By Dina Morrone
Read Our Magazine…
Gena Lee Nolin, Actress, Model, Author, Television Personality. Born in Northern Minnesota, this sexy star of the 90’s hit TV Show, Baywatch, is now a mother of 3 and blogger of Celebrity Baby Scoop.
After a diagnosis with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, she wrote the book Beautiful Inside and Out – Conquering thyroid disease with Healthy Happy, Thyroid Sexy Life, which landed No. 1 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Top 5 Health Books.
You were born in Duluth, Minnesota. Tell us about one of your fondest memories of growing up on the North Shore?
I have so many great memories. As a kid, we’d bundle up and ice skate for hours at the local outdoor rink. I was making snowmen while drinking hot cocoa with our friends. I’m grateful to have had those years, even though it was freezing. I truly think there’s something
in that environment that brings people together, neighbors helping neighbors. I learned a lot about the meaning of simple acts of kindness.
Your family moved from the icy cold to the warmth of Las Vegas. How did your childhood and teen years influence your career choices?
I think they helped me immensely. I never set out to be an actress, so I had my priorities in check when it happened. I never expected it to last, so I enjoyed every moment and worked extremely hard on every series. My early years definitely helped navigate my work ethic and mindset.
What have your three children taught you that has changed you and surprised you?
My children teach me something new every day. When you have three different perspectives from three different individuals, you learn and see things in ways you’d never expect. I feel blessed to have kids that are truly kind and interested in their world. They care about what’s going on and how it’s affecting others. I think the only thing that’s surprised me is the unconditional love that goes along with being a mother.
Tell us about your role on Baywatch, playing the bad girl, Neely Capshaw?
That was such a funny story. I was a game show model on The Price is Right with Bob Barker when I got the call from Baywatch. I knew how popular the show was because it was simply everywhere! I’d come home from work, and every night it was about Baywatch. The gravity of it was there, but the reality of me being a part of it wasn’t. I didn’t train as an actor, I was as green as one could get, so I was reluctant at first.
I went ahead and auditioned with David Hasselhoff and the other producers. I was extremely prepared and went through the motions but felt a certain comfort in the room. I knew in my gut I’d get the job; I wasn’t qualified, but I knew I’d figure it out.
Playing Neely was so much fun! She was this horrid, self-centered, mean girl. I’d read the scripts and howl at what she’d do next. I think it’s important to have balance while playing that type of character. I’d leave Neely at the beach and go home to sew my new Vogue pattern on my Singer sewing machine. I was for sure balanced!
What was it like playing an iconic female comic book character like Sheena?
After Baywatch, I thought I’d take a longer break from television.
I’ll never forget the call from my agent asking if I’d (please) meet with Sony for an iconic character. I didn’t know much about the role until I met at Sony with 20 executives! It would be my luck to find out just how important Sheena truly was and what she stood for, and the chance to play her? Bring it on.
She was ahead of her time, strong, female, unstoppable, protective, and was a huge part of my role with PETA.
I was called to do a PETA billboard that was featured on Sunset Boulevard. I was blown away at how loved she was and still is. The opportunity to play another superhero would be a dream. There is something inside of me that yearns for equality and justice! I’d kick some. Yes, even at my age.
What was the turning point in your professional career that changed your life path trajectory?
Becoming a mother! Everything changed on June 3, 1997. Things that I thought were important prior were no longer of importance. Always finding a balance but being there for my children is paramount.
Where would your dream vacation be with your husband and children?
Thailand!
Before your Thyroid disease diagnosis, when did you first know something was wrong with your health? What were your symptoms?
I never knew what was truly going on, but I knew something was off. When I was 27 years old, I would come home achy and overly tired. I chalked it up to my workload and having a young son. A few years later, depression, weight gain, thinning hair, puffy face, and eyes set
in. I went from doctor to doctor, desperately trying to figure out what was wrong, only to be brushed off. I once was given a business card to a psychologist from a well-known doctor simply because he said there was nothing wrong with me. WHAT? That’s when I knew I had to figure this out on my own. So, I researched my symptoms over and over, and that’s when “Thyroid Disease”kept popping up. I asked my OBGYN if he’d look at my labs, and my TSH was off the charts. I then realized I had to become my own advocate immediately. Mainstream doctors wouldn’t listen to my symptoms, just my TSH alone. There’s so much more to this story that I write about in my book, Beautiful Inside & Out. I also have an amazing Facebook support page that I started in 2011 called
Thyroid Sexy!
What should all women know about their Thyroid?
Everything! It’s the thermostat to our bodies. It controls our metabolism, brain function, sex hormones, fertility, overall health, and wellness. Have routine thyroid labs done yearly. If you feel something is off, find an NPD (Naturalpathic Doctor) that’s opened minded in helping you find a solution to your symptoms. Doctors are more apt to listening now more than ever, and the data is defiantly there. If they don’t, fire them!
With the Thyroid being such a vital part of our body and hormones, why do you feel there isn’t more awareness about this tiny gland?
I think the Thyroid gland was overlooked for years by traditional doctors, and because of that, many people suffered. Today, I feel doctors and NPD are more educated on the symptoms that come along with thyroid disease. Most often, thyroid panels are even added to your routine labs without asking for them. We’re getting closer to finding the root cause, no more excuses in old data. I can’t stress enough the importance of being your own advocate. No one knows your body the way you do!
What are your tips for growing old gracefully?
Be kind to yourself. Aging is part of life. It’s a part of the process. I look back on my life, and I’ve always lived clean. I’m not much of a drinker. I’m in bed by 9 pm. I’m active, and I’ve always been pretty good about my skincare routine. With that said, being 50 this year, I do get botox, laser treatments, and frankly, anything that will slow things down just a bit. I’m working with Dr. Scott Gerrish in Scottsdale, Arizona, who has more of a holistic outlook on aging rather than surgery. I’m all about the holistic approach! I’m excited about being 50! I think wisdom and knowledge come with age, and that’s SEXY to me!
You are involved with several charities and foundations. Please tell us about your involvement with them and why you chose them.
Every Mother Counts charity, which I absolutely love. After becoming a mother myself, every emotion came rolling in.
The need to help another Mother in need was something I couldn’t look away from. I am also involved with the Make a Wish Foundation. I was influenced by this charity while filming Baywatch. We’d have so many children coming to set who were all bright-eyed and excited to meet us and see how the show was filmed. I spoke to many of their parents, and after hearing story after story, I got involved immediately!
If you could turn back time, what would you like to say to 18 year old Gena?
I would tell her everything is going to be alright. That it’s going to be exciting, scary, sad, happy, frustrating, lonely, and amazing all in one. And that it’s going to be one hell of a ride, but at the end of the day, you’re going to be stronger than you ever thought! Take a deep breath. You can handle everything coming your way, so make sure to enjoy it!
What’s next for you?
I have a book coming out next year. I will be working with my charities, health advocacy, and a new show that I’m so excited and really passionate about! (Mom duty in between). It’s safe to say it’s going to be a busy year!
Is there anything the world doesn’t know about Gena Lee that you would like to share with our readers?
I’m a comedian. No, really! My dream is to work on ANY project that Judd Apatow is involved with! Okay, I just put it out in the universe. “Oh, Judd”!
Special Thanks to:
Gena Lee Nolin
Photography: Tracy Ann Battaglia
with “FullyAlive Photography”
Makeup: Gena Lee Nolin
Styled by: VICI COLLECTION
Hair: Sarah Wilks with
“SKW EXTENSIONS”
Location: The Scott Hotel
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