Here's How Mackenzie Phillips Feels About Her Late Dad John Today
This article includes mentions of sexual assault, rape, and substance abuse.
Mackenzie Phillips is reflecting on a difficult period in her life. The "American Graffiti" actor has spoken out about her incestuous relationship with her father, John Phillips, and is revealing how she feels about it today. According to All That's Interesting, Mackenzie had taken on the music world, following in her father's footsteps. John was the guitarist in the famed band The Mamas & The Papas, and Mackenzie wound up touring with her father's band. While it seemed like a perfect father-daughter gig, in reality, something sinister was going on behind the scenes.
In her memoir, "High on Arrival," released in 2009, the actor alleged that she had a years-long relationship with her father, per Oprah. Mackenzie recalled their sexual relationship began unwillingly when she was around 17 to 18 years old, but eventually, it turned consensual. When their first sexual encounter happened, Mackenzie revealed she confronted her father about how he raped her. She said, "I said, 'Look, we need to talk about how you raped me. And my dad said: 'Raped you? Don't you mean when we made love?' And, in that moment, I thought, 'Wow, I'm really on my own here.'" The incestuous relationship wouldn't come to an end until Mackenzie discovered she was pregnant years later and wasn't sure whether the baby was her father's or her husband's. She ended up having an abortion, which John had paid for. Although John passed away in 2001, Mackenzie is opening up about how she feels about her father today.
Mackenzie Phillips has forgiven her father
John Phillips' relationship with his daughter, Mackenzie Phillips, reportedly lasted 10 years. Despite all the damage he did to Mazkenzie's well-being, the "One Day at a Time" actor always seemed to have sympathy for her father. In 2009, when appearing on Oprah, she blamed the drugs and alcohol that her father was addicted to for their incestuous relationship. She shared, "My father was not a bad man. He was kind of a testament to what drugs and alcohol — in huge quantities — can do to a person's priorities," she continued, "Their motives. I don't hate him. I understand that he was a very tortured man, and he sort of passed that torture down to me." Mackenzie didn't hate her father back then, and that still stands true today.
In 2023, the actor sat down in an interview with her sibling, Chynna Phillips, and revealed that she had forgiven their father. Mackenzie said that she gets a lot of backlash for forgiving her father despite him allegedly raping and developing a relationship with her, but she had to forgive him for her own sake. She explained, "Forgiveness, because forgiving is for me, not for the other person. And forgiving doesn't mean I cosign or agree with what I'm forgiving him for."
Many of Mackenzie Phillips' family members turned their back on her
Chynna Phillips, a fellow daughter to John Phillips, was one of the few who defended Mackenzie Phillips when she revealed that her father allegedly raped and had a romantic relationship with her. In 2009, the singer revealed to Access Hollywood (via NBC Chicago) that she believed Mackenzie's story. She said, "I do believe her. The details surrounding how it all went down, I can't validate because I was not there — and there were a lot of drugs." Chynna stood by her sister, unlike much of the Phillips family.
Michelle Phillips, John's ex-wife and Chynna's mom, did not believe Mackenzie. According to The Hollywood Reporter (via ABC News), Michelle claimed that Mackenzie's alleged relationship with John was made public out of spite. She said, "Mackenzie is jealous of her siblings, who have accomplished a lot and did not become drug addicts."
Mackenzie addressed the backlash she faced on Oprah after the host said that the Phillips family was worried that she would destroy John's image. The "American Graffiti" actor responded, "Interesting that they're not concerned about how it might defame me. I'm taking a huge personal risk telling this story, and I have to say that I loved my father. I still do. ... I know for a fact that I am the only daughter that this happened to, and I don't know why he chose me to visit his demons upon."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).