‘We’re Knot Done Yet!’ Donna Mills, Michele Lee and Joan Van Ark Spill Secrets and Talk Reboot (EXCLUSIVE)
In this revealing Q&A, the ladies dish on fashion, friendship and Larry Hagman!
Memories are a powerful connection and Donna Mills, Michele Lee and Joan Van Ark are a shining example of how history can forever bond you. Fans may recognize them as the leading ladies from the primetime series, Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas, which ran from 1979-1993 on CBS.
During its 14-season run, each 60-minute episode was filled with murder, suspense, kidnapping, marital affairs, break-ups, addiction, hostile business take-overs and other on-screen scandals fans couldn’t get enough of. Today—thanks to the popularity of streaming television—all 344 episodes of Knots Landing are airing on Prime Video and Flex.
For the die-hard fans who want even more, Mills, Van Ark and Lee are hosting a new Podcast called, We’re Knot Done Yet, which you can listen to on Apple Podcasts, Podbean and Spotify.
Together they discuss everything about the show, their lives and if a reboot is in the cards. In this exclusive interview for Woman’s World these Hollywood divas couldn’t hide their enthusiasm for this and another big project they are taking part in this summer. Read on for their intimate and intriguing Q&A.
Woman’s World: How did this podcast come to fruition?
Donna Mills (who played Abby Ewing/Fairgate): Because of Scott Sternberg, a veteran reality TV producer. He liked a video we made a few years ago and recently came to us to say how big Podcasts were and would we be interested in doing one. We went, well, yes! (laughs).
Michele Lee (who played Karen MacKenzie): Knots Landing began streaming on Amazon a resurgence was born. Not only did the original fans start re-watching the series, but a whole new following—people who weren’t even born when Knots Landing aired—began watching the show. We became popular again!
Joan Van Ark (who played Valene Ewing): I think another draw is the comments and compliments people make when they are watching the program. Reading what people write gets others excited to see it too, and then they keep asking for more and that’s what we want to give them.
WW: Does working together on this Podcast seem like old times?
Joan Van Ark: Not only have we been working together for years but we are pals…no sisters! We have been together for many celebrations, shows and other great milestones.
Donna Mills: In the past we have participated in An Evening With where we sit in front of an audience with a narrator and talk about the show, our lives and attend a meet & greet. We have done a number of those things together. They are a lot of fun, and we always have a good time doing it.
Michele Lee: I am often asked if it’s different now because we are such good friends. The truth is we got closer after Knots Landing ended. There was a kinship, and we found sisterhood and became really good friends.
Joan Van Ark: Knots Landing keeps us together and will forever bond us. We became a family because of Knots Landing and when we were doing that show, the cast was a family. That tone was set early on. Donna is great about keeping in touch with people such as William Devane (Greg Sumner). We love doing the conversation forum event together because you can really hear from the audience, and it always feels great when folks share how much enjoyment they get from watching Knots Landing.
Michele Lee: I love the family we started there and how it continues today.
WW: Is it nostalgic to relive your Knots Landing days?
Donna Mills: It is nice to relive things that happened along the way and not many people get to have that length of friendship.
Joan Van Ark: Yes we have gone through so many things together such as Donna’s daughter Chloe having a baby and now getting married. We are so happy Donna has recently become a grandmother.
Donna Mills: I am so happy to become a grandmother, and I have lots of pictures.
Michele Lee: Have you seen Donna lately? Donna is still gorgeous and puts the “luster” into the term, “grandmother.”
Donna Mills: We have been through a lot together in the 40-plus years we have known each other.
WW: Was there a Knots Landing storyline that shocked you?
Joan Van Ark: Yes, Val’s twins being taken away from her (laughs). Give me back my babies (laughs).
WW: Donna, your character Abby was like the female version of JR and Knots Landing was a spinoff of Dallas. What was your reaction to being labeled a woman primetime villain and did people think you were a lot like your TV persona?
Donna Mills: I think people did because when I would go out, I would see women pulling their husbands closer to them (laughs). I got labeled as a husband-stealer, which was fun. I love that you said it because other people thought that I was villain-like and that is exactly how I created that character and why I wanted to play her.
I wanted women to have the same kind of power as men had, and Abby was the kind of character that could do it. To the writer’s credit, they always kept her smart, ambitious, and interesting. I think Abby was an important role model for women.
WW: Michele, your TV marriage to Mac (Kevin Dobson) was always bliss. Did you have a lot of people come up to you for marriage advice?
Michele Lee: People saw Karen as a good girlfriend because Karen was the type of person who could be your friend. They also love that Karen was a good mother and a family person. I’ll tell you a secret, we used to get fan mail saying if Mac ever
strays or cheats on Karen, they will never watch Knots Landing again.
WW: Joan, your character Val, had quite a few ups and downs emotionally. What was it like to bring mental health into the spotlight and at a time when these things were not talked about, especially on TV?
Joan Van Ark: We had the good fortune of being able to go to Dan Jacobs’ (Knots Landing, creator) office and tell him what we liked, didn’t like and were not comfortable with. The freedom we had was incredible. The one thing I did not like about the character was what Val wore. I had to dress in a lot of bathrobes and mom-things. Donna got to wear all the glamorous things and Val also never got a “Mother of the Year” Award.
WW: Reboots are all the rage. Is there any talk of bringing Knots Landing back?
Michele Lee: I would love to do that.
Donna Mills: I think Knots Landing is a valuable asset, and we should reboot it. That would be a very good idea. I think when it came onto Amazon, executives were astounded at how well it did. I would like to see what happened to these characters. Did they keep their same traits? Are they still living in the cul-de-sac? I think it could be innovative and create a lot of compelling stories to share regarding their life journeys.
Joan Van Ark: Unfortunately, Kevin Dobson passed away, so for Michelle’s character, if we did a reboot, I would like to see her re-enter the dating world. Val should be running a company (laughs), and do you guys think Abby should be homeless (laughs) and flip the character a bit? Maybe changing things up would also intrigue the audience.
WW: Why do you think Knots Landing was a massive hit and do you think it rode on the coattails of Dallas?
Michele Lee: It was a lot about real things. It wasn’t just trying to undo someone’s marriage or make more money. When Knots debuted, it was about life and learning about these people’s lives. When Abby came onto the series, her character brought a different dynamic and showed how people can be three-dimensional. Our characters were people you know, and our audience saw themselves in these characters.
WW: I want you to dish and tell me about some cool secrets from the set?
Donna Mills: They always want to know what the love scenes were like, and I will tell you they are well-choreographed. You do have clothing on, sorry, no nudity, and there’s a decency monitor on the set. Here’s another secret: it’s someone’s job to watch for potential issues. To tell the truth, it isn’t sexy at all. Sometimes it’s fun and hopefully you are paired with someone with whom you are comfortable. Nowadays, they do a lot more, the scenes are riskier and look a lot more real than when we did them.
WW: Name drop your favorite guest stars?
Joan Van Ark: Julie Harris, who just played my mother. I once interviewed her for The Rocky Mountain News when my dad was a journalist there, so having that full circle come was amazing.
Michele Lee: Alec Baldwin, who played Joan’s TV brother, Halle Berry, Ava Gardner, Howard Duff and Karen Allen.
WW: There was also a Knots Landing/Dallas crossover. Donna, that must have been extra special for you?
Donna Mills: Yes, it was so nice because I loved Larry Hagman. He and I worked together years before on a TV show called The Good Life, where we played husband and wife. He was so wonderful to me.
I got that role when I first got here, and I did not know a soul. I was lost and very green. He and his wife, Maj, took me under their wing. They took really good care of me, and I am forever grateful for that. To see him almost every day on the set, because our sets were on the same lot, was just amazing.
WW: I have interviewed people who, like you, worked with Larry Hagman. Everyone said he was the opposite of JR Ewing and a gem. Do you agree?
Donna Mills: For a man who played TV’s most vicious villain, underneath all that, he was the kindest, most gentle, caring and giving individual you could ever meet. Many people never got to see that side of him because his on-screen character was so popular, and fans loved JR.
Joan Van Ark: JR was the devil (laughs), but in real life, Larry was the complete opposite and the best person in the business. I think that is the deliciousness of what he created. When you are a goody-two-shoes in life, like Larry was, you can tap into the yin/yang and create one of television’s most memorable characters.
WW: Any plans to bring on any of your former co-stars to the podcast?
Michele Lee: I would like to. At the top of our list should be Ted Shackelford (Gary Ewing), Bill Devane and Constance McCashin (Laura Avery Sumner). It would be great to have the core and interesting characters of the series join us. Plus, we should have Dallas too, because as you said, there was a crossover. I vote for Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing) and Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing) because she was Gary’s daughter.
WW: Let’s talk about the fashion, the big hair and the make-up on Knots Landing?
Donna Mills: I recently wore many things that I wore back then. I am not kidding! They were classic and Abby’s wardrobe was filled with great things. Some of my costumes or outfits have been part of two different displays at The Hollywood Museum. That was fun to take part in.
Joan Van Ark: I think Val’s wardrobe came from K-mart or Walmart (laughs).
WW: Did you take anything from the set that you still have in your home?
Donna Mills: I took the name plate from my desk, and it’s sitting on a shelf in my library.
WW: You ladies are teaming up with the stars of Dallas at the annual Southfork Experience beginning on August 8th and running until August 10th. Tell me what can fans expect?
Michele Lee: The Dallas crew will be there and yes, it is exciting. On August 9th, the three of us will be part of a Q&A to share our experiences, meet the fans and participate in many activities.
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