Valerie Bertinelli reflects on ‘Love, Again': ‘I was looking for it'

Valerie Bertinelli is back on screen after nearly five years away from acting, and she chose a role that required her to strip away every defence she had.

The actress, 65, spoke to PEOPLE at Lifetime's screening and panel for Love, Again at the Television Academy in North Hollywood on Thursday, 30 April, opening up about what drew her to the project and what it took to deliver it.

It started with the script. 

"Nancy Silvers wrote a ridiculously beautiful, human, humorous, heartbreaking script. And it was something that I've been looking for but I didn't realize I was looking for it," she said.

In the film, Bertinelli plays Caroline, a woman navigating the devastating reality of her husband Henry's early-onset Alzheimer's diagnosis, and eventually facing the possibility of love again after loss. 

It is a role that demanded a great deal. 

"I could really be that vulnerable and really let down every single guard that I have as an actor, as a human being, and just be there and just do it," she said. 

"It was scary because I hadn't done any acting within four, almost five years… I just really wanted to do the role justice."

Her preparation was less about technique and more about honesty. 

"I just worked really hard at taking down my walls and all the barriers that I have developed over the many decades… and all of the grief and all of the life experiences that I've had. I just wanted to have them all right there on the surface and just be raw."

The story also resonated personally. 

Bertinelli, who has been open about her own journey of self-discovery in recent years, saw something of herself in Caroline, and found an unexpected connection between the role and the book she was writing at the same time. 

"I don't know that I would ever want to go through what Caroline went through… but I think because I was writing my book during the middle of this, it really helped me open up and be a little bit more brave."

Her costar Eric McCormack, who plays Leo, a figure of connection and comfort for Caroline, praised Bertinelli's presence on set without hesitation. 

"She's a leader. We talk in the business about number one on the call sheet, and being a good one… someone that sets the tone and sets the standard. And that's what she does. She's a pro."

Love, Again premieres on Lifetime on Saturday, 9 May at 8pm ET.