With three kids, a hit show fresh off its eighth season and a beauty cabinet that rivals a pro’s kit, Jenna Dewan has figured out something most of us spend years trying to solve: how to look genuinely radiant while running what she laughingly calls the “never-ending, always-evolving circus” of life.
Her schedule right now is equal parts chaotic and charmed—three children, three different schedules, a TV set, photoshoots, travel and, somehow, a skin care and makeup routine that manages to be both minimal and meticulously chosen. “I’m always trying to keep the burners on and everything going,” she says. “The days are crazy, and they go so fast.”
When she turned 44, Dewan says the milestone brought a rush of reflection: appreciation for everything she’s done and been through, pride in what she’s built and the feeling that “the best is yet to come.” In an exclusive chat with NewBeauty as our May digital cover star, the actress opens up about the ever-growing world of The Rookie, the beautiful chaos of raising three kids and the beauty staples helping her keep up with it all.
The Rookie is not so much of a rookie anymore. Can you believe it just wrapped its eighth season?
“I cannot! The way the show has evolved, continued to grow and found more and more people who love it is mind-blowing to me. I just don’t know many shows where that happens, where that growth is really seen—it’s honestly been exponential with the later seasons. We feel really lucky and very grateful. I say this all the time—it is the best job I’ve ever had.”
What’s day-to-day life like for you? I imagine it changes constantly, especially with three kids and a packed filming schedule.
“It’s different every day. Some periods are more intensive work-wise than others. I try to balance it as much as I can. On certain days, I’m on The Rookie all day. Some days, I get to drop off my kids, go to set, then come home for dinner. Sometimes I have photoshoots or press. There are a few quick work trips thrown in. I do tend to know my filming schedule a couple of weeks out, which helps.”
So, you can plan a little.
“Yes, but it’s an evolving circus in my house. Three kids [Dewan is mother to Everly, 12, with ex-husband Channing Tatum, and shares son Callum, 6, and daughter Rhiannon, who turns 2 this June, with partner Steve Kazee], three different ages, three different interests. Luckily, two are at the same school, so that’s helping. It’s always just trying to keep the burners on and everything going—seeing who needs me the most that day, trying to be there for them, carving out me time, managing work schedules. It’s a circus, but in the best way.”
How do you stay organized and keep going once the day starts?
“I have a lot of wonderful people who work for me, and we are all really aligned. It doesn’t feel like work, because we have so much fun together, but they help me stay organized—because I would not say organization is my strong suit!
My North Star—my true priority—has and always will be my family and my partner. Having that be number-one, while also being really ambitious, means constantly making sure I’m paying attention to the areas of my life that might get a little neglected when another part is really active. It’s literally a balancing scale I see in my head sometimes.”
How has the jump from two to three kids been?
“Well, now we’re outnumbered! The funny thing is, Rhiannon, our third, just comes along wherever the other kids are. She’s at the baseball game, at Irish dance competitions, at school drop-offs. She makes everything better—her presence just makes everyone happy. It’s chaotic, without a doubt. I’m definitely more tired, but I’m also so fulfilled. I feel like my family is complete.”
Looking back over 20-plus years—from dancing for Janet Jackson to where you are now—what does that feel like?
“I had a really interesting moment when I turned 44. I was sitting down, not doing anything that important, and I felt this overwhelming life review just go through my head really fast. Almost like a moving scrapbook. I had this appreciation of, ‘Wow, you’ve done a lot, girl! You’ve also been through a lot, and you’ve had several eras and chapters.’ And yet there was also this feeling that the best is yet to come, and it’s going to be really exciting. I do have little moments like that where I stop, or I’ll see a picture or a video, and I’m like, ‘That is something!’ I’m proud that I’ve been able to do everything that I have done.”
Beauty is clearly also a big part of your life. What are you loving right now?
“I would have been in the beauty world in a prior life! I love it so much. Recently, I did the Korean treatment XERF—I think it really works. At this stage of life, I’m really focused on lifting and tightening, and it definitely lifted things a little for me.
I’m also obsessed with Mary Phillips’ new foundation, Le Skin ($49). The colors are perfect. And I know I’m influenced by my teenage daughter, but the Rhode lip glazes are amazing. I could have every color! We literally have them everywhere in the house because we’re just so in love with them.
For hair, I cannot live without the OUAI round brush—It’s Giving Body ($118)— for a big volume blowout. It’s life-changing. I let my hair air dry and then use that after, and it gives me a full blowout. Jen Atkin really was trying to change every mom’s life with that tool. Beyond that, I go old school: RCMA concealer day-to-day, a little Merit blush, curl the lashes. I also love the Rare Beauty Lifting Gel ($21) It’s a hit.”
The Rookie finale just debuted. What were some highlights from the season?
“This whole season has been different because we’ve really expanded—the storylines, the locations, going to Prague. We even had what I call the ‘zombie episode,’ though it’s not really—there’s an outbreak and a mental institution involved. We just got bigger this season, and the finale went really big. Higher stakes, bigger storylines, sides of law enforcement we haven’t explored before, all coming together in a new way. There was a new location, a new stunt—again, with me in water. I don’t know why Alexi keeps writing me into water scenes! But it’s all very fun and always interesting. The writers do an incredible job of asking, ‘What haven’t we done that we should do?’ A good question for all of us!”
