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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 15 February 2020
Edie Falco talks new show 'Tommy' and staying close to home

By BROOKE LEFFERTS work near the Manhattan they wear the right clothes,
Associated Press home she shares with her they have a great apart-
NEW YORK (AP) — In her two children, who are 11 ment. And I think people
role in the news CBS drama and 15. Producers worked are ready to see people,
"Tommy," actress Edie Falco with her to film most of her to hear stories that might
plays the first female chief scenes in and around New be closer to their own. So
of police in Los Angeles, York, even if that meant all across media right now,
but the native New Yorker driving a truck around with I think we're representing
found a way to shoot the palm trees to insert into ex- more complicated people
show in her hometown. terior shots. with complicated prob-
The Emmy-award winning She spoke recently to The lems. It doesn't mean that
actress known best for her Associated Press about they can't also be chief of
roles in "The Sopranos" and how "Tommy" deals with police.
"Nurse Jackie" was drawn serious issues plaguing AP: Why shoot a show
to the part but wanted to many U.S. cities, portraying about LA in New York?
FALCO: I'm a bit of a home-
body, first of all. And also, I
have two children who are
in school here in New York.
Being able to go home, to
your home at the end of a
workday is very meaning-
ful for me. There was a time
when I loved packing a
bag and going off and be-
ing immersed in that world.
Those days are gone. I like
my house. (laughs) I like
my bed and my dogs and
my kids, and that matters
to me. I recharge in a very
Edie Falco is seen at Edie Falco portrait session at AP Studios on meaningful way and that
Tuesday, February 4, 2020, in New York. makes me more ready for
(Photo by Brian Ach/Invision/AP) the next workday. So for
complicated women, and weren't going to buy me as me, it's more about being
being a self-proclaimed a mother because I wasn't able to live at home while
"homebody." sure I believed myself in I work long and difficult
___ the role of a mother. It just hours. My kids come by
AP: This show shines a light seemed so far beyond my the set and hang out after
on some serious issues in own experience. It defi- school. They're as famil-
LA, including sex traffick- nitely changes everything iar with my dressing room
ing, immigration and wild- to know what child raising as they are with their own
fires. Is it important to you really is like and how dif- rooms at this point.
to do work that has a mes- ficult and complicated it AP: You work a lot. How do
sage? can be, especially once you unwind?
FALCO: If I'm lucky enough they start to grow into hu- FALCO: I have a studio in
to be in the public eye mans and they start to my house where I'm sort of
in any way, on a televi- have their own selves. ... So crafty. I like to sew. I'm al-
sion show that people are here she finds herself with ways like watching TV and
watching, it starts to really her grown daughter, who sewing. That's kind of what
matter what I'm putting out has a daughter of her own. I do. I fix clothing, I make
there. You know, it's more And they haven't had a clothing. I reupholster
than just entertainment great relationship. And you things in my house. I pick
at this point. It's got to be find them as adults trying to up scraps of fabric that I
something that I share the figure out where they are. love that I think are beau-
vision of or there's gonna AP: You've played this and tiful and I make little things
be a reason I want to be other characters who are out of them. I don't know, it
saying whatever it is the damaged in some way. Is brings me great joy.
show might be saying to an that something you look AP: Do you feel any pres-
audience. It does start to for? sure as the lead and carry-
matter what I'm putting out FALCO: I think there seems ing this show?
there, and this show ap- to be more of an appetite FALCO: If there is any add-
pealed to me in that way. in audiences now to see ed pressure, I don't feel it.
AP: This character is also people who are compli- I just, I love to work and I
mother to an adult daugh- cated, that perhaps more love the work I get to do,
ter in a complicated rela- easily represent people this particular type of work.
tionship. Does having your that they know and love, I still have to pinch myself.
own kids now change how or themselves. You know, Truly. I spent a lot of years
you play certain roles? it's very hard sometimes not even daring to imagine
FALCO: I remember when when you see a lot of per- that my life would look like
doing "Sopranos," I was fect people on television, this. So now I'm in it and I'm
very nervous that people they look perfect. They act, in it. I'm in it! Whole hog.q