This makes me feel so old, but I used to watch Nip/Tuck. It started in 2003 and ran through 2010. I only watched it for like three seasons or so? But some parts of it have really stuck with me, and whenever I see Julian McMahon in anything, I’m always like “creepy Nip/Tuck guy.” It was about two plastic surgeons and their absolutely insane lives and crimes. McMahon’s character, Christian Troy, had a girlfriend for a while. She was played by Kelly Carlson and she dipped in and out of the show for much of the run. She was a pretty good actress and she had an interesting look (she reminded me of a young Patsy Kensit). She never became super-famous from Nip/Tuck but she probably could have parlayed that cable-drama stardom into bigger things for her career. But at some point she married a Naval officer and she gave up acting. That’s pretty unusual in this day and age, right? She spoke about it recently on her IG Stories, and her quotes are being picked up widely:
Kelly Carlson is discussing her decision to leave acting and say goodbye to Hollywood. When a fan asked Carlson, “Are you still acting? And if not, why did you decide to give it up?” the actress confirmed, “I’m not acting right now.”
As to why she’s no longer in the business, the 44-year-old actress, who played Kimber Henry on the Ryan Murphy-created drama, explained that she and her husband, Dan Stanchfield, relocated from Los Angeles to San Diego because of his work. “Why am I not acting? Not for any reason, really. Just that we live far away. I need to be in L.A. and we’re not for my husband’s work, which is down — he’s in the Navy, so we’re way down in southern San Diego. And that’s kind of it,” she said.
Carlson — whose Instagram biography reads, “former actress of TV and Film and now Navy wife” — went on to assure that “nothing bad happened or anything like that. I loved it, loved my life up there.” She further shared that her husband “has a business where we kind of need to be out of the city too and so now he’s the star of the family and I’m the manager wife. Am I not?” she asked Stanchfield, who was watching from behind the camera and is also a survival instructor, according to his Instagram. “Yeah, exactly.”
“It was just a decision, right, so that’s all,” said Carlson. But her decision to exit Tinseltown may not last forever. “Maybe I’ll go back one day, I don’t know. I’m open. I’m kind of a free spirit. I kind of am, and I’m kind of not. But I’m always up for new experiences. And Dan is such a great guy, I’m not gonna say no. Yeah, you don’t say no to this kind. No, no. You make adjustments. And it’s not that he asked me to leave. He didn’t at all. It was like I saw a lot of value in what he was doing and so I said we have to go do it. And so we moved.”
I’ve always loved those TCM and AMC mini-biographies of old film stars because you realize that many of them did live like regular old un-famous people in those days. They had middle-class homes in LA, they married non-actors and they hid their pregnancies from the studios and the general public. That’s what this (hopefully) is: an up-and-coming actress choosing to live a less famous life as a Navy wife in San Diego. I appreciate that she said it was her choice and he didn’t ask her to leave. Still… she gave up a promising career. I hope she doesn’t have regrets!
Photos courtesy of WENN, Instagram.
I loved Nip/Tuck and it was BONKERS.
And while there are tons of HOLY CRAP! moments from that show-
I will never forget Christian meeting her, probably first episode, sleeping with her, and then using a marker on her body to show her how flawed she was. And, make no mistake, she was stunning.
The ability of a man, a doctor, to make a ridiculously gorgeous young women feel ugly… that stayed with me.
That’s how they “control” you. They belittle you, make you feel ugly/insecure and craving their “love” and “affection” as a way of proving to yourself that you’re actually worthy.
I’ve seen this tactic used by men very often.
Wow you just described my experience growing up with my parents
I’d take love over money and stardom any day. If she’s truly happy and with a wonderful man, she clearly made the right choice for her.
Always had a soft spot for Kimber. She looks amazing – I’ll have what she’s having please.
If she is happy, great.
Life can change and turn many times, so gotta be flexible.
She is very beautiful, never watched Nip/Tuck.
hollywood is a grind
not everyone wants to be a commodity and hustle for each job
always ON always vain
i say good for her 🙂
I remember her. She sounds happy and not regretful. Love and happiness aren’t easy to find
Ummm…his Instagram is more than a little disturbing. If you’re shouting out Homeland Security & CBP in 2020 & selling them “survival knives?” Hard pass.
I loved Nip Tuck. It was crazy, disturbing and somehow riveting. I remember being in awe of Kimber’s flawless beauty, and creeped out by Christian’s treatment of her.
Funny how prescient it was, you can’t swing a cat without hitting someone who has ‘had work done.’ (I love cats btw!)
I hope I am noticing more people allowing themselves to look and be as created, perhaps the fascination with that plastic look is waning? Please….
My husband had to have plastic surgery on his hand years ago for Dupitron’s (sp?). The surgeon told me he never fixes ‘normal,’ meaning he didn’t do surgeries that were not medically corrective/necessary. He said the the face everyone was getting was going to go out of style. I think he was right. Honourable man!
Oh, and that husband is almost as gorgeous as she is!!
I was looking at her and her husband’s Instagrams and there’s a video of her auctioning off a “bottle shark” (I think a bottle opener) to help pay for her dog’s surgery. If she were still an actress she wouldn’t have to do that. How sad.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAlJ6vtj9vn/?igshid=10im5gmhewp7l 👀
I always got a Marylin Monroe vibe from here because of the hair. She had those weird perfect giant MM curls and I thought she should have played her in something.
Not to be terribly mean because she is beautiful, but I’m sure it’s hard for anyone on a second tier cable show to parlay that into success. Both leads on Nip Tuck haven’t been heard of since? And one of them was famous before then, the other was big in Australia. Richardson still works but she’s British Acting Dynasty. The son Matt (remember when he circumcised himself), didn’t go on to do anything. I can’t remember the rest of the cast. I’m just saying I’m sure this life is better for her. No one wants to keep auditioning their whole lives and once you reach 30 you’re basically too old for most roles. If she could get in with Ryan Murphy she might have a shot, but as of now, no matter how pretty, she’s aged out.
And yes to Nip Tuck being a great show. I think I watched it all the way to the end. It got kind of awful towards the end but in the beginning it was great. Everyone talked about it. It helped put FX on the map.
100% accurate. You said what I wanted to say. But my keyboard is so sticky from my kids i can barely type!
Peter Dinklage went on to some success
I’ve met Kelly a few times (I was an extra) and she was very sweet. Gave me a tampon in the ladies room at first meeting. Thank you, lady!!
I cut and dyed my hair just like hers when this show was on, going for that old Hollywood Marilyn Monroe look. I didn’t quite pull off the color but loved the cut
That show was insane, but there was something about the characters that grabbed you in how damaged they are – and not in a traditionally sympathetic way. There were no easy villains or heroes in their stories. The talent of the cast was what carried it, but I will always think the finale of season 2 was one of the best done in television. Kind of went south after that, but it had some really interesting ideas early on.
A lot of my feeling is…even if you kind of have that movie star look to you, Hollywood is such a grind. If you really aren’t passionate about it, and you find something that does give you happiness, well…if the money and fame weren’t giving you what you want, why not leave?
Haha! I loved Nip Tuck and it was such a trainwreck at times. Like don’t even bother with the last season when they move to LA (and probably the season prior as well).
But the serial killer plotline was fun.
She’s absolutely stunning but I can’t with the maga shit
She was so stunning on nip/tuck!
I loved nip/tuck! It was such a wild show, but all the characters were so complicated and interesting that it made you want to keep watching, even through the ridiculous seasons. There were so many crazy plots in the show! I’ve been re-watching the show recently since its now on hulu! Ryan murphy really can deliver amazing tv shows.