Valerie Bertinelli Talks Marrying Van Halen & Dating Spielberg

Access Hollywood - February 27, 2008 6:10 PM PST

Cute little Valerie Bertinelli was a mere 15-years-old when she burst on the scene in "One Day At A Time." Who knew, back then, that the now-47-year-old had so much action ahead of her?

Best known as squeaky-clean Barbara Jean on the TV show, Valerie is now clearing the air by making some candid confessions about her past.

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"I kissed another woman, she kissed me, but it didn't go beyond that," Valerie admitted to Access Hollywood. "I guess you do a lot of experimenting in, you know, your 20s and I experimented with a bunch of different stuff."

Among Valerie's experiments was a romance with Steve Spielberg in 1979.

[ All Access: Valerie Bertinelli ]

"He's very romantic," Valerie said. "I only dated him for three months though, I mean, I thought he was a hell of a good-looking guy."

But the now-iconic director had one major flaw.

"I was making dinner for him one evening and I was getting ready to chop up the garlic and he saw it, and he said, 'No! No! No, garlic,' and I went 'Really? OK,' and in my head I'm thinking, 'Well I can't be with someone that can't eat garlic.'"

In 1981, just eight months after meeting rock star Eddie Van Halen, 20-year-old Bertinelli and 26-year-old Van Halen spoke to a priest about their impending marriage.

"He [gave] us these questionnaires to fill out and, you know, in our state, at that point, we had little vials of cocaine as we were filling it out," she revealed. "I wasn't even aware then obviously, because I was doing coke, but I think back and I think, 'Those are two people that [shouldn't] be making decisions about the rest of their lives.'"

Valerie and Van Halen had one son together and were married for 20 years.

In 2001, after years of unhappiness, the couple separated and Valerie says in her book, "Losing It," that was when her weight gain began, which cost her a role on "Friends."

"When 'Friends' called, I just couldn't see myself doing it," Valerie said. "I thought, 'No, I can't stand next to those three beautiful women, I'll just look like a tub of lard.'"

Now slim and happy, it wasn't just the 40-pounds that Valerie was happy to lose.

"Everything that you carry - it's not just weight, it's a heaviness on your soul that I just wanted to get rid of," she said.

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  • pine nut
    u r so hot valerie we r so proud and spielberg does not eat garlic what a wuss...i wouldnt marry him either i mean come on garlic is one of the best foods in the world helps fight cancer....whats up with him?
    report abuseposted April 17, 2009 6:07 PM PDT
  • Joseph L.
    Never stop believing in yourself. I won't stop believing in you. Good Job Val. Peace, Joe
    report abuseposted March 29, 2009 3:37 PM PDT
  • ocola
    YOU Go Girl ,, and val if you ever get to kentucky look me up I have been a fan of yours and always enjoyed your shows ,, keep up the good work and live life to the fullest,, best of luck,, osceola!!!!
    report abuseposted March 29, 2009 1:17 PM PDT
  • shawn
    Valerie you rock. Good for you. You are just more beautiful than you already were.
    report abuseposted March 29, 2009 1:56 AM PDT
  • ZAP
    Wow, you look better now than ever. i always watched you growing up and we are only 2 years apart. keep it off and congrats.
    report abuseposted March 28, 2009 8:42 PM PDT
  • hacksaw
    Iknow you
    report abuseposted March 28, 2009 3:33 PM PDT
  • dash
    Don't be like oprah and gain it all back...take that cookie out of your mouth...
    report abuseposted March 26, 2009 3:37 AM PDT
  • dash
    Valerie...OMG!
    report abuseposted March 26, 2009 3:35 AM PDT
  • ds
    valerie why in the world did you name your son wolfgang?that is so crazy.you should have givin him a normal name.I did like one day at a time .I wish it was still on .
    report abuseposted March 26, 2009 3:07 AM PDT
  • guyinda90s
    Way To GO VALERIE!! I had a massive crush on you. during your tv series days on One day at a Time. Your just 2 years older than me.. I am also a Van Halen fan too. You look great, and you deserve it!!
    report abuseposted March 26, 2009 2:48 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 36  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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