Question: You and Moira Kelly have both been on West Wing… can you tell me what you did on the show?

Place: I was the surgeon general. It was delightful. I had a great time. It was really challenging, because it was a great deal of dialogue, and it has to be letter perfect. So I really had a fantastic time.

Question: As a veteran of the TV industry, how do you feel about television today? We'll keep The West Wing out of the picture because that's a rather exceptional show. Do you watch much television? Do you like what you see?

Place: I love 24! I watch that--I couldn't be more thrilled about it. I must say I've watched a few [reality shows]. This summer I watched American Idol, and I have to tell you I was so nervous for those kids when they had to sing. I know what that's like, and I just couldn't believe that they were out there. But that's as far as I go in the reality world… But no, I think there are some good shows. My friend wrote Mister Sterling, which talks about the Senate. He was the chief of staff for Patrick Moynihan for years, and he knows how the Senate works. I think it's a great way of learning about government. It's not as densely written as the The West Wing, in terms of dialogue per square inch on the page. It still gives the average person a real inside look at the dynamics of the Senate and how things get done, how bills get passed, and all the politicking and all the weird intricate negotiations that go on. And I think that's interesting. I'm grateful for that peek… I miss Once and Again, the Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz show. Those guys have shows that I always like… And then there's plenty of the same old cookie-cutter set-up, pay-off, and a-one-two-three. Set-up, payoff, and a-one-two-three. A lot of sitcoms I'm not that crazy about because I think they're totally formulaic and totally unoriginal and not funny at all.

Question: What stuff comes your way, and has Hollywood had a hard time pigeonholing you?

Place: Well, after Mary Hartman, I used to get all country/western singers or people from Texas. You go through phases, you know? There will always be mother roles; I will always be a mother. I'm so excited when I'm not a mother, even though I love being a mother. There are many mothers I choose not to be, but then there's some interesting ones like this one [in Safety of Objects]. So I was perfectly thrilled to be a mother. It just depends. But let's face it, if you look at all the scripts in the United States of America and the world, for women there just aren't that many options, and particularly for women my age. I feel very grateful to God that there's any part that I find interesting or funny or emotionally challenging, or whatever. I just thank God that I'm still getting scripts at all that aren't stupid. Because there are a lot of stupid ones, that you really think, "Oh gee. Okay, could I possibly muster up--"

Moira Kelly: You wonder how they got greenlighted to begin with.

Place: It's shocking. You just can't imagine.

Question: If Moira was just starting out and you know what you know, what would you tell her? What advice would you give her?

Kelly: Run awaaay!

Place: No, I wouldn't say that, because I know-- [to Kelly] I don't even know you that well--but I know she's smart, so I would just say, "You will know if you will continue to be interested in doing this, with your family and husband and all that." It becomes very clear. With all actors that are very good and have an emotional truth to offer, it's exciting. It's fun work. If you've gotten to this point, really, it's not a question of are you going to do it, it's how could you stop doing it? It's great! It's not a nine-to-five, 365 day a year job, so you can actually have a full life and get to do this really interesting work. It would only be a less intelligent person that I would have a lot more advice for. [laughs]

Question: You did direct some TV episodes. Are you planning to direct a feature film, an independent film?

Place: Yes, I worked for three years on an independent feature, and for two and a half we were with Regent Films, and then before the writers' strike and the stock market crash and everything, they gave us half the budget at the last minute. So the whole thing fell apart. It would have been done by now. I have to start over again. But one of these days.

Question: How about TV?

Place: You know, I've been on location a lot in the last couple years. I was in Atlanta for three months during the TV season. So, once you fall out of that loop, you have to climb back in on the directing side. It's really hard for women to get directing gigs, and especially if I go off and act. So, I don't have any lined up. But I'll get back into it. I really want to work on another independent film.

Question: Are you going to continue with both directing and acting?

Place: Well, you know, whatever opportunity is the most appealing that comes my way, that's what I do. The directing is certainly something I'm interested in, but it's very difficult to get that going. Like I said, three and half years down the drain. So I have to take a little break and then start up again. But also I've been really acting a lot. I just take the most interesting thing that comes my way at the time.

Question: Including singing?

Place: That I only do in the shower, or with friends in my living room.

Interviews © March 2003 by AboutFilm.Com and the author.
Images © 2002 Renaissance Films. All Rights Reserved.