Sarah Chalke
WEST COST HOME GIRL
An idyllic childhood spent playing make-believe and skiing helped steer Sarah Chalke’s career south to Hollywood.
by Bonnie Siegler photography by Elisabeth Caren assisted by Liz bretz and Dan Eldridge styling by Jeff Kim of Margaret Maldonado Agency makeup by Lisa Ashley hair by Gregory Russell of The Wall Group.
Just because you leave home when you grow up, it doesn’t mean you leave all your fond memories behind as well. Hollywood actress Sarah Chalke—born in Ottawa, Ontario and raised in Vancouver, B.C.—is a case in point. Since her family still live in Vancouver and fiancé Jamie Afifi’s family are in Winnipeg, Chalke visits Canada quite often with her three-year-old son, Charlie.
Best known for her role as Becky Connor in Roseanne, and more recently as Dr. Elliot Reid in the comedy series Scrubs, 36-year-old Chalke recalls an idyllic childhood full of games and make-believe.
“When I was six years old, my sister and I liked dressing up and putting on plays,” she says, “and they were long ones, too. We’d go into my mother’s jewellery box, put on her necklaces and other beautiful jewellery, or go into my Dad’s closet and put on his suits and prescription glasses. Then I couldn’t see through the whole play because I would be wearing his glasses.” She laughs, as she does frequently during our conversation. “Maybe that’s why I’m an actress today. I liked dress-up and make-believe.”
Ski bum Before getting her big break as Becky, Chalke appeared in local musical productions and even taught skiing for a few years at a ski centre. “If I have one regret in life, it’s that I didn’t move to Whistler and be a ski bum. Okay, two regrets,” she says. Her other do-over in life would be to take things less seriously then she did as a young girl. “I had a school project on Sri Lanka, so I cut out each and every page for the project in the shape of an elephant. I mean, who does that at 10 years old?” Now starring as the lead role in another sitcom–How To Live With Your Parents For The Rest of Your Life—Chalke is learning how to juggle work with being mom to Charlie. “Everyone understands me having to say ‘no’ to things because I have Charlie now. You have to be home with your kid; I don’t want to have chunks of his life that I miss. I feel really lucky that I have the option of taking him to work with me sometimes.”
Motherhood incomparable Making Charlie her biggest priority is even more important since he was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease. “This disease can damage the heart if not treated quickly,” Chalke explains. “I never wanted to go public with my son’s condition, and this is the first time I’m speaking about it, because I want to help other parents. This is an intense period in my life, though nothing compares to being a mom.” There’s more to this 5’9” stiletto-loving actress than meets the eye. She is an outspoken fundraiser for the Kawasaki Foundation and a supporter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, due to a friend’s struggle with the disease, plus an aunt and succumbing to melanoma and her grandmother succumbing to colon cance.
Sunglass es and hat “Melanoma has a genetic link, so I’m careful in the sun; I wear a hat, sunglasses and a lot of sunscreen, and I have Charlie slathered in it too. I’ve had moles removed, so it’s a huge awareness for me,” says Chalke. Eating the right foods is also a keen interest for the former vegetarian who now includes fish—especially salmon— in her diet. This love goes back to her childhood days in Canada; the actress loved to eat apples, vegetables or homemade meatless stews. “We used to have this guy in our neighbourhood—oh gosh, at least 25 years ago—who started an organic food delivery truck,” she recalls. “My sister and I would run out and get apples, since I’ve always been a huge apple fan, or these yummy dried mangos. And we’d also get a big assortment of vegetables and make a veggie stew that we’d have for a few days.”
Up on skis It’s all those poignant memories, and not the red carpet events, that Chalke hopes will teach Charlie about what’s important in life. “Skiing has definitely fallen to the side since becoming a mom and working on the new show,” she says. “We took Charlie up on skis for the first time last winter, and he skied between my feet for one run.” No matter what Chalke’s form of movement, she keeps her energy up through a busy day by doing some form of exercise.
Endorphin rush “I don’t like doing the same thing every day because I get way too bored. I love yoga, which is a longer workout commitment, and I’ll do power yoga at least once a week,” Chalke says. Combine that with workout classes, a jog, hike or Pilates, and Chalke’s vigour is regularly restored. “I find the endorphin rush in exercise a great feeling. When I leave a boot camp class, I am on a real energy high.” On the other side, after a 14-hour workday juggling acting and childcare, Chalke either retreats to a hot bath filled with lavender oils or to an acupuncture session. “I started a long time ago with acupuncture, and try to get it done once a week,” she says. “It’s just magical because it brings my stress levels down and helps with my sleep. I find when I have too much going on in my head, I get insomnia.”
Chamomile cure Every night before reading a story to Charlie, Chalke will enjoy a cup of chamomile tea. “That was my grandmother’s cure-all. When we were growing up, if you had an ear infection—hot chamomile tea compress. If you weren’t feeling well, or even if you were feeling well, you’d have hot chamomile tea… So it’s become a bedtime ritual for me now.” With a cute yet sexy look, a warm smile and beautiful, bright eyes, Chalke is the girl who’d pass the “mom and dad” test if you took her home. Still, she’s no pushover, taking stands on everything from supporting same-sex marriage to being an ambassador for the Audrey Hepburn Children’s Foundation. “I can so relate to my current character,” says Chalke on the uptight single mom trying to balance life’s struggles. “However, I have many happy, serene days.” In three simple words, she describes one of those days. “Laughter, food, outdoors…I love being outside. It adds something to the balance of life.”
What is Kawaksaki Disease? “I actually diagnosed Charlie myself by going to the Kawasaki Foundation website,” says Sarah Chalke. “It’s so often misdiagnosed, and I had taken him several times to doctors until I had to strongly request a specialist referral.” Chalke’s message to moms is to recognize these symptoms: 1. Fever lasting more than five days 2. Rash 3. Red, bloodshot eyes 4. Red, cracked and swollen lips 5. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck 6. Swollen hands and feet and redness of the palms and soles of the feet. Here’s how the Kawasaki Disease website defines it: “Kawasaki Disease is a serious illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body that primarily affects young children and infants. Kawasaki Disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children…Timely diagnosis and treatment (which usually includes intravenous gamma globulin) is highly effective in preventing coronary complications.”
