Mackenzie Phillips, 66, says she and Valerie Bertinelli used cocaine during breaks while filming CBS’s One Day at a Time, describing a lunch-routine that included driving to Phillips’s house, getting in the pool, drinking wine, and “snort[ing]” coke. Phillips
Mackenzie Phillips didn’t hold back when she opened up about what it was really like to grow up—on camera and off—while filming CBS’s One Day at a Time.
The 66-year-old said that during lunch breaks on the set. she and costar Valerie Bertinelli would leave their workday for a private reset. In an interview published Sunday. May 31. Phillips claimed they would drive to her house. get in the pool. drink wine. and “snort coke.” She said Bertinelli “talks about it openly. ” adding. “it’s not like I’m pulling her covers or anything.”.
Phillips framed the difference between them in terms of addiction. “The thing was that … Valerie didn’t have the kind of addiction that I had; she didn’t have addiction. ” she said. before later describing how the drug use continued elsewhere on set: “And. you know. so we would do coke together in the dressing room and stuff.”.
She also said she was the one who faced consequences. “I just happened to be the one that got caught,” Phillips said, following it with, “And thank God I got caught, you know?”
A request for comment from Bertinelli’s representatives went unanswered in the story, and US Weekly has said it reached out to Bertinelli’s reps for comment.
One Day at a Time ran on CBS from 1975 to 1984, lasting nine seasons and more than 200 episodes. Phillips played teenage sister Julie Cooper, while Bertinelli played teenage sister Barbara Cooper.
During her run on the sitcom, Phillips struggled with substance abuse and addiction and said it led to her being fired twice.
Bertinelli has spoken about her own past drug use over the years. In 2024. she said she got into drugs after she “fell in love” with ex-husband Eddie Van Halen. describing how their relationship “rapidly declined into drugs. alcohol and infidelity.” She recalled that it was “Nothing that makes you feel loved. wanted and cared for. Nothing that screams ‘soulmate,’ that’s for sure.”.
Bertinelli wed Van Halen in 1981, and in her 2008 memoir, Losing It, she wrote that cocaine was part of their wedding. She said a priest who was tapped to perform the ceremony gave them questionnaires at home. and “we each held a little vial of cocaine. ” writing. “Now. if you ask me. those are not two people who should be making decisions about the rest of their lives.”.
Bertinelli and Van Halen divorced in 2007. Van Halen died in 2020 at age 65. He was survived by his son with Bertinelli, Wolfgang Van Halen.
When Van Halen died. Wolfgang confirmed it in an Instagram post. writing: “I can’t believe I’m having to write this. but my father. Edward Lodewijk Van Halen. has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning.” He added that Van Halen was “the best father I could ever ask for. ” saying that “My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.”.
Mackenzie Phillips Valerie Bertinelli One Day at a Time CBS cocaine substance abuse addiction Eddie Van Halen Losing It memoir
So they just snorted coke at lunch?? Wild.
I don’t even know what to think, like was this back then or like still going on during filming? Also “got caught” sounds like there was a whole scandal but the article doesn’t say who caught her??
Wait so Valerie Bertinelli was doing coke in the dressing room… but Mackenzie says Valerie “didn’t have addiction”?? That makes no sense to me. If you’re doing it together it’s kind of the same thing, right? People will really say anything for attention.
This is why I don’t trust celebrities, they always say “breaks” and “routine” like it’s normal. I’m not surprised they went to her house and did the whole pool/wine thing… doesn’t sound like a pool day, sounds like a setup. Also CBS letting that happen like nobody knew? Seems sus. I guess “thank God I got caught” is supposed to be some redemption arc but yeah…