Judith Light

Judith Light as Marie
Lombardi with Dan
Lauria as Vince
Lombardi. Judith
received a Drama Desk
and Tony nomination.
Judith Light with the cast of
Who’s the Boss
the humor, the support, the service, the care… I think it would absolutely
fly today.
What is your favorite memory from working on Who’s the Boss
Working with that cast was amazing. Tony Danza and I became really good
friends. He is so special. We are still friends today. He came to see me in
Other Desert Cities. People in the airport still say, “Where’s Tony” I say,
“Sorry, I couldn’t bring him with me.”
A role that you’re very well-known for in the theater community is Dr. Bearing
in WIT. Have you had the opportunity to share your WIT experience with Cynthia
Nixon, who was nominated for a Tony after playing the same role
We did speak a little bit about it and what it was going to be like. Each one of
us who has created Vivian Bearing has her own process in relation to her and
around her. I sent Cynthia a little cap because all of us women have had to
shave our heads. This recognition is something that should have happened a
long time ago when Kathleen Chalfant was doing the play. It’s been a really a
long time coming that it made its way to Broadway,
and its being there was well-deserved.
Does getting your first and second Tony nod now
that you are in a later stage in your life mean more
than if it had happened earlier on
I think I would have been thrilled then, and I’m
thrilled now. I just worked longer, and having been
away from the theater for a long time and then
making my way back to it – it means a lot. I think if
I had gotten it earlier I would have been grateful too,
but in a different way. I went away for so long, I got so
scared. I did only television and film, and then I was
frightened and I waited twenty-two years. The thing
that brought me back to the theater was when I did
WIT, I took over for Kathleen Chalfant. I slowly worked
my way back into the theater and let people know that
I was interested and that I wanted to be there. Having
worked so hard makes it different.
Other Desert Cities’ Aunt Silda is a sassy
“recovering” alcoholic. Can you relate to her
character in any way
I relate to all kinds of feelings of not feeling like
the right stuff. In many ways we are in a very
Judith Light’s
Favorites
Book: I really love Shakespeare. My interests are so
varied that it’s hard to narrow this down.
Restaurants: Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, and anything
that Danny Meyer puts his hand to.
Vacation spot: I love Italy. I just did a trip to Egypt
several years ago and that was extraordinary. I’m
taking another trip to India, so I’m looking forward
to that.
TV Shows: Law & Order: SVU, Nurse Jackie, Smash.
Things that are powerful that when I get a chance,
I watch.
Relaxing activities: Hot baths, meditation and
yoga. I do those things to get myself centered and
back on track.
addicted society. No matter what your addiction is, I think we can all relate to
that. Silda is a very powerful person and a very smart person in that system,
but because of all the things that have happened to her within the dynamics
of the relationship of the family and her sister, she doesn’t feel powerful. She
covers all of her damage through her humor. I find that incredibly interesting.
When you were on the stage as a young actress, did you ever think you
would see the day when you would stand on the Tony Awards stage and get
to thank those who helped you get there
No. I never did. I dreamed about it, I hoped for it, but I didn’t know that it
would happen. When you have Other Desert Cities, a play by a man like Jon
Robin Baitz and his genius, and you have a director like Joe Mantello, and you
have a cast like I have... This is a combination of working with a tremendous
group of people. I never dreamed that I would get to see this.
Do you have any regrets about the decisions you have made in your career
and/or in your personal life
Years ago I would have said, “Yes.” Now, I really
have the hindsight to see that there has been a kind
of guidance and a plan. Not faith. I’m talking about
how I think our lives are divinely choreographed,
and how we are guided well if we listen. My
favorite quote from Kierkegaard is: “Life can only be
understood backward, but it must be lived forward.”
In that way I look at everything that has happened
for me, and I say, “Oh, this had to happen this way
for whatever reason it was.” But until you get older
it’s hard to see that. I have stopped trying so hard to
pull, and orchestrate, and make happen the things
that I think should happen. I have come to the place
where I am letting go and listening and receiving the
guidance that I think is there and available for all of
us. I just think there’s some bigger force or bigger
energy in the universe. It’s our job to get clarity to
make sure that we’re listening well, and to have a
team around us. I have great people around me who
know that if I get off track, they are there to support
me and bring me back on track. We need those
people in our lives that help us sift through what
we’re looking for and how we’re looking.
22 August 2012 To advertise: 516-505-0555 x1 or ads@liwomanonline.com