(Laughing) Very easily. Can’t you tell?
Is there any way to make it different when you get a lot of these character roles?
Yes, actually, because [with] this character I decided that I would play her with a smile on my face or with a gleeful sense of vengeance. She could have been just plain really acid, angry, nasty serious. I tried to remind myself with every scene that there had to be a really kind of wicked glee about what I was doing to [Gene Hackman's character]. And just such utter confidence that I would get everything I wanted and more. That I had him by the cajones.
Have you ever actually been through a divorce?
No. It’s so funny, I so often play these vengeful women who have these horrible ex-husbands and who are angry. I’ve been married to the same man for 20 years. It’s my first marriage [and] his first marriage. I have two lovely children. I have no life experience for this.
Why do you think they cast you in these roles?
I started playing kind of sophisticated women in my early 30s. I did Tom Stoppard’s “The Real Thing” and I played Jeremy Irons’ then wife soon to be ex-wife who had a lot of natural, effortless vitriol – a kind of bitchy quality, but still not a nasty woman but an edge. Actors have things that they are just able to play more easily, and I seem to be able to play that kind of sophistication or edginess. Maybe it’s like a tone in my voice. I’m a nice, happily married wife and mom and I live in Connecticut. I seem to be able to play that quality.
Do you ever feel like that 'bitchy' character you're so good at limits the type of roles you're offered?
No, it’s precisely why I’m doing what I’m doing now, which is a mom on a half hour comedy. She’s a nice lady from Philadelphia. There’s none of those overtones. She’s kind of manipulative with her children. But I thought, for me, the challenge is playing kind of a normal lady with kids saying, “I’m making pot roast. How was your day?” As opposed to roles that have that kind of edginess. I wanted to just get out there and show people I can do things other than the sophisticated bitch.
Do you worry about getting pigeonholed in that role?
You know, you are always damned by things that you do well as an actor. It’s the thing that you do really well – like I happen to do that kind of character well and that sort of made me nationally famous by doing that sort of character on “Cybill.” And that’s what brings you to prominence. It’s like the very thing that brings you to success can also be the thing that’s like a curse because then people think that’s all you can do. I’ve done variations on that character, but not exclusively that character. I’m happy to have played it, actually. I’d much rather be famous for being a fabulous bitch than being, “Oh gosh, she’s such a nice mom. She does that nice wife really well.” I’d rather be, “Wow, she’s really a great bitch!”
ADDITIONAL "WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT" RESOURCES:
Interview with Maura Tierney
Interview with Ray Romano
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