Meet Dena Tyler from Bestsellers

With Susan Miller’s latest series, Bestsellers, about to premiere January 31st, we thought we’d introduce the new faces you’ll see! First, meet Actors Studio member, Dena Tyler, who plays one of the many strong women in this new dramedy. DCTV Creative Director Daryn Strauss asked Dena to tell us more about her character, her favorite books, the challenges for women in the workplace, and neuroscience. Yes, neuroscience.

DARYN: What character do you play on Bestsellers?

DENA TYLER: I play Jules. She’s an extremely independent Jill of all trades. Her current passion includes counseling U.S. Veterans, helping them to adapt back into family life after several terms in Iraq.

DARYN: Bestsellers revolves around a ladies book club. The cast, writer, director, and producer were all women! Did you ladies bond while working on the show?

DENA TYLER: Absolutely! It was a super creative, fun atmosphere. It was great because we’d shoot these terrifically scripted discussions in the book club scenes about the challenges we face as women in the work place and socially. Tina Cesa Ward, the director, would say “Cut,” and the conversation would just continue! We shared so many intimate things with each other in the few weeks we were together. We discussed everything from relationships, to adoption, to facing a terminal illness. It was really powerful and enriching in so many ways.

DARYN: Have you ever been in a book club? And if you were in one, what book would you recommend?

DENA TYLER: I have never been in a formal book club. I have a few dear friends that I love to talk and share books with. The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and The Reader by Bernhard Schlink are two of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer are two of the most clever, touching books. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is my favorite love story. William Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling are my literary gods. More obscure writer’s voices that I love come from Anne Lamott, Renee Manfredi, and Ethan Canin. My interests are extremely diverse but I’m really picky, which would make me either the best or worst book club mate!

DARYN: Having worked with women directors and male directors, do you feel there is a difference in their approach?

DENA TYLER: Every director I have worked with has approached the work differently. It doesn’t seem to be gender specific as much as it is an individual preference. Some directors use rehearsals to set up the shots. Some want to rehearse for several weeks before shooting. Some shoot the rehearsal. Being a member of The Actors Studio, I have been blessed to work with what I call “an Actor’s Director.” Arthur Penn is the best example. I’ve also worked with foreign directors who, like Arthur, love to improvise the scenes and then move to the script and shoot after several rehearsals. Unfortunately, money and time doesn’t often allow for a long artistic process, especially in the medium of film & TV.

DARYN: Can you relate to your character’s plight in her career and life?

DENA TYLER: It’s funny because in the early drafts, Jules was a bereaved widow, which was fun to work with during the preliminary audition and callback – especially since I made a habit of being a widow on different seasons of Law & Order! Then at the first read thru we were given new scripts. I’m reading along with the rest of the cast and suddenly I’m telling them about my nasty divorce. I looked across the table at Susan Miller, the writer, and said, “He’s not dead? Now I just…WANT him dead??” So, Jules’s struggle is tied up in these wounds caused by this destructed relationship, which EVERYONE can relate to. Jules has really done a fantastic job reinventing herself professionally, but still harbors a fear of intimacy. I love both her strengths and weaknesses.

DARYN: Do you feel like it gets easier or harder for a woman to balance career and life?

DENA TYLER: I think it’s always a challenge for women. My sister, whom I admire and love more than almost anyone in the world, is a stay-at-home mom of three girls. We couldn’t have different lives or responsibilities. I am amazed by the obstacles she battles every day. I remember my Mother’s daily life. She stayed at home to raise us on a very modest income. I look at friends who are artists and have children and to friends with high powered executive jobs and children. Their stories are all similar. These women all face huge challenges, and ironically they all look at my life and say, “Wow! You’re an actress in New York City. How cool! I wish I had done that!” They’re in awe of my singledom. My babyless existence! And yet, I constantly battle to get acting work, to justify my choices, and to be treated equally and fairly. Everyone’s journey is different but I think all women echo the same hardships.

DARYN: Acting isn’t an easy career for a woman. What’s your advice to women who choose acting as a career?

DENA TYLER: There are so many amazing, vibrant, beautiful women that weren’t fully recognized for their talent until they were in their late 30’s/early 40’s like Edie Falco, Julianne Moore, Felicity Huffman, Kathy Bates, Megan Mullally. I’m missing several names here! Not to mention all the women over 40 currently featured in television series on every network. Right now on the West End of London, Carol Cane (59), and Ellen Burstyn (77) are on stage. Estelle Parsons (83) just got back and is about to go up in a play at MTC. Before that she was on Broadway in a 3-hour–and-twenty-minute play in which she went up and down 352 steps every performance. She did this for 6 months and then toured with the show for a year before going to London. This certainly bodes well for us ladies! We can all have long illustrious careers. Be true to yourself and your passions, stay positive and happy and you can have the career you want. Oh yeah, and yoga isn’t a bad idea either. Ms. Parsons has been practicing everyday for over 30 years!

DARYN: When did you start acting? Did you always know you wanted to act?

DENA TYLER: I started acting in grade school and in the drama program in High School. I was a Neuroscience major in college and wanted to be surgeon. I was still infected with the theatre bug and I thought doing costume and set design would be a good alternative to actually being on stage. Well, much to my parent’s dismay, the “surgeon thing” didn’t work out like they’d hoped. But, I did play a recurring role as a doctor on the last season of As the World Turns. I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV!

DARYN: Susan Miller’s words are so authentic and act-able. She comes from theater. You also have a theater background. Did you gals have time to rehearse?

DENA TYLER: I really love Susan’s writing. Being able to work on a piece that’s for women, about women and so thoughtful and well written was such a unique and blessed experience for me. It was exactly the kind of project I was looking to be a part of. We did get to rehearse and Susan was the BEST cheerleader on set but I’m still longing to work with her on a project that would allow for more rehearsal time and collaboration. That would be divine!

DARYN: What can we expect for your characters in the show? Will there be feuds, romance, men?

DENA TYLER: There is a little fun to be had for Jules, I believe! Stay tuned to see if it’s between the sheets!!

DARYN: What else can online fans see you in?

DENA TYLER: Oh boy! There’s some wacky, old footage out there. The first web series I did was a War of the Worlds-type, apocalyptic show. We shot 6 episodes and they’re on YouTube. It’s shot from the perspective of surveillance cameras and I play an uber IT specialist, PhD. It was shot in 2006. [Watch it HERE.] There’s a live interview I gave for my friend and fantastic host of The Sissy Gamache Show. [Watch it HERE.] Plus I have some random Law & Order scenes on YouTube. [Watch them below].

DARYN: How active online are you and how can fans follow you?
DENA TYLER: I’m pretty pimped out on the internet! My website is: www.DenaTyler.com. My twitter account is: http://twitter.com/denatyler, and I’m also in the book of faces!