EXCLUSIVE: Dukes Of Hazzard star John Schneider tears up in first interview since the death of his wife Alicia Allain… as he joins Paul Sorvino’s widow Dee Dee to honor their late spouses with music
The Dukes Of Hazzard actor John Schneider made his first Hollywood appearance since the devastating death of his wife Alicia Allain — and insisted her passing will lead to ‘remarkable, great things.’
Speaking exclusively on video to DailyMail.com, a tearful Schneider delved into his struggle with losing his wife, his music and filmmaking partner, to cancer in February.
Schneider, 63, who is most famous as Bo Duke from the iconic US TV action series, is determined that his life will be focused on helping others cope with grief, despite admitting he will never get over his own loss on an ‘awful road’.
He revealed that part of his healing process after Alicia’s death was to write a new album We Are Still Us to ‘honor her,’ even though it tested him.
Schneider spoke as part of his first on-camera interview since her death at the Drinks With Dee Dee Sorvino cabaret show in Hollywood, where he supported the eponymous entertainer, who lost her husband, Goodfellas icon Paul Sorvino, a year ago.
Still painful: Dukes Of Hazzard star John Schneider spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com at the Drinks With Dee Dee Sorvino cabaret show in Hollywood about his struggle with losing his wife Alicia Allain in February
Loved-up couple: Alicia, a producer, actress and musical collaborator to her husband, died from breast cancer at 53; John and Alicia seen in May 2017 in Tucson, Arizona
Tribute to his love: Schneider performed his songs after completing an album titled We’re Still Us, which is ‘all about’ his late wife
The country music artist’s goal is to encourage people to express their emotions for loved ones while alive, rather than when it’s too late.
Schneider, who appeared in the Superman spinoff show Smallville, endured mixed emotions when returning to work on his latest album.
For years, the married couple composed together, but he vowed to continue their work and to produce a tribute to their love in music.
Schneider said: ‘My bride Alicia and I did our own movies and our own music, so we didn’t work for anybody. So that was very, very helpful.
‘Now that, really, my much, much, much better half is not here, but waiting for me, I am trying to honor her professionalism and trying to honor her skill,’ he explained.
‘I just finished a new album that I think is the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s all about her, it’s called We’re Still Us.
The actor added that he was ‘very proud’ of how the music turned out.
‘And I do believe it’s helpful, but honestly, I don’t see a time where this doesn’t hurt like hell,’ he said of the difficult subject matter.
Classic: Schneider is most famous as Bo Duke from the iconic US TV action series The Dukes Of Hazzard
Similar struggles: Schneider spoke at the Drinks With Dee Dee Sorvino cabaret show in Hollywood as part of his first on-camera interview since Alicia’s death (pictured with Dee Dee)
Painful but comforting: Schneider explained of the album: ‘It hurt so bad to write. It hurt so bad to sing. But the final product is going to be healing for those who are going through this’
Schneider explained of the album: ‘It hurt so bad to write. It hurt so bad to sing.
‘But the final product is going to be healing for those who are going through this; of which, statistically speaking, two people get married, one of them is going to die first.
‘We all think that cancer and losing your spouse are things that happen to other people,’ he warned. ‘No, these are things that can happen to you — in my case, way too soon, [at] 53.
‘She and I are going to do remarkable, great things because of this, not in spite of it, but because of this,’ he continued. ‘And I’m anxious to see what those things are, but I’ll do it.’
Actress Allain, known for her roles in Leather Jackets, Caged Fear and The Badge. died after a courageous four-year battle with breast cancer
According to a report from Fox40 Jackson news, Allain was diagnosed with stage 4 HER2 negative breast cancer in 2019. Reports claimed doctors gave the actress five years to live.
Allain and Schneider, who married in 2019, worked on eight films together, along with several music projects.
The Dukes of Hazzard star regularly posts notes and letters online to Alicia about his loss.
‘Every day I write a letter to heaven,’ he said.
What could have been: ‘We all think that cancer and losing your spouse are things that happen to other people,’ he warned. ‘No, these are things that can happen to you — in my case, way too soon, [at] 53’
Always in his thoughts: The Dukes of Hazzard star regularly posts notes and letters online to Alicia about his loss. ‘Every day I write a letter to heaven,’ he said
Helping hand: He admitted that he never dreamed in his ‘wildest imagination’ that he ‘would be a well-educated support system for people who lost the loves of their lives’
‘What I’ve discovered is that there are — there’s a huge demographic of people who’ve lost a spouse out there, and people are afraid to talk about it. So we really have no support system,’ he stated, adding that ‘we need that.’
‘Now, did I ever dream in my wildest imagination that I would be a well-educated support system for people who lost the loves of their lives? No, but that’s where I am.’
With tears welling up in his eyes, he added: ‘So that’s what I’ll do.’
Schneider shared that he hopes his healing journey will allow others to realize the importance of their relationships.
‘I think people need to know it’s OK to love someone that much,’ he said. ‘In fact, it is how you should feel about your spouse.
‘I have a lot of people say, “I wish my spouse felt that way about me.”
‘Well, maybe they do and you’re just too busy in life to realize it,’ he continued. ‘So if I can help one couple out there realize that they are perfect, then this will not have been in vain. ‘
Later on stage, Schneider added: ‘I’m so grateful that Alicia never, ever, ever wondered for a second.’
Schneider said he expects to one day be reunited with Allain in heaven: ‘I did not lose her. I know where she is and one of these days — if I do not screw it up — I will meet her there. It is up to me now.
‘She went home in February this year,’ he said while visibly emotional. ‘It’s hard. There is nothing to prepare you for it.’
Schneider spoke as he supported Dee Dee Sorvino, the co-founder of Sorvino Vino, at the iconic American Legion Post 43 in Hollywood.
Words of wisdom: Schneider shared that he hopes his healing journey will allow others to realize the importance of their relationships. ‘I think people need to know it’s OK to love someone that much,’ he said
Waiting for the day: Schneider said he expects to one day be reunited with Allain in heaven: ‘I did not lose her. I know where she is and one of these days — if I do not screw it up — I will meet her there. It is up to me now’
Dee Dee performed a range of show tunes and classic hits reflecting on her extraordinary marriage to movie star Paul, who was the father of the Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino. The touching performance won her a standing ovation, with many audience members moved to tears.
‘In commemoration of the one-year anniversary of Paul’s passing, I had the desire to do something special,’ Dee Dee said. ‘I believe that performing at the Legion is an event that my late husband would have wanted me to do’
Schneider reflected: ‘She and Paul were, and I believe still are, a delightful couple, and we have something in common. She lost Paul. I lost my bride. We’re kind of holding each other up, which is a good thing.’
For more details on Dee Dee’s projects visit www.sorvinovino.com.
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