want to be like hating on guys because I don't think all guys are like that. I really, really don't. I think we need to just be a little clearer on our messaging across the board, whether you're a girl or a guy. I think what you're saying is incredibly important. It's also weirdly very controversial. Just saying both young men and women need to be responsible, you know, be self-aware. Take responsibility.

put the responsibility only on the guys. And like, sure, I understand that because like, look, it would be super easy for me to just blame that dude. I would just be like, man, it was all his fault. He was bad. Who cares? I could have been naked. He should not have touched me. You know what I mean? But at the same time, it's like, okay, well, what was I putting off at the time? Oh, I wanted that person to see me more growing up. I wanted them to see me older. I was dressed very provocatively. I was alone. Oh, my gosh. I went to meet this person, like, at this place. What was I thinking? Like, what on earth?

But some people would hear what you're saying, Alexa, and they would say you're victim blaming or you're holding that against yourself when you shouldn't. No, I think what it is is I'm never going to repeat that scenario again. And I'm protecting myself from that happening again. And oftentimes you hear a situation like this happening, but then multiple times to a girl and they want to know like why does this keep happening to me all guys are terrible and what it is is like yeah there are a handful of guys out there that are really bad and those guys they completely took advantage of you no doubt but you can protect yourself from being in those positions and around

those kinds of people um i'm sure i've worked with probably many people that i'm totally unaware of about like maybe they were, they too are predators and I have no idea that they're predators, but they would have zero access to me because of the way I carry myself now and the way I dress. And I still look, I want to look sexy. I like,

I like dressing up. I don't want to just look like this mom, this like super like modest mom who covers up all the time. Like, heck, I want my husband to look at me and be like, babe, you look good, you know?

So that doesn't mean I'm in like some Quaker dress. Like you can still be. cute you can still um dress up and and and be hot if you want to be hot but intention is so important what is the heart behind what you're doing like are you getting dressed right now and your intention if your intention is to get eyes on you and to have people lust after you that is going to cause men to become out of control it's not your fault. It's whatever they're dealing with. That's their own issue. But if your intention is to get that reaction, I think it's kind of weird that we're shocked when we get that reaction.

So what's your intention behind what you're wearing? If it's just because like, look, I like this outfit and I feel good in it, even though I don't necessarily think we should all be like on social media and like thongs and these bras with like boobies hanging out and whatnot, I think how you walk in that outfit changes everything how you talk with people in a certain outfit changes everything for me I used to be a massive flirt and I thought flirting was very innocent and I I just put flirting and fun in the same category because I'm still fun like I have fun with everybody but I took the flirting aspect out and it leaves no room for error which is awesome because there's no confusion I'm just fun but before I used to be this massive flirt

and I didn't realize I was opening all of these doors thinking like, no, I just want to be nice. I want them to like feel good about themselves. So I'll flirt with them. And it's like this weird, I want to be liked by everybody. So it's like this people pleasing thing that, you know, I think a lot of girls do. And then I remember sitting down with this producer one day at lunch. And they brought up, they were like, oh, yeah. I mean, you were, you were sleeping with that one guy.

I was like, what? Yeah. you don't talk to him anymore. I'm like, wait, no, hold on. Back up. You thought I was sleeping with that guy? And they were like, yeah, you were flirting all the time. And I was like, yes, but that was just my personality.

I wasn't sleeping with that person. I can't believe you thought that. Then it made me go, oh my gosh, the whole crew must have thought that. Like if you as a producer thought that, what was I putting out there? So I think there are all these things that we try to make really light of. like flirting's not a big deal. Who cares? If you want to flirt, flirt, if you want to dress provocatively,

dress provocatively. We don't realize, like, all the doors that we're opening when we do that and how damaging it really is. And I don't know. Like, I go back to just going, like, all right, how does God see me and how does God want me to act? And how does the enemy see me? And how does the enemy want me to act?

And, like, the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. So he's going to cause disruption. He's going to cause, like, this. distraction and haziness to make you question like, well, is this really bad what I'm doing? It's not. Like, it's, this is the, like self, self, self gratification, right? Like, we're in this whole kind of self, self, self, self, self, self, that, which is important 100%. But then there's also self accountability. Right. And I think you and your husband both really participate in intentional parenting. and raising your sons, you know, what I've seen on social media, raising your sons to grow into strong men, raising your daughter to, you know, grow into a strong woman.

And I have to ask because this was another recent headline, but you accidentally smashed Kingston's finger in a door. And I cannot imagine just what that felt like as a mom, you know, just the mom guilt and stuff. I'm not a mom yet, but I can imagine what that felt like. But then what was crazy to me was that Internet. trolls were saying that you slammed the door on your son's finger in a fit of rage. I mean, did that infuriate you? Or have you just learned to separate yourself from criticism like that? So normally, I would say that I don't care about what trolls have to say.

But I found myself for the first time. It was like the devil knew where he could get me, right? Like I was in such a vulnerable place. We were so, it was really traumatized. Like it's one thing like my kids have had bad cuts before and like had to get stitches and whatnot from like like pool accidents and whatnot. But when your kid literally loses their finger, I mean, it's it's disgusting. Like you you see these movies where people's like arms are chopped off whatever. You think nothing of it.

But in real life when like your kid is missing a finger and I had to find the finger and bring it to the hospital. Like it is like you are like thankfully like we were in. such control. We had it. Carlos, who's not a blood guy, like handled everything like a champion. We were both just like one, two, three, the hospital was three minutes away. Like, within a matter of 10 minutes, we were in a hospital room getting looked at. Like, it happened so fast. But it was once we were home and I tucked him in bed. I just, I've never had a breakdown before, but I really did lose it. And I just started sobbing because you have this extreme mom gild that like was just being magnified so much like oh man like what could I have done better

like what I should not have tried to shut that door like why was I even trying to shut that door that's so stupid I should have just left it open like you just replay all of these things and then you just like look at it again and again and then when you have trolls write something like that it was just like what I don't feel that way like I'm not a yellow person so I never actually said that but like internally you just feel like exploding. And I just had, like, thank God for our best friend, Andrew. We all got on a FaceTime call together. And he was just praying over me and Carlos and us as parents and us as a couple.

And he's just like, man, accidents happen. And that doesn't change, like how God loves you. And you, like, you are a good mom. He's like, look at the fruits of you being a good mom. You have great babies. And this happens. He was like, you have great babies in one. with a cute nine fingers.

It's holding the finger. But it's hard because when you are in a vulnerable moment, and obviously I was kind of like rejecting God's peace in that moment and just really focusing on like what had happened. I like totally fell to the troll tantrums that they were throwing. Like I ever pray for your internet trolls? Always. Always.

And I've noticed that it makes them, it infuriates their demons. Like they usually go way harder. I've had some people, though, where I've totally prayed for them, not even telling them, I'm praying for them, where, you know, months later, they're like, you know, I want to apologize. And they've reached out. And, you know, I, this is not to sound like bragging or anything, but we get a lot of messages so we don't get to see all the messages that come in. But every now and then we'll like sift through and click.

And like seeing that makes you go, oh my gosh, like it matters so much that consistency in our faith and like what we post because they do see that. And you're always planting a seed to like, you can plant a seed to the angriest person. And they might not see it now. They might not even see it until like five years from now. But you're planting that seed in everything that you do.

And that goes for everybody. if you're at the grocery store and you're checking out at the grocery line, like, like whether it's your bag boy who has a seed that he can plant for you, like when somebody says hi to you or they're nice to you or when they open the door for you, I just feel like you can't help but be impacted by those types of people, right? So everybody thinks we're only impacted by like social media or celebrities or all of these things, but you actually have your platform wherever you are, whether you're the guy bagging groceries or the girl bagging groceries,

or, you know, you have like 100 million followers. It doesn't really matter. You have a platform right where you are. As a Christian actress, this just came to me. What do you think is more harmful or was more harmful? Purity culture in the church in the early 2000s or the overt sexualization of young people that comes from Hollywood and is perpetuated by Hollywood?

I don't. I don't. I wish I, I wish I was a simple answer because I don't think it is because I think both were both are done poorly. I think it's one thing. Look, the world is always going to be the world, right? Like, we're not going to be able to stop the entertainment industry from pushing boundaries and, you know, all will have, the only thing we can do is create our own networks and create our own platforms, make movies, the movies that we want to watch. And I think what becomes difficult

is when people are Christian, they assume like, okay, well, then you can only do Christian movies after that. And it's like, no, I want to make good movies. And most of the Christian movies that are out there are not very good. And it's not to dog on Christian movies, but they're so far from reality that, like, they need a reality check. And I think that was the problem where the purity movement missed it. It was like, they scared people into, like, being afraid of sex,

terrified of sex. And then what happens to these people who then get married? they decide to have sex for the first time, they're groomed to think it's this bad thing. There's this amazing podcast I've been listening to by a woman called Francie Winslow. It's called Heaven in Your Home. And it's literally all about how she grew up in that movement of like purity and like so afraid of sex when she got married that she had to reevaluate and go, wait a minute, God made sex.

Like God made sex to be amazing and awesome and pure and like just explosive, right? sex was supposed to be that. And we took it in two different directions. We took it and made it and said, this is terrible. And then we also took it and totally destroyed it by taking all the purity and holiness out of sex. And she just does a really good job of helping you see

what sex was supposed to be and the intention behind it and how to have like a really awesome love life with your husband. So this woman is basically like the Christian call her daddy is what you're saying. Yes. Yes. For real, though. And it is, she's just the cutest thing. Like the way she like tells these stories and she goes, I hate this word.

But like when God made us, Adam was like, whoa, like talking about the woman's body. And she's like, she's like in this word clitoris. But, you know, God made it to have these, all these amazing sensations. And that's for you, women. Like, you're supposed to be thankful for that. Wait, this sounds so interesting. What is it called again? It's called heaven in your home. Okay. I know all the kids are just like writing this down. They're like, yes, yes, yes.

I know. But again, it's this weird taboo thing to talk about. Like, if you're Christian, you don't talk about sex. But if you're in this world, you talk about sex. So obviously, when people get married, where do they go for their information? They have to go to the world for their sex information. They can't go to their church because, you know, church told you that sex is bad. Yeah. So then how do you have a healthy? like sex life in your marriage if you're getting it from the world that's filled with pornography. Like you can't. Absolutely.

Have you linked up doing Hallmark movies and stuff? Have you linked up with Candice Cameron Bray at all or no? So Candice is amazing. She's been so helpful with navigating so much for me personally. Like I've called her a couple times. So we've done a bunch of Hallmark movies. I was fortunate enough to be able to work with my husband a whole bunch. So we get to do movies together like crazy, which is awesome.

But, you know, just navigating some murky waters that I can't really talk about, but just asking her, you know, advice on stuff. And she's just been so helpful and so lovely and open and honest. And I think having somebody like that, like I just kind of cold called her. Like I knew her, but not on a personal level where I could probably ask some of these questions too. so her being so open to kind of have these conversations with me were really helpful. I love that. Okay, one last question for you because we've gone a little over, which I'm so grateful for. Thank you. No, that's a, no, thank you. I'm excited. Okay. So what projects are you working on this year that key servatives can look forward to? Okay, so I'm really excited. We wrote a book. We never, we'd always wanted to write and we're not necessarily writers,

say we had somebody totally help us. But we have a lot to say. We're talkers and we think that marriage is super, super important and people don't really look at marriage that way anymore. And we have a really awesome marriage and we just want to share that with the world and we want everybody to experience what we have. So it's basically this book called What If Love is the Point and it's just our testimony in our relationship with God and then our relationship with one another in our marriage. Is it out yet or it's or it's coming out? It comes out in June. I think it's June 28th. I should double check that though. Okay. Definitely going to be getting that. We should we'll all have to read that together. We'll all have to chime in on Instagram of that we're reading it together and everything. And then one last thing, because I forgot I wanted to follow up with this on you,

just because it got brought up and we weren't expecting it or planning on it. But that's the beauty of just authentic conversation. If someone is struggling with bulimia like you brought up, where do they go? What steps should they be There is, oh my gosh, they're going to kick me because I can't remember the name of it off. Do you do show notes? Do you ever do show notes where like people can go? Oh, yes. Yeah, we can add that. Really?

Okay. So there is this one group and I'm so sorry that I can't remember your name right now. This is my mom brain sinking in where they really like dive in. I think with everybody more so women with just helping them through their eating disorder. But let me say this. Tell somebody because my biggest feature. was the eating disorder and somebody finding out because I was so ashamed of it. So I just didn't talk about it.

And then once I was healed from it, I still didn't talk about it because I was so afraid of people looking at me and just seeing like, oh, she used to have an eating disorder. But the more and more I've talked about it, the more free from it, I continue to be and have become. And there isn't this fear of relapse. There isn't this fear of ever going back. So I just feel like the more you can talk about it and confide in safe people about it, the better off you are.

Like, just start talking about it. And it's already going to open up, like, how you can heal it. That's so beautiful. Alexa, so many things that you shared today are going to be a huge blessing to so many young women who listen to this podcast. I already know there were so many things going off. And I'm like, yep, that's going to resonate. Yep, that's going to resonate.

Thank you, Alexa, for coming on the spillover. Thank you. Thank you. And listen, I know we've already gone over, but I have to tell you, I got a message from my friend this morning who sent me literally a. clip of you having no idea that we were going to speak today. And he's like, this is the kind of wife I'm looking for. Literally this morning. And I start laughing. I'm like, I think she's taken, bro. But I'll ask. Oh my gosh. That is hilarious. You have, you have some guys who are like,

that is wife material. Well, I am shook. All my producers right now are put their fists in the air. I wrote back, I'm like, you guys, I'm literally going to talk to her today. I can't believe you sent this to me. Oh my gosh, that is so funny. Well, I do have a boyfriend, but he's going to be like, what's this guy's name? Good for him. Good for him. Listen, my buddy will be like, yeah, good for him.

Good for you, bro. Oh, my gosh. Alexa, thank you so much for talking to me today. Thank you. Man, I feel refreshed and full of hope. not all Hollywood actresses are radical motherhood hating political mouthpieces for the left. Don't get me wrong. I still love actresses who I don't agree with. Looking at you, Nicole Kidman. But how amazing was it to hear from someone who's incredibly real and

authentic, despite whatever crazy demands her industry puts on people, women in particular. I just think that Alexa is such a sparkling example that with enough hard work and perspective, women can be wives, mothers, and have jobs they love. I love how it's spoken. can she is about her Christian faith. And that's a message I think so many young women need to hear. You know, I created the spillover to be a podcast in the culture space that has eye-opening, interesting and compelling guests and conversations from a conservative perspective. Last week, your subscriptions and five-star reviews got us all the way to position 53 in the society and culture category. That is insane. Society and Culture, if you do,

You don't know anything about podcasting is the most saturated category in podcasting. I'm talking about 70,000 plus podcasts in that space. It is very hard to chart. And if we can consistently chart that high every week by leaving a review every time you listen, not only can the spillover become a major player in the podcast world, which I believe it is already starting to become that considering we just launched in September of last year. But it helps us get even bigger guests that you'd like me to ask unfiltered questions to and get into uncharted territory with them like I did today with Alexa. So see, if you leave a

review, you win and I win. You can also share this podcast episode to your stories because doing that gets these stories out into the world where they deserve to be told. This interview is available to watch on the Poplittics YouTube if you want to see Alexa's beautiful face. You can also watch on the TPSA Live broadcast on Fridays. But please share this to your story. Everyone knows who Alexa is. I think this will be incredibly eye-opening and just in a conversation that people really fall in love with and really fall in love with her if they're not already all over again. New episodes of The Spillover drop every Thursday at 9 p.m. Pacific and midnight Eastern on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. I'm Alex Clark. This is The Spillover. Love you. Mean it. Bye.