“I was taking the bull by the horns,” the actress tells PEOPLE

NEED TO KNOW

• Jackie Tohn underwent a preventive double mastectomy after testing positive for the BRCA1 gen
• She discovered her genetic risk after her father’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent hereditary genetic testing
• The actress is now advocating for genetic testing, especially for those with a family history of cancer or Ashkenazi Jewish heritage

Jackie Tohn is forever changed after making a life-saving decision about her health.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the Nobody Wants This star, 45, revealed that she underwent a preventive double mastectomy and plans to undergo a preventive oophorectomy after testing positive for the BRCA1 gene.

The actress says she learned about the gene after her father was diagnosed with metastatic carcinoma in January 2025 and underwent hereditary genetic testing.

After discovering that he was BRCA1 positive, and she had a 50% chance of having the gene herself, Tohn made sure to mention it during her next mammogram appointment.

“I was like, ‘Let’s not catastrophize. We’re fine. We’re not a cancer family. I’ll just go get my mammogram.’ So I went, and that was when I realized the gravity of the situation,” she says.

Jackie Tohn with her dad.

“I was leaving my mammogram and I said, ‘Oh yeah, my dad’s BRCA1 positive.’ And the radiologist’s whole face changed,” she recalls. “I got really nervous, but I was playing it off.”

Tohn’s doctor made sure she had the genetic testing done right then before leaving her appointment, and a few weeks later, in June 2025, she received her results.

“I found out I was BRCA1 positive and then I met a genetic counselor who informed me that I had an 85% chance of getting breast cancer and a 65% chance of developing ovarian cancer,” she reveals.

“You get this diagnosis and then you don’t know where to throw yourself. You just sit down on a bench and you go, ‘Well, how do I live through this? What do I do?’ she tells PEOPLE. But, at that point, “I put on my rocket shoes and I said, ‘Let’s get this stuff out of here.’ ”

Once Tohn realized her likelihood of developing cancer, making the decision to get preventive surgeries was a no-brainer. In the following months, she began the “tedious journey” of finding a medical team that best suited her.

The surgery was nerve-racking but, doing what she does best, she decided to “laugh herself through it.”

“I was in my bedroom and I came running out to my boyfriend [fellow actor Joe Gillette] and my dogs and I said, ‘Ta-ta, Jackie’s tatas! That’s gonna be the name of the party.’ And he’s like, ‘What party?’ And I’m like, ‘We gotta celebrate these girls one last time,’ ” she says.

Tohn ordered a bunch of decorations for a “Boob Voyage” party and invited those closest to her to celebrate, including her Nobody Wants This costars Adam Brody, Kristen Bell and Justine Lupe.

“I was taking the bull by the horns,” she quips. “Because your girl’s not going out without laughing.”

Tohn underwent her double mastectomy and breast reconstruction in December 2025.

The GLOW actress admits that having such a strong support system kept her sane throughout the process. She even connected with other women who had been in similar situations. “I call them my BRCA gurus,” she says, boasting about the “massive boob care package” she received from them to help with the weeks of painful healing.

Although her recovery was difficult, Tohn says she learned immediately that she made the right choice.

“What’s really crazy is that after I had all my breast tissue removed, they found precancerous cells in my pathology,” she shares. “There were two places on each breast that were potentially future major causes for concern. And the doctor called me almost crying, shrieking with joy, like, ‘We did it. We saved your life.’ ”

“I’m one of the lucky ones,” she adds. “So yeah, it’s done and it looks great and I’m healthy and I saved my own life.”

Tohn admits that it feels strange saying that she saved her own life, but it’s the truth, calling the surgery a gift.

“It’s a hard one because I think we are raised to not say these grand things about ourselves,” she explains. “Like, ‘I’m amazing. I am so strong. I can do hard things. I saved my own life.’ They feel weird coming out because your whole life, it’s like, ‘Okay, conceited.’ But then when you turn into a grownup, you’re like, ‘Wait a minute, these are the most powerful things we can say to ourselves.’ ”

“Now on the other side of it, thanks to my decision to be so proactive, I did. I objectively saved my life,” she says. “It’s crazy to wrap your brain around. It’s life-changing. It’s life-affirming. It’s powerful.”