If you've been watching Legion or, indeed, if you watched the last season of Fargo, you'll know that Jean Smart is one of the most talented and versatile actresses working today.
Although she's become familiar to audiences recently from the likes of 24 and the aforementioned Fargo, Smart's been a working actress for the past twenty years. In a recent interview with AV Club, Smart mentioned one particular show that she worked on - albeit briefly - that caught our eye.
"I did an American version of Ab Fab, although at the time, I didn’t know I was doing an American version of Ab Fab. It was called High Society, with Mary McDonnell," Smart explained. That Mary McDonnell, in case you're wondering, played Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, played Donnie Darko's mother, was in Dances With Wolves with Kevin Costner and also had a recurring role in ER.
According to Smart, she played the character made famous by Joanna Lumley - but more along the lines of watered-down version of the character. "I got to play this alcoholic, pill-popping, fabulously dressed writer of trashy romance novels, and Mary was my best friend and my publisher who got her publishing company in her divorce... it was just so much fun. And I lusted after her 17-year-old son."
High Society only lasted for 13 episodes before it was cancelled, becoming one of many British TV comedies that failed to migrate to the US successfully.
"Now they would probably let us, but they were like, “Can we tone it down a little bit?” And we said, “It’s got to be a little bit over the top or it won’t be funny. It’ll just be tasteless.” And they wanted it to be more like Cybill." Jean Smart taking a swipe at Cybill - brilliant. Although, to be fair, Cybill was brilliant for what it was.
Have you been watching Legion? Let us know what you make of it so far in the comments.
Via AV Club
