Jenna Bush Hager Reveals Why She Didn’t Answer Katie Holmes’ Call When the Actress Was Preparing for First Daughter

Over the years, we can’t help but be fascinated by the lives of the First Family. After all, with maybe the exception of the Kardashians, it’s one of the most-watched families in the United States. So, of course, we love to imagine what their lives are like too. From extravagant state dinners to their everyday life living in the White House, it’s safe to say living in the presidential estate might be quite an experience.

But, according to Jenna Bush Hager, who was the First Daughter of the United States during her father George W. Bush‘s presidency from 2001 to 2009, her life wasn’t as over-the-top as we imagined. In fact, in her interview with People as their new cover star, Jenna was even embarrased by how “dull” her life was at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

So much so that when Katie Holmes called Jenna to prepare for her role as the daughter of the president in the 2004 flick First Daughter, Jenna didn’t even pick up. “I was at the library and living a normal life as a college freshman,” she remembered. “I felt she would be disappointed with whatever she saw.” How adorable is that?

The normalcy Jenna experienced, however, was her dad’s plan all along. Per Jenna, her dad made that promise to her, and her twin sister Barbara, before he ever took office. “We were 18, and we knew how badly we wanted just to go to college and live normal lives,” she said. “That was his promise to us: ‘Don’t worry. You can live normal lives.'”

The reality of the experience, however, was somewhere in between. “We were maybe all slightly naive, to be honest,” she said.

Most of all, Jenna admitted she got to fully get to know herself, and wasn’t necessarily confined in the picture-perfect role of being a First Daughter. “The world was expecting us to be perfect,” she said of the media attention at the time. “But our parents did not, which is the absolute best blessing that they could have ever given us: the freedom just to be ourselves and to make mistakes.”

Looks like her parents did their best to keep the promise they give their daughters a normal life, even if it wouldn’t make for an exciting movie out of it!

Before you go, click here to see photos of George W. Bush’s family over the years.