Minka Kelly Says She’s Considered Leaving Hollywood for Her ‘Backup’ Profession ‘Many Times’
Minka Kelly is open to putting her scrubs back on if needed.
On the Tuesday, April 22, episode of Today with Jenna & Friends, the 44-year-old actress revealed to Jenna Hager Bush and guest co-host Andy Cohen that she sporadically thinks about returning to her “backup” career as an operating room scrub nurse.
“Is it true that you thought Hollywood was over you?” Cohen, 56, asked the Friday Night Lights alum.
Kelly confessed that she’s “thought that many times,” telling Cohen, who was surprised by her admission, “Of course! I’ve thought that [after] every job that finishes.”
“And then if any amount of time passes, you’re like, ‘Okay, this is it. I had a good run. And that’s okay, everything’s okay. I have my backup. I can be a scrub tech again.’ ”
She confirmed for Bush Hager, 43, that she “seriously” thinks about going back to the job “all the time.”
While Cohen and Bush Hager were both shocked, Kelly explained that “it’s a thing that gives [her] a bit of confidence.”
“You know this isn’t the whole world,” she said as she gestured to the promotional image of her new show, Ransom Canyon, seemingly referring to the entertainment industry. “So the rejection that you get being an actor is sort of balanced out for me and you can go, ‘But I’m good at this. I know I’m good at this.’ ”
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“I loved it so much,” she noted. “It’s really good to feel like you’re good at something.”
Despite her occasional thought to return as a scrub nurse, the actress is currently starring in Netflix’s new Western series, which was adapted from Jodi Thomas’ book series of the same name. Kelly portrays Quinn opposite Josh Duhamel’s Staten as they fight off long-reserved feelings for each other amidst upheaval in their Texas town.
She previously told PEOPLE that working on the series was seamless thanks to her seasoned scene partner.
“I mean, I remember we got together just to see what our chemistry would be like before we started shooting. And immediately, it was just like butter,” she said of her easy connection to Duhamel. “I’m like, ‘Oh, this guy, we have such an easy exchange.’ I felt so safe with him.”
“I remember texting him right afterwards going, ‘I’m so excited I get to do this with you. I feel so safe with you.’ And that really just continued throughout the series,” she said. “I just had a really great solid partner through this. And he’s so amazing.”
