1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Welcome 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: back to Work in Progress, Whipsmarties. We have a guest 3 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: today who has been dubbed the Queen of Quirk by 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: The New York Times, and you know how I love 5 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: a quirky lady. Carrie Preston joins us on the show today. 6 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 1: I am so excited to talk to her about how 7 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: she built her unconventional attorney named Elsbeth Tousconi in her 8 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: hit series Elsbeth, because this character actually originated in a 9 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: guest episode on The Good Wife and just kept coming 10 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: back for more, then appeared on The Good Fight, and 11 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: then apparently thanks to a Colombo rewatch, the creators said, 12 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: hold the phone, that's the show that Elsbeth. I want 13 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: to talk to Carrie about how she's carried this incredible 14 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: character over fifteen years, how she figures out how to 15 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: make so many people in the world feel represented on screen, 16 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: what brings her joy as an artist, and how she 17 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: found her artistic voice it was earlier than you might think, 18 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: and what it's like to figure out ways to use 19 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: her platform for good being so rooted in joy from 20 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: supporting the LGBTQ community with glad to advocating for folks 21 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,279 Speaker 1: with Parkinson's alongside Michael J. Fox and his foundation. Carrie 22 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: really takes her goodness on screen to off, and I 23 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: just can't wait to hear from her how she manages 24 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: to balance it all. Let's dive in with Carrie Preston. 25 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: Thank you for coming on the show. I'm so gigd 26 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: you're here. You're just the absolute coolest human and I'm 27 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: like really amped about it. 28 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: Well, I should say first that I was on a 29 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 2: jury once for an indie film festival and yeah, yeah, 30 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: was one of the in competition and it was like 31 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: such an easy this should be the winner for me. 32 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, it win. 33 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: So there you carry. 34 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 2: Thank you you and Michael. You guys were great together. 35 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: Oh thank you. We had such a special time making 36 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: that movie. 37 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 2: The two of you were just like electric together. I 38 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 2: don't even know. I mean, it was just like riveting 39 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: from the minute it started and it was brilliant the 40 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: whole thing. 41 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: Oh, thank you so much. That really means a lot. 42 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 1: I really appreciate that, and you were awesome. Thanks well, 43 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: You're so awesome, And I just I love when I 44 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: get to sit down with people whose work I adore 45 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: and who are just doing such cool things in the world. 46 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,119 Speaker 1: But I kind of like to go back to catch 47 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: up to where we are are, because I feel like 48 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: when you're a person who you know, folks know they 49 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: love watching you on TV. You know, they know your 50 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,839 Speaker 1: body of work, they know you, and I know you 51 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: as this person. But I wonder if you know you 52 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: got to be in you know, your own sci fi 53 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: movie and hang out with yourself when you were nine 54 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 1: or ten, you know, like have a day in the 55 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: park in the city with your younger self. Would you 56 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: do you think you would see yourself today in her? 57 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: And do you think she would be like, oh cool, 58 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: I see how I turned into you? Or did your 59 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: life just take like a totally unexpected series of turns 60 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: and you had no idea you'd be doing this for 61 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: a living. 62 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 2: You know, I grew up and making Georgia okay, And 63 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: you know that's a smaller town. It's not. It's not 64 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 2: the smallest, you know, it's a but it's in Georgia. 65 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: And you know, there weren't like actors that were coming 66 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 2: up in that town, you know what I mean. It 67 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: was It wasn't like that was the thing that you 68 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 2: you would you would aspire to do was to be 69 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: an actor. 70 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, you didn't grow up like next to Times Square. 71 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 2: I wasn't like going to the professional after school or 72 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 2: any of that stuff. But I'm definitely a little bit 73 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 2: of what you might call a lifer, you know. I 74 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: started to doing az when I was eight years old. 75 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 2: My older brother John, he started doing community theater and 76 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 2: I was like, I want to be like him, So 77 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 2: I started doing plays and we had very supportive parents. 78 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: My mom. My mom's an artist. She was a painter, 79 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 2: a sculptor and did art therapy. Wow, even knew what 80 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 2: that was. I mean, she called it expressive art. She 81 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 2: didn't get a degree in art therapy, but she got it. 82 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 2: She got certified and expressive art, which is very similar, 83 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: So she was doing that kind of thing. My dad 84 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 2: geotechnical engineer, so he's like the left brain side of things, wow, 85 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 2: you know, and my mom was like the right brain 86 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 2: side of things. And luckily they they didn't try to 87 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 2: fight us on that, like, you know, they were like, oh, 88 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 2: you want to be creative, We're going to let you 89 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,919 Speaker 2: do that. I mean I was I was when I 90 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: was like six years old. I remember playing in the 91 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 2: front yard and acting like there were cameras in the 92 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 2: trees and then trying to act natural. Wow, like why, 93 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 2: don't know why. I don't know how that feeling like 94 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 2: cameras were watching me. So that was just something that 95 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 2: I don't know was maybe ingrained in me. But you know, 96 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,359 Speaker 2: by the time I'm twelve, I'm starting my own theater 97 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: company with the kids in the neighborhood. You know, I 98 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: was Now I was that kid who just was like, 99 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 2: I love to do this. Now. I don't know if 100 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,679 Speaker 2: it was because I needed more order in my life. 101 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: I don't know what it was, but I was gravitating 102 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 2: towards it, and I started doing community theater and I 103 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,119 Speaker 2: would you know, but I wasn't playing like the leads. 104 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 2: I was always playing the comic sidekick. I was always 105 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 2: playing like you know, and I would put on the 106 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 2: fanny pack and the flasses and the you know, I 107 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 2: would do the funny character voices. I was already pressing 108 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: around with that and not really knowing what I was doing. 109 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: Wow, it's so interesting that you say that. Every once 110 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: in a while, I think about moments in my own 111 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: childhood where I go, oh, there it was where you know, 112 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: my parents would be out and I was finally old 113 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: enough to stay home by myself, and I'd be like 114 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: doing a scene in the living room alone because I 115 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: felt like, oh, I've got a house all to myself, 116 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: and now I can work on this. And even now, 117 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: I mean this morning, I was, you know, walking from 118 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: one end of the subway station to the other to 119 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: catch a train, and I was like, God, this whole 120 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: thing just feels like a movie. And I catch myself realizing, like, 121 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: if I was shooting this, I'd have a camera on 122 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: a Delli track over there, and oh, look at that 123 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: cool and there's a guy with a you know, a 124 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: violin over here, and I'm always thinking about it that way, 125 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: but I I didn't. I guess I've never really even 126 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: thought to talk about that until you just did and 127 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: I went, oh, we do. We do have a weird 128 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: thing that we do, I guess when we're our day. 129 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, because otherwise why would we be doing it? 130 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:38,679 Speaker 2: Because it's a very hard business to get into. 131 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 3: So there must be you know, into me and to 132 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 3: be in yeah, and to maintain and do all of 133 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 3: the peripheral things that go go along with it, yeah, 134 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: you know, including the not getting the. 135 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: Job part, which is way more than the getting the job. 136 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: Oh so all of that stuff. If we didn't have this, 137 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 2: I don't know original kernel of Yeah, this is this 138 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 2: is what I this is what I want, what I 139 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 2: need to do, I at least need to try to 140 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 2: do it. Or I got to be creative in some way. 141 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 2: And I've always felt that way, like I got to 142 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 2: be creative in some way, Like even when I was younger. Yes, 143 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 2: it was the acting part, but I started directing and 144 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 2: writing and doing all that stuff at the same time 145 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 2: because I just wanted to make things, you know, And 146 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: I would also make puppets and paint and make you know, 147 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: because my mom was an artist. You know, we were 148 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 2: always doing, you know, some kind of arts. So there 149 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 2: was an appreciation for it and just a desire to 150 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: express myself in some way. And so that has come 151 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: in handy as my life has gone on in this 152 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: in this creative pursuit, because when I find that, Okay, 153 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: well maybe I'm not being hired right now, well I'm 154 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 2: going to go ahead and make my own stuff, right, 155 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 2: there's that empowerment there that I think, I think it 156 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 2: was nurtured. I'm lucky it was nurtured at a young 157 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 2: age by parents who didn't try to talk me out 158 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 2: of it, by teachers who were like, yeah, yeah, you 159 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 2: could do that. We don't quite know how to teach 160 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 2: how to do that, but we can get you to 161 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 2: the places that can you know, that kind of thing. 162 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: That's really really very cool because what I'm hearing you 163 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: talk about is the fact that, as the phrase goes, 164 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: because you could see it, you were empowered to believe 165 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: you could be it. Your mom was an artist, so 166 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: you could be an artist. And I think to be 167 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: given the tools to express yourself from such a young 168 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: age and then to have that natural inclination to want 169 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: to use those tools be fostered. 170 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 2: What a cool. 171 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: Just what a cool series of empowering events that must 172 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: have felt like as a kid. 173 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it did. And also just the the joy 174 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 2: of it, you know, the you know how it is 175 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 2: like when you when you key and when you're doing 176 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 2: the role and it just starts to take over and 177 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: you just feel like you're expressing something bigger, You're in 178 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 2: charge of giving something bigger to the world. You know, yes, 179 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 2: you know, the the translation of what it is to 180 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 2: be a human through you know, through your your instrument. 181 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 2: You know, I don't know that. There's just something very 182 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: thrilling about that, and it's it feels like a contribution. 183 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, I always I talk about this sort of 184 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: singularity I experience where it feels like for me, the 185 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: journey into the character, where it really comes alive in me. 186 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: It's the amount of work it requires and the creativity 187 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: and the excitement and the joy you're talking about. And 188 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: then suddenly I feel feelings that I know are not mine, 189 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: but my body doesn't know we're not mine. And in 190 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: that moment, it's like those feelings can represent everyone who 191 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: might watch it. At some point I can give it 192 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: away and it's you know, it's like the it's like 193 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: the two butterfly wings, and I feel like I'm just 194 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: in the body in the center and it's so. 195 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 2: Cool. Yeah yeah, like Martha Graham says, the body never lies. Yeah, 196 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: you know, And so it maybe a little you got 197 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 2: to like work on your own mental health because sometimes majorly, 198 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 2: like you just said, your body doesn't know and so 199 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 2: sadly you're carrying some kind of trauma around that you 200 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 2: actually don't have. 201 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, I feel like that's an interesting part 202 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: of our job nobody ever really talks about is like 203 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,719 Speaker 1: you you really have to have some mental health practices 204 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: if you want to stay sane and do this for 205 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: a living. Yes, it sounds like you got to build 206 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 1: such a big toolkit from such an early age. But 207 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: to your point, you know, making Georgia is not times square. 208 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: Was it a surreal kind of adjustment for you to 209 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: leave home and come to Juilliard and be in the 210 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: mix of this city and that kind of professional pursuit. 211 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 2: Well, I got the great privilege and benefit of going 212 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 2: to some undergraduate schools before I went, so I got 213 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 2: to have a little bit of a bridge. Okay, you know, 214 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,599 Speaker 2: so I went first, I went to the College of 215 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 2: Charleston for a couple of years, and then I met 216 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 2: a professor there who said, let's get you some stronger 217 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 2: training than we have here. So they got me. He 218 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 2: got me to audition for a very tiny, but very powerful, 219 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 2: little liberal arts school in southern Indiana called the Ununiversity 220 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 2: of Evansville. And there was a Loudes who had started 221 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 2: that program uh and and fostered the program and turned 222 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: it into really a world class little training womb. And 223 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 2: so I went there for a couple of years and 224 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 2: really got some really solid training. And one of the 225 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 2: things that he and the professors there take great pride 226 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 2: in is that they helped place their students in the 227 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 2: top graduate acting schools in the country. Yeah, and so 228 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 2: they really have like an incredible rate still of student 229 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 2: to you know, Juilliard, Yale, m y u UCSD like 230 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 2: the you know, some some really solid solid training grounds. 231 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 2: And I loved school. I was one of those wirdos 232 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 2: that just loved me too, and I got the top 233 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 2: of it. So I just kept going, you know, so 234 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 2: because I ended up going from undergrad to four years 235 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 2: at Julia Julias was at the time when I was there, 236 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 2: a four year program, and so you know, that was 237 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: an additional four years. But it was a really good 238 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 2: way for a small town girl to acclimatize herself to 239 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 2: that what you were saying, large ocean of a place, 240 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 2: you know. And uh and so I had that, I 241 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 2: had the the you know, the benefit of being in 242 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 2: a in a school that could prepare me for it, 243 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 2: and so having that kind of insulated vibe, but still 244 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 2: being right smack in the middle of Manhattan, you know, 245 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 2: Lincoln Center, you know, which had its wonderful you know benefits, 246 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 2: which was going getting to go see all those shows 247 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 2: and you know around all those different artists at that school. Yeah, 248 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 2: all the different disciplines you know, really shaped me and 249 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 2: had you know, gave me even more of an appreciation 250 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 2: of all the fellow artists that you know, I had 251 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 2: the privilege of being around. 252 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: What were some of your favorite things that you got 253 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: to do as a student there. 254 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: I mean we were there, you know, from eight am 255 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 2: until like midnight, you know, every day we were there, 256 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 2: and so we would have these like classroom projects, you know, 257 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: so it felt like we were just doing these plays 258 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 2: for each other and for the faculty and for each other, 259 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 2: and so that we were able to feel like less 260 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: of the pressure of performance. The school, the the program 261 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 2: is built to kind of lead you up to the 262 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 2: public performance side of things, and you know, to get 263 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 2: you in a place where you feel free and stuff 264 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: and you're working with the same people. You know, you 265 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 2: have your core class, and that's who you go through 266 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 2: this four years with, you know, for better and sometimes 267 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 2: for worse. I mean it's a lot, you know, it's 268 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 2: a little bit like boot camp for acting. You know, 269 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 2: there's a joke that some people call it the jail 270 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 2: yard school because you know, you're kind of stuck in 271 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 2: this like you know, pressure cooker. In some ways, I 272 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: found it to be invigorating. I'm still very close to 273 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 2: a lot of my classmates, and we had a crazy class. 274 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: But along the way, we formed our own theater company, 275 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: and we ended up doing a season, a couple of 276 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 2: plays in between in the summer between our second and 277 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 2: third year of school, and so that was like a 278 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 2: really special thing too. To to to get this group 279 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 2: of people and take what we were learning out into 280 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 2: the world, and. 281 00:16:54,040 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: That's really cool. And the desire to keep going, you know, 282 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: it's your summer break, and all you want is more 283 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: of what you're doing in school. What a great indicator 284 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: that you're on the right life path, right. 285 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. 286 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: It's so cool. 287 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 2: Got to because I was studying the classics, you know, 288 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 2: I was learning how to do Shakespeare and stuff. From 289 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 2: the very beginning of college, I started auditioning for summer 290 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 2: Shakespeare programs, and pretty much every summer I would go 291 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 2: to you know, Georgia Shakespeare, Utah Shakespeare, California Shakespeare. I 292 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 2: would do I would get to do Shakespeare even when 293 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 2: we did our little Juilliard company, we did a Shakespeare play, 294 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,399 Speaker 2: so you know, I was constantly cutting my teeth on 295 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 2: you know, some of the the most you know, iconic literature, 296 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: dramatic literature, that they're the stuff that we all keep 297 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: going back to. 298 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, artists, I love that. 299 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 2: How fun. 300 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 1: We'll be back in just a minute after a few 301 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: words from our favorite sponsors. I imagine when you get 302 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: to reflect, you you know, they say hindsight's twenty twenty, right, 303 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 1: like you see everything so clearly. You see what you 304 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: were building and what you loved and was coming back 305 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: to this character of Elsbeth. Did it kind of feel 306 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: as exciting as the way you're talking about looking back 307 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: on that Shakespeare period. Because it's not lost on me 308 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: that you started playing this character fifteen years ago and 309 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: then played her across two shows and now you're playing 310 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: her in this third show. It's like, it feels like 311 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: a thing you get to revisit and build and build 312 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 1: and build on in a world. And you know, maybe 313 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 1: it's a stretch, but in my observation in this moment, 314 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: I'm like, hold on, it almost feels like you returning 315 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: to Shakespeare over and over and over again. It's like 316 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: you're getting to do a version of that now, or 317 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: does that track or does it feel crazy that tracks? 318 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 2: I hadn't really connected that those dots, So thank you 319 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 2: for that, because it really, it really is making me 320 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 2: think about it in a in a in a way 321 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 2: that feels like it's part of a longer trajectory. You know, 322 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 2: there's not a day that goes by that I'm not amazed, grateful, 323 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 2: and humbled by getting to play this character. Not a 324 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 2: day goes by because it is, like you just said, 325 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 2: it's not lost on me. It is really not lost 326 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 2: on me. I'm I'm a fifty eight year old woman 327 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 2: who has been doing character roles my whole career, happily supporting. 328 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,120 Speaker 2: I've had played leads in movies, et cetera, indies and stuff, 329 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 2: but mostly I'm you know, I've been there to support you, 330 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 2: and happily. I love it, you know, I love being 331 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 2: trusted with those kinds of roles. You know, when it 332 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 2: first started out, you know, everybody who always wants to 333 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 2: kind of pigeonhole you and tell you like this is 334 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 2: your type, you know, And so when I was young, 335 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 2: it was like you're the ingenoux and I was always like, okay, 336 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 2: but I don't make that angeneu really interesting because like 337 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 2: I want to just play you know, like the pretty 338 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 2: young thing, like especially in Shakespeare. Yeah, And when I 339 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:41,880 Speaker 2: first got out of Juilliard, I got to audition for 340 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 2: The Tempest, which was being done as Shakespeare in the Park. 341 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 2: It was George C. Wolfe, the Great Director's first Shakespeare 342 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 2: that he'd ever directed. It was Patrick Stewart playing Prospero. 343 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 2: And I was auditioning for Miranda, which is, you know, 344 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 2: one of the news in the Shakespeare cannon. But I 345 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:08,479 Speaker 2: was like, yeah, but if your girl, who's you know, 346 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 2: fifteen and you have only since you were a baby, 347 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 2: lived on an island with a bunch of dudes, your 348 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 2: dad a monster affair, you know you're gonna be like 349 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 2: the pretty girl. 350 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: In the dress. 351 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 2: Like how are you going to do that? 352 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: No way, You're going to be. 353 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 2: One of the lost boys, gonna be a tomboy you 354 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 2: want to be. So I went whole hard on that, 355 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 2: you know, hot off on my hair, went for the tomboy, 356 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 2: the damming you know thing, and really turned that, tried 357 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:48,479 Speaker 2: to turn that character into somebody a different interpretation of 358 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 2: that role. And got you know, got the park, got 359 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 2: to do it. We moved it to Broadway and I 360 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 2: may mayor Broadway debut doing that, and I thought, no, 361 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 2: you don't have You can be a character actor in 362 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 2: a conta news package. You can be is what we're 363 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 2: always doing character acting. I mean we're creating characters, right, Like, 364 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 2: aren't we supposed to be doing that. We're not supposed 365 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 2: to be doing the audience's interpretation of what the leading 366 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 2: lady is. We're supposed to bring who we are married, 367 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 2: well read on the page, the text work that we do, 368 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 2: the work we do with the other actors, the work 369 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 2: we do with the director, and create something that's fresh. 370 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 2: So I felt that and that's part of just because 371 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 2: I went to school and I was taught to do 372 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 2: the deep, you know, mining of the character. So when 373 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 2: I got the role, this is all leading up to 374 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 2: when I got the role of Elsbeth, I tried to 375 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 2: apply the same principles to that as I add to 376 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 2: these Shakespeare roles, like what are we going to do 377 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,400 Speaker 2: with this character that makes her different? 378 00:22:58,119 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: Yeah? 379 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 2: How do I bring myself? What am I going to do? 380 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 2: How does this woman think? You know? Just started doing 381 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 2: that deeper work and not just be now part of 382 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 2: it was that was written, but you know, not just 383 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 2: be like the the lawyer of the week, like what 384 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 2: can we do this? Something something singular, and the fact 385 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 2: that they were given they gave me that license, the 386 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 2: fantastic that always starts with the page, but they gave 387 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 2: me that license and then kept inviting me back to 388 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 2: well yeah, and then it became this alchemy between what 389 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,679 Speaker 2: they were writing and what I was doing and you know, 390 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 2: here we are, but there's no guarantee that like we 391 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 2: would get to do a show that way. Well, like 392 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 2: when they told me this was in twenty twenty, when 393 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 2: Robert Michelle you know, reached out to me because it 394 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:59,439 Speaker 2: was COVID. We were all locked down. They were seeing 395 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 2: the end of the good fight. They knew that that 396 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 2: was going to be coming to an end soon, and 397 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 2: they were like, what are we going to do next? 398 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:09,479 Speaker 2: And they had been rewatching episodes of Colombo and they 399 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 2: were like, huh, maybe that's maybe we could put Elsbeth 400 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:18,440 Speaker 2: Tasioni in a situation like that. Then simultaneously, Elizabeth Vincent Telly, 401 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,959 Speaker 2: who's a writer at the New York Times, wrote an 402 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 2: article about what she was doing during COVID was watching 403 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,479 Speaker 2: episodes of Colombo, and the last line of the article was, 404 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 2: we don't need a reboot of Colombo. Just give Elsbeth 405 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 2: Tasioni her own show. No, yes, And then I'm just 406 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: saying hills, right. So Robert and Michelle they saw that 407 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 2: Robinda Michelle King and they saw that and they were like, Okay, 408 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 2: that's like, this is weird because this is how what 409 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 2: we were thinking. And then they started the process. But 410 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 2: that was in twenty twenty and they called and they 411 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 2: were like, do you want to do this? I was like, 412 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 2: uh yeah, I mean obviously, obviously, and then it just 413 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 2: wouldn't happen, wouldn't happen for years, and I was like, Okay, 414 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 2: I guess it's not going to happen. And then, you 415 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 2: know whatever, a year and a half ago. 416 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: And now Elizabeth is vack. When you look back to 417 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: the beginning, you know, when you talk about that character work, 418 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: you know, the ways you wanted to build her into 419 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: more than just a lawyer of the week. What are 420 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: the things that you started to noodle with fifteen years 421 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: ago that have become so core to your character. 422 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 2: Now, Yeah, that's a good question because I don't like 423 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 2: to revisit like my past work too much. Yeah, in 424 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:39,679 Speaker 2: my head, I also am like, oh I look so 425 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 2: much younger, you know, and I go to like crazy 426 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 2: places everybody else. 427 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: It's really weird to have to watch yourself be a 428 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: human on film. 429 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 2: Oh my god. 430 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,919 Speaker 1: Mostly they're just in our bodies looking out. So it 431 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: happened to look at yourself all the time. It's weird. 432 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 1: It's a weird experience. 433 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: It's a weird experience, and it can really mess you up. 434 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 2: So I try not to do that. But or we 435 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 2: started the series that L was at the series, I thought, well, 436 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:09,640 Speaker 2: just go back because I'd like to see like what 437 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 2: I did back then, because I don't remember it was fifteen, 438 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 2: I'd like to see. So I watched Elsa's first appearance 439 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 2: and it was fascint. First of all, it was like, 440 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 2: I know what, I know, you must relate to this. 441 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 2: It's like watching somebody else. 442 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like it's almost like watching your sister. Yeah yeah, yeah, 443 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,120 Speaker 1: they look like you. Yeah, they look like you were familiar, 444 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,880 Speaker 1: but also like a stranger, like a stranger. 445 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like revisiting this person that you used to be. Yeah. 446 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 2: Or it's like maybe she was like my child or something. 447 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 2: There was something I felt very I felt very maternal 448 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 2: towards her, you know, like this, but I could tell 449 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 2: that I was, you know, I was finding my way. 450 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,439 Speaker 2: I mean, this was like a guest spot, you know, so, 451 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 2: and you're there. When you're a guest spot, which I've 452 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 2: done so very many of it in my career. You're 453 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 2: there to serve. 454 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, you're. 455 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 2: There to serve what they need to do, to be 456 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,159 Speaker 2: a support to those other actors. And I love I 457 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 2: love that. But there's a lot of pressure too, because 458 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 2: you can't go in there and start like messing or it. 459 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 2: You know, they they've hired you. They've hired you to 460 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,359 Speaker 2: be the pinch hitter to come in, do you know, 461 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:28,160 Speaker 2: do the same, because we don't have time. We've got 462 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 2: to get this thing done. But I knew sit on 463 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,399 Speaker 2: the page there was something that was a sparkle to 464 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:38,200 Speaker 2: this character that I knew they wanted me to do 465 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:42,120 Speaker 2: something different. And then fifteen years ago, Robert King said 466 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 2: to me, we're thinking about her like a female Columbo. 467 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 2: And I said, oh, okay, I think I know what 468 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 2: that means. That they want her to be unexpected unconventional. Oh, 469 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:58,199 Speaker 2: I want her to be somebody that the audience and 470 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,439 Speaker 2: then the people around her don't seek coming. So I 471 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 2: just thought, let me pick that out. And you can 472 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 2: see that I was tentatively doing it. But it was there, 473 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 2: you know, the the kind of odd way in which 474 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,119 Speaker 2: she thinks and stuff. It was there, but I wasn't 475 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: really letting the full freak flag flaw yet because I 476 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 2: didn't know if it was okay to do that, you know, right, 477 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 2: And so I did a couple of episodes at the 478 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,719 Speaker 2: end of season one, and then I didn't hear anything 479 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 2: for an entire season. So I thought I blew it. 480 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 2: I thought I didn't do enough or I did too 481 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 2: much for something, so I let it go, said goodbye. 482 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, well, I did it. I did it. 483 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 2: It was fun. People seem to like it, but you know, 484 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 2: that's it. And then they caught me back in season 485 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 2: three and they were like, okay, we have a whole 486 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:48,239 Speaker 2: like her. 487 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: Wow. 488 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 2: And then I was able to go, oh, okay. And 489 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: then I worked with the director and the show, you know, 490 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 2: I worked with them and and they they kind of 491 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 2: pushed me, you know, to to go further with what 492 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 2: I was starting to do. 493 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, it's interesting because as someone who's observing, you know, 494 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: from the outside into your world, I see that there's 495 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: so much wonderful praise for your depiction of this character 496 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: that people feel really seen and really represented, and they 497 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: talk about how she is a really positive example of 498 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 1: neurodivergence and brilliance, and folks talk about, you know, she's 499 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 1: got traits of ADHD and I'm like, thank you for 500 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: putting us on TV too, you know, traits that could 501 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: be identified as being on the autism spectrum? Are those 502 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 1: things that you have studied and consciously thought about, you know, 503 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: do you get into a Colombo esque character with obsession 504 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: for detail and pattern recognition and things that we now 505 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: know are often signs of that sort of like neurodivergence, sparkliness. 506 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: Did they come naturally because of something like you said 507 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 1: that was on the page and then you started to 508 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: realize what you were representing or is it kind of 509 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: a mixed bag of all of it. 510 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 2: Well, I'm very careful and the writers and everyone on 511 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 2: the show is are very careful to never diagnose Yes. 512 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 2: I find that that would then become a definitive and 513 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 2: then I would have to represent Zach thing and then 514 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 2: I would ultimately and we would ultimately not live up 515 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 2: to that because everybody is different. What I find really 516 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 2: fascinating about playing her is that, and what people seem 517 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 2: to respond to is that she is decidedly that who 518 00:30:53,200 --> 00:31:01,239 Speaker 2: she is, and it's a unique and singular just like 519 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 2: anybody who's on what the spectrum of humanity. And you 520 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 2: know what I mean. And so I've honored you know 521 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 2: that I'm given that responsibility but also that gift and 522 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 2: of playing somebody that has that kind of mind that 523 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 2: is so unique, that is ingenious, and that also tender, 524 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 2: vulnerable mind and and smart and extremely capable. So what 525 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 2: I love about it is that I feel like it's 526 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 2: it's a story about a unique person who is entrusted 527 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 2: with a great amount of responsibility. But it's also about 528 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 2: a woman who's of a certain age who is reinventing herself. Yeah, 529 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 2: he isn't settled into who. She's trying to improve herself. 530 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 2: She's trying to change things that she's done in the past. Yeah, 531 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 2: you know. 532 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: To love that path, the journey of self discovery, of 533 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: learning self inventory. What I love about what you're saying 534 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: is it's it's so universal. And then I imagine in 535 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 1: a way, because you can see, you see who she is, 536 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: you have a representation to how her brain works in 537 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: its own way. But I think the sort of ingenious 538 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: thing about not to your point deciding on any specific 539 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: term or specific diagnosis, is that by being in that spectrum, 540 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: so many people get to see themselves in you on screen. 541 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: You know, in a way, being so incredibly specific about 542 00:32:56,760 --> 00:33:00,040 Speaker 1: who Elsbeth is allows you to be universal for so 543 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: many people. 544 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 2: And I think you just put your finger on I 545 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 2: think just acting, you know, and onsibilities as actors is 546 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 2: as specific as possible, so that, yeah, it has become 547 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 2: something that everyone can find a way into. 548 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's a good. 549 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 2: Actor because you understand that. 550 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: Oh that's so kind coming from you. I think about 551 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: the women that you've built this world with as well. 552 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: I mean, talk about the three of you, incredible actors. 553 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: You Juliana Marghlis, the iconic Christine Baranski. I once was 554 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 1: at some event with her and she like walked by 555 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 1: and I heard myself and I know she heard me. 556 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: I went oh, and I was like, oh, don't be 557 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: the weirdo who like gasps, because you see this amazing woman. 558 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 1: And and I think about these shows, you know, three 559 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: of these shows that have built out this world and 560 00:33:55,640 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: your your your creators. You've mentioned them, Robert and Michelle. 561 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: Oh are they just the coolest people to work with? 562 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 2: It? 563 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: I feel as a viewer like they really love and 564 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 1: respect women and our intellect, not just our capabilities as 565 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 1: you know, mothers or leaders or whatever, but but our prowess. 566 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 2: Is it just. 567 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: What's your sort of experience like on that side? You know, 568 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 1: how do you all work as a team, How do 569 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 1: you figure out what you want the show to look 570 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 1: like and feel like? Or have you just been doing 571 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,800 Speaker 1: it together for so long now that it's almost second nature? 572 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean, well, the thing about Robert and Michelle 573 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 2: King is they are incredibly strong leaders. And part of 574 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 2: that leadership is that they empower all of their team. So, 575 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 2: and I know this because I've also worked with them 576 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:02,600 Speaker 2: as a director, because I've directed some I directed some 577 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 2: episodes of The Good Fight, and so I got to 578 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 2: be a part of, you know, the prep, which is 579 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 2: where you really see how how the people who are 580 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 2: in charge of the show convey what it is that 581 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:22,399 Speaker 2: they need uh director to do. And so I also 582 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:29,239 Speaker 2: feel like they they build like a real ensemble of 583 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 2: actors that they keep going back to and they enjoy 584 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 2: working with, Like they find the people that they that 585 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:38,760 Speaker 2: speak the same language as them, and then they continue 586 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 2: to employ them. When I when we went into Elsbeth 587 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,839 Speaker 2: uh and this show got picked up to series, you know, 588 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 2: one of the first thing I did was I texted 589 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 2: Christine Baranski and I texted Julianna Margalliz, and I thanked 590 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:59,239 Speaker 2: them because I wouldn't be here without them, and that 591 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 2: I felt this great responsibility and privilege of kind of 592 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 2: picking up the baton and carrying it forward. Robert and 593 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 2: Michelle did the same thing with one of their former 594 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 2: writers who had been with them, Jonathan Tolans. They passed 595 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 2: the baton to him. And John Plans is our showrunner, 596 00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:30,440 Speaker 2: so their exec producer runs our show, He runs our 597 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 2: writers room. He's the one who has really created this world. 598 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,320 Speaker 2: He took what Robert and Michelle did with the pilot, 599 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 2: honored it, and then they gave him the power to 600 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:48,360 Speaker 2: really shape it into his show. They're they're involved, of course, 601 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:51,839 Speaker 2: but John is is our is our guy I call 602 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 2: when he comes to set, I call him Daddy. 603 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 1: I'm him. 604 00:36:56,760 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 2: He's very receptive to any input that I need to have, 605 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 2: which is pretty I don't really have that much that 606 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 2: I need to say because the writing is so great 607 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:10,759 Speaker 2: and I do so so great about it. But if 608 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:15,759 Speaker 2: I have a question, very receptive. So there is, you know, 609 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:20,320 Speaker 2: this sense of not controlling but leading. 610 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, gosh, that's beautiful. And now a word from our 611 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 1: sponsors that I really enjoy and I think you will too. 612 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: It must just be the kind of place that constantly 613 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:38,359 Speaker 1: makes you feel like you get to grow. I mean, 614 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,480 Speaker 1: I think about you know, even as you said, you 615 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:46,839 Speaker 1: know you're I can't believe you're fifty eight. That's I mean, 616 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:51,799 Speaker 1: I'm like, what, But you know, you talk about your 617 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:55,359 Speaker 1: early career and everyone's looking for the next entrenou and 618 00:37:55,960 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: it is really profound two at least for me as 619 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:05,719 Speaker 1: a viewer, and I would imagine for you as an 620 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 1: actor to continue the fact that you're continuing to build 621 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,400 Speaker 1: your own world, you know, in a in an industry 622 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:15,399 Speaker 1: where we've all been told, well, once you're forty, you'll 623 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:16,840 Speaker 1: never work again, and it's like, I'm. 624 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 2: Gonna work forever, and look at you. 625 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 1: You're building this space and this show is so wonderful, 626 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,279 Speaker 1: and the reception to it is so wonderful. And you know, 627 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:30,080 Speaker 1: you get to work with people that you love, you 628 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:32,279 Speaker 1: get to be partners with Jonathan, you know. 629 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 2: Your husband came and guest starred on your show. 630 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:37,880 Speaker 1: It's like, you look like you're having a really good time. 631 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 2: I am. I'm having the time of my life. I am. 632 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:44,840 Speaker 2: And when I'm not, you know, because it's hard. The schedules, 633 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 2: you do, know what I mean. 634 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:46,959 Speaker 1: Tough. 635 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 2: You know, it's a tough schedule. Like you know, we're 636 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,040 Speaker 2: doing those episodes in eight or nine days, and I'm 637 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 2: in pretty much every you know scene. So it's it's 638 00:38:56,239 --> 00:38:59,200 Speaker 2: I don't have very much. And whenever I'm not on, 639 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 2: whenever I'm not saying words, I'm learning other words. And 640 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 2: so it's you know, it's there's a lot of juggling. 641 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 2: But I'm like, I've always been a multitasker. I mean, 642 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:10,799 Speaker 2: I think one thing that Elsbetasioni and I have in 643 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 2: common is that we both are pretty good at multitasking. Yeah, 644 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,319 Speaker 2: I love that, so I can bring that, you know, 645 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:20,800 Speaker 2: to the character and stuff. But I am having the 646 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:23,319 Speaker 2: time of my life because that it has come at 647 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:27,560 Speaker 2: this time. I mean, I said, I was fifty eight, 648 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 2: I will be at fifty eight and two months, but 649 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,359 Speaker 2: I feel like I'm already fifty eight. Fifty seven will 650 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 2: be fifty eight and two months. But but yeah, so 651 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:37,239 Speaker 2: I feel like, you know, it's not I don't want 652 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 2: to waste a moment. You know, well, you're you're on fire, 653 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:44,239 Speaker 2: although as long as they'll let me do it, I'm 654 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:46,240 Speaker 2: you don't want to do it. 655 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:51,399 Speaker 1: Does this experience at this stage because to your point, 656 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,360 Speaker 1: you know, you've you've been a working actor for a 657 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: long time, You've got an incredible career. But does this 658 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:01,279 Speaker 1: moment you know, the tough of the schedule, sure, but 659 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 1: also the excitement to be doing it and you so 660 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 1: clearly love the work, the writing, all of it. Does 661 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 1: it shift your perspective on your own midlife? Does it 662 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:18,239 Speaker 1: kind of reconstitute for you what longevity means? Feels like, looks. 663 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:22,360 Speaker 2: Like, yeah, yeah, it really does. I mean sometimes I 664 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:24,439 Speaker 2: have these thoughts of like why did I give this? 665 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 2: Did somebody give me this responsibility? When I was like 666 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:31,319 Speaker 2: in my you know, where it was, I had this 667 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:33,640 Speaker 2: endless amount of energy, and I thought, well, because that 668 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:38,600 Speaker 2: wasn't the time, like you know, and it wasn't lined up. 669 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:42,040 Speaker 2: It wasn't lined up. When I was doing shows in 670 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:44,600 Speaker 2: my thirties, they were all like, all the leads were 671 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,239 Speaker 2: like dudes, you know, so you know what I mean. 672 00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:50,359 Speaker 2: It was just like, yeah, it had to be now, 673 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 2: It had to be time when you know, I was 674 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:56,480 Speaker 2: going to be the show that comes on after Kathy Bates. Yeah, 675 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:59,720 Speaker 2: you know, like it just sort of needed to be that, 676 00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:04,240 Speaker 2: and maybe I needed to have a little bit more 677 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 2: of it. Maybe I needed to be a little more 678 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 2: seasoned to bring you know, some of the I don't know, 679 00:41:13,239 --> 00:41:15,239 Speaker 2: just some of what it is to be at this 680 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 2: at this late in my late fifties and doing this. 681 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 2: You know, it's a different person than was back then. 682 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 2: And I also but. 683 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,239 Speaker 1: It's just tremendously interesting. 684 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:28,240 Speaker 2: Sting to cut you off there, but I'm like, wait, 685 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:31,719 Speaker 2: it's so cool. Yeah, I know. I feel that I 686 00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 2: feel that way, and I feel I feel a responsibility 687 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:39,360 Speaker 2: to represent a woman of that age who's not attached 688 00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 2: to a man, who's not a who's not about, you know, 689 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 2: beauty on the outside as much as she is about 690 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:52,640 Speaker 2: beauty in the brain and and love and joy and 691 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:58,200 Speaker 2: positivity and overcoming things and beyond things and just all 692 00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:02,560 Speaker 2: She's infectious. It infects me, yeah, play. 693 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:08,120 Speaker 1: And everything about her, you know, from the way her 694 00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:11,480 Speaker 1: brain works to even the way she moves through the world. 695 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:15,839 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm obsessed with her obsession with tote bags. 696 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 2: You know, it's such a fun little quirk. 697 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:21,799 Speaker 1: It's a detail that is fun for me as an 698 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:24,279 Speaker 1: actor to think about you coming up with and I 699 00:42:24,719 --> 00:42:29,000 Speaker 1: you know, I love having like the big, motivational, artistic conversation, 700 00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:31,640 Speaker 1: and then part of me is so curious, like, what 701 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:33,800 Speaker 1: do you think is the weirdest thing in her bag? 702 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 2: Well, we did a whole episode where we had a 703 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 2: con Mari type person played by the brilliant Mary Luise Parker, 704 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:47,480 Speaker 2: who I'm obsessed with icon icon I mean the icons 705 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 2: that I've gotten to work with on this show Yond Beyond. 706 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 2: But anyway, she makes me go through my toes and 707 00:42:56,239 --> 00:42:59,680 Speaker 2: I was very worried. I even said to John Tolanz, 708 00:42:59,719 --> 00:43:02,560 Speaker 2: I was like, I called him. I don't usually do that, 709 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:04,960 Speaker 2: but I called him and said, I am worried. I 710 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,560 Speaker 2: don't know if we want to open up the mystery bag. 711 00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:11,759 Speaker 2: Don't you think it's more interesting curious about what's in 712 00:43:11,760 --> 00:43:17,959 Speaker 2: the bag than showing showing what's you know, because it's 713 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:20,120 Speaker 2: sort of like, we don't want to talk too much 714 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:23,840 Speaker 2: about her brain because it's more interesting and surprising to 715 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:28,879 Speaker 2: just watch her do her thing. And he assured me that, 716 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:30,480 Speaker 2: you know, that we would do it in a way 717 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 2: that was responsible, and I was, and I, you know, 718 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:34,800 Speaker 2: I said, well, we need to at least talk about 719 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:38,600 Speaker 2: her emotional connection to it. That it's not just just 720 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 2: carrying much of random things around. There's a really carrying 721 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:44,080 Speaker 2: them around. And I always think about it in terms 722 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:48,040 Speaker 2: of it's like a security blanket, or it's something that 723 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:52,120 Speaker 2: you know, makes her feel confident, armored. It's like armored 724 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:58,000 Speaker 2: she's bringing out into the world. And that just means 725 00:43:58,280 --> 00:43:59,840 Speaker 2: that there are a lot of things in there that 726 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:02,440 Speaker 2: you think she said you might need. That could be 727 00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 2: a sandwich because she's hungry later, and some string cheese, 728 00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:12,120 Speaker 2: but also you know some uh you know, the Encyclopedia 729 00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:16,680 Speaker 2: Britannica and Atticus, like just whatever it is that she 730 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:22,239 Speaker 2: thinks she might need to help unlock something, you know, 731 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,600 Speaker 2: And so I think about it that way. And then, 732 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:29,600 Speaker 2: and I've talked about this before, I made the decision 733 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 2: pretty early on that when Elspeth shows up to solve 734 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:39,440 Speaker 2: the crime, to make the arrest. She doesn't have the 735 00:44:39,480 --> 00:44:43,480 Speaker 2: bags because she is an. 736 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:46,919 Speaker 1: She's not in the process of solving. 737 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:53,440 Speaker 2: Right. I love, she's an encumbered and she's you know, 738 00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 2: stands in her own you know, confidence and truth in 739 00:44:58,719 --> 00:44:59,240 Speaker 2: that moment. 740 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:07,120 Speaker 1: That's very very cool. That's very cool. Are there other 741 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:14,320 Speaker 1: things you've found her through in terms of decision making? 742 00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:17,440 Speaker 1: Like do you know what her favorite cocktail is? Does 743 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:20,960 Speaker 1: she have a favorite snack? Is there is there like 744 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:24,240 Speaker 1: a must have wardrobe item for her that goes along 745 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 1: with her toolkit in her bags? You know, what are 746 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:30,440 Speaker 1: some of the things you've selected for her that we 747 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:31,960 Speaker 1: might know or that we might not. 748 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:35,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean well, first of all, I there we 749 00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:38,760 Speaker 2: have the most genius costume designer working in the business, 750 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:44,280 Speaker 2: Daniel lot awesome, who's costumed good Wife, Good Fight Elsbeth 751 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,839 Speaker 2: like the through line, the character doesn't exist without him. 752 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:52,160 Speaker 2: I go up and stand there like a paper doll, 753 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:56,720 Speaker 2: and he hands me the character. Yes, so I totally 754 00:45:56,719 --> 00:46:02,319 Speaker 2: completely trust him. Our fittings are epic. The closet that 755 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:07,320 Speaker 2: he builds for me is it takes like the almost 756 00:46:07,360 --> 00:46:10,920 Speaker 2: half of the whole. You know, thousands of clothes and 757 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:17,600 Speaker 2: they're just so so delightful and so specific. Started coming 758 00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:20,960 Speaker 2: up with this idea that because Elizabeth has moved to 759 00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:22,520 Speaker 2: New York and she's such a tourist and she loves 760 00:46:22,520 --> 00:46:26,560 Speaker 2: New York so much. Yeah, wherever she goes in, whatever 761 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:29,279 Speaker 2: crime in the world of the crime that she goes into, 762 00:46:29,560 --> 00:46:32,520 Speaker 2: she gets a little something from it. Yeah, you know 763 00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:34,640 Speaker 2: what I mean. So we find like tope bags from 764 00:46:34,680 --> 00:46:37,600 Speaker 2: the little We had an episode about tennis, so I 765 00:46:37,640 --> 00:46:39,279 Speaker 2: have like a little brooch sometimes that I wear these 766 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:43,040 Speaker 2: tennis reckets and then the like towards the end of 767 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:45,120 Speaker 2: the season, Dan came in and he was like, don't 768 00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:48,200 Speaker 2: you think Elsbeth is probably playing pickleball by now? I mean, 769 00:46:48,320 --> 00:46:51,440 Speaker 2: I would have never thought of that, but I'm like, 770 00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:55,480 Speaker 2: of course she's playing kickballs because everyone's playing pickleball, and 771 00:46:55,520 --> 00:46:57,880 Speaker 2: I'm sure she's satelite, but she's going to go in 772 00:46:57,920 --> 00:46:59,719 Speaker 2: there and try to do it. So he had this 773 00:46:59,719 --> 00:47:03,880 Speaker 2: little roaches that was pickleball, a little pickleball how and 774 00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:08,319 Speaker 2: we just put that on. So he I work so 775 00:47:08,480 --> 00:47:12,960 Speaker 2: closely with the costume department and with him. You know, 776 00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:16,399 Speaker 2: I'll come, I'll find some some knitted thing and I'll say, 777 00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:18,880 Speaker 2: don't you think that she needs to be wearing this? 778 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:23,120 Speaker 2: And we will put that in there, or you know, 779 00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:25,880 Speaker 2: a certain boat or whatever. And so we we find 780 00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:30,640 Speaker 2: those little details together as far as like way way 781 00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:35,200 Speaker 2: earlier on and good Wife Elisath said, you don't want 782 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:36,960 Speaker 2: to see me drunk. You don't want to see me drinking. 783 00:47:37,040 --> 00:47:42,960 Speaker 2: I'm I'm so she doesn't drink, so it's right, but 784 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:46,360 Speaker 2: she but she loves Shirley Temples. So the prop department 785 00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:49,840 Speaker 2: what they will do with a Shirley Temple for me, 786 00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:51,759 Speaker 2: Like we will show up and they'll say, see, there's 787 00:47:51,760 --> 00:47:53,560 Speaker 2: a place for you to have a Shirley Temple if 788 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:55,200 Speaker 2: we've do like a scene in a restaurant or a bar. 789 00:47:55,800 --> 00:47:58,480 Speaker 2: And so we did this. We did this episode that 790 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:00,439 Speaker 2: was set in a restaurant. It was about a chef 791 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:04,120 Speaker 2: played by the again another person I worship, Pamela Adlin 792 00:48:04,560 --> 00:48:10,120 Speaker 2: played a chef brilliant and we're in this like super 793 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:15,840 Speaker 2: high end restaurant and they had, you know, Shirley temple, 794 00:48:15,920 --> 00:48:18,120 Speaker 2: and I was like, no, let's put it in the 795 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:23,839 Speaker 2: tiniest little glass because all the food is tiny, yes, 796 00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:28,200 Speaker 2: tiny Shirley Temple. And then I'm gonna try to drink it. Yes, 797 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,239 Speaker 2: So they put it there and I was like, they're 798 00:48:33,280 --> 00:48:35,360 Speaker 2: going to cut this, but I did this whole lotsy 799 00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:38,359 Speaker 2: with this whole bit, with the trying to drink the thing, 800 00:48:38,440 --> 00:48:40,520 Speaker 2: with the thing and the little umbrella and stuff, and 801 00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:42,800 Speaker 2: just like having the hardest time with it, and thankfully 802 00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:45,640 Speaker 2: they kept it in the cut. They fighting a lot 803 00:48:45,640 --> 00:48:49,880 Speaker 2: of my little I call them El's bits, caught the 804 00:48:50,000 --> 00:48:53,680 Speaker 2: l's bits because you know, they have to time and 805 00:48:53,800 --> 00:48:57,840 Speaker 2: plot and story. But when they keep my little, my 806 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:01,920 Speaker 2: little moments in, I'm always very vitorius, so much fun. 807 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:05,440 Speaker 1: And you know, it isn't lost on me that you, 808 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:08,880 Speaker 1: with this platform that you've built, you've you know, not 809 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:14,440 Speaker 1: only leaned into such great content, but you use your 810 00:49:14,480 --> 00:49:20,280 Speaker 1: platform for advocacy. You know, you support LGBTQ rights with glad, 811 00:49:20,520 --> 00:49:25,600 Speaker 1: you work with Michael Fox Foundation and support folks battling Parkinson's. 812 00:49:25,680 --> 00:49:29,080 Speaker 1: You know, how how do you decide what you're going 813 00:49:29,160 --> 00:49:33,719 Speaker 1: to lend your time to and and and how you're 814 00:49:33,760 --> 00:49:34,440 Speaker 1: going to show. 815 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:37,759 Speaker 2: Up Like, yeah, I can think it's just you know, 816 00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:46,960 Speaker 2: being raised by my parents were very much about you know, 817 00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:57,560 Speaker 2: supporting acceptance, love and uh and and advocating for people 818 00:49:57,640 --> 00:50:02,040 Speaker 2: who maybe don't have a voice, or people who disenfranchised, 819 00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:07,320 Speaker 2: and you know, early early on, like in college and stuff. 820 00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:10,160 Speaker 2: I always feel feel like I still am feel like 821 00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:12,239 Speaker 2: even I'm married to a man, I'm very much part 822 00:50:12,280 --> 00:50:14,600 Speaker 2: of the queer community. So I feel like I want 823 00:50:14,719 --> 00:50:20,160 Speaker 2: to bring a voice to them, and especially now when 824 00:50:20,840 --> 00:50:26,400 Speaker 2: their voices are being taken away. Early on in my career, 825 00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:32,560 Speaker 2: when I started directing, I started making movies and projects 826 00:50:33,360 --> 00:50:40,440 Speaker 2: for the LGBTQ audience. Twenty five years ago, there wasn't 827 00:50:40,480 --> 00:50:44,400 Speaker 2: as much content and so and I wanted my my 828 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:48,840 Speaker 2: producing partners, and I wanted to make, you know, projects 829 00:50:48,840 --> 00:50:53,799 Speaker 2: that were less about uh maybe romantic relationships and more 830 00:50:53,920 --> 00:50:58,560 Speaker 2: about you know, coming coming of age. Or we made 831 00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:01,080 Speaker 2: a movie called Ready Okay about a little boy who 832 00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:04,319 Speaker 2: wants to be a cheerleader and just mother and how 833 00:51:04,360 --> 00:51:06,960 Speaker 2: she's struggling with her kid being different. And so, you know, 834 00:51:07,040 --> 00:51:09,920 Speaker 2: making something that you could show at a p FLAG meeting, 835 00:51:10,719 --> 00:51:12,640 Speaker 2: you know, something that you could take your parents to 836 00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:15,399 Speaker 2: and go, this is this is this is what I'm 837 00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:19,520 Speaker 2: going through Your ways to do that and tell stories 838 00:51:19,520 --> 00:51:22,280 Speaker 2: that way. I do believe that stories have the power 839 00:51:22,280 --> 00:51:25,080 Speaker 2: to change the world and so we as artists are 840 00:51:25,120 --> 00:51:28,920 Speaker 2: responsible for changing the world a lot of the time. 841 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:34,640 Speaker 2: And so I feel, you know a lot of privilege 842 00:51:34,640 --> 00:51:38,560 Speaker 2: and responsibility in telling those stories and bringing them to light. 843 00:51:39,120 --> 00:51:42,040 Speaker 2: And then also, you know, my father passed away from 844 00:51:42,040 --> 00:51:46,560 Speaker 2: complications from parkinson So watchould and go through that for 845 00:51:46,719 --> 00:51:48,920 Speaker 2: twenty years. One of my best best friends has partners 846 00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:51,560 Speaker 2: is my you know, a cousin mine has part like 847 00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:53,800 Speaker 2: it's there are a lot of people we have Parkinson's 848 00:51:54,160 --> 00:51:58,200 Speaker 2: in this world and they're making great strides. Michael J. Fox. 849 00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:01,120 Speaker 2: I remember I did an episode to Spend City way back, 850 00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:05,480 Speaker 2: got to you know, meet Michael J. Fox and when 851 00:52:05,480 --> 00:52:08,080 Speaker 2: he was first starting to deal with Pardinson's and just 852 00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:10,600 Speaker 2: being so impressed with how he was using his platform, 853 00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:16,799 Speaker 2: and it said his organized organization has made Yeah, it's 854 00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:20,200 Speaker 2: just so important to keep an eye on that so 855 00:52:20,239 --> 00:52:25,880 Speaker 2: that we as you know, as as the as the 856 00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:30,160 Speaker 2: audience and we as fellow humans can continue to support 857 00:52:30,200 --> 00:52:32,960 Speaker 2: that and bring you know, a light to that so 858 00:52:33,000 --> 00:52:34,200 Speaker 2: that it continues to grow. 859 00:52:34,239 --> 00:52:37,719 Speaker 1: And yeah, it's beautiful. And I think when you get 860 00:52:37,760 --> 00:52:41,719 Speaker 1: to harness you know, the attention that your job comes with, 861 00:52:41,880 --> 00:52:45,279 Speaker 1: and help make sure you can transmute that toward other 862 00:52:45,320 --> 00:52:48,360 Speaker 1: folks who needed. It's such a it's such a gift 863 00:52:48,480 --> 00:52:51,319 Speaker 1: that comes with all the other crazy stuff that you know, 864 00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:56,000 Speaker 1: we do and deal with. And yeah, it's always really 865 00:52:56,040 --> 00:52:58,560 Speaker 1: exciting for me to to see the things that people 866 00:52:58,560 --> 00:52:59,640 Speaker 1: are so passionate about. 867 00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:02,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, I know, and I do it in 868 00:53:02,239 --> 00:53:06,000 Speaker 2: a quieter way, I think, maybe than some people would wish. 869 00:53:06,400 --> 00:53:09,400 Speaker 2: But I just feel like I want to be you know, 870 00:53:10,400 --> 00:53:12,400 Speaker 2: I want to just do the work and be authentic 871 00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:19,040 Speaker 2: to to the to the activism. Also being you know myself, 872 00:53:19,120 --> 00:53:22,319 Speaker 2: which is somebody who is just a loving and you know, 873 00:53:22,440 --> 00:53:26,800 Speaker 2: joyful person you know out in the world as well, 874 00:53:26,960 --> 00:53:31,960 Speaker 2: you know, somebody who's appreciative, appreciative of of the place 875 00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:35,200 Speaker 2: that I'm you know, a privileged to be in as well. 876 00:53:35,840 --> 00:53:42,919 Speaker 1: I think that's great. And now a word from our sponsors. 877 00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:51,320 Speaker 1: When you sit and you think about you know, continuing 878 00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:55,359 Speaker 1: this show you love, uh, being in this place in 879 00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:58,640 Speaker 1: your life that you love and you know what comes next? 880 00:53:59,040 --> 00:54:02,160 Speaker 1: What what feels like You're work in progress now? 881 00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:09,680 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm constantly trying to do this. Do it 882 00:54:10,840 --> 00:54:16,719 Speaker 2: a spiritual work, you know. I mean, I like my parents, 883 00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:20,600 Speaker 2: we weren't. We weren't religious per se, but we were 884 00:54:20,719 --> 00:54:25,279 Speaker 2: very and you know, my parents were always you know, 885 00:54:25,320 --> 00:54:27,440 Speaker 2: my parents had a commune at one point. You know, 886 00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:30,640 Speaker 2: we were very like trying to find an alternative way 887 00:54:30,760 --> 00:54:36,600 Speaker 2: of thinking love that been interested in mindfulness, practice Buddhism, 888 00:54:37,360 --> 00:54:40,439 Speaker 2: you know, uh meditation. And it took me a long 889 00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:42,400 Speaker 2: time to get to a place where I had like 890 00:54:42,440 --> 00:54:45,759 Speaker 2: a daily practice because I'm a hummingbird. 891 00:54:45,880 --> 00:54:48,520 Speaker 1: Really hard to like subtle, I feel that. 892 00:54:50,239 --> 00:54:55,160 Speaker 2: H And so that's my work, is that I'm constantly 893 00:54:55,239 --> 00:55:02,879 Speaker 2: trying to ground down into uh mindfulness and finding compassion 894 00:55:03,200 --> 00:55:07,960 Speaker 2: and empathy for myself and for and that's sort of 895 00:55:08,000 --> 00:55:12,920 Speaker 2: my daily I just started at what I'm calling a 896 00:55:12,960 --> 00:55:18,200 Speaker 2: grat text thread with my closest some of my day ones, 897 00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:23,640 Speaker 2: my wride dies, girlfriends, and you know, we're just every 898 00:55:23,680 --> 00:55:27,759 Speaker 2: day we grat text and it's just got to do 899 00:55:27,920 --> 00:55:31,279 Speaker 2: just three things, just three things you're grateful for. And 900 00:55:31,280 --> 00:55:35,000 Speaker 2: it really does open up a conversation and open up 901 00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:39,440 Speaker 2: a way of looking at your life. And I'm looking 902 00:55:39,480 --> 00:55:44,160 Speaker 2: at the world and trying to be aware of constantly 903 00:55:44,200 --> 00:55:49,520 Speaker 2: aware of you know, not everybody has the privileges that 904 00:55:49,560 --> 00:55:54,560 Speaker 2: I have. And you know, figuring out a way to 905 00:55:55,560 --> 00:55:59,640 Speaker 2: harness that empathy and compassion for the good. 906 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:04,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's beautiful because you're you know, you're talking about 907 00:56:04,200 --> 00:56:06,480 Speaker 1: the things out there and the things in here, and 908 00:56:07,400 --> 00:56:11,200 Speaker 1: I think it's special to try to hold all that space. 909 00:56:13,239 --> 00:56:14,160 Speaker 1: It's special work. 910 00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:19,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's necessary, I think, especially for where we are 911 00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:20,760 Speaker 2: in the world right now, which is kind of divided. 912 00:56:20,840 --> 00:56:23,960 Speaker 2: And yeah, yeah, well I. 913 00:56:23,920 --> 00:56:27,600 Speaker 1: So appreciate it. I mean, I'm I'm so inspired by 914 00:56:27,640 --> 00:56:29,920 Speaker 1: you as an artist and it's a real treat to 915 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:32,000 Speaker 1: get to sit and just be inspired by you as 916 00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:35,720 Speaker 1: a human. We all love the show. Thank you for 917 00:56:35,920 --> 00:56:38,799 Speaker 1: all that hard work and all those crazy hours. You 918 00:56:38,880 --> 00:56:41,160 Speaker 1: really you bring us all a lot of joy. 919 00:56:42,239 --> 00:56:44,520 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you, and thanks for having thanks for 920 00:56:44,560 --> 00:56:47,520 Speaker 2: such a lad nurturing the conversation. 921 00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:50,960 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you for joining us. It means a 922 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:51,160 Speaker 1: lot