Busy Philipps on Partnering With Altos Tequila, Being a New York Mom and Touring With Her ‘Girls5eva’ Crew: ‘I’m Ready, I Want to Do It’
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“I’m really busy.” This is the first thing Busy Philipps tells me as we sit down to chat. When I tell her I’m impressed with her jam-packed schedule, she immediately agrees: “I’m impressed as well.”
Philipps and I are sitting in a bare-bones Chelsea loft on an early afternoon in March. We’re here to talk about her latest partnership with Altos Tequila but just moments before we begin, Variety breaks the exclusive on her new QVC late-night show “Busy This Week.” Only six days earlier, she was celebrating the premiere of Season 3 of “Girls5eva,” which after being cancelled on Peacock, was picked up by Netflix to the relief of the show’s many adoring fans.
She’s in the midst of a multi-prong press cycle, meaning it could be hard to keep her facts straight, but she seems energized by the stimulation. All of this, in addition to being a mother of two kids, aged 11 and 15, you’d think she wouldn’t have a second to rewind. But Philipps, wearing her daughter’s koala-decorated socks (“I didn’t have any clean socks this morning, guys!”), is a self-proclaimed queen of multi-tasking.
Even if her nights out don’t look quite the same as they did a decade ago, she still finds the time to hang out — and drink some tequila — with friends.
“I think it’s really important to recharge your batteries by surrounding yourself with your family and your friends,” she says. “I’ve made some really good mom friends here in New York in Cricket’s grade. A lot of times we do like Friday afternoon hangouts with the kids into a Friday evening and we’ll order in food and the kids will be in the playroom watching whatever they’re watching and making up TikTok dances. And I’ll be making the margs for everybody.”
This love for socializing over a fresh batch of margaritas is exactly why a campaign with Altos Tequila made so much sense. Ahead of Cinco de Mayo, Philipps and the brand launched the Altos Emergency Hot Lime service. Through the month of May, Altos Tequila and Philipps are advertising the Emergency Hot Lime Margarita kit, featuring all the ingredients that you might not have while making a last-minute mixed drink. In the weeks leading up to Cinco, Philipps surprised select callers by picking up the phone for orders.
In celebration of her partnership with Altos Tequila, Variety spoke to Philipps about her go-to margarita recipe, being a working New York mom and potentially touring with her “Girls5eva” crew:
What’s your margarita recipe?
It’s really simple. I make my own simple syrup, which is easy to do. It’s just sugar and water on the boil. And then you let it cool. And so then it’s just three ingredients: Altos Tequila, fresh lime juice — it has to be fresh — and simple syrup that I make at home.
2 ozs tequila
1 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Altos Plata Tequila
How would you describe your style?
I tend to gravitate towards a lot of color, like really saturated color. I have always loved fashion and have always loved clothes and love putting outfits together. I’ve also had the added benefit of working with Karla Welch for 14 years now and she really knows me and my style for when I’m doing press and using a stylist.
And then in my personal life, I’m very eclectic. I go all over the place. The way I dress here in New York has changed a bit than how I would dress in LA which makes sense but I still try to bring in bright colors. Even though I’m in New York.
Favorite red carpet look?
Well I was absolutely obsessed with my “Mean Girls” premiere dress. It was blue with the black polka dots.
And also the premiere for “Girls5eva.” They had Christian Siriano graciously dress all four of us together. And he’s the best and we just had a really fun day and a fun fitting with him. And I loved that dress and I loved my look. It was also a bit of an homage to Season 2 of ‘Girls5eva,” [in which] I wear this ridiculous hot pink feathered outfit. I hated it so much because I was wearing it every day while shooting, and feathers were everywhere, I was constantly sneezing. And it was a very inexpensive material so I just thought it was so great when I saw that Christian had this beautiful high-end version of feathers. So I was like, I have to wear that to honor Summer on the carpet.
Do you like TikTok, and what are your thoughts on the possibility of a ban?
I do, I do. Like everything in life, I believe in moderation. I believe moderation is key. So that goes for tequila and social media. And then everything in between. And that is kind of how I try to live my life. No one is all one thing. To me, I’m just like, really? You guys can agree on that. But not bodily autonomy? Okay, go fuck yourselves. You know? I’m sorry. That’s just like, insane.
How do you talk to your kids about politics?
I don’t know if I’m talking to my children about politics. Sometimes they talk to me about it because they honestly know more occasionally than I do.
Look, I think we all have to remember that participation is key. And that there are reasons to be hopeful, always. And then real substantive change happens in a million small ways. And that requires everybody continuing to show up for what’s right and for the foundation of what our democracy and our country supposedly stood for, and should still stand for, and whether or not the reality of that promise has ever fully been achieved doesn’t matter. We are in a position to see it through to make sure that it really is a democracy for every person who lives here.
To end on a lighter note: when is the “Girls5eva” tour happening?
“I’m ready. Like yeah, I’m ready. I want to do it.”
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