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By Christina Radish
 One of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses, New York native Lesley Ann Warren is a stage-trained veteran who has been working in the business for over 40 years. Having worked on her first Broadway show, 110 in the Shade, when she was just 16, Warren has sustained her career by playing emotionally fragile women, tough-minded careerists, hardworking single moms, and wacky ladies, with equal verve and skill. Now, the 59-year-old star of stage and screen is currently playing the matriarch of a Jewish family who is intent on creating the perfect Passover Seder dinner in When Do We Eat?, which opened in nationwide release on Friday, April 21st.
“I thought what was interesting about this movie is that it actually chose to depict these characters in a non-stereotypical way. That’s interesting to hear because I thought, especially in the case of the character that I play, she’s the antithesis of what one usually sees as the stereotypical Jewish mother, what with the step-daughter that happens to be gay and the daughter that’s decided to become a sex therapist. It is a comedy, and things are heightened, but I never felt that it went a traditional route, in terms of depicting these characters.”
With an ensemble that includes both veterans and newcomers, such as Jack Klugman, Michael Lerner, Meredith Scott Lynn, Max Greenfield (Veronica Mars), Shiri Appleby (Roswell), Ben Feldman (Living with Fran) and Mili Avital, among others, Warren had a great time making the family comedy.
“I made a great friendship with Meredith Scott Lynn. She’s going to direct a movie, and we just had wonderful, creative conversations. And then, I had a fabulous time getting to know Jack Klugman, who would tell me these amazing stories about being on Broadway with Ethel Merman. I had seen him, when I was a little girl, in Gypsy. He would just tell me these great show business stories about what is nearest and dearest to my heart, which is old Hollywood. I love hearing about it, and I loved coming in at the very tail end of it, so that was really fantastic. And then, I got to work with one of my best friends, Steven Wolfe, who produced the movie. We’ve done several movies together, and I love being around him. He’s just a joy.”
She also enjoyed playing wife to fellow New York native Lerner. “He’s a wild guy who marches to the beat of his own drum. He’s certainly a wonderful, respected actor, and he had tremendous ideas about the character, and about the journey that his character and the family was on. When you get that many actors in a room together, they all work differently. Sometimes, there’s head-butting because of the way that people work. Michael and I work very differently, for instance. But, you learn to adjust to other actors’ rhythms and needs.”
Having worked in the business for so many years now, Warren says that, even though it is still fun for her most of the time, sometimes it’s not so fun. “It’s a job. It’s what I’ve been doing my whole adult life. Sometimes, it’s really creative, and sometimes, it’s like Prometheus, dragging that stone up the hill. It’s so dependent on the people that you’re working with.”
 Although Warren has a resume that includes such varied projects as Cinderella, Victor/Victoria, Clue and the 1970's Mission: Impossible television series, it’s her role as Sophie Bremmer, Susan’s (Teri Hatcher) high maintenance mom on the ABC smash hit Desperate Housewives, that is currently garnering attention.
“I think it’s different for me than it was for the four women on the show, who it really catapulted into this enormous stardom. For me, what it did was give a major shot to my visibility, worldwide, because of the popularity of the show. But, because I had so many phenomenal credits prior, it was another wonderful opportunity for me, as opposed to the opportunity that was going to change the course of my career.”
Her role on Desperate Housewives came to her as a result of a meeting that her 34-year-old producer son, Christopher, had for a totally unrelated project. “Christopher has a movie in development at Warner Bros., and two of the executive producers/writers from Desperate Housewives are the writers on the movie. And, he was sitting with them one day, and he said, ‘You should have my mom on your show. She’d be great.’ And, they said, ‘Does she like the show?’ And, he said, ‘She loves the show.’ So, they went back to Marc Cherry (the show’s creator), and they told him about the conversation, and he loved the idea. And then, I was in a restaurant with my husband, and he came up to me and said, ‘I’m a big fan of yours, but your son is an even bigger fan,’ and he told me the story about my son pitching me for the show. He said, ‘I’ve got this idea. May I call you?’ And, he called me the next day, and that was it.”
Warren admits that being on the show doesn’t give her any advantage, as far as knowing what will happen on future episodes. “As far as getting the scripts, you get it the day before you shoot. And, it changes daily, on that particular show. They are rewriting, up until the time you’re shooting your scene, and things can change radically. You sit in the trailer, in make-up, and you’re going, ‘Oh!,’ as you read it. I’m as surprised as the audience.”
Currently readying a pilot called In Plain Sight, for the USA Network, that stars Mary McCormack, about a no-nonsense federal marshal that convinces her friends that she is a parking attendant, but who really works in the witness protection branch of the FBI, Warren says that, if the series gets picked up, she may not be around on Wisteria Lane for much longer.
“If my pilot sells I won’t be able to do many more Desperate Housewives episodes because there’s some rule that, if you’re doing a series, you can’t do a recurring role on another show. You can only do one more episode. They may have to kill Sophie off. She might drown on her honeymoon, or something. But, if the pilot doesn’t sell, I’ll be back.”
If In Plain Sight does sell, it will join such successful original series as Monk, The Dead Zone and The 4400. “I think USA is really changing, certainly with Monk, and all of its Emmy nominations and wins. They’re doing quality shows that are edgy and smart. This writing is fabulous. It’s really smart and contemporary. It’s not only about the issue, which the main character is dealing with, but it’s also about the family dynamic and the dysfunction of the family. It’s multi-leveled. I have a good feeling about it.” |
