One on One: Jessica Kiper

and let's bring her in. Hi, how are you doing. I'm good, good, Thanks for coming on. When years twenty years, it's it's I mean, I do remember you. I do remember you. You were very kind? Was I I was kind? You know? I used to be kind, you know, at least I used to be. No, I'm really I don't know you're you're that scene, I'll tell you that. What an impactful scene that was. First of all, let me look,

we're talking to Jessica Kuyper here. Uh, you were in a total of like four episodes, right, You're in four episodes and when we first see you, my literally just talk about it. Oh, man, that really impacted me. Shane was used and abused. Yeah, but but I mean I haven't seen I guess because I haven't seen those episodes. I'm just seeing it for the first time. That's the first time, and I wow, I was shocked when I saw that episode. But then I realized, Well, it was

a whole summer went by. You know, he was twiddling his thumbs all summer. He meets you and he's like, what twiddling more than the sum Yeah? Really like, um, you know, wholesome is it? Yes? I've listened to a few of you. Aren't they wholesome? Is that was how you describe the fans? Are? So? I didn't want the same thing dirty. But so tell us what it was like getting that role. What do you remember about it, the audition process and all that when Oh, well, I

guess he helped me get it. He told me that later when we met. He told me that he saw us, and I remember seeing him walking to Amy's office and at the you know, callbacks. I guess there was probably just like five people being seen, but I only saw two other women, girls, children, And he walked in and uh, we smiled at each other, and then he said, and you told her that I was the most interesting looking. Really, I probably just looked like the biggest hussey in the group.

That's fine, whatever works, right, whatever gets you the gig competitions a monster, isn't it. Jesus, What a good gig to get though, huh. I remember how something about the audition besides him, besides seeing him. Oh well, I had never watched the show, and I still have not watched the entire series. We have that in common, um, but I knew it was a big show. Oh, my car had broken down on the side of the road, like

a sim horizon from the eighties. But I was always driving around beaters, you know, are they and when you're stuggling actor and my car had just broken down on the side of the road on the East Kueanga before you go over. That's a bad place to break down. Well, there's a fire thing right down the road. But anyways, uh yeah, but it's such a skinny road. It's kind of dangerous. Yes, it is dangerous, there's no But that's

when I got the call. While I was waiting on the tow truck, that's when I got the call that I booked it. Really, that's one of those fun stories. And I didn't know anything about it. I didn't know anything about Milo and uh, yeah, I did you read with him or did you just read for was Amy in the room when you read? No, it's just yeah, I don't think he was in the room now, it was just casting say something to her and left, and

then luckily he saw me. Hey, you know what it's like? Hey, whatever, you know it's it's there's a million reasons you get a job. If it's because the lead actor thinks they're cute, that's okay, there's nothing wrong with that, and they're not. Look, they're not going to let you on the set if you can't deliver the goods right that far. So I beat out several girls. But that extra something right then, that had that a little extra something that Milo noticed

and that's good. Good on him, right because that's the one he vibes with and that's going to make a better scene. Well, we we didn't have fun scenes. I was barried at the time. I have fun stories for you about my little go ahead nothing bad, No, no no, I know go ahead one day on set and I don't think it was my first day. I think I mean it could have been. I don't know, it's all blurred, you know. But one day, on a break for the launch or something, he went to a Catholic church. He

brought me. I don't know why I went with him or he asked me or how that worked out, but we were hanging out and he was like going, so I was with him. We went to this Catholic church very close to Warner Brothers. And he went in and spoke to a priest. And I mean he didn't try and uh convert me or anything. I'm not Catholic. But I don't know what he went to speak, maybe about something, you know, maybe he was, you know, researching something, or maybe he felt bad about kissing a married woman. I

have no idea, because we went for it. We didn't take it. You know, we noticed that. Oh yeah, we noticed that in the scene. Yes, and what's a what's another Milo story? Um? We like, we like, we like

behind the scene stories. Oh well, um, so my first day the a C did not work and my crappy little non star trailer I don't think I even had a TV and uh so, uh he let me hang out and his trailer, which was a store wagon, and then you know, how a c and and uh and so I just watched TV and his nice air conditioned Posh wagon while he very just like I guess, which is like weird because just is kind of jured anyway, He's like sitting outside inside reading a book on his

you know, stoop um. And then Alexis came by and talked to him for a little bit. And then later he told me like, Alexis never comes to talk to me, and I was like, oh, well, it's like life is imitating art and so okay. So there was a security guard who I told I don't know if you remember her. She was there all the time, Brunette I think kind of Spanish, and she was nice, very nice. I don't know if you know who kind of something's kind Yeah,

maybe he talked a lot. And one day I told her like, they're gonna get together, you know watched you just watched and she was like, no, been on the show for like I thought you were already together. Now there's no way they're going to get together. And I was like, you mark my word. And then at the hundredth episode party, remember the um you know night thing um, she told me she's like they're together and she was like, oh my god, you called it. I was like I

could see it, you know, from worked my magic. I got it from from from the moment, from the moment he hit the set, right from the moment he showed up. Uh, the girls were going crazy and they were vying for him. I remember everybody on set on the cast, you know, the younger the younger cast members were all jostling for position. I mean, I I remember Liza, you know, cruising his trailer. Everyone. I mean, he caused quite a star. I don't know

people's actor names, like you Liza, Liza played Pari. Okay, yeah, so I remember he just you know, it's like everybody wanted to date him, you know, man, you know what, I'm so lucky, but like I wish maybe like this is I'm not married to the same person anymore. That was, you know, very tumultuous relationship. But had I not been sang like you know how, like maybe I could have worked that angle like like I was so maybe I don't know, because I was so I was married, so

like I didn't even think about it like that. But I did enjoy making out with him. So yeah, that's look, that's that's the main thing, and maybe if you were the type of girl that would have had something going on with him. That's why he went to talk to the priest just in case. Because I seem like that kind of girl. That's why the cast me is that kind girl. But you know, I'm a one guy right there, you go, Right, so every everybody felt safe and you know it was all good. Well, yeah, and he feels

say if he was very he was a gentleman. He was you know, he was very kind to me. But he never made a move or anything like that. Yeah, that would be outside his character to do something like that. I'm sure. Since then, I've always thought because he had such a basis, like a religious like you know, maybe that's why he's who he is today. He is. Wow, I love this is us, Oh my god, and love that. I love it. I love it to cry every episode like it's an amazing show and he's great on it.

And then just like sometimes I'm like, I'm so honored that they just like hired me to be the eye candy that makes that with him I had, but hey, that's so nice. It's a nice game. Well, you've parlayed into a nice career. No, I mean I don't think I did, Like, well, I mean they're they're the fans of this show, which are huge, huge fans, and then uh, and then Survivor. So like Survivor came five years after

this show. Nobody even remembered me from this show, and I did Survivor and they're really really about the very big fans of them. You seem so um, I don't know, like I didn't. I didn't go further like I did a few other shows. So so what was that Survivor experience? Like where did they send you? And like, what what was that? All? You're in Africa? Okay, yeah, no, it's crazy. I was one of my first season. I didn't I've never even seen that show. I'm I'm I do a

lot of shows that I've never watched. Well, I they sent me five seasons to like, uh to study. So I on DVD back in the day. And I was in New York at the time and so and my my my father had just passed away, and so I was really not doing anything. I'd moved to New York. I decided to kind of give up acting. Um, and then I kind of got bored and was like maybe we should try acting in New York, which is like the worst idea. I had no representation out there, and like,

I wasn't equity, so I was like, what am I doing? Anyways? Uh, they found me on a calendar, on a dog pan up calendar like a dog charity for some show and I can't remember the name. I want to say it's America's Greatest Dog, but I flipped it up and I

can't be right. So something about dogs like dogs and people living in a house and having competitions or something, and I they flew me back from New York to l A had already lived in Elm for a long time and uh, with my dog and I took that trip because I wanted to come back and visit my friends. And then I extended the plane for a week so I could hang out, and um, I didn't. I was never planning on doing a reality show because I was

an actor. But I was in a wall and they caught me on it down you know, I was very sad a gig well then they then I came back to New York and the casting director said what you know, like we want you for a survivor and I was like, I'm never even paid outside. There's no way I'm gonna do Survivor. That is not my I've like seen the first episode or two of the very first season and so no, thank you. And then they were like, we're gonna send you five seasons. So we watched. I watched

it my ex husband at the time. He was already my ex husband, but his dad had died three days later, and my dad and a freak accident where somebody opened up their car door without looking in New York and knocked him in the street. He was riding a bike and in a bus or a truck. Hinnant tragic, three days after my dad had died of the three and

a half year of cancer thing. Insane, So I, you know, went to New York and so I've been up there with my ex husband and we watched those seasons together and he was like, if you don't do this, you're in scening. So I was like, well, I guess you're right. I'm feeling pretty insane nowadays anyways. And and I needed like an adventure, and I had no plans on getting very far or winning or anything like that. I just

wanted to heal a little bit. And I ended up amongst winning, which is incredible crazy, And then I went back a couple of years later for a year later for season twining for Heroes Versus Fellons. Okay, um, so you've performed as Marilyn Monroe since the age of fifteen. How did you get star did in this crazy? Um? Well, when I was twelve, people started telling me I looked like her young Marilyn Monroe, and I had no idea

who that was. And my parents were divorced, and I went to visit my dad that summer for like a month and I asked him to rent a movie because somebody told me, you know, a couple of people told me I looked like this person, and I have no idea. He was like, what, you don't know who this is? So we watched it and I was like, oh my god, I had We were really, really poor, and I had

super low self esteem. When I saw this angel the screen glowing, I was like, oh my god, so many things I looked like that, you know, And I was like while going out thirteen, So I was like, in the weirdest stage of my life, right, Uh. So that really gave me a lot of confidence. And then when I was fifteen, I did a talent show as Marilyn Monroe and I one second place, and it was like thinking, So I didn't even really think if I was going to get in the contest, because like, is that a talent?

I don't know? And so uh. And then when I was sixteen, I won my first contest, And when I was seventeen, I me to San Francisco after high school and with my first job was that Laurie's Fishy's Diner, being Merrily Monroe walking around passing out things with Charley Chaplin and uh. And then when I was nineteen to move to l a and got with William Morris Agency. What what Yeah, I was on the show within six months, Called for Your Love. Wow. Yeah, It's been a wild ride.

And now I'm a suburban mom. One of the valleys okay, okay, one, there's several and then, um, you know, I have a six year old daughter. You know, we just bought a house. It's so warm, that's nice. What do you love most about Maryland? Oh my god, you know, I'm a really big nerd. I'm in the fan club. Well, there's several, but the longest running bank Marilyn remembered, and um, I mean, I go to meetings we do, like a birthday we do. I've spoken at one of her memorials. We do a

memorial every year and either Christmas party. I am a super herd, Like everybody's a nerd about something. That's what I'm a nerd about. I have a guest room in my house with Marilyn stuff. But what what do I love the most about her? I mean, I think that most of us that love Maryland gravitate too. You know, her hard upbringing and you know, poor upbringing, you know, no solid foundation. But then she made it like she

made that happen. And you know she did it pretty without too much you know, you know giving, you know what I mean, She like worked for it. She did a lot of like work on herself, which I wish I could say that I go to class. I've gone to classes for years. I don't. I don't get to class for acting. But she did. She really made that happen. She moved to New York and and and was invited into the Actors Studio and married h Arthur Miller, for

God's sake. I mean, that's taking your craft pretty seriously. Those are those are the three highlights that you know or you love Maryland two and you're just saying that are like I do. I mean I thought she was, you know, a very rare combination of beauty, I mean just overwhelming, uh sensuality and beauty and vulnerability and comedic timing.

I think she was very skilled and and she controlled every scene she was in with relative these So I think she was a very very special special talent on not just the obvious uh you know gifts that she had. She was she was a very gifted actress as well, very very gifted, and she never I don't know that she really ever got credit for it. Oh yeah. Um, so are you similar to her in ways? In different in ways? How how are you similar? How are you different? He? Um?

Since since I grew up pretending to be her, Um, like, I really developed a completely different personality so that I would know the difference between me and her. Um. I'm very into vintage and stuff, but I'm like a little punk rock. I try not to be as punk rock as I'm so hard like trying to be U a Valley mom and like, I have a group of moms and we all have kids in the same class, and like I felt like a real weirdo when guy here. But yeah, but I made myself that weird how so,

and I'm like, I like me. I think it's to keep me separate. I think I even I made my voice maybe even lower, just because I wanted to make there there'll be a difference. I didn't think when I was fifteen that there wasn't even a job called impersonating. So I didn't think that I would be doing that my whole life or anything like that. I was. We didn't do that. That wasn't like, you know, I didn't come from the city. There wasn't a girl on the

corner taking pictures and so so you're doing that. Still you're still impersonating Maryland and being hired to do it. So what I don't do like singing telegrams and I don't hang out on Hollywood full of no no, I know that. So describe, Describe what you do, and what you do basically just walk around and stay in character for a few hours, take pictures with people, help have a host you on stage, and you have an agent

for that that books you for these things. I have a couple of different agents for that, you know, my regular acting manager and then a commercial agent. That's great. Yeah, well be crazy if I was working a lot. I have very very rarely go out and I don't know, I just tick some of your headshots. We'll see what happens. Oh, their business is impossible. It's impossible. And people don't people go where did they go? Or like, what have they've

been doing? Oh? You know it's not that easy. Like you can't you can't get work if you don't get the audition. And if you're not you know what they're needing right now, then you're not auditioning a lot. You know you're feeling that way. I feel you there. There are very few people that work all the time. That is That is the the exception, But the norm is like everybody's fighting for a job and it's a it's

a tough slog out there, man, it really is. I mean, I'm so happy that I got into this part of my life where I have the family and like normalcy. But at this point we're feeling very not stagnant at all. We have wall to paint, I have like rooms to decorate, but I really do want to do so. But but I'm not hungry, like I just moved to town. You know what I mean. I'm not you know, I'm not out there, you know, pushing myself and like you know,

you know, So tell me what is your best Gilmore memory? Oh? Man, um, well, Fred Savage directed my first episode. I'm a huge wonder wonder years. Wait minute, he directed a Gilmore Girls episode. He directed a couple of them. Did he really? Did you not talk to you know what? I didn't know this. The series that I did after Gilmore Girls was up in Vancouver doing is called oh God, what was the

name of that thing? Aliens in America for c W and Fred Fred Fred rect did I don't know, three or four episodes and that we only did one season, so he did three or four episodes. But I guess I did remember him from Gilmore, but I don't really remember him from Gilmore. I remember him from that that I said, Savage, right, Fred Savage? Yeah? Okay, yeah, okay, I wanted to. I didn't want to say Armison on accident.

Fred Savage all full of all, full of energy and yes, hold my load, to put his hands in my back pockets. And I was thinking, how cute and eighties that was, That's very eighties. I was like, hell, that's very seventies as well. I'll tell you I think they did that in wonder years too. But I mean it's a thing anyway. I just remember him coming and telling him that, and I was like, go right ahead. You know, an actor makes choices based on many different things, and well that's

what you know, I guess the story there. The moral of the story there is just grabbing what's right front of you, right right, something like that. Um, but so what is so what is your what is your best memory of Gilmore working with Fred Savage? Um? Okay, well that was. That was so cool to me, not not Milo but working Fred Savage. But yeah, no, that that Fred Savage was directing My first episode was Yeah, that was. And then I worked at one in one coffee shop,

you know on Franklin. One on one coffee shop is named something different. Now, okay, yes, yes, this is this. Yeah, I know what you're talking about, a lot of famous people went in there all the time because it came down from the hip, came down something else. And he would come in a lot with his family and so like, you know, one time I said something to him and

then he remembers. So it's very random that like I was waiting on him a lot after Huh that's light in l A as a matter Yeah, yeah, Um, well listen, it has been a delight catching up with you. Thank you for coming on and sharing some of you have great, great stories, um, and we really appreciate it. Just before we go, I want to say that it was really an honor to be on such a beautiful, wholesome show. It was so well written and all the characters are

amazing and you're great. Thank you, and uh, and I hope to see you play somewhat yourself but not less Luke and something else and the next thing so that we can. You know, on TV you get stuck in the same character, you know. Actually, Uh, we're negotiating on something now that is kind of luke ish. It's but it's it's more me than Luke. And so if we end up doing it, it'll it'll be a nice it'll be a nice thing. I'm glad I picked Jessica. Has been a pleasure. Thank you so much, and uh, good

luck with everything. And I hope we talked soon. Okay, all right, take care alright, bye bye. All that was fun, wasn't she great? I loved her? Stories. Uh, I gotta have her back on what a what a what a nice? What a nice gal Um. Anyway, that's going to wrap it up for this little minisode one on one with Jeff Jessica keiper Um. We'll see you next time. Thanks

for downloading, everybody. I'm Scott Patterson. Stay safe, m hey everybody, and don't forget Follow us on Instagram at I Am all In podcast and email us at Gilmore at I heart radio dot com. Oh you gil More fans. If you're looking for the best cup of coffee in the world, go to my website from my company scott EP dot com, s C O T T y P dot com, scott ep dot com Grade one Specialty Coffee. Yeah.