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An in-depth conversation with actress Betsy Brandt.

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efore I interviewed Betsy Brandt, an actress known for her seamless ability to shift between gritty roles (Breaking Bad) and more comedic parts (The Michael J Fox show), I mentioned her name to a friend. Many years ago, this friend worked in television, as a production assistant, a position at the bottom of the proverbial ladder, in which he mostly fetched people coffee and was largely ignored. In other words, Betsy had no reason to be overly kind to him. Yet, when he worked on one of her shows, she went out of her way to say hello to him every day, ask him how he was, and get to know him. She was kind for the sake of being kind. If you believe in karma, it’s easy to see that this generosity has come back to her tenfold during her career. If you don’t believe in karma but you do believe in talent, then that talent has opened door after door. I believe in both, and after talking with Betsy, I have to believe she does, too. I ask Betsy what she’s working on currently, and included in that question is an important bit of subtext: where do you go after a role on Breaking Bad, a show that many critics (and viewers) hail as the best television series of all time. “I didn’t want to chase that sort of result again,” Betsy says, “because I was so lucky the first time.” Breaking Bad was fearless in the way it portrayed the underbelly of a culture, and yet never shocking for the sake of being shocking. Betsy calls it, “a dark, dark, dark comedy with really wonderful storytelling.” For now, she’ll focus on more straightforward comedy. Her next project is a show called Life in Pieces, premiering on CBS. “It’s not a crazy concept,” she says, “just really well-written, about a family and all its complications.” On the show, two of her heroes play the role of her parents, James Brolin and Dianne Wiest, actors whom she’s always deeply admired. I asked her if that fact intimidated her. CVLUX.COM 2015

“When people create roles for me on shows like these, it still floors me.”

“I find rock stars intimidating,” she says. “With actors, when you’re in the room together, you speak the same language. It makes you want to do better, to rise to that occasion.” Plus, Betsy has experience in comedy. In addition to a recurring role in Parenthood, she starred as Michael J Fox’s wife on the “brief but wonderful” Michael J Fox Show, who happens to be one of her favorite co-stars of all time. “He’s funny in regular life,” Betsy says, “without a script, when he’s not even trying.” Incidentally, so is she. And this is what I mean by the endless good fortune Betsy seems to have tapped into: she also has a recurring role on Masters of Sex, Showtime’s texturally rich and spanning episodic look at Virginia Masters and the Sexual Revolution. “When people create roles for me on shows like these, it still floors me,” Betsy says, “I still get emotional.” In fact, on Masters of Sex, when the creators made a chair with Betsy’s name on it, she burst into tears. “I started as a guest and they made me feel like family,” she says. “Meanwhile, everyone was like, ‘has she never had a chair before?’ I have!” Part of Betsy’s approachability and down-to-earth personality might have something to do with her background. She grew up in Michigan, after which she moved to Seattle to do plays. “It’s a city where all big careers are made,” she jokes. Still, there weren’t many theaters—or roles—in the rainy city, and when she came out to Los Angeles to do an independent film, she decided to stay. She met her husband in college at a frat party, and they still go back to Michigan, where her parents still live, at least a few times a year. I asked her what made her want to be an actress—if there was some early, transformative experience.

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“My mom was my reading teacher in elementary school, and one of the class assignments was to read a play,” Betsy says. “For some reason, I suggested we act the play out. My mom cast me in the leading role, only because she knew I’d be able to memorize all the lines. I was really good at memorizing.” She also remembers writing and directing plays while growing up in her Michigan neighborhood. “I must have been pretty bossy at that time. It’s funny to think about now, because of how collaborative I am when I’m working. Now, I’m constantly seeing multiple sides, asking for other opinions, thinking, ‘Or that could work.’” As a mother of two young children, compromise and patience are crucial. I ask her if she has any advice for working mothers. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she says. “It’s easy for mothers to feel guilty—we feel this intrinsic responsibility to do it all, and to do it all really well, if not perfectly. As a mother, being kind to yourself goes a long way. We’re doing our best.” Betsy was pregnant with her second child while filming Breaking Bad. Her children have spent so much time with her on set her daughter used to call the Breaking Bad set “the big box with candy.” This makes me laugh. “That’s what gets their attention,” Betsy says, “craft services.” I ask Betsy if her children show any interest in acting. She laughs. (Betsy laughs often and easily—a pleasure). “It’s funny,” she says, “on Breaking Bad, my daughter would see girls her age acting and she would think it looked like fun. I had to explain to her—that little girl is working. She doesn’t get to go play after every take. She has a job.”

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Season TASTE THE

An Interview with Chef Pamela Salzman Story: Amy Silverberg

Think it’s impossible to prepare a delicious, gourmet meal that’s also healthy? Think again. It’s possible, and Chef Pamela Salzman can teach you how—maybe even in the privacy of your very own home. Pamela didn’t follow a traditional culinary path, but she always knew deep in her heart that she’d end up in the food world. As a child, she waited by the mailbox for Gourmet Magazine to arrive, and her parents instilled in her a love of cooking from scratch, using ingredients harvested from the family garden. After Pamela attended a cooking class with her friends, what started out as a hobby eventually turned into a career. The recipes Pamela and her friends were taught in the cooking class advocated the usual excess of butter and fat. Pamela had a bright idea: why not make a few healthy adjustments to the recipes? She did just that, and in doing so, realized she had a knack for making delicious food healthier. This realization led to Pamela teaching a group of her own, and it took off—people wanted more. She eventually left the corporate world to follow her dream. In fact, she still leads the same, original cooking group since 2008.

Teaching monthly cooking groups around Los Angeles, in addition to open classes in Manhattan Beach, Pamela’s recipes don’t fall into any sort of fad diet trends such as Paleo or Atkins. Instead, most of her recipes are classically healthy, featuring anti-inflammatory, low-glycemic ingredients, meaning less animal products, more fish, and plenty of vegetables, fruits, and legumes. According to Pamela, these ingredients are the basic nuts and bolts of health. She also customizes classes and recipes according to personal preferences. CVLUX.COM 2015

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D E L I C ATA S Q U A S H A N D A P P L E S A L A D S E RV E S 6

2 delicata squash, washed but not peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, and cut into ½-inch slices 2 large apples, cored, sliced into ½-inch slices (I cut them crosswise) 3 Tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (optional, but I think it’s delicious) 1 teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 10 cups mixed greens including some bitter varieties such as radicchio and/or arugula Dressing: 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, preferably raw 5 Tablespoons cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup Toppings: shaved manchego cheese, ½ cup buttered and salted toasted pecans or toasted, salted pumpkin seeds

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1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Place the squash and apples in a large bowl and add the melted coconut oil and 1 Tablespoon maple syrup. Toss to coat. (You can also add the apples to the salad raw instead of roasted.) 3. Place the apples and squash in one layer on the baking sheets and sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast until tender, approximately 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 4. For the dressing: in a small bowl or screw-top jar, combine apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, salt, pepper and maple syrup; whisk or shake to combine. You may have more dressing than you need for this recipe. 5. Place salad greens on a platter and toss with enough dressing to coat lightly. Separately drizzle the squash and apples with some dressing and add to the greens. Sprinkle with any desired toppings. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

S W E E T P O TAT O - C O C O N U T S O U P S E RV E S 6

1 Tablespoon unrefined, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 1 large onion, diced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cubed 3 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water 1 teaspoon sea salt ¼ tsp nutmeg 2-3 Tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup ½ 13-ounce can coconut milk* Several dashes or more of cayenne or to taste 1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter until melted. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until tender and translucent, about 6 minutes. 2. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and toss to coat with the oil butter and onions. Pour in the chicken stock or water, sea salt and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook partially covered until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 3. Add the maple syrup, coconut milk and cayenne. Cook until heated through. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately or allow to sit off the heat to thicken slightly. *If you prefer to use more coconut milk use a full can and use 1 cup less chicken stock.

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R O A S T E D D E L I C ATA S Q U A S H W I T H P O M E G R A N AT E - P I S TA C H I O R E L I S H S E RV E S 6

2 Delicata squash, washed well and cut into rings* 2 Tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (melted) Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Relish: (this makes a lot) 2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed olive oil 2 Tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar or pomegranate molasses ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup pomegranate seeds ½ cup pistachio nuts, toasted ¼ cup dried currants 2 small shallots, chopped 3 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Place the squash rings on the baking sheets and brush with melted coconut oil on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, approximately 20-30 minutes. 3. While squash is roasting, assemble relish. Whisk the oil, vinegar, and salt together in a medium bowl, add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. 4. Arrange the squash rings on a platter so they are overlapping, and spoon relish mixture on top. Serve immediately or at room temperature. *To cut delicata into rings, cut in half crosswise through the middle of the squash. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds from each half, creating a hollow cavity. Cut crosswise into ¼” rings.

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