Mackenzie Phillips Talks with Chynna Phillips About 10-Year Incestuous Relationship with Their Dad John

Mackenzie Phillips is looking back at the decades-long incestuous relationship she had with her late father, singer John Phillips.

In a recent conversation with her half-sister, Chynna Phillips Baldwin, which was shared on Chynna's YouTube channel last week, Mackenzie opened up about her past relationship with her father, and revealed why she chose to forgive him, sharing that she's received backlash for her decision.

"Dad was something else," she said. "I get a lot of criticism and a lot of trolling online for having forgiveness in my heart. 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."

The 64-year-old actress first revealed her incestuous relationship with her father in her 2009 memoir, High on Arrival. In the book, Mackenzie wrote that the relationship began when John raped her when she was 19, saying they were under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time. She said the relationship with the Mamas & the Papas singer lasted for 10 years, revealing it ended after she became pregnant.

"It's very complicated. It's very complicated, and yet, I am at peace," Mackenzie said to her half-sister.

Chynna also shared her thoughts on their father, who died in 2001. (The Wilson Phillips singer's mother is Michelle Phillips. Mackenzie's mom is Susan Adams.)

"So many different levels to who he was," Chynna explained. "Obviously, he's an amazing songwriter and, you know, I loved his laugh, and yet there was this whole other side to Dad that was, I mean, kind of, like a monster."

Mackenzie chimed in, noting that John had a "very, very dark, dark side."

Chynna agreed, saying their father "was so dark, and you just didn't know who you were going to get. It was very unpredictable."

Meanwhile, Mackenzie shared that after she first spoke out about her relationship with John in 2009, it led to several family members cutting ties with her. However, Chynna's support never wavered.

"I want you to know," Chynna told Mackenzie, "that when I stood by you, I really did. And I believed you and I want you to know that I was proud of you for coming out even though it was painful for everybody."

Chynna expressed her support for her sister on Instagram earlier this week, posting about their conversation.

"Sister, The people who have suffered the most make the greatest comforters. That's you ♥️. I love you!!!" she captioned a selfie of the two of them together. "Watch our California Preachin' video out now! Link in Bio ☝️."

Following the release of her 2009 memoir, Mackenzie opened up about the incestuous relationship with her father during an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Several years later, in 2017, during another conversation with Oprah Winfrey, the One Day at a Time actress reflected on her decision to speak out about such a dark time in her past.

"I felt like here I was with this huge piece of information that maybe wasn’t even fit for public consumption," Mackenzie told Oprah during an appearance on Oprah: Where Are They Now. "I hadn't done my due diligence. When I wrote the book I just thought, 'I'm not gonna Google this, I'm not gonna Google that. I'm just going to tell my story as it happened to me.' But then, in retrospect, there was some due diligence that I missed doing. Like preparing myself for losing my family."

The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline -- 800.656.HOPE (4673) -- provides free, 24/7 support for those in need.