Cheryl Ladd: Spreading Her Wings

With a new movie, new business, and new home in Texas, actress Cheryl Ladd is flying high

Forty years ago this fall, relative unknown Cheryl Ladd ascended to icon status when she replaced Farrah Fawcett in ABC’s hit female detective drama Charlie’s Angels. Not only did she manage to fly under the weight of Fawcett’s famously feathered TV wings, Ladd made a name for herself as an actress, singer, author and wellness advocate.

Still stunning at 65, the ever-busy actress—she plays Katherine Heigl’s “most complicated” mom in the feature film Unforgettable, set for release this April—nurtures careers in Los Angeles and in Texas, where she moved last year to be closer to her mom and grandchildren. The “active grandma,” as Ladd humorously calls herself, also joined forces with her writer-producer husband, Scribe author Brian Russell, to design and build luxury houses under the banner of their San Antonio-based company, Cheryl Ladd Signature Homes.

In Ladd’s world, energy is everything. “I exercise Monday through Saturday, and that includes walking,” she says. “And as the years go by, I’m more careful about what I put into my body.”

Cheryl Ladd’s Natural Supplement and Product Go Tos:

CoQ10

“I take an occasional CoQ10. It’s great for brain power and to maintain a healthy heart.”

Bone builders

“I have a little osteopenia, where there’s just a slight lessening” of bone density, Ladd says. She credits a daily calcium tablet, along with some dairy, for keeping her bones strong. “I also put milk in my two cups of coffee in the morning, so I get some there. And I do like a piece of cheese now and then. But the extra calcium [supplement] helps keep me covered.”

Also, “I take a multivitamin every morning, and an extra vitamin D3 because I’m extra careful in the sunshine.”

Raw almonds

“I eat raw almonds a lot. I like them as snacks, and they keep me energized throughout the day.”

Thickening shampoo

“As I’ve gotten older, my thyroid is less active, and when your thyroid goes, your hair gets thinner and thinner. I used to have this luscious head of hair, and it’s normal to lose some
of it, so I’m babying it a lot now with special hair shampoos. I think a lot of women are experiencing this [thyroid-related hair loss] in their 50s and 60s.”

Healthy Habits of Cheryl Ladd

One of Ladd’s favorite features of the new Texas home she and her husband designed: her swimming pool. “I swim almost every day throughout the summer,” she says. “And when I can’t swim, I do Zumba. When I look at photos of myself when I was in my 20s and 30s, I go, ‘Yeah! Hopefully I’ll look like that again.’ Of course, that’s never going to happen, but it is kind of inspiring!” she says with a laugh.

Ladd’s daily diet is equally energizing. “I have to have my coffee when I get up,” she says. “Then mid-morning I do my fresh green juice”—a wholesome, invigorating blend of kale, blueberries—“and all sorts of other yummy stuff that’s good for you.” I always have a healthy lunch, like a salad.” Her favorite meal? Dinner with her favorite author. “My husband is a wonderful cook. He does everything from Indian curries to clams and linguine. One of the reasons I eat careful all day long is so I can enjoy his beautiful dinners.”