Nikki DeLoach spent her childhood performing alongside future superstars Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez on The Mickey Mouse Club.
But while some of her former peers, like Ryan Gosling, who went on to earn multiple Oscar nominations, or Keri Russell, who won a Golden Globe, became household names, DeLoach admits she struggled with comparisons as she tried to carve out her own career.
Although she’s found steady success starring in Hallmark movies, the actress, 45, reflected on her early years in Hollywood during an appearance on the Blonde Highlights Podcast.
‘My idea of the word success changed the longer I was out of Hollywood,’ she shared. ‘I came out of the Mickey Mouse Club and my peers became the most famous people in the world when I was struggling to buy produce.’
DeLoach continued: ‘It was really hard because I was like, “Wait, God, like I’m a big faith person.” I was like, “Did you forget about me? I’m just as talented. I work just as hard.” Like, how is it that every single one of my friends, Britney, Justin, Ryan, Christina, like they all, you know, became so successful so fast?’
Nikki DeLoach spent her childhood performing alongside future superstars Britney Spears , Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez on The Mickey Mouse Club; seen in 1995
While her costars shot to superstardom, DeLoach said she was ‘struggle busing on and off’ for years.
‘So, my relationship to this industry had to change a lot,’ she explained. ‘And I will say that ‘failure’ probably was the key to being a very grounded quote unquote normal person.’
She added that despite working in entertainment, she has a deep appreciation for the industry’s ‘working-class’ reality.
‘Our crews and everybody that shows up, we’re job to job. We don’t know where our next job is coming in. A lot of people don’t understand that because they only see the 5 percent of this industry, which is the glamour and the people that are like, you know, making a lot of money.’
DeLoach emphasized that only a small fraction of actors can afford to work full-time without a second job.
‘Only five percent of actors financially make enough money where they don’t have to have a second job,’ she said.
The actress admitted she once had ‘a very unhealthy relationship’ with her self-esteem, which was tied to her professional achievements.
‘The industry does that to you. It tells you that you’re only important when you’re working. People only want you when you’re working. And that is true. That’s how this industry treats you. It can really do so much damage to you spiritually, mentally, emotionally.’
DeLoach admits she struggled with comparisons as she tried to carve out her own career (pictured front in center behind Ryan Goslings and Spears)
Although she’s found steady success starring in Hallmark movies, the actress, 45, reflected on her early years in Hollywood (seen with Justin Timberlake in 2022)
She eventually grew tired of what she called the ‘roller coaster’ and began working on her sense of self-worth.
Her perspective shifted dramatically while pregnant with her second son, Bennett, when she learned he had multiple congenital heart defects that required immediate intervention.
That same week, she also discovered her father had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of dementia known as Pix.
‘I came out of the Mickey Mouse Club and my peers became the most famous people in the world when I was struggling to buy produce,’ she shared
‘When you go through a life and death experience, you know, you get really clear on a lot,’ she said. ‘What I realized is my purpose in the world is to raise boys with good self-esteem and self-worth and to make sure that they feel like they are loved.’
She added: ‘I strive to be a good wife and to be a good friend and to be a good community member and to wake up every day and be of service in the world.’
Despite seeing acting, writing, producing and directing as the best job ever, she insists she would walk away from Hollywood if necessary.
‘If God told me I was needed somewhere else, I would walk away to live out my purpose,’ she said. ‘Once I could wrap my heart around that, I actually felt successful in my life,’ she declared.
DeLoach continued: ‘I was like, “Did you forget about me? I’m just as talented. I work just as hard.” Like, how is it that every single one of my friends, Britney, Justin, Ryan, Christina, like they all, you know, became so successful so fast?’
The Mickey Mouse Club was hailed as a breeding ground for talent in the ’90s, producing a roster of stars who went on to dominate music, film and television.
DeLoach joined the series at just 12 years old in 1993 and remained until its cancellation in 1995.
After the final episode aired, she briefly returned to her local high school before moving to Los Angeles with her grandmother to pursue acting.
In 1998, she became a member of the girl group Innosense, which found modest success, particularly in Europe.
Following the group’s breakup in 2003, DeLoach shifted her focus back to acting.
Today, she is married to Ryan Goodell and the couple share two sons, William Hudson, 11, and Bennett Christopher, 7.
