When the new season of Great American Family Channel’s “County Rescue” debuts on Feb. 23, co-star Tanya Christiansen knows exactly where she’ll be.
“Get the popcorn out; it’s a whole family affair,” the actress and host told The Epoch Times in a recent interview about her plans to watch the show’s second season debut with her husband and two kids.
“It’s such a sweet little series, and I’m glad that everyone’s seeing it. It’s refreshing that we finally have something that you can watch with a 2-year-old and then your grandmother.”
Christiansen, 54, who plays Lisa Miller, the mother of county rescue paramedic Dani (played by actress Julia Reilly) in the series, said her character turns “a little softer” this season.
“She’s tough on her daughter, very tough,” said Christiansen, who off-screen has a daughter Morgan, 22, and son Colton, 18.
Where It All Began
Her character’s evolution is definitely more in line with Christiansen’s reality. “I can be [tough] when I need to be, but not really,” she laughed.
“I’m just kind of—go with the flow. I take my job seriously, as far as being on time and being prepared, but I don’t take myself very seriously.”
While Christiansen, who was born in Hot Springs, Virginia, and at age 11 moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, said she enthusiastically embraces the “life’s short, don’t take it too serious” motto, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t put in the formidable effort it takes to build a career without sacrificing quality family time. It’s all about “the pivot,” she emphasized.
Growing up, Christiansen participated in community and church productions. She then went on to study retail sciences at the University of Tennessee and landed a job as a home shopping host in the early days of that budding industry.
“When I graduated college, back then, we found jobs in the newspaper,” Christiansen said.
“And there was the smallest ad you’ve ever seen that said, ‘On-air talent wanted’. And I thought, ‘Okay, this could be really bad. And if it is, I’ll hang up‘—it was before caller ID—’or this could be really good.' It was for a shopping network—one of the original owners of QVC sold all of his shares, and he opened his own network, and I auditioned to sell a No. 2 pencil, and I got the job.”
Work-Life Balance
Today, home shopping hosting remains a steady part of Christiansen’s work-life balance—including a gig as former Charlie’s Angels Jacyln Smith’s back-up on HSN.“It’s come full circle, but it’s so enjoyable,” she said about her hosting duties. ”I’ve been on HSN for 10 years, and I started with [Smith’s] brand. It'll be two years, I believe, in June.”
Ironically, it was during her stay-at-home mom years that Christiansen’s daughter Morgan got her own acting bug—without ever having known of her own mom’s early dreams.
“My daughter was right around seven,” Christiansen said. “She was into Hannah Montana, and she said, ‘Mom, I need a headshot, and I need an agent,’ and I said, ‘Really?’ She actually said, ‘I’m gonna be an actress when I grow up, so I need to get some practice.’ And so that’s kind of how she started." Today, Morgan’s credits include TV and theatrical releases, just like her mom.
Christiansen—who says she is guided by her mom’s “amazing work ethic” and ability to “keep a positive light”—wants Morgan and Colton to decide their particular journey.
“I’ve always said, ‘It’s your life, do what you want to do.’ When my daughter is thinking about acting, I’m like, If that’s something you want, I encourage it. But I’m not the type of parent that pushes anything on my kids. I try to find their interests and really encourage them.”
When Christiansen is not doing what she described as the most challenging part of her acting career—“the juggle” of filming in different cities away from home, she relishes her Florida home life.
“My backyard is my little sanctuary,” Christiansen said with delight. “I have a butterfly garden where I raise Monarchs now, and I’ve released over a thousand.”
In the years that her children have grown, Christiansen’s resume has also grown—with projects like A Little Women’s Christmas, The Mulligan, and I Still Believe. Along the way, she’s had the opportunity to work with some wonderful co-stars, including the legendary Pat Boone, whom she calls a lifelong friend.
“I got exactly what I wanted,” Christiansen says. “I don’t believe in coincidences by any means. Sometimes I wonder why things happen, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
