Christopher Atkins: Blue Lagoon, Playgirl, Dallas, Sober for 35 years and More…

Exclusive interview by Karen Beishuizen

Who remember “The Blue Lagoon”? Brooke Shields and Christopher on that island. Him getting involved with Sue Ellen in “Dallas”. He currently has many projects in the pipeline.

KB: I read you wanted to be a baseball player as a kid, but an injury derailed it. Who is your favorite baseball team?

I really don’t have a favorite. My son was a really good baseball player, and his favorite team is the Los Angeles Dodgers and one of the hitting coaches to the Dodgers is a buddy of mine, so I’ll go with the Dodgers.

KB: You then became a model. Did you do catwalks or advertisements and who for?

No catwalks. All print ads. My first job was with Lori Laughlin. I also was flown to Puerto Rico to model for Seventeen Magazine with Phoebe Cates, Lori and a few other girls which was very exciting for me at the time.

KB: Blue Lagoon was your debut movie: How did you get this part and was it filmed on an island? How was it working with Brooke?

I was sent in for the audition. I had never auditioned for a film or television project before and thought it was exciting to do it. They kept calling me back and then I didn’t hear from them. Spring was on us, and I am an outdoorsy guy and had a tan when they called me back again. This was 2 months from the last time I auditioned. They had said the tan made a difference. That and that I also had a scuba license because there was a lot of water scenes and they wanted someone who was comfortable in the water.

We shot on a deserted island in Fiji. I lived in a tent for four and a half months. Lived and worked with amazing Australians who were the crew and also Fijians from the neighboring island. It was awesome. No movie had ever been shot like that before and none will ever be again. Brooke was 14 turned 15 on the island. She taught me a lot. I had no idea what a camera even looked like or how a film was made. We hung out a lot together.

KB: Blue Lagoon’s director Randal Kleiser said you were a sailing instructor with no acting experience when you auditioned?

Yes, that’s correct. I taught sailing at The American Yacht Club in Rye NY.

KB: In 1982 you posed nude for Playgirl: What made you do this?

Nudity is no big deal to me. After Blue Lagoon I’d still rather go to a nude beach than a regular one. It was part of the whole sex symbol thing I believe. Some big names had done Playgirl at the time like Burt Reynolds, and it was a prestigious new mag for women. I was famous for nudity, so it was a natural fit.

KB: 1983-1984 you starred in Dallas as Sue Ellen’s love interest: How did you get this part?

I was offered the part. The biggest struggle was the feedback of doing TV. At that time movie stars did not do TV. It was always separate. Doing TV was like a step downward. The cast were super fun and crazy on Dallas and I had a blast. I shook up the trees some by doing it, but I think it was the right move as Dallas was bigger than TV at the time.

KB: In 2009 you mentioned in an interview that you struggled with alcoholism but that you have been sober for 22 years: How did you do this? Must have been hard.

Yes. I went through rehab and realized I wanted to be a dad more than I wanted to be a drunk. Both my kids have never seen me drunk and it’s now 35 years later. Best choice I’ve ever made. I’ve gotten to experience my time with my kids and now my grandkids.

KB: I read that you became a luxury pool builder? As in swimming pools? And you also have you own fishing line? Are you still doing all of this?

Hahahaha. No. I’m still in the movie business. I’m currently working with Painless Television on a project, have a film I wrote nearing contracts in Australia. I had a friend who designed and built those pools and thought the lagoon aspect added some visibility. I hooked her up with my buddy Chip Murdock who builds multimillion dollar houses in LA.

KB: I see that you are not only an actor, but also a writer, director, and producer: Could you tell me a bit about the projects you have lined up?

Yes, the last two boxes I haven’t ticked in this business are making my own film and directing one. I am currently working on four projects. One a TV show with Painless TV. Another a feature film out of Australia. A thriller and the last is a true story about a man who started the greatest spiritual movement of the 20th century and gave hope to millions of people.

KB: If someone would offer you the lead in a movie: What should be the genre, who should be the director and name 3 actors or actresses who should star with you and why?

Another love story. Maybe a western love story or period? Diane Lane, I used to date her, and she is an amazing actress and would love to work with her again. Gwyneth Paltrow because she seems like she has a good sense of humor and I think we would make a great onscreen couple. Jennifer Aniston seems fun, Diane Kruger the same. I could go on, but these are a few. Tom Hanks directing. Love to work with Mark Wahlberg on anything!