5 Questions With Catherine Bell of Lifetime’s ‘Jailbreak Lovers’

Catherine Bell Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Catherine Bell is a familiar face to many with her long-running starring roles on shows like JAG, where she played Sarah MacKenzie for nine seasons, Army Wives, where she played Denise Sherwood for seven seasons, and Good Witch, where she played Cassie Nightingale for seven seasons and in seven movies.

Bell’s latest project has her starring in the Lifetime original movie Jailbreak Lovers (airing Saturday, July 2, at 8pm ET/PT) as Toby, a good woman but a lousy criminal. As the title of this based-on-a-true-story tale implies, she’s involved in a jailbreak. Toby is a sweet wife and mom who’s led a sheltered life and finds solace in dogs. She starts a program at a prison where inmates train abandoned dogs until they can be adopted. But when a convict lavishes attention on her, Toby falls for him.

Speaking from her sunny home in Florida, Bell answered our “5 Questions.”

1. Can you tell us about a time when you were starstruck?
I was new on JAG, which was my first big show, and I was at a CBS event with a bunch of celebrities. And there’s Tom Selleck. I grew up on Magnum, P.I. He came over, we were at a food table, and he started talking to me. Don Bellisario created JAG and Magnum, and I introduced myself like [Selleck] would never in a million years know who I am. And he was like, “Oh, I know who you are, girl.” And he gave me a hug. I was like, “Oh my God, Tom Selleck knows who I am!”

2. If you were not an actor, what would you be doing?
I would probably be a fine artist. It’s what I originally wanted to do, but my mom wanted me to get a more traditional education. So I went to UCLA and did that for a little while. I love to paint and draw. My daughter is graduating high school now, and she’s going to a fine arts school.

3. What other jobs have you held?
I modeled for a couple of years. I didn’t love it. It was just so much attention on your body and your weight and whether your face was too wide or not wide enough. Oh my gosh, I couldn’t do it. I did not waitress for long. I was fired. Shortly after that, I became a massage therapist.

4. Have you ever had a ghostly experience?
Yes, it was subtle. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina, for seven years when we were filming Army Wives. And Charleston is considered the most haunted city in the U.S. I lived in a beautiful old home on The Battery, and this general built these three townhomes side by side. I had my office in the attic. I didn’t always love to be up there because something just felt not right. I don’t know what it was. It was beautiful, light and airy, and it should have been lovely. I had just made it my office and had my desk up there, and I don’t know how to describe it, but I just didn’t feel like I was alone. I packed up my stuff, and I left the attic, and I don’t think I ever went back.

5. If you could have a dinner party with anyone, who’s there?
Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and we could have the Dalai Lama.

1 Comment

  1. The 5 questions were interesting. Most of her answers I didn’t know but a few things I did. I’m fascinated by her and can listen to her all day. Thanks

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