Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Side Dish: More Jenna Dewan

Episode Date: April 2, 2026

More of my interview with ‘The Rookie’ star Jenna Dewan. Jenna talks about her nomadic childhood, and stepping into the role of producer, plus – I share the story of my son Beckett’s very first time performing onstage. This episode was recorded at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Right now, our family is living that New York theater life. I'm performing in a play right now called True, where I get to play Truman Capote, and the kids are here with me, and I'm working in the city, which is amazing. I love it so much. It also means I'm juggling a lot. Between rehearsal schedules, school drop-offs, figuring out dinner in between shows, and then making sure everyone has what they need, it's hard enough just getting through the day, let alone planning ahead. And while we're here in New York, fully immersed in this, you know, this season of life, it got me thinking about how our place back home is just sitting empty. If you're going to be away for a while, like me, listing your space on Airbnb can be a great way to put your space to use and earn a little extra cash while you're gone. And the idea of doing it all by yourself, see, now that just feels like too much. That's where Airbnb's co-host network comes in. You can partner with a local vetted co-host who can handle all the behind-the-scenes details. So hosting feels managed. even when your schedule is as packed as mine might be.

Co-hosts can create your listing, manage reservations, handle guests, communication, and even provide on-site support, so you're free to focus on the busy season ahead. If you're ready to get started, find a co-host at Airbnb.com slash host. So right now I'm in New York City. I am doing a play about Sherman Capote, and it's basically a one-man show. It's just me for 90 minutes. I am basically eating, breathing, sleeping, Truman Capote and this play. And I have very little time for myself, let alone time to cook for myself. That's why Home Chef has been a total lifesaver at this point in my life.

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Home Chef customers save an average of food. $86 per month on groceries. For limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners 50% off and free shipping for your first box plus free dessert for life. Go to HomeCef.com slash DOM. That's HomeCheff.com slash DOM for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life. Must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. Hey, it's Jesse Tyler Ferguson. So here's a little side dish from this week's episode of Dinner's On Me. This week's guest was the radiant Jenna Duon. You know her from movies like Step Up as a dance icon.

I mean, she's been a dancer with Jana Jackson. She's the host of the dance competition show, World of Dance. And she's currently actually not dancing on the cop drama The Rookie on NBC. We met up at Pizzeria Moza in Los Angeles. Over Bianca Pizza and garlic bread, Jenna shared whether she's ever seriously considered doing Broadway, and we get into the fear that comes with taking big swings in your career and following your passion, even when there's no clear roadmap. To get back into the conversation, you're pulling up a chair just as we start reminiscing about the incredible time we both had at Sophia Vigara's unforgettable wedding.

One of the things we share is we were, and I forgot about this. I forgot about this and I don't know why I was like Of course, of course you were there But we were at one of the most incredible weddings together Granted Sophia and Joe are no longer married And you and

And you and Canada are no longer together But that wedding I actually was just thinking about that the other night Because I wore the same outfit There's like, and I was like That wedding That wedding was truly

Absolutely bonkers insane I know I just saw Sophia a few weeks ago me too I love Sophia I love her she's pretty great I love all of you honestly that was a magic meeting too for the show

for all the kids are all amazing people individually got incredibly lucky and the fact that we're all as close as we are you know six years after rapping is pretty incredible and in some ways even like

more so. Still put. Because, you know, when you're working together with people, it's like you don't necessarily get in there. Like, you don't ask about, like, what's going on with your, like, what's your life? What's going on at home? Yes. Especially in L.A. too, because you guys filmed in L.A.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, and it's like we would be there at work, and it's like we would work really well together. But now that we are, thank you. Now that we are, we've had space. Like, when we see each other, it's because we have to make the effort to see one another.

I feel like our relationships have only blossomed in ways that I'm kind of surprised by, actually. Yeah. And I think that there's a shared experience. You guys had a lightning and a bottle experience together. So you just have a bond that's going to be there no matter what. And you just all happen to be really amazing, funny, good people. Unless you guys are all lying, you're very good liars.

No, we are. We're good. We're good people. We're very lucky to experience that together. Yeah, for sure. I don't want to be able. I get to the fun experience of reliving your show, too, because my older daughter, Evie, it's her favorite show right now. She's...

Oh, I love that. And it's her comfort show. So, every day, all night, before bed, in the morning. She's, like, getting going. She has it on. I'm like, oh, my God. I'm like, I love this. Yeah.

It's my favorite, too. And does she know that you and Sarah are close? I told her that, and I showed her, you know, pictures and said, we did this movie together, and it literally happened because we were just always told all the time that we looked like sisters. Totally. We'd always laugh because we'd always had so much fun together. And we're like, we should play sisters, you know? She's like, no way!

And that's, of course, she loves Sarah on the show. So it's like, I get cool. Have you seen her on Broadway? No. Oh, my gosh. If you're in New York, you've got to go see her. And Justin's Time. She's great.

Right now. Right now. Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And boy. It surprises me that you have never done theater. Mm-hmm. Well.

I guess, I mean, I certainly know you are a performer, obviously. I mean, you started your career dancing. Yeah. With, on, like, incredible stages with Janet Jackson. Yeah. And that's never been something. Have you, is there desire there? It was, well, not really.

Funny enough, I was dance. dancer, you know, my dream was, I felt like dancers either had the dream to go to New York or they had the L.A. dream. And mine was very focused. Which is where a dancer would go if they wanted to do, like, touring. Yes. Okay. I was like, put me on the Grammys behind, you know, in sync and Janet Jackson. To me, dancing for Jan Jackson was the pinnacle. That was, like, all I ever wanted to do. Yes. So doing New York Broadway was not in my, sort of awareness. I wasn't where I was going, but I've always loved theater. And then in high school, because I know you did, you started in theater. I was a cheerleader. I was always

dancing. Theater wasn't a huge deal in Great Fine Texas. I wasn't a great program, so to speak. And so I didn't, I never had the experience, but I love theater and I love Broadway and I love musicals, but I also never took a singing lesson. So I never, and my mom had a joke my entire life. She was like, keep your day job, Jen. Like, you do not, like, she'd always make fun of my singing voice. So I thought, well, I don't know if this is in the cars for me, but ironically, last, who knows before I got pregnant with me, I took, right before they had called about doing Chicago. And I said, well, before I just immediately say no to this, like I was, I was intrigued enough Which role?

Roxie. Oh my God, that's such major dancing. I mean, it was so fun. I did the whole thing. Because I was like, listen, before I give any sort of dancer, I want to go make sure I could even remotely do this. So I went and went to, you know, Eric B. Drew did the whole singing lessons.

And he was like, you can do this. Yeah. But it was the ballad. I got to the ballad and I was like, oh, no, no, no, no. I need more than five weeks or whatever they were saying. You could have done it. I'm just saying you could have done it. No, I was too scared.

No, I saw Melanie Griffith do it. She's not a singer, and she just... Oh, she can't. But, I mean, that song, I know which song you're talking about. Yes. Doesn't need it. Really? No, you don't need... I could have acted and say, oh, shoot.

Yeah. Listen, listen. You could literally say tomorrow. I might be interested in Roxy. I swear to God it will come back to you. I mean, that's one good thing. I was like, there is a show I would. It's probably the only show I could do.

There's so much dance to it. Yeah. You know, the singing is kind of... But you know, also with a lot of the celebrity... Because they do cast a lot of people who are well known now. Yeah. Everyone from, like, Pam Anderson to Melanie Griffiths to, you know, massive dance. To real housewives.

They can augment any sort of choreography. And what would be really exciting is for the first time, in a very long time, they would not have to do that. Oh, my God. And I think that would be really exciting. The best day of my life was when I went in to learn. choreography. I had so much fun. I went in with the choreographer and we learned the dance and I'm living. I was having so much fun. I think I just chickened out with the time frame. That's the dancer in me that's

I normally jump and I don't look and I go, I figure it out on the way, but there was something about a live audience. Something about that live audience is a little bit terrifying and I thought I need like a few more months just so I would feel a little bit better about it. I get it. We'll see. when I eventually conquer my biggest fear of singing on stage. I'm going to call you, like, Jesse. No, I will be there. I will be your coach. I will be your confidence coach.

I swear to God, you got this. You can totally do it. That's what's crazy about singing. I kept saying this to see about. I was like, it's amazing how connected your voice is to your brain because I went in one day without any, you know, you go in, you have no expectations and you sing. And you all of a sudden are hitting notes.

things you didn't know. Once it got in my head of what I was doing, I went in and all of a sudden it was a whole different game. I was like, this is wild. I threw the first pitch at a Dodgers game. Uh-huh. And I am not, I'm an indoor kid. I was not involved in sports at all growing up. Sports terrified me. And Eric and I, Eric Stone Street and I were at the Dodgers game and they asked me for LGBTQ night to throw the first pitch. And I was like, I'm going to do this. Eric worked with me. Eric Stone Street and I worked on the side lines.

Is that what I call it? Uh-huh. You said that thing on the side. Backstage. You said it. Stage left. Anyway, we were throwing the ball back and forth. And I was doing really good.

And as it got closer and closer to me having to actually do it, the ball started going off and like crazy. And I just like got in my head. And I really, it's. scared me. I was like the fact of my body, that's something that I was able to do. Yep. And my mind, I don't get, I don't, my mind does not fuck me up like that. Like I've been on stage since I can remember, like, I can do really hard things. But for some reason, just being slightly out of my comfort zone on a, on a, on a, on a, on a, um, on a baseball field. Yep.

In front of thousands of fans, about to do the thing that, like, kids would make fun of me for doing when I was in school. You know, I just, I couldn't do it. It was really scary. Oh, my God, I understand that. Yeah. It was sense memory. All of a sudden, you were a little boy getting and you were hearing all that. Yeah.

That's probably how I am with singing. I hear my mom saying, keep your day job. Keep your day job. I was mostly, listen, I walked away from that experience being like, oh, I didn't even know I can do any of that, you know? So you don't know until you try. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Jenna opens up about her nomadic childhood and how those experiences have shaped the way she's raising grounded, well-adjusted kids.

Okay, be right back. When WestJet first took flight in 1996, the vibes were a bit different. People thought denim on denim was peak fashion, inline skates were everywhere, and two out of three women rocked, the Rachel. While those things stayed in the 90s, one thing that hasn't is that fuzzy feeling you get when WestJet welcomes you on board. Here's to WestJetting since 96. Travel back in time with us and actually travel with us at westjet.com slash 30 years.

After 19 years, they're back. Frankie Munis, Brian Cranston, and the rest of the family reunite in Malcolm in the middle, life's still unfair. After 10 years avoiding them, Hal and lowest demand Malcolm be at their anniversary party, pulling him straight back into their chaos. Malcolm in the middle, life's still unfair. A special four-part event, streaming April 10th on Hulu on Disney Plus. And we're back with more dinners on me. Do you think you would see if we're going to stay in L.A. for a while?

or do you ever see yourself? I know. It's hard for me of the personality to ever say, I can never say, never. I'm very open. You grew up in Connecticut, right? So I was born in Connecticut,

but then my parents split up when I was about one and one half. And my mom had to, she's basically a single mom, you know, I've seen my dad from time of time that she took up all of the parents. parenting and had to get a job and her job was pharmaceuticals. She became a pharmaceutical ref started as that and her district moved her every couple

years. So I grew up moving every three, four years to a new city, a new school. Yeah. So you name it, I've lived there. I've lived in Washington, I've lived in Raleigh, I've lived in Texas two times. I've lived and then you have where my dad was. So I was, that kid that was on planes by themselves going to visit. and I was always a new kin. Up until about eighth grade, seventh eighth grade, my mom didn't move after that, so I was in Texas for all of high school. So because of that, you know, there's a lot of just, you're just, you're nomadic. You're on the go.

Yeah. It was good. Yeah. Do you see? So that being said, I don't feel, this is the longest I've ever been anywhere. I think me too. Ever. I've never been this rooted anywhere.

So you've been here so long. But if you ask me, like, would it be surprising if in two years, all of a sudden we moved to New York or there's something that happens? I think, no, that would make sense. Right. But I'm an L.A. girl. I own it. It would be hard to get me out of here.

Although I do like New York a lot. I just always saw Steve as... I consider him a New Yorker. He just feels like a New Yorker. He is, to me, too. Like, there's certain things about him. I'm like, I don't know if he loved. Everyone's sort of having interesting feelings about L.A.

You know, it's, in a lot of ways, it's hard to be here at this time, but it feels like it's probably hard to be anywhere right now. I think I could see us going east at some point. It's hard as our kids, obviously, kids, school. they're in a school. Yeah. Yeah, no. That's a whole other process here in LA.

I always dreamed of having, like, I love my parents so much, and they had incredible careers, but I always fantasized about having parents who are, like, in the entertainment industry. I know, I know. I mean, do you think your kids? I know, but now, I mean, you and Steve are, like, these massive, like, successfully massive,

presences in, like, the entertainment industry and, like, have achieved such great, success in your in your respective you know careers it's like do you think how do they react all that do you think that's a good question i don't it's funny i do think about that off i think about it a lot with being saying to myself i have kids i'm raising in l.a that number one is crazy because yeah they're surrounded by a by osmosis yeah we didn't grow up in you know a big Venture Politin City. And then I think about the fact that our kids have been in this business by proxy of us

and been on sets and been seeing so many things. I mean, Evie's the oldest, so I asked for quite often. It's never weird. Like, people say anything or you. She's like, no. She's like, it's just what I know. She doesn't know any different. I hope, I believe that we're really normal and grounded in her eyes.

But she doesn't know any different. She wouldn't know what it was like to grow up in a small town. You know, it's fascinating. Callum is still young enough. And because he was a COVID baby, honestly, he's born during COVID. He hasn't really been onset. So he doesn't, he's starting to, he asks me about the rookie every now and then. And people, you know, every now and someone will come up and say they watch the rookie.

And he's like, what's the rookie? And I've shown him little clips. You know, I have to get the cool points where I could get him and say, you know I drive a fire truck. Yeah. Very cool. The things you like to see driving, I just. I do, you know, and it's like, you know, it's in one year or not the other. He, I don't know if he gets it fully.

No, but Evie definitely is, but she, she doesn't, she's got a really good awareness about her, though. She's aware that it's interesting to certain people and it's, there's a certain understanding, but she doesn't know, it's that normalcy by as I've talked about, like, with myself, you know, do, when you think about just that, anything out in the public eye, you're saying, well, I don't know, I've just been. doing it for so long that it's normal in a sense to me. She's like that. Now for quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Jenna talks about stepping into the role of producer, and I share the story of my son Beckett's first time performing on stage. Okay, be right back.

I'm Jenna Fisher, and I'm Angela Kinsey. And together, we have the podcast Office Ladies. Just because we finish rewatching the office does not mean we're going anywhere. Every Wednesday, we'll be sharing even more exclusive. stories from the office and our friendship with brand new guests. Plus, you can revisit all the Office Ladies rewatch episodes every Monday with new bonus tidbits before every episode. So follow and listen to Office Ladies on the free Odyssey app and wherever you get your podcast. And we're back with more dinners on me. Do you ever like look back? I mean, I do this all the time with my

career and specifically like today because, you know, we had such a moment with our dog. and kind of reflecting in the last 15 years of our life. But like, do you ever, like, look back and be like, oh, my God, like, this has happened so fast. And, like, how am I, you're a mother of three now. And, like, you have this career. And yet it sort of feels like, even as I'm talking to you, like, it's not that part of the rear view that you were, like, just a kid dancing with Janet Jackson. It's like, how did this happen so quickly? Yes.

I do think like that and I have so many moments where I am able to have the awareness of oh my God not just like you've done a lot career wise like I've gone through a lot and there's been real chapters

eras iterations that I can now look back and almost like hug and tap myself a little bit like listen you know and I still have that feeling maybe it's eternal optimism but I still do have that feeling of excitement of was to come.

Yeah. I hope that doesn't die out because that's something I... Is there something that's like... Obviously, you would talk about singing, but like that you want to achieve that scares you. Because, I mean, the producing thing for me, it's like, that's intimidating. And you've done that. Yes. That's something I'm still doing.

I'm so glad somebody gave me the heads up that that's a long game battle. You are in development forever for years and it's... But it excites me in different ways. And I like the idea of filming from what's out there to going, what can I create. That shift was really fun for me. So I do want to really build that company for a company. It will start producing more. I would like to do some more film again.

That's one thing that would be really fun to do, whether I'm producing it. I don't have that I must be in everything. I'm really happy to pass that. I'm constantly going, my producing partner's like, stop doing this. Like, go into meetings. We'll go into like pitches and go into these big rooms. And I'm like, if you want somebody better than me,

I totally understand. You can, like, if you can, please, if you can get. I've done that before as well. You know what I mean? I used to hate auditioning. And then I really come to peace with it because I would rather, as all be on, the same page because I have been offered things

and have done them and I'm the wrong person for this and I don't feel like I'm fulfilling what they need and I was like I should have asked to read for this so that they could have seen if I was really... That's the worst is when you do and you get the offer and then you show up and you're like oh do we all

have a different idea of how they're but then you always figure it out. I know I know and always is meant to be so... I don't know it's a wild industry and I am just Just keep in my head above water. Would you love it, hate it, or be neutral if your kids were like, I want to get into that? I don't think I would be neutral about it.

I don't think I would, I don't know, there's also a little piece of me that would also love it. I just know, because my son, Beckett, was in Shrek, Junior, Junior Shrek. I think I knew this. Beckett's really into theater, right? Well, she likes watching it. Oh. He decided he wanted to do a musical theater. and Justin and I, like, our hearts grew seven sizes when he said that.

And then he came back from, you know, his first rehearsal. He's like, I don't like that at all. Like, he got very nervous. He's very shy. He really did not have a great time doing it. And then we went, like, we have to see it through. So we went to his performance, which was a few weeks ago. And listen, he had to have every line fed to him.

Like, he did not. Yes. But also they had, like, collectively, like, over the course of like however many weeks they've been working on like nine hours of rehearsal. Like I was pretty impressed with them. But I definitely left that, that performance. I was going to put it in quotes, but no, it was a performance. Thinking like, I don't think he's, this is the career for half.

And he hasn't. Yeah, that's what we think. I don't know. But that being said, I just know for me, I came from a family that there was Me doing what I did was totally foreign to them. And they had every reason to be like, no, we're not paying for you to go to New York. You need to do this, this, and this. If you want our support through school.

And they let me go. And I really, I'm so grateful to my parents for letting me do that and for believing in me. And I think even my dad was like, you know, he admits it. He's like, listen, I thought like you were going to be like playing the guitar in the subway for money to like make. Make your way in New York for a while. And he gives it to me for doing it and figuring it out. Figuring it out. And so I'm so grateful that they have that belief in me.

So for me, I think whatever my kids want to do, I want to follow the lead of my parents and really just support whatever it is they do. And if it happens to be the arts, great. But I also know how hard it is. I mean, I think one of the greatest pieces of advice I ever got when I wanted to start pursuing me an actor is someone said if you could think of anything else that you could do do that yeah it's a great idea try that try that but if it's the thing that like you don't know how else to fill your soul yeah and you don't know how else you would be whole doing anything else

go for it and that's how I felt I did not know how else I would survive yeah living as a human on this planet if I couldn't be an actor and so for me it was that drop and not believe for myself that, like, I was like, I will be able to, I will be able to make it through these, like, bleak periods, which I know there will be, there were. But I'll be able to do it because I feel like there's no other option for it. That's what you knew you wanted. You knew it, you felt it. That was more for my conversation with Jenna Dewan. If you haven't heard our full conversation yet, make sure to check it out on Dinners on Me. This episode of Dinners On Me was recorded at Pizzeria Moza in Los Angeles, California.

Next week on Dinners on Me, you know her. from her unforgettable roles in Boogie Nights, Austin Powers, The Spy Who Shagged Me, and the Hangover, and now she's starring in the new thriller, They Will Kill You. It's Heather Graham. We talk about her decades-long career in Hollywood and why she feels more confident in her 50s than ever before. Dinner's On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison.

Special thanks to Tamika Balance Kalasni and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.