As the acerbic neighbor on Apple TV+’s Shrinking, Christa Miller seems right at home in the Pasadena neighborhood where her character Liz resides.
Though she grew up on the East Coast, the actor—also known for roles on The Drew Carey Show, Scrubs, and Cougar Town—says she has fallen for her own Los Angeles neighborhood, thanks to its depth of outdoor activities, beach vibes, and a buzzing sense of creativity.
With the third season of Shrinking now underway, as Liz deepens her roots in her onscreen neighborhood [played by Jason Segel], Miller is also keeping busy off-screen.
In addition to her award-winning work as a comedic talent, Miller has earned an Emmy nomination for music supervision. In this side hustle, she selects the perfect tunes to enhance the emotions on hit shows like Ted Lasso and Bad Monkey.
Below, she shares her favorite California hot spots.
Where do you live? I live on the Westside of Los Angeles where I see horses every day, which makes me feel like I am living in the country.
Why there? We moved here to be closer to the beach and the schools we loved. We had a home in Point Dume for 20 years and it seemed all of our friends were making their way to the Westside. Our neighborhood feels like it’s far away from the business of Hollywood and this side of town has an abundance of sports, which is important for all of our kids.
Who or what is your greatest California love? I grew up in New York City and never thought I would grow to love California SO much. Where I find peace, love, and laughter is heading down to little Dume on a Sunday evening to sit around a bonfire and have dinner on the beach with my friends.
Time for a road trip—where are you going? My favorite road trip! One of my oldest and closest friends has a horse sanctuary in Santa Ynez called Skydog Ranch. Fun fact: I’m actually on the board for it. She rescues and rehabilitates horses—wild mustangs in particular—from auctions and holding facilities. I drive up the coast, hang with Clare and the horses at her beautiful ranch (even though she does put me to work) and then we have lunch at Pony or go to Industrial Eats in Buellton, both fabulous.
What is your favorite way to play in California? Our family is sporty. We all love to hike together. Recently it’s been mountain biking, having extremely competitive pickleball matches, football, and my husband loves to construct an elaborate croquet field… and then the yelling begins.
Where would you go for the ultimate shopping spree in California? I am not a big shopper, and I pretty much live in Levi’s and a t-shirt. However, if I’m going to shop, my favorite two stores to hit are Just One Eye and Maxfield. And I don’t go crazy!
Best California song? When I first moved here I lucked out into a little nook in Laurel Canyon where a group of artists were all trying to break into the business. Through the highs and inevitable lows (this is Hollywood after all) we rooted for each other.
We loved Counting Crows and their music became the soundtrack to our lives. When I hear “A Long December” now, I am transported to that time of my life and think of it as my California theme song.
How would your California dream day unfold? Perfect day? I would be with my husband and three children. We would head to Malibu and first pick up burritos from Lily’s, then I would force them to go rockhounding with me on Kanan Dume to look for agates, lunch at Little Beach House, and then land at our friend CC’s house for family dinner and hopefully music happens.