Catching Up with Jamie Lynn Sigler

Since she was seven, Jamie Lynn Sigler has been an actress, but she doesn’t have an ounce of entitlement. She starred on iconic series “The Sopranos” while still a teenager, and did more than a season on “Entourage,” but she doesn’t travel with an entourage of her own. Rather, she’s super down to earth, a woman you kind of just want to be your best friend. Close friends are a large part of what brought Jamie Lynn, her husband Cutter Dyksta and their two sons to Austin. That, their newly renovated home, the Southern hospitality and good life it can provide for their kids are what’s made them happy to put down roots here.

Just after traveling back from New Mexico, where she’s commuting to film “Big Sky” on ABC, we did a photo shoot with Jamie Lynn at The Sienna the Thompson Hotel, luxury apartments that, like the hotel, opened earlier this year. The modern location is flavored with several local touches – from the Texas wallpaper that features a drawing of Matthew McConaughey to longhorns on the bar and sweeping views of the city throughout. Before going to pick up her kids from school, we chatted with Jamie Lynn about Austin, acting, podcasting, gaining strength from MS and more.

What was the impetus behind moving to Austin?

I think like many, in 2020, after months at home with time to really re-evaluate our lives, and my husband’s company going remote, we felt like it was an opportunity for us to see what a life outside of Los Angeles would be. It was a moment of, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go for it!”

Did you consider other cities?

Honestly, no, which is crazy, because neither of us really knew Austin well at all. A lot of our close friends had been talking about it, but it was almost a feeling we just followed. The day we moved we boarded the airplane and my husband and I just looked at each other and were like, “What did we just do?”

How long did it take you to find your house?

We did the hours-long Zillow search, like everyone else, but ultimately our realtor (Alexandria Murphy, who I knew from my NYC days), found us our home. It was off market, and so special and was the first house we saw. I actually saw it on facetime before we flew down and my hands were shaking as we did the call. I knew it wqs meant to be our home.

What’s something you love about Austin?

I feel like I’m constantly finding out about Austin. It’s fun to live in a city and feel like you never stop discovering things about it. Also, lake life is the best life!!! Not to mention the kindness and hospitality we felt from day one, from the previous owners of our home, to new mom friends at my kids’ schools… we felt so welcome.

You started acting when you were 7-years-old and started a ten-year run on the sopranos at 16. What’s something you liked and something you didn’t like about being a child actress?

I didn’t have a typical “child actress” experience. I was in public school on Long Island, even while I shot “Sopranos.” None of my friends from school were in the business and even once I moved to the city and was well into the Sopranos run, I had very few actor friends, if any.

Do you think either of your kids would potentially want to pursue a career in acting? Baseball?

Who knows! My oldest son, Beau, for sure has a knack for the dramatics and loooooves movies, but he’s also a really gifted athlete and Texas sure has incredible sports programs! My favorite thing about parenting is watching them become who they want to be. My husband and I try very hard not to put any of our own things on them.

What’s something you’ve learned from your kids lately?

Beau has a “serious girlfriend” and Jack loves to sing!

Tell me about the Pajama Pants podcast you do with Kassem G and your "Sopranos" costar Robert Iller…

I record Pajama Pants once a week. either from home or from Albuquerque where I work on the show “Big Sky.” It’s a fun hour of my life with two of my best friends where we talk about everything and nothing. We get silly and deep and it’s the best.

Do you have any dream guests?

Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and Oprah.

What do you enjoy about doing a podcast?

It’s an intimate conversation that people get to listen in on. I’m a student of life and I love learning about people and why they are the way they are, and I always forget we are recording. Fans of pajama pants, when they come up to me and tell me how they love it, it means so much to me. They really get me.

How often do you have to commute to New Mexico for Big Sky?

At least once a week. sometimes twice. The mom guilt is real, and the flight is so short, so if I have a day off I’m running back home.

Favorite thing about being on “Big Sky?”

My character is so unpredictable.

Is it true you never watched “The Sopranos” until the pandemic?

True!

Have you finished it? Thoughts?

I haven’t finished yet, but I get it. I get why people care about it so much. I had let enough time pass so that I could enjoy it as an audience member as much as possible.

I read several years ago you were writing a script you wanted to produce. Did you ever finish that?

It’s kind of done, but I don’t want to be in it anymore. I enjoy creating and watching what someone could do with it. Stay tuned!

Austin is getting a pretty big Hollywood presence, from people to productions. Have you found it’s becoming (or will become) easier to work here – whether it’s auditioning for roles filming in Texas or creating content with people here?

I don’t know about that per se, though I would love a job in Austin! What I will say, is in this business I always had to be ready to pick up and move around, and now that auditions are self-tape for the most part, and my acting classes are online, I might as well live in a place that is good for my whole family.

Is writing, producing and/or directing something you’d like to do?

Not at the moment. while my kids are this little. but in the future, yes!!

You’ve been living with MS for a long time, but have only spoke about it intermittently. What’s a lesson you’ve learned from it that you think has made you stronger?

Everything about MS has made me stronger, which is weird to say about a disease that has rendered me disabled in some ways. I just see things from a different perspective and I appreciate the smaller things. We all deal with things in life and I don’t think I deserve extra credit for pursuing the life I want. We all have challenges, but MS allows me to look at how to overcome and accept myself and that makes me feel strong and proud.

What’s a misconception about MS or something you wished people understood about it?

I find people with MS, like myself, struggle with asking for help. It can be “invisible” in many ways, which can make you internalize your pain and then make you shameful or even angry. I feel like it’s on us to educate people and express our needs without fear of feeling like a burden. Once I accepted myself and was honest with my needs, my entire world changed. people really do love to help. It’s a natural and beautiful human exchange that many take for granted.

Cutter’s SVP at Therabody, have you found theraguns help?

Yea!!

Can you share the meaning behind your recent tattoos?

The arrow represents the times in life when it feels like you were going backwards or feeling like life isn’t moving forward, but to trust that it’s always just a preparation before you are propelled forward into the next chapter of your life. My husband and boys initials are in the body of the arrow because they are my strength.