Bridget Moynahan — The Bare Magazine

In anticipation of the last episode of the 12th (let that sink in!) season of Blue Bloods, airing May 6 on CBS, actress Bridget Moynahan, who plays District Attorney Erin Reagan, joined us in Brooklyn for a photo shoot and a chat about, well, maturing. Not only has the show, which was recently renewed for another season, matured, but Bridget has also — as a human, actress, mom and collaborator. Beautiful, yes, but also funny and very wise, Bridget is just our kind of Bare babe. Note: For more Bridget (we know, we can’t get enough either), scroll down to our YouTube channel for exclusive behind-the-scenes video from our shoot.

The Bare Magazine: You’re 50 and look amazing. What are your skincare secrets? You have nary a wrinkle!

Bridget Moynahan: What? Say it again?

Bare: We said you have nary a wrinkle!

BM: Say it again?

Bare: Oh, ha ha ha!

BM: Seriously, though, I use and promote clean beauty products. I have a friend in town [Manhattan] that started a company called Onda Beauty that curates clean beauty brands. I believe that you have to put healthy things on your skin to keep yourself looking young and beautiful. Both of my parents had incredible skin — you can’t deny what was passed down. But living a healthy lifestyle, using sunblock, drinking lots of water, it all adds up. I’m an early bird, too. I’ll start working at 4 a.m., but never keep me up until 4 a.m.

Bare: What are some of your favorite healthy skincare brands?

BM: Tammy Fender is my all-time favorite. And Chantecaille! Moving on to makeup, I love Jones Road Beauty and Ogee. Ogee has those amazing Face Sticks that feel like they become part of your skin as opposed to sitting on top of it like powder.

Bare: And what do you use for your hair?

BM: A rubber band. Because my hair’s up in a bun every day until I go to work…

Bare: What has improved with age?

BM: One of the things I found with age is that I am more comfortable seeking out help and reaching out to people and saying, ‘Hey can you talk to me about this? Can you explain this to me? Can I shadow you?’ I did not have that as an actor or a young woman, which would’ve been really helpful. Just to have that sounding board. Maybe it’s just the maturity of knowing that you don’t have all the answers.

Bare: What hasn’t improved with age?

BM: My knees? My hips?

Bare: Speaking of personal growth, we hear you just directed an episode of “Blue Bloods.” Can you tell us about that experience?

BM: I just loved the experience. I do acknowledge that I had the opportunity to do it on a show where it’s like family. I had a supportive environment, and insight on how the show works, and relationships that were a decade strong. So, it couldn’t have been a better first time out. But I loved being involved and present from the beginning to the end of the day. The hardest part was going back to my regular day job.

Bare: You also co-authored a cookbook [The Blue Bloods Cookbook] a while back. Do you have any go-to dishes or foods?
BM: I like to cook, and we try to have dinner at home five days a week. A lot of the recipes in the cookbook are family favorites, like the Swedish meatballs my mom would make every Christmas Eve. My son loves those Swedish meatballs, so it’s a special meal for us. I eat everything. I just don’t cook fish well. I wish I could get a lesson—like a couple of sessions with a great chef teaching me how to cook fish. Can we put that out there?

Bare: People who don’t know you might be surprised by how funny you are. Would you ever want to try your hand at comedy?

BM: I think that if it was the right thing, and it really lent itself to my style, then I would love it. Like something with Amy Schumer, as opposed to something more slapstick. Oh, let’s put that out there, too! Just make sure those wires don’t get crossed…because I’m not sure I necessarily want Amy Schumer teaching me how to cook fish.

Bare: Do you think Hollywood is getting to be a bit friendlier to women over 50?

BM: I certainly think so. You have lots of actresses still working, people like Robin Wright directing, and Jane Campion just won an Oscar. I think there are opportunities for lead actresses, producers, writers and directors in television and film. And there’s so much television now.

Bare: What have you let go of with age?

BM: The idea that you can win them all. Rejection is part of the process, whether in modeling, acting, or directing. You do the best you can and then you leave it in the room.

Bare: What have you doubled down on?

BM: Really trying to reach out and ask for help. I think there’s a different mentality in my son’s generation. He’s always been encouraged to advocate for himself and go to the teachers for help. He’s done that since kindergarten. Maybe I learned that by watching him.

Bare: Do you have any kind of spiritual practice?

BM: Not really. I mean I grew up Catholic, and I still go to church. I just believe in being spiritual and having faith, but that comes in many forms, even outside of religion.

Bare: Finally, what are your top five Bare essentials?

BM:

• Herbal teas

• A good thick face cream. When you travel, you slap it on at takeoff and take it off at landing.

• Water. I need to be by the water, that’s my happy place.

• Good friends

• A good book. I read Pachinko recently and I really loved it.