Judith Light – Shining Vale

By starrymag | March 6, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) Kind of tell us a little bit your character. She is kind of a character, but has a part of her life that we won’t get into but kind of has a dark period.

A) Yeah, yeah. I love that you’re being deferential to not giving away a lot of the information which I know they appreciate. We’re talking about mental illness. And we’re talking about a woman who as an adult, a lot of her adult life is she’s dealing with mental illness. And the fact that this show is able to talk about that in such a way within the body in the context of comedy and horror and drama and paranormal is just quite incredible, I think. I just think it’s extraordinary. So that’s one of the things that we’re dealing with is women and mental illness.

Q) How long did you have to keep the secret that you were cast in this series?

A) Not for very long. I mean, it really happened quite quickly. I mean, I read the script and then they sent me the pilot to look at and I was like, “Oh, oh, I’m in!” So it wasn’t really a very long time before they send it to me, and then we talked about it and we shot it.

Q) And to follow up on that, was there a personal highlight for you because often things that are funny are not always off camera, hilarious, the most fun thing ever, and then vice versa. You’ll find that in dramas the second they say cut that everyone is laughing their heads off and having a blast. So is there a highlight?

A) The highlight was really getting to work with Courteney [Cox] and with Greg [Kinnear] and with Gus Birney. And to be to be a show like you say, I mean that’s written and conceived by Jeff Astrof and Sharon Horgan and a team of women writers is just like…Like literally this is a question for you and everybody was watching the show, how do you write your show that’s a comedy and the drama and horror show and paranormal? I don’t even know how you can think about that. You say congratulations on being a part of this show. I am beside myself. I know people are going to be absolutely enchanted by this.

Q) When you’re playing the character, is there anyone in particular that you modeled her after?

A) No, no. What an interesting question. No, I I think that what happened was that they created her as they saw her. Now, maybe the writers had somebody in mind. Maybe they knew somebody that had some of these issues. But no, it was just like there it was right on page.

Q) You have done a lot of darker roles lately. Is there something about these characters that really makes you want to embody them? Or is it just things that come across your desk and you’re like, “Okay, that’s an interesting role. I’d love to pursue that.”

A) I go for the role. I go for what it says about women and their stories. You know, we’re storytellers, just like you. You’re the storytellers. You tell our stories and that’s why talking to you is so interesting. It’s so vital. I look at a character. I look at the story. I look at what is saying. I see that women are writing for women about women’s issues, women in their artistry, women in their menopause, women and aging, women and their sexuality, women and their mental illness. And so that’s compelling to me and to do it, like I just said before, within the context of a show that’s funny and dramatic and tender and fragile and poignant and scary is just…Your smile smiling. It’s true. It’s a joy. It’s a real joy.

Q) As far as the dialogue, do you get a chance to play with the words a little bit or do you have to stay verbatim to the script?

A) No, there’s no law. If there’s something that I want to talk to the producers about, they’re incredibly open. But when you see a show like this and the way this is written, I wouldn’t touch this with a 10 foot pole. I mean, I wouldn’t even think to be able to do that. If I have questions I’ll ask them but not with something like this. And they’re open and flexible, which is also a dream. It’s really great.

Q) There is a scene were you have a moment with one of your grandchildren. And I really appreciated that she and boy, you you both brought it. It was so great to see you flexing those muscles.

A) Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. That was all that’s all on the page. That’s all on the page. And you can try something as as an actor, and you can throw it out. No, they might have said to me, “Don’t go there. Go to the funny. Or go to the scary. Don’t do that. Don’t make it that deep or that real.” They didn’t say that. And so that’s what I was saying in responding to your other question, which is, I wouldn’t ask them to change anything or rewrite anything. But if you work the way that I do is you just throw out a lot of stuff and I say to somebody, “Look, this is the smorgasbord. You choose what you want.” And if they want something else, then they tell you. But thank you for noticing that. It’s a very powerful scene.

Q) So when somebody looks at your IMDB or your credits in general, you’ve been working nonstop. And it’s a variety of genres and projects. There’s not a lot of people who do dramatic stuff like you get we’re also on “Family Guy.” So, you’ve also been prolific as a humanitarian, charitable work as well and standing up for women’s causes in a wonderful way. Are there a whole lot of hobbies for you? Or is it really all your free time goes back into the craft?

A) [laughs] I wouldn’t say hobbies but there are things in life that I that I do I that I spend time on that feed my work. A lot of reading. A lot of investigation of psychology. And I am also now starting to produce and I have a bunch of projects in development. So those are the things that I’m drawn to do. I am curious about a lot of different things. And curiosity is the link to me to creativity. If you’re curious about something you move into a direction of of being creative in relation to it. Also, I love working in teams. So I love being able to be around other people who are also curious and creative and that’s where a lot of the energy goes. My husband and I are creating a lot of work together so that’s also exciting for me.

Q) I know you got your TV start “One Life to Live.” If one of those four remaining datetimes. So were to offer you a really good role whether it was around your schedule, whether it was recurring or guest starring or long term, would you consider it?

A) Years ago I used to say, “I wouldn’t do this and I’m never going to do that. I’m not going to be in a soap opera. And I’m not going to be in a sitcom and I’m never going to marry an actor and I’m never going to move to California.” I’m not terribly trustworthy, so I wouldn’t I would only answer that to say to you, I will allow myself to stay open to everything and to see how things evolve and what comes to me. I don’t look at something and say, “I’ll never do that.” It’s just not a way to be in as a human being and it’s not a way to live. Who knows what could happen. I have no idea. It’s a great question.

Q) Do you have any favorite projects of yours that truly hold a dear place in your heart? I mean, we recently saw you on “American Crime Story.” That was a beautiful arc and there’s so many roles that stand out, of course, over the years, but are there certain roles that still hold a special place for you?

A) Oh, you’re so sweet. Thank you. Thank you for saying that. Well, I loved “American Crime Story.” I love working with Ryan [Murphy]. He’s talking about a visionary. He’s an incredible person. I would have to say I did a play years ago where I took over…I hadn’t been on stage for twenty-two years. And then I took over for a brilliant actor named Kathleen Chalfant in a play called “Wit.” And it was about a woman who was dying of fourth stage ovarian cancer. And that one I hold very close still. I was terrified to do it. I had to shave my head. I had to be naked on stage. There were a lot of things that I had to confront, personally, that were very transformational for me, as far as my life was concerned. It wasn’t about my career anymore. It was really about my life and the things that I needed to not be afraid of and to take a chance; to take a risk. And I did it for almost a year. I did it in New York for about six months and then I did it on tour in Boston and San Francisco and Washington DC and Florida. Every one of the experiences around that was life changing and affirming for me, and that one I hold I hold very close, very dear. And also the other things that I’ve done on stage like “Other Desert Cities” by Jon Robin Baitz – that brilliant, brilliant play. I just walked into that family and that was very, very special to me getting to work with Joe Mantello and then Richard Greenberg on “The Assembled Parties.” Those are two other plays that I did. Most of the work that I’ve done stays with me, not the character I let go of the character, but the holiness, I guess, is what I would say. And I mean that in a holistic way that those characters have meant a great deal to me, particularly when you do a long run, like we did with “Lombardi.” Those those things, they they stay there, they’re embedded, and I treasure them greatly. I really do.

Q) So it just seems like the producing side is kind of tapping into a new area for you. How has that been to kind of take a project from an idea and put it together?

A) It’s been interesting. I’m learning from several different producers that I’m working with in the development of these projects. I’m at a place called Brillstein Creative Partners and I’m working with some really brilliant, extraordinary women producers that I’m learning a lot from like Amy Powell and Dakota DeBellis. There are people that are on these projects that I’m working on that I’m watching and learning from and seeing how to put something together. Right now we’re in the in the stages of looking at reading materials, finding the writers, who is going to be the best team for this. And it takes a long time. And it takes a lot of discipline and diligence and a lot of hard work to put it together. I’m learning and I’m watching and I’m seeing that these are people that really know what they’re doing and really know what they’re talking about. So I’m really in the learning stage. So I’ll keep you posted. I’ll let you know how it’s going.

 

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*