Wehad the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Love Hewitt. Jennifer is an American actress, singer, and producer whose career spans more than three decades. She emerged as a child performer, gaining early recognition through TV commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated (1989–1991). Her breakout role came as Sarah Reeves Merrin on Fox’s popular teen drama Party of Five (1995–1999), cementing her status as a household name among young audiences.

Hewitt’s transition to film was marked by her role as Julie James in the teen horror classic I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its sequel. Her portrayal of the vulnerable but resilient heroine became iconic within the genre. She also starred in the teen comedy Can’t Hardly Wait (1998), showcasing her versatility and strengthening her appeal as a leading actress of the late ‘90s.

On television, Hewitt gained critical acclaim for her role as Melinda Gordon on CBS’s Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010), where she played a woman with the ability to communicate with spirits. Her work on the show earned her two Saturn Awards for Best Television Actress. Later roles included starring in The Client List, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination, and her current role as Maddie Buckley on Fox’s 9–1–1.

Parallel to her acting career, Hewitt pursued a musical path, releasing four studio albums. Her debut album Love Songs (1992) found success in Japan. In 2002, her album BareNaked, produced by Meredith Brooks, reached number 37 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Her single “How Do I Deal” from the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer soundtrack also charted in the U.S. and Australia.

In addition to acting and music, Hewitt ventured into producing and writing. She executive produced several of her TV projects and co-created a comic book series, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Music Box (2009–2010). Her 2010 dating advice book The Day I Shot Cupid became a New York Times bestseller.

More recently, Hewitt collaborated with Ferrero Rocher for the “Add Your Golden Touch” holiday campaign and has been developing lifestyle and creative projects tied to her personal brand, The Holiday Junkie. Her deep commitment to family and creativity continues to shape her professional and personal life.

Thank you so much for doing this with us Jennifer! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Do you have a funny story or a funny mistake that you made when you were first starting out in your career, and was there a lesson you learned from that?

Jennifer Love Hewitt: Oh my gosh, I’m trying to think… Okay, this is really silly, but when I was doing Sister Act 2, I got invited to Whoopi Goldberg’s house for a swim party. This is so embarrassing — I’ve never told this story, but it’s perfect for this.

So, I got invited, and my mom was like, “You know, you’re going with the cast and everything, so you’ve got to bring something.” We picked up Pizza Hut pizzas because it was the ’90s, and that was very popular. I also brought my own little towel, which really shows the time period — it was a Spuds MacKenzie towel. If you’re young, you might not know what that is, but if you’re older like me, you know who Spuds MacKenzie is.

Anyway, I showed up at the house, and there were the nicest, softest towels ever, plus towel warmers. There was even a chef making food for everybody! I was mortified. I was like, “Mom! I cannot walk in with this Pizza Hut pizza. This is so embarrassing!” But my mom was like, “You will walk in there because you are not showing up empty-handed. Whoopi’s going to get it!”

So I walked in there with my little towel, my jelly flip-flops, and the Pizza Hut pizzas… and guess what everyone ate first?

The pizza! Pizza Hut! BOOM! That’s right.

At first, I was horrified, but years later, I went on The View, and I saw Whoopi. She remembered it! She was like, “Do you remember when you brought Pizza Hut pizza to my pool?” I was like, “Oh my god.” She said, “I loved you so much for that because I knew you were raised by a good mom.” I was like, “Aww.” So embarrassing!

On the other side of the coin, what was your biggest pinch-me moment in your career — something where you were like, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this is happening?”

Jennifer Love Hewitt: I mean, this year has been pretty “pinch me.” I have a book and a movie coming out in the same week. I also have a Christmas song, which I’ve always wanted to do. It’s really special because it’s almost like a tribute to my family and my mom. So yeah, I would say this entire year has been a huge pinch-me moment.

What kind of advice do you share with young actors and actresses trying to make it in the entertainment industry?

Jennifer Love Hewitt: I would say, as much as you can, try to hear one voice — and let that voice be yours. Let it be your inner voice that guides you to who you are and who you want to be. Make sure you stay authentically yourself as much as possible.

Also, show up on time, know your lines, and always have gratitude.

You have a ton of interesting and exciting projects coming up. Just tell us about them and why you’re excited about each one.

Jennifer Love Hewitt: I have this awesome partnership right now with Ferrero Rocher — we’re both magic makers for the holidays. We’ll be spreading a lot of golden touch magic this season.

I also have a book coming out called Inheriting Magic, which is a dedication to my mom and my own little magical family. It comes out on December 10th. That same week, I have a magical Christmas movie called The Holiday Junkie, which is inspired by my love for my mom and my brand, The Holiday Junkie. It airs December 14th.

At the moment, I have a Christmas song called Christmas Magic, which is streaming now, and people seem to be loving it so far. I’m also working with Michael’s on some projects related to The Holiday Junkie brand. I have a card line I do with a great company called 2021Co and The Holiday Junkie. I’m also launching a small clothing capsule collection at the end of next week with Judith March. That’s why I have no voice.

Tell us about working with Ferrero

Jennifer Love Hewitt: Yeah, I was really honored when Ferrero asked me to partner with them. I’m in sort of my “magical era” this year, especially with the movie, book, song, and just being a total holiday junkie. It felt like such a natural synergy because Ferrero adds a magical touch to any holiday party, gift-giving moment, or holiday table. It just felt like an easy, authentic, and really exciting thing to be a part of.

We had such a great time shooting the ads. The set was so gorgeous — I honestly wanted to live there!

As a mom and someone who loves the holidays, what excites me most is how approachable Ferrero Rocher is. It’s not something you have to order and wait for or worry about shipping or tracking — it’s literally right at your local grocery store. You can grab it in five seconds if you forgot someone on your list or need a last-minute addition for your holiday table. It’s easy access to a bit of magic and a golden touch, and I just love that.

What are your favorite self-care routines, practices, or treatments? Anything that helps you be your best every single day?

Jennifer Love Hewitt: To be honest, I could do better with self-care. I haven’t had much of it lately because I’ve been so focused on creating these other projects. But for me, self-care is still being creative.

Yesterday, when I wasn’t feeling well at all, I spent about two hours making hostess gift packages and little gift bags for people who will be stopping by this season. It was my way of putting love and magic out there, but it also gave me some downtime and helped shut my brain off a little.

I love doing anything crafty like that. I also do a lot of creative projects with my kids — we’re really into working with clay right now. When I showed Chrissy Teigen earlier, that was part of our clay obsession. So, yeah, anything creative is definitely my happy place.

Is there a quote or mantra that you like to live by or remind yourself of daily?

Jennifer Love Hewitt: Yes, I have a new one: Let in, let go, let be.

It means let in all the magic and the good, and really feel it. Let go of the things you can’t control or change. And let be all the goodness that already exists.

I use that a lot throughout my day. I’ll tap my heart and my head and just remind myself: Let in, let go, let be. It’s very grounding for me.

Is there a person in the world, dead or alive, that you would love to have a meal with? Who would it be and why?

Jennifer Love Hewitt: My mom.

I would love for her to meet my kids, even just once. I know she sees them in some way, but meeting them would be extraordinary. I think she’d see so much of herself in them, and she would just love it.

I actually just heard about this beautiful tradition that I’m going to start this year — I’d never heard of it before. It’s a grief Christmas tradition where you leave an empty chair at your holiday table, at any party or gathering. It’s like saying to the universe that there’s space for them if they want to come and visit.

So, I’m going to do that this year. We’ll always have one empty chair in case she wants to pop in and be a part of the celebration.

This was so informative, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

Source: Medium