For 37 years he has been the patriarch of one of the best-known families on television, protagonist of a soap, «Beautiful», so long-lived that it became a sort of parallel life, a conscious Truman Show. Yet, off the set, life for John McCook it was decidedly different than his Eric Forrester. If for the powerful stylist, Ridge’s father, the most urgent problem was often understanding who he was in love with, for the actor, who he will turn 80 in Juneeverything turned out to be much more complex and painful. Son of him, Jake, 43, suffers from schizophrenia. A disease that is still little investigated but absolutely disabling, diagnosed years late, experienced by him and his entire family as hell in which every day, between depression, addictions and paranoia, it is different from the other. Every minute, in fact. McCook had never mentioned it. But now his son, together with his wife Laurette, he published a book, «The Cliffs of Schizophrenia: A Mother and Son Perspective» (available on Amazon), in which she traces her ordeal. A way to help others, which the actor, known throughout the world (“Beautiful” is seen every day by over 35 million people), now wants to support.
Why isn’t his point of view, that of a father, included in the book?
«From the beginning this was Jake and his mother’s project and I respected that: it was something they wanted to do together. When they explained to me what they wanted to do I said: good, I’m proud of it. But their project remains. Now I can only help to make it known, even if the two of them are a force, they certainly don’t need me.”
How did you experience your son’s illness? What did he represent for you?
«I think it’s interesting to analyze it, to consider the point of view of a father who has a son who suffers from schizophrenia. Some time had to pass before I really understood what it was about, I admit. A father, many times, does not immediately understand how things are. Rather, when faced with certain behaviors of my son, I began to say: why are you doing this? Why do you do that? Act like this, what’s wrong with you. In short, a father must be educated to be able to learn that many of the things he sees are symptoms. Or, at least, that happened to me. At first he reacts inappropriately, he gets angry, even with his own son. I don’t know if I would have done the same with my daughter, I asked myself and I don’t know. But with my son yes, I had this very primitive reaction at the beginning.”
And then?
«I had to learn how to behave, understand how to relate to something completely new, never taken into account. And I finally did, thank God. I’m not mad at Jake anymore, I’m not at all. But at first it was difficult for me to understand everything. I had to build my understanding, which is why I think it would be right to be supported by support groups, by someone who teaches you, simply, what an illness like this means.”
Why, after so many years, have you only now decided to talk about it?
«It came naturally to do it once the book came out, to accompany it. It is important to lift the veil and keep an open discussion on certain topics, also to make other people who are going through all this feel less alone. And this is why this book is so important (just as Jake’s social profile is also important, which on Instagram is called artbyjakemc). But writing it was the fundamental element.”
He has been playing the same role for almost 40 years, a sort of alter ego. What was it like dealing with Eric Forrester’s problems when in reality, in her real life, these were what she was going through?
«Dealing with Eric Forrester’s problems is fun for me, it’s my job, I act, it satisfies me. But coming home was always a different thing, even though I was dealing with these problems there. My wife, my children, they are all loving people, that’s why for me my home remains the place where I feel best, happiest overall. With everything that happens there, whether difficult or beautiful, it always remains my home and I am always happy to be there.”
«Beautiful» often addressed social problems. Could it be an idea to also talk about an illness like that of her son in a soap?
«It would be a wonderful idea and a great challenge at the same time. Representing the difficulties of those with mental problems in a correct way in the cinema or on television would be very useful, but for now it is always done only through clichés and stereotyped points of view. The stigma remains about schizophrenia: it is always described as something scary, violent… which sometimes it is, but only sometimes. This is part of the spectrum of this disease. This is why a different narrative would have an important educational value.”
Many people think they know her because of her role. Now she has chosen to share this aspect of her life too and, suddenly, it is as if she has become more three-dimensional. Do you notice it?
«I feel the affection of people. People are used to seeing you for a few minutes a day, or in two hours of films, thinking they know who you are, obviously that’s not the case. Consequently, when we learn about some aspects of the private lives of actors or singers, there are those who are surprised, sometimes even upset. This is why it’s usually good to keep your life private. We now, as a family, have decided to tell our story to the world because we wanted to make a difference, to help others. This is who I am, I am my family, not my image.”
Did you ever tell your colleagues what you were experiencing?
«We all know each other but we don’t know everything about everyone. I shared some things with some, like Thorsten Kaye (who is Ridge in the soap), who is a dear friend of mine. But I only see him at work, he doesn’t even live in Los Angeles. And I did it with Katherine Kelly Lang too… but we all have lives that go beyond “Beautiful” beyond the one we share on set. In cases like these, when you have worked together for a long time, you usually say that work is like a family. And that’s true, but the word “how” makes the difference. My family is there and it’s different. On set we love each other, but it’s a different thing.”
He has been married to Laurette since 1980.
«Meeting her is the best thing that has ever happened in my life, ever and forever. It’s exceptional, a reference for me and for all of us. So strong and courageous but also extraordinarily loving. I’m lucky”.
What makes you most proud of your son?
«I am proud of the fact that he first wanted and then was able to write this book. In general I am proud when he has a good day, when he is sweet and affectionate with other people. He is never a brawler, a conflicted person. He isn’t even on the days that are not good, when he feels insecure, overwhelmed and his feelings are sad. He remains calm, he is never aggressive, he doesn’t want to argue. He makes me proud as he is trying to handle what happened to him, his thoughts and his feelings, as a grown man. He’s doing it very well and I’m very proud of him.”
What do you hope for the future?
«My wife, my son and I must look to the future. We must do it for ourselves and for him. for this reason the hope is that he is increasingly independent and we hope that he succeeds in this objective, for him and for us”.
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