Mackenzie Phillips Opens Up About Drug Use During 'One Day at a Time' Years

Mackenzie Phillips is opening up about her substance abuse struggles and offering candid recollections from her years on the set of the beloved Norman Lear sitcom One Day at a Time.

In an interview with Fox News published Sunday, May 31, the 66-year-old actress discussed her time playing Julie Cooper on the show and made revelations about her experiences with costar Valerie Bertinelli, who portrayed Barbara Cooper.

Phillips disclosed that during lunch breaks on set, she and Bertinelli would leave the studio together. "During lunch break, Valerie and I would drive to my house, get in the pool, drink wine and snort coke," she shared.

The actress noted that Bertinelli has publicly addressed this period of her life in the past. "Valerie talks about it openly, so it's not like I'm pulling her covers or anything," Phillips explained. "The thing was that Valerie didn't have the kind of addiction that I had; she didn't have addiction."

Phillips also referenced their behavior in other settings. "We would do coke together in the dressing room and stuff," she said. "I just happened to be the one that got caught. And thank God I got caught, you know?"

Throughout her career, Phillips has been forthright about her ongoing battle with substance abuse. During her tenure on One Day at a Time, her personal struggles reportedly resulted in her being terminated from the series on two separate occasions—following the fifth season and again during the show's ninth and final season.

The actress joins others in the entertainment industry who have spoken publicly about their experiences with cocaine addiction.