Connect with us

News

16

Judith Light Talks ‘God Looked Away’, Working With Al Pacino, Transparent, And Her Favorite All-Time Roles!

Photo Credit: Luke Fontana

What would happen if the dream duo of Judith Light and Al Pacino, two of the most lauded actors of extraordinary talent and range, took to the stage in a dramatic play? Audiences in Southern California can find out now through March 19th in the Pasadena Playhouse’s PlayWorks Development Production of God Looked Away based on the final years in the career of iconic playwright Tennessee Williams.

For Judith Light, the role of Estelle in God Looked Away is yet another feather in her cap in a stellar career, where daytime fans first saw her in her two-time Daytime Emmy-winning role of Karen Wolek on One Life to Live – and her performance on the courtroom witness stand remains a moment that stands among the best in television history.  Light is also a two-time Tony Award winner, and this in-demand actress, while appearing nightly in God Looked Away is by day shooting season four of Amazon Prime’s critically-acclaimed web series Transparent, embodying yet another heralded role that of Shelley Pfefferman.

Without question, Judith is the best friend and advocate to the LGBTQ community one could ever have. Through her continued efforts she brings to light and fights the fight of the struggles of our time.

On-Air On-Soaps had the pleasure of chatting with Judith to get some insight into taking the stage playing Tennessee Williams’ best friend and working with Al Pacino, the success of Transparent, and why it’s such an important series for her to be a part of. Last fall, Judith lost her longtime friend, mentor and manager, Herb Hamsher.  During our conversation she reveals how she tries to come to terms with his passing.  Always thought-provoking, delightful, and as real as they come, here’s what Judith shared.

What was it that made you want be in the cast of God Looked Away?  Was it the piece itself, or getting the opportunity to work with Al Pacino?

Photo Credit: Jim Cox Photography

JUDITH:  Both things. Also because I have good friends who are friends with Dotson Rader (playwright, God Looked Away), and also I had worked with Robert Allan Ackerman (director, God Looked Away) back in 1977 at the O’Neill Foundation.  So, getting to work with him again was very compelling to me.  And of course, getting the chance to work with Al Pacino.  How many times does that opportunity come along?  It’s a very interesting part, and very different for me.  I was excited about it on a whole lot of levels.

In God Looked Away you play the character of Estelle.  What can you say about the character that fascinated you without giving anything away?

JUDITH:  This is a woman who you think had everything, and what you find out is that she hasn’t, and is extremely needy.  She has come upon a time in her life when she is needing more of a lot of things from what she considers to be her best friend, which is Tennessee Williams.  There is a level of need that is so great, and they come together when the level for each of them is so great about so many other things in their lives, which has everything to do with how their friendship manifests itself.

The play currently running at the Pasadena Playhouse is being billed as “A PlayWorks Development Production”.  What can you say about what goes into the process of working on a stage play this way?

Photo Credit: Jim Cox Photography

JUDITH:  It’s a work in progress, and it’s a play in development.  It’s really what I learned when Robert Allan Ackerman and I were at the O’Neill Foundation.  When you go there you work on a play, or for a while with the playwright.  So what you realize is that you are there to serve the piece, and the playwright.  You are working there with the playwright, and the director, and the actors, and you develop this piece.  For God Looked Away this is the first time the Pasadena Playhouse has done this.  What they are doing is really creating a program of plays, and a place for people to come in California and to do this kind of work.   It’s free from press, and critics, which can be so stressful.   So really what we are getting to do every single day, and through every single performance is work on this play.  It’s a fascinating play, because people don’t really know the story of Tennessee Williams, and his life, and his psychology, nor did they know about his relationships with this man, who in the play we call “Baby”, who is actually Dotson Rader.  This is taken from Dotson’s book Cry of the Heart.  Dotson and Tennessee had been lovers, and he was Tennessee’s companion for the last 14 years of his life.  He was really there to support him, and in a real way was his caretaker.

So every night when the audience come to see the play, might they see something different than the audience that perhaps saw the show the night before?

Photo Credit: Jim Cox Photography

JUDITH:  You wouldn’t notice a lot of changes to the script, necessarily.  There might be some things that would be cut, or some things that might be added.  But each night it isn’t drastically different. The dynamics of the characters could shift and change as we are finding things.  Al has a very specific powerful way of working that brings everybody into the moment.  You can’t ask for anything better than being in the moment with somebody not only in life, but on the stage.  Al is so generous, and available that you might notice different things, but not a lot.  It’s a difficult to explain, so you would have to really come see the play several times to notice it.

Has Al Pacino said anything to you personally acknowledging how great an actress you are?  

JUDITH:  His generosity is his being, and the way he “be’s” with you, in that you know that he likes it, and is comfortable, and excited.  He and I tend to continue to talk about the work all of the time, and we just love that.  I know he appreciates that.  I don’t need to hear from Al that he thinks I’m good.  I know that he appreciates my work, as I appreciate him, and always have.  It’s a great experience to get to work with him and be connected with him on this level.

Photo Credit: Jim Cox Photography

Miles Gaston Villanueva (Ex-Luca Santori), who fans know from his work on Y&R, is also in God Looked Away.  Do you share any scenes with him?

JUDITH:  Miles plays Dotson Rader, and there is friction between my character and his.  You can feel the connection on stage and you know that they know each other, but there is not a lot of exchange between them.  Estelle’s focus is solely on Tennessee.

Where does this role rank comparatively to the other roles you performed on the stage?  You have quite the resume!  Would you say the role of Estelle is one of the most challenging?

JUDITH:  It’s right up there!  I think it’s one of the best characters I have gotten the opportunity to play.  And you’re right; I have gotten to play a lot of different people.  Estelle is a real person, and so the dynamic of understanding her, and reading about her in Dotson’s book, Cry of the Heart, and also in Lady Maria St. Just book, who my character is based on, there is a lot you can glean from all of that.  You know, I like to do different things, because it challenges me, and I mean that in the best sense of it.  I get to find places in myself that I like to understand and explore, and bring to the character and in turn to the audience.  I think the audience finds the relationship between Tennessee and Estelle as fascinating as I do.

You are in the middle of a very hectic schedule for you professionally. While you are appearing and working on God Looked Away, you are also shooting season 4 of Transparent.  And I have to say, in the season three finale, “To Shell and Back” you delivered such an amazing performance.   It all happens after we learn your character, Shelly, was molested by her elementary music teacher.  She then mounts her one-woman show on a cruise ship, and performs it in front of her family and sings Alanis Morissette’s “Hand in Pocket”.  What did you think of that fantastic season closer?

Courtesy/Amazon

JUDITH:  It is very interesting.  There is a kind of genius that runs through the workings of Transparent.  It comes from Jill Soloway (creator, Transparent) and her distinct vision and her desire to find a way to work in our business that comes from a place of purity and love, and not in some new age sort of phony way, but in a real way where we care for each other.  I don’t know if many people would remember, but in the first season of Transparent, when the kids said something to Shelly about music or records, she said, “I don’t care for music.”  The kids look at her like she is crazy, and of course, we all think she is crazy, but you see the thread that comes through.  We have the most extraordinary team of writers.  Jill’s sister, Faith (who co-wrote this episode) is also a musician, and she worked with me on the song.  I looked at both of them and I said, “Why this song?”  I had to get myself into the place of it, and they really helped me.  That turned out to be one of the most exciting experiences I have ever had in my entire career, because it was all about this team: the sound people, the make-up and hair people, both of which departments have been nominated for awards for that episode.  I felt I was being held by the most loving hands in order to create that.  I was the person out there in front of the camera, but it was everybody behind the scenes.  It became very magical in terms of doing it on the ship.  It was the coming together of all different people and their connection, and it was because of all of those people that is was so powerful for the audience.

Did you have a sense from the moment that you signed on to be in the cast of Transparent, that it would continue on as it has now into its fourth season?

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

JUDITH:  I knew it was special from the beginning, and I wanted to be a part of it.  My audition was a 45-minute Skype call with Jill Soloway, where we talked about our commitment to the LGBTQ community, and how we could be of service to them. That is what it was about.  Jill has a way of people putting them together.  Of course, I knew Jeffrey Tambor: we were old friends.  We had worked together 45 years ago.   I didn’t know how Transparent would be received, or if it would go, but I just knew I wanted to do it.  I wanted to work with Jill.  I wanted to work with Jeffrey again.  I knew about Gaby Hoffman (Ali) and Amy Landecker (Sarah), and Jay Duplass (Joshua) and I just wanted to be in that family.  It’s a blessing that I got to do it.  Jill talks about wanting to change the conversation, wanting to change the culture, and wanting to change the dynamic of the world, and shine a light on this community, and the hate crimes, and how this is forcing people to go back into the closet.  We are dealing with a Supreme Court case right now, which is Gavin Grimm.  We have to remember we still live in a place where there is bigotry, and less we forget the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, and how much homophobia controlled the dynamic.  So, we are not free of that, and that is what Jill wanted to change, and that’s why I wanted to be part of the series, and find a way to be of service to these people.

Your longtime manager. mentor, and friend Herb Hamsher past away this past October.  The two of you had a relationship that is one for the ages.  When you reflect back on what he has meant to you, and that special collaborative partnership you had with him, what does it bring to mind?

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

JUDITH:  Our connection was one of a kind, and his partner Jonathan Stoller was also my manager so they were a team, and Jonathan is still working with me.  He and Herb got married 12 days before Herb passed away.  I haven’t found my way to articulate all of my feelings on his passing yet, because it’s still so new for me, and fresh.  I was there with Herb when he took his last breath.  Herb had given me so much, and guided me for so long.  He used to say to me, “Try to think what my thoughts would be, and what would I say to you.”  That is what I am still doing.  We worked together so much over 36 years.  He always used to talk about being, and that we are human beings, and not “human doings”, and we must learn to be, and that’s very difficult for all of us, and challenging.  He taught me how to be aware, grateful, to be kind, and to think about other people before I thought about myself, because our business is so fraught with that.  You have to think about other people, it’s not all about you.  Those are all things I have taken to heart, and do my best all the time to incorporate.  I miss him.  I really miss him.

Courtesy/ABC

Last year also brought the passing of One Life to Live and All My Children creator, Agnes Nixon.  During your time at One Life playing Karen Wolek, did you have the opportunity to spend time with her?  Did she ever comment to you about how incredible your performances were?

JUDITH:  I had very little interaction with Agnes.  She was very focused on All My Children.  She was not as involved with One Life to Live.  But, Agnes was always very gracious.  I saw her a while ago, and she was very warm and generous with me.  I thought: “Wow!  What a great woman, person, and dynamo in this business.”  I have the utmost respect for her.

I don’t know if you were aware of this, but the site the Culturalist teamed with Broadway.com and put out a feature on you where fans created their top ten list from a choice of almost 50 of the roles you have played spanning your career.  If you were to have to pick, let’s say your top 5 or so favorite roles, what would be on that list? 

Courtesy/ABC

JUDITH:  Oh, my gosh, Michael.  I had no idea they did that!  I have to say I always tend to say the thing I am working on now is one of my most favorites, so I have to say Estelle in God Looked Away.  Then there is Shelly in Transparent, there is no question about that.  Of course, Karen Wolek in One Life to Live.  I would also say my role in Wit, which was something very special to me, and Neil LaBute and Leigh Silverman’s All the Ways to Say I Love You, which I just did at MCC last fall.  And you know in Lombardi, I got to be directed by Tommy Kail, and then there’s Angela in Who’s The Boss.  I mean, we could spend hours talking about this, but they are all powerful to me for reasons that are not just about my career, but my life, and my own life process.  That is the one of the things that Herb always talked about.  So all of these characters are part of that process to me.  I will end our interview and still think of million more, and know that I am grateful for each and every one of them.  It’s so special to know that I have people that have followed me for a long time, and who have been kind to me.  The fans have been just extraordinary.  Each role carries with them a whole different group of people to me, for example, Claire in Ugly Betty.  So, each character carries with it a life process for me, where I was at the time, how I was relating to myself and other people, and also the fans.  It’s been a long, and rich, and full career.  I owe a lot of that to Herb and Jonathan, and I have great agents, and I have a lot of support.  I would just say that I am very grateful, and excited by each and every role I have gotten to play.

So, what do you think of the dynamite on-stage combo of Judith and Al Pacino? Do you hope God Looked Away will have a Broadway run?  Which are your favorite all-time roles of Judith’s?  What did you think of of her performance in season three finale of Transparent …  and her thoughts on the passing of Agnes Nixon and Herb Hamsher?  Comment below!

Leave a comment | 16 Comments

16 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I love Judith Light and loved her on the resurrection series of “Dallas.” I wish Dallas wasn’t cancelled! Most shows that are brought back are not watchable, but TNT’s version of Dallas was great, I thought! Judith’s career is so vast and she is a brilliant and talented actress!

I agree with you, Judith Light was terrific on Dallas. the lady is a wonderful actress.

Yeah, she was great on DALLAS, a show I miss terribly!

She was the highlight of the Dallas revival.

Judith played the quintessential bitch on “Dallas”. Her roles have made her show us her range and boy, does it stretch far!!! Glad to see she is still wowing her fans.

I LOVE Judith Light and I live in New York City, so I really do hope that God Looked Away comes to Broadway. She is an excellent actress and very worthy of all her awards. I loved her especially in Wit, the Jon Robin Baitz play for which she won her first Tony, the Greenberg play that she won her second Tony for, Lombardi and of course One Life To Life, which was where I first fell in love with her.

Great interview…
I wonder if her role in this play is based on Lady Maria St. Just who considered herself Williams’ widow, and after he died, had control of his estate until she died often imposing impossible regulations on people who wanted to stage his plays–

Wonderful piece, Michael. Such a talented and fascinating lady. Love her!

I love Judith since she played Karen. Amazing gifted hard working actress. Thank you very much for this brilliant interview, Michael. I love Angela WTB. Thrilled went she graced our TV with DALLAS. Pure excellence!!

Ms Light is a tremendous talent. A class act through and through.

She was the only reason to watch the Dallas reboot. What a great talent.

I’ll never forget the first day Ms. Light entered as the “new” Karen Wolek and the announcer said, “The part of…is being played by Judith Light.” From that day on she has brought “the light”…it has been one of life’s astute pleasures watching her diverse roles on TV, seeing her on stage–many works that somehow parallel her our deep growth…and ours.

Typo, should read: “…her OWN deep growth…”

She is the personification of HARD WORK and TRUE PROFESSIONALISM. And I love it so much that she doesn’t shy away from her work in a soap–OLTL as Karen Wolek–as do so very many other actors. A puzzlement I have always thought. A role is a role is a role. And she was unforgettable. And I love it also that she is so very gracious about her longtime fans–and acknowledges them.
She must be so very fulfilled and happy about her work. I admire her so very much.

Forgot to say that I loved it so much that “Karen” had such a sweet story with Judith Light’s real husband (husband to be at the time of the sweet, romantic story).

Judith is amazingly talented on broadway. Her performance in Other Desert Cities was brilliant and more than deserved the Tony Award. Since I live in NYC if God Looked Away comes to Broadway I will be first in line for a ticket.

News

Robin Strasser Meets Kristen Alderson’s Baby Kiera in a One Life to Live Reunion

For years, Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) have been the best of friends and the best of co-stars. On One Life to Live, Kristen was only six-years-old when she began her journey as Todd and Blair’s daughter and met the iconic Strasser.

Now in 2024, Kristen is a new mom to her baby girl, Kiera. Strasser, who lives in New York, along with her best friend, John, traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just a few days ago to visit the Alderson family and spend the day with Kiera.

Taking to her Instagram a very happy Kristen shared, “Look at who came to visit today! Robin & her bestie John! Robin and I got all misty eyed when she met Kiera today!”

Photo: JPI

In a very touching part of her post, Alderson expressed, “Robin is such a special person in my life, it means so much to me that we’re as close as we are. She’s just the best❤️ A great day of laughs & a great brunch spread😍”

Robin added, “I’ve been smiling since I met her. I’m a big softie for babies, but what a doll Kiera is!” The Daytime Emmy-winning star, also shared, “I’m so grateful for my ongoing friendship with Kris and Kathy. Amazing women and loyal friends!”

What do you think about Kristen and Robin’s enduring friendship and recalling their time on One Life to Live? Comment below.

Continue Reading

General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

Continue Reading

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Kim Coles as Whitley

Days of our Lives

Airdate: 7-24- 2023

Popular