She may be best known for creating the role of Caddy Heron in Broadway’s Mean Girls, but actress Erica Henningsen is about to make May a major. Starring alongside Tina Faye, Steve Carell, Will Forte and Colman Domingo, starting today Henningsen can be seen highly anticipated for the four seasons of Netflix. The series is Alan Alda’s 1981 romantic comedy adaptation of the same name, coming from the team behind shows such as 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Girls5eva.
We recently caught up with multi-hyphenates on the zoom. She shared a detailed critique of Cleanser, who worked in a “dust-like” Broadway basement.
Four Seasons is a big thing on the agenda. How do you feel about that? Are you excited to see the fans?
Oh, I’m very excited. The cast is pretty stellar and has Colman Domingo, so I think people are most excited to see this ensemble. Tina, we consider her a Liz Lemon icon, but she’s stripped off her truly beautiful, dramatic work. We look forward to seeing fans see Steve Carell on the other side of the icon! That’s a big thing! I think the show is packed with beautiful performances. It hopes you devour it in a second when you sit down.
We’re all looking forward to the stream. I hope I don’t talk for everyone, but my life revolves around the release of Netflix on Friday nights.
Ah, my goodness, that was my life. Post a show, that’s the time to fall into my wind. That’s… I watched an episode of something and I’m in. I’m actually looking at your friends and neighbors. “Oh, oh my goodness, my hair from the Four Seasons was Olivia Mann’s. I feel like I’m rooting for a friend.
I saw it last night. I’ve been keeping up all, and yes, Olivia’s hair is perfect. There’s a “side gig” on Broadway and it’s obviously pretty busy. How do you find time for yourself? Do you have time to relax in the post-theater?
I really need to schedule it. I feel that the big thing for me is learning to remove things from my plate by saying “yes” to lesser… I’m not good at it, but I’m getting better. During the mean girl, I really put myself down through the ringer. I said yes to everything. I was young and had the energy, but I just… I don’t know… I was enthusiastic. I was an avid beaver. Now I feel like I’m learning to put some limits on my time.
On opening day I forced myself to be really late. I literally say, “I’m not in a hurry to get a gift for each and every one. I have time to do that. I’ll write a thank you note.” I went and myself had planned a facial, but I haven’t done it in two years. It was really good to give myself that time. Obviously it looked great on your skin, but lying down and given someone this relaxing experience, it was a truly wonderful treat for yourself.
Good for you. That was my next question. Are there any wellness places, spas, studios, or salons you really like in New York?
yes. I swear to this Tracie Martyn Facial. I love it. I got it on the day I opened the mean girl, so it’s special to me. I decided to keep up with that tradition and got it on the day it was opened just in time. It’s not invasive. My skin is quite sensitive. I swear to Chiro too. I’m not usually interested in such things, but if there’s a strange twist in the neck that often happens on Broadway, I have to go. Because you’ve done the same thing over and over again.
My wonderful acupuncture rocist, her name is Sabbath Maclean. She uses something called Silver Spring Wellness. She feels like Broadway’s best secret. Every time you go, you run into someone in the waiting room where you are planning to get treatment. She really helped me through a sneaky girl because my body wasn’t just pounded during that time. I went to her once this year to tune up. If she feels out of balance, she feels she’s just on my speed dial.
Tracie Martyn and co-founder Marius are Skin Staples of New York.
I love him so much. He is very wonderful. He gave me an enzyme mask. Sometimes I just feel like I’m having cancer. I’m in the press so my face is so attractive now, and I do eight shows a week. The makeup I wear on shows is a little heavier than what I wear in a natural life. It’s great to remove it and do something that feels like it’s been purified. Usually I’m a kind Cerave Cleanser guy, but I still love the brand, but now I feel like I need a little more to get past the Ganking.
I’m also sensitive. What is the cleanser when you need to remove all your makeup?
I just got hooked on Pharmacy Green Clean ($39). That was recommended to me. Oh, and my dermatologist is also my favorite. Her name is Dr. Claire Wollinski. I feel like a lot of people go to her. She actually helped me. However, I use a lot of Green Clean Pharmacy Cleanser. Next, use what you get from Strivectin. It is an orange circulation case. They are gentle exfoliating pads ($45) that I can use every day. Then, when I’m fine, I usually use toner…but I’m sorry so I’ve forgotten. Another thing I use is this spray ($28) from Tower28. This is my new favorite. I didn’t remember the name of it, so I had to pull it out. This is what they used every day for me for four seasons.
spray! that’s good.
That’s perfect. I use this green clean and strevectin one. Next, use Laneige water-based moisturizer ($38). I’m just trying to get the moisture back. Where we do the show is haze, the theatre is old and the basement is old. There’s just something in the air and I feel like I’m looking for a simple product to bring back water to my face.
That makes sense. You grew up in California, you went to schools in New York and Michigan. I assume it includes some trips. Are there any routines to maintain energy?
The routine is always the same. When I entered my 30s, I think I realized, “Oh, you’re really supposed to wear sunscreen every day.” My gay best friend, Gray Henson, showed me everything I was supposed to use. One of the things I travel anywhere is this Korean sunscreen. It says Bioré UVAqua Rich ($16). It’s very good. I bring it everywhere. If I’m traveling for work, I’ll tap things lightly.
What I usually bring is that sunscreen, Giorgio Armani Laminas Silk ($69) and it’s really smooth because there’s more sunscreen. Then Laneige Lip Balm ($19). It’s because if I don’t need to wear makeup for work, I try not to wear it in my normal life. A, because I don’t know how to do that. (laughs) That’s why I love my lovely makeup artists who know how to do it. I just want to give my skin a break. When you’re on a Broadway schedule, I think it’s the most important thing to give your skin a break.
absolutely.
The only other thing I always travel with is the scent my gay best friend helped me choose. I finally have the signature scent and I am very happy. That’s Fleur de Pue ($240). It’s a diptic scent. It’s very good. The day I found it, we were in Los Angeles and it changed everything. He picked it up for me. We left the shop and a girl stopped me on the street and said, “You smell great.”
Every time I wore it, I wore it on the first day of the rehearsal – Jonathan Groff said the same thing. I swear, this would sound awful, but I think people like you do when you smell good. It’s a good way to break the barrier. When you embrace someone, you have a positive smell sensation. I praise Grey Henson for helping me find this diptych scent – a game changer!
