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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 21 april 2017
Allison Janney on Broadway, ‘The West Wing’ legacy and Trump

MARK KENNEDY symptoms and whom she
AP Entertainment Writer shares them with as she
NEW YORK (AP) — Allison makes her Broadway re-
Janney recently found turn.
comfort in the fact that she “I’m not going to lie. There’s
shares something special a considerable amount of
with the late Sir Laurence nerves, panic attacks,” she
Olivier. Yes, acting, of says. “It kind of gets more
course. But also this: panic acute as you get older, for
attacks. some reason. I don’t know
The Emmy-winning actress why. It should get easier as
from “The West Wing” and we get older. I’m going to
“Mom” confesses she’s have to find a mantra.”
been Googling her nervous When it comes to the won-

In this March 29, 2017 photo, Allison Janney poses for a portrait in New York.
Associated Press

derfully warm Janney, even able life is jolted awake by part she played for seven
her bout of nerves is refresh- the encounter. years.
ing. The actress — who has “I think the issues that are in “Of all the roles I’ve ever
two Tony Award nomina- ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ played, I wish I was most
tions — has built a huge fol- are issues we’re still dealing like her,” she says. “I look
lowing for her smart, heart- with as a country — race up to her and wish I could
felt performances in every- and class and wanting be more like her. I loved
thing from “The Way Way to be loved. Everything in her smarts, her heart, every-
Back” to “Masters of Sex.” it resonates, sometimes I thing. It was pretty exciting
“I think part of the reason think more now than even to get to play her.”
I love acting is I never feel then,” she says. “It’s such Nostalgia for “The West
more connected than I do a beautiful, beautiful play Wing,” which ended its
when I’m onstage or work- and it breaks my heart ev- run in 2006, is on the rise,
ing with another actor,” ery single night.” with fans fondly recalling
she says. “I feel like I have Janney’s name came a steady, kindly president
a purpose and a reason. It up for the revival of John surrounded by staffers who
makes me feel connected Guare’s play initially as a were whip-smart, honor-
in a way that sometimes bit of dream casting on able and caring. That fic-
eludes me in my day in and the part of Trip Cullman, tional West Wing seems
day out life.” the show’s director. He fell better than the real thing
The self-confessed worka- in love with her when she to many people, including
holic says she’s having one was playing the fast-talking Janney.
of the busiest years of her White House press secre- “It’s just a very confusing
life, juggling a movie — “I, tary C.J. Cregg on televi- time now for the world and
Tonya,” in which she plays sion’s “The West Wing.” Washington and for all of
skating star Tonya Hard- “You just always love to lis- us. It’s kind of like a reality
ing’s mother — as well as ten to Allison Janney talk,” show that you don’t want
the TV series “Mom” — and says Cullman, who said she to watch. I know I’m having
now onstage in a revival of captures both the chilly pa- difficulty watching it. I feel
the 1990 play “Six Degrees trician essence of the “Six unmoored,” she says.
of Separation .” Degrees” role and also its Has she watched any brief-
The play’s plot, based on enormous warmth. “She is ings from the real press sec-
a real-life incident, cen- as kind as she is talented, retary, Sean Spicer? “I have
ters on a young black as funny as she is heart- been able to watch few
man claiming to be the breaking in the role.” of them because I get so
son of actor Sidney Poitier That Janney snagged the embarrassed and it is too
who bamboozles his way Broadway gig at least in upsetting for me to watch
through households of rich, part because she previ- them,” she says. “I can’t
supposedly sophisticated ously played Cregg makes even talk about it.”
New Yorkers. Janney plays perfect sense: The actress She may just have to find a
a woman whose comfort- is still a little in awe of that mantra for that, too.q