Jill Hennessy’s Slim Secret: Veggies, Yoga and Kids’ Leftovers!
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Jill Hennessy: Pop star? The former Law & Order actress is returning to her musical roots with a new album she wrote and produced with her husband — mostly from the kitchen table of their New York City apartment. The wise-cracking, down-to-earth mother of two, who starred in the hit NBC series Crossing Jordan for six years, recorded the album with her husband, Paolo Mastropietro, while she was pregnant with her second child, Gianni, 17 months. Ghost in My Head will be released online in June.
Juggling an album release, starring in the just-released movie, Lymelife, with Alec Baldwin, Emma Roberts and Timothy Hutton, and parenting two energetic boys (Gianni’s big brother, Marco, is 5 ½) was no easy feat, says Jill, 40. “The album that my husband and I produced is finally coming out on June 16,” she told PEOPLE at a party Monday night for chef-to-the-stars John DeLucie’s new memoir The Hunger at The Waverly Inn in New York City. “We sit at the kitchen table and we work on distribution, publicity, graphic art and design and stuff.”
While she tries to eat lots of veggies to stay slim, that didn’t always happen while they were producing the album, she says. “I’m a vegetable freak. I love vegetables. But because of all the work we’ve been doing, I end up not eating as much as I should.” Or chowing down on her kids’ leftovers! “I end up eating peanut butter and jelly crusts, ham and cheese, carrot and celery sticks and coming to events like this and hoping there’s food,” she says laughing. “That’s exactly what’s been happening lately.”
Chasing after the kids and squeezing in mommy-friendly workouts when she can keeps her in shape. “I love yoga,” she says. “I was doing yoga during pregnancy. It’s something I could do while the baby’s down for a nap and I have five minutes to myself. Or I’ll get up twenty minutes early and do some sun salutations. It clears my head and it’s fun. I feel like I’m a little kid playing again doing stupid things with my body and I love it.”
The Canadian-born actress started her career busking in New York City subway stations, singing Green Day, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen covers – and making $15 an hour, to boot. She was in a band when she landed the Law & Order gig, starring as DA Claire Kincaid in the early 1990s, which made her a star. At this point in her life, she’s thrilled to be releasing her first full-length album.
“She’s always singing around the house,” says Paolo, who met Jill when he was working in a New York City Bar more than ten years ago. “I used to ride her around this [West Village] neighborhood on a bike. What I love about her is that she’s so laid back.”
Beyond the music and the acting, Jill says she loves being a mom more than anything. On Mother’s Day, she says she and Marco enjoyed a little one-on-one time – indulging in a meal of macaroni and cheese and attending a concert. “I was sitting next to him, thinking, ‘This little guy is so cool. I can’t believe I’m related to him!’”
— K.C. Baker
- Posted on May 13, 09 at 11:00AM
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- 8 Comments
May 13th, 2009 at 11:40 am
This is not directed at Jill per se. But it drives me nuts when celebrities say they are skinny because they eat kids leftovers or breastfeed. I do not know anyone who went back to their pre-pregnancy shape by doing either. It takes WORK. Healthy diet and lots of exercise. Or a tummy tuck. I have several clients that have had plastic surgery + personal trainers in order to reclaim their fabulous pre-baby bodies, and not one of them would admit to it publicly.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Yeah, Martina, I was thinking the same thing. I know there are those who will say that they lost all their weight by breastfeeding and running after their kids. That is what happened for me with my first. After my fourth, it was not so simple. And how many 40-year-olds with two kids lose all their weight that way? Good for Jill. But good for all those out there working HARD to to get back in shape!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
It does happen for some people. With both of my pregnancies I was back to my pre-preg weight by 6-9 weeks. And then got smaller. I contribute it to breasfeeding. I wasn’t working out or watching what I was eating either time. Not necessarily anything to brag about or get kudos for, just saying it does happen that way for some people.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Marcie – I agree about the weight; I was back to my pre-pregnancy 118lb within 2 months. But I still had the “muffin top” – that lovely tummy roll that hangs over the jeans top. It’s the shape, the perfectly flat tummies that Hollywood ladies are sporting 6 months postpartum. And doing it in their late 30s. And they ain’t getting them by breastfeeding and doing yoga twice a week. They achieve it by working out with personal trainers 6 times a week and following very strict diets.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I am so annoyed at the people that say they just exist on their kids’ leftovers. Really? Is it that hard to make something for yourself? Make a third PB&J sandwich so you don’t have to eat the kids crusts if it’s that hard for you, throw a few more fish sticks in the oven. It’s not that hard to make sure you have something to eat along with your children.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Rebecca, you comment made me laugh a little because I always think the same thing and have never bothered to say it!
May 14th, 2009 at 12:30 am
I lost all of my weight with my first one in a few weeks. In fact, wore my regular size six jeans home from hospital. I did spend a week in the hospital. It took nearly a month with my second baby. I breaatfed them both and the weight fell off with no exercise. It does happen folks…
Loved the article and looking forward to the CD.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
The last 2 articles about this woman have made me nauseated. Something about her…