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Madam Secretary star Téa Leoni covers the March issue of More in a pretty pink Maria Lucia Hohan silk gown. The actress, 48, opens up about misogyny and ageism in Hollywood, choosing not to live in fear, and co-parenting her kids – daughter Madelaine West, 15, and son Kyd Miller, 12 – with ex-husband, Californication star David Duchovny.

On misogyny and ageism in Hollywood: “[Brett] Ratner (her director on the 2000 film The Family Man)—whom I really like, by the way—was going around telling people that despite my age, I was ‘still doable.’ I think I was 34 then. And he was something like 28. I asked myself, ‘Do I still care about that?’ And at that time, I did. I felt that pressure to be ‘doable.’ It was the meanest thought I’d had for myself in a long time…Thankfully, I’ve moved past all that. Chasing youth is a war I’m not going to win. It’s not like I’m thrilled to turn around and catch my can in the mirror, but I can see now how much of my happiness could be a victim of trying to stay young and desirable. And it feels like peace and victory to be relieved of that burden.”

On trying not to be too hard on herself: “Fear is terrible. I’m no different than anyone else. I don’t want people to judge me and find me wanting. I spent some time in my marriage being fearful of how it would go, or end, or not end, and I think, with the kids, some fear as a new mother. I didn’t know what I was doing. I remember packing the freaking diaper bag. I would get obsessed. If there is an earthquake, can we survive for two weeks on the contents?”

On her marital status: “Divorced and liking it, thank you.” But Leoni goes on to say she is friendly with David Duchovny, they speak almost daily and even shared a rental house with their children and extended family over the holidays. “On occasion, I want to throttle him. But in any real relationship with someone you love, that’s true,” she adds.

For more from Téa, go to More…

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