PLUS COOL TREATS FOR CANINES, P. 4

MR. SUNSHINE ROB LOWE BRIMS WITH BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM—FOR BIG WAVES, HIS 27-YEAR MARRIAGE AND AN EXCITING NEW BATCH OF TV PROJECTS MR.

SUNSHINEROB LOWE BRIMS WITH HEALTHY OPTIMISM, AGELESS ENTHUSIASM AND BOUNDLESS ENERGY—FOR NATURE, HIS FAMILY AND HOLLYWOOD’S NEXT WAVE.

BY NICOLE PAJER COVER AND OPENING PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF KATZ PHOTOGRAPHY

ob Lowe pulls up to CBS TV series Code Black, Lowe is a stretch of Southern putting the fnishing touches on his California beach in his gender-swapped remake of the crime- R black pickup truck, two drama classic Te Bad Seed, which he surfboards in the back. As he opens produced, directed and starred in. It’s the door, his German shorthaired set to air Sept. 9 on Lifetime. pointer, Jack, hops out. Lowe fol- “Te Bad Seed was perfect to lows, clad in Quicksilver board remake,” he says of the 1956 flm, in shorts and holding a tall iced cofee. which a housewife has growing suspi- “It’s beautiful out,” he coos, fash- cions—which she wants to ignore— ing a sun-kissed grin, eager to hit that her pretty, pigtailed daughter the waves. For Lowe, 54, every day is (Patty McCormack) is a heartless a beach day. killer. “It’s a classic, and was revolu- It wasn’t always so. He grew up in tionary for its time, but it’s extremely landlocked suburban Ohio before dated. I had a specifc idea of how relocating with his family to the to make it creepy [and] wonderful coastal city of Malibu, Calif., where for today. It’s a movie about rising, he attended high school alongside increasing dread. It’s unsettling and Charlie Sheen, among several other scary but also darkly funny—and, at actors-to-be. its heart, the story of a father’s love In 1983, he made his big-screen for his damaged daughter.” debut alongside another batch of He reveals that McCormack, who young actors in Te Outsiders, which received an Oscar nomination for also featured Matt Dillon, Patrick her chilling performance, returns in Swayze, Emilio Estevez and Tom the new version as an adult “in a very Cruise. important role.” Now, after a three-year stint as Dr. Lowe’s Bad Seed co-star is young

Ethan Willis on the since-canceled Mckenna Grace, already a Hol- GROOMING BY JASON SCHNEIDMAN/SOLOARTISTS;PHOTO SHOOT: WARDROBE STYLINGWALL BY ANNIE PSALTIRAS/THE CA DOS PUEBLOS RANCH, GOLETA, GROUP; SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR LOCATION:

6 | AUGUST 5, 2018 lywood veteran with roles number two on the list of reference—movies like Tom- in the movies Gifted and I, the Oscars’ most embarrass- my Boy, Austin Powers, About Tonya and on TV’s Desig- ing moments. So it doesn’t Last Night and St. Elmo’s Fire, nated Survivor, Fuller House always work out,” he says, or TV’s Parks and Recreation, and Once Upon a Time. “I recalling his hosting duties Te West Wing or Te Grinder. wasn’t going to make the at the 1989 ceremony. “You never know,” he says, movie unless I found an But it was that search for “and that’s so cool to not have 11-year-old actor who could excitement that motivated just one thing that you’re crush the part,” Lowe says. him to create his one-man known for.” “And I did—Mckenna’s stage show, Rob Lowe: Stories Most recently, he’s been in work is worth every award I Only Tell My Friends, Africa, shooting a new Netfix there is. She’s amazing.” which he is currently movie called Christmas in the Combining the roles touring across the country. Wild with Kristin Davis. “We of both actor and director And yes, he gets nervous shot entirely in the African was a big bite to take. But before he takes the stage. bush. It was a rugged, beauti- Lowe is always up for a “Tat’s why I do it. I need ful adventure of a lifetime,” challenge. In fact, he’s a bit the next level,” he says. he says. “It takes place in the of a daredevil. “When I get in front world of elephant conserva- of a camera, it doesn’t tion, but it’s a love story.” Excitement raise my heart one He’s had too many career junkie beat anymore; it hasn’t milestones to pinpoint a “If I’m not taking three for years. But if I get favorite, but at this point or four showers a day, I’m behind a curtain and it’s Lowe’s looking for a role that not living,” he says with a just me by myself with truly allows him to leave his laugh. Lowe points to his something I’ve written mark, and for characters that surfboard and boasts that and directed in front of cut through the clutter. He he once paddled out to get people who paid to be there, cites playing Eddie Nero on a look at some great white that gets my heart going.” Californication as an example. sharks that were schooling Lowe enjoys taking “A true character,” he says. “In in the water near his home. people by surprise. He St. Elmo’s Fire, my character, He’s also an extreme skier jokes that throughout his Billy, broke through. Te Out- and surfs waves he says entire career, he’s never set siders’ Sodapop broke through, “would get your attention.” his bar of self-expectation Sam Seaborn on Te West “I’ve always been the frst very high. “It’s always been From top: Lowe with the casts of The Wing broke through.” to accept a dare,” he says. that way,” he says, add- Outsiders and The West Wing, with “It’s not always the best ing that he loves to prove Nick Oferman in Parks and Recreation, Forever Young quality. You better manage people wrong. “I feel a real in South Africa, where he shot Netflix’s Lowe doesn’t seem to age. upcoming Christmas in the Wild, and in it or you will get in tons of freedom that I can almost Code Black and The Bad Seed Te actor blushes as the topic trouble,” he warns. try anything and people comes up but admits to hearing Below, from left: with wife Sheryl Te beneft of that will go, ‘Wait—what?’ ” He and sons John Owen and Matthew it quite often. It’s partly in the trait, he says, is that it lives to keep his audience genes, he says, inherited from pushes him to take risks. on their toes and is thankful his mom, Barbara, a school- Te downside “is when for the loyal fans who have teacher, and (particularly) his the Academy of Motion followed him along the way. dad, Charles, a trial lawyer. Picture Arts and Sciences “I’m not bored and the au- “When we would go to the says, ‘Do a song and dance dience isn’t bored,” he says. county fair when I was young, routine with Snow White,’ In fact, when fans ap- my father would win me and you go, ‘I’ll do it,’ and proach him, he has no idea stufed animals at the ‘guess CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: SUNSET BOULEVARD/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES; PHOTO COLLEEN BANK HAYES/NBC/NBCU VIA GETTY IMAGES; MONTY BRINTON/CBS; COURTESY LIFETIME; JAMES SORENSEN/NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY IMAGES ROB LOWE INSTAGRAM; SMALLZ & RASKIND/GETTY IMAGES; TODD WILLIAMSON/GETTY COURTESY lo and behold, you are what project they might your age’ booth. Nobody could

AUGUST 5, 2018 | 7 ever guess how old he was “In my of time, I prefer because he looked so young,” calm, quiet—not a lot of he says. people around. But when the Genetics aside, Lowe works light goes on or I’m at work, hard to keep healthy. He eats I can show a diferent side of high-protein, low-carb and myself,” he says, noting that serves as a spokesman for “the scene” was great when he Atkins. “Tey came to me and was much younger, but at this asked me to partner with them stage of his life, he’s happiest because they knew I took ft- away from Hollywood. ness really seriously,” he says. “My wife and I have lived in Lowe can Santa Barbara pinpoint the Visit Parade.com/lowe for 25 years and exact moment to watch Lowe playing in raised our kids,” he was inspired the surf with his dog, he says. His son to perma- Jack, in our behind-the- Matthew, 24, nently ditch the scenes video. just fnished his breadbasket. “I second year of was coming out law school and of the water in is working with the ocean. My a law frm in dear friend, the Los Angeles; late great actor son John Owen, Bill Paxton, was 22, recently sitting on the graduated from beach with my Stanford Uni- wife and giving me crap. He versity and is an actor. was looking at me and was like, His day-to-day life, he says, ‘Damn, buddy. You’re getting a is “normal.” Of the clock, he’s gut!’ And I was like, ‘All right. content with his dogs, cuddled Time to dial back the pizzas.’ ” up with a good book or playing Lowe says the lifestyle— in the water with his family. including all of his cross- When asked about the secret training, hiking, running, to his 27-year marriage to surfng and swimming—has Sheryl, a jewelry designer, he helped him lose the dad bod says “no relationship is perfect” and gain boundless energy. but notes that director Alfred “I feel like I’m 25,” he says, Hitchcock deemed “casting” adding that at this point as the recipe for a successful in his life, he’s in a better movie. “I think the same thing place mentally, physically and is true in marriage.” spiritually than he was at his He adds that it’s also quarter-life mark. important for couples to have separate interests and careers. Professional His wife’s Sheryl Lowe Extrovert Designs business “is massive,” Te thing that Lowe says peo- he says proudly. “She just got ple would be most surprised to into Bergdorf ’s!” He admits hear about him is that he’s an to being in constant admira- 1/2 Vertical “extrovert only professionally.” tion of his wife’s ingenuity, ROB LOWE INSTAGRAM COURTESY

8 | AUGUST 5, 2018 work ethic and creative outlook. “I’m inspired by that; it keeps it interesting and fresh. And she has always been a great mom and homemaker.” Te Lowes recently entered a new phase of life as empty nest- ers. He was initially worried he’d be gloomy not having his sons around but has been enjoying the chance to reconnect with his wife. “All of a sudden, it’s like we’re back to the beginning of our rela- tionship,” he says with a wink. Tough he’s acted, directed and authored several books—includ- ing Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Love Life—Lowe still has a lot left to accomplish. “I’m ready for my superhero moment!” he exclaims, hinting that it would be fun to do something like a “big Marvel Green Hornet” kind of role. He’d also like to tackle “a legitimate theatrical classic,” like Death of a Salesman or something by Shakespeare. To Lowe, aging is a privilege and he looks at each year as a chance to fll his life with new experiences. When asked if he’ll ever slow down, he immedi- ately cackles—how absurd! He attributes his good attitude to a continuous sense of enthusiasm, optimism and curiosity. “Tose are the things that start to erode over time, so I think it’s really important to keep that part of ourselves alive,” he says. So what’s on Lowe’s new- experience bucket list? “I keep hoping Jef Bezos or Elon Musk will put me in space,” he says with a mischievous look in his eye. “I just want to live long enough to do that.”

What’s on daredevil Rob Lowe’s “won’t try” list? Go to Parade.com/lowe to fnd out.

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