them are defining moments artistically. Getting into the Christopher Guest works, Best In Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration were definitely not only career-defining, they kind of propelled me into a place in my process that I didn’t expect. I didn’t know that I would be good at that kind of improv. Being thrown into the deep end of the pool and being in the moment, with the
other people in those shows, was wonderful. I loved it. It takes a certain amount of confidence and entitlement to your own presence in a scene to make it work… and to not hog the scene. You’re basically part of an ensemble, just one of the instruments, but you really have to know how and when to “blow your own horn,” if I could keep mixing those metaphors! Those three films were a particular kind of collaboration that seems to me is really rare in film. Guest must have been amazing to work with. Yes, and Eugene Levy, who co-wrote with him was too. Christopher is definitely
responsible for how those movies look and feel. How they move and the engine of them is all Chris Guest. Not to take away from what the actors do, we are all very im- portant to the films, but he’s the guy who makes the magic and breathes life into it. Would you say that Glee was the tipping point for your career? As far as the level of recognition and notoriety, Glee was definitely the tipping
point for me. The show is coming to an end pretty quickly isn’t it? Yes, we’ve got I think 13 episodes… maybe 12… yes, 12 episodes left and we’ll
start shooting them soon, but I don’t think that they will actually start showing till mid-season. It’s about half of what a regular season is, so it’s going to be a little shorter. How much are you going to miss Sue Sylvester? Well, there is definitely the part about missing having a regular job and missing
the character and crew. Going through the gates to work at Paramount, still gives me a thrill. I’d always wanted to be an actress, to be on television, in movies and in theatre and every time I get to do it, I still get such a charge out of it. I will definitely miss that part of the show. It’s a significant program because of the topics that have been taken on. Ryan [Murphy] took that part of it very seriously. He didn’t
“I was about 12 when I heard
let anything relevant in pop culture pass by without writing about it. I think that was really helpful for many in the end and made kids feel like they weren’t alone—that somebody had their back. That is such an important thing. It will be interesting to see what will happens, how it will resolve, though I’m sure you can’t share that… (If she could see me, I’d be nodding and winking at her). I don’t have any of the answers anyway; we haven’t seen the scripts yet (laughs)!
someone use the word ‘gay’ and I remember thinking, “Oh my god, I have the girl version of that…”
You really expanded your musical range in the show; do you see yourself now as a musician, or solely as an actor? I guess I would have to say an actor first. I’m not really a musician; I don’t play any instruments other than singing. If I were forced at gunpoint, to identify myself as one particular thing, I would definitely choose actor (laughs). Do you prefer live performance? When I did Annie, I realized that I hadn’t been on stage in a play in maybe 25 years.
I did live comedy for many years, but I haven’t really done that either in about 10 years. Once I was out there doing Miss Hannigan, I realized and remembered that this is why I do it, because I love it so much. So, I have the bug again, absolutely. Do I like it better? I don’t know, there is something about the energy that is required to put on a live performance that I just love. You are so in the moment. Once you get on that train, there is no getting off of it and you are on it until it pulls into the next station. Are you planning to do more live performance like your upcoming show in San Diego? Yes, I have a handful of dates after Glee raps in the late winter/early spring. The San Diego date is sort of a maiden voyage for us. I’ll be using a new band and my
32 RAGE monthly | OCTOBER 2014 RAGE monthly | OCTOBER 2014
friend Kate Flannery, who plays Meredith the drunk on the show The Office, who is a very good friend, is singing a couple of tunes with me. She is really my cohort in this whole thing and I’m very glad to have her with me.
Congratulation on your new gig, Hollywood Game Night and on your Emmy Award for the show, it is such a riot! I understand the idea was born out of dinner parties at Sean Hayes? Thank you! It’s such a great show and yes, Sean had these game nights in his
house where we would go from room to room playing. It was an event, so many of the games were ones that I’d never heard and it was all so meticulously planned out. We’re all fiercely competitive and it was a lot of fun. So, he had the idea, “Let’s put this on television and NBC said, “Okay” and that’s really how it all came to be. We are having about as much fun as it looks like we are having. I loved Martha Stewart on the show… hysterical. I know, really, what was Martha Stewart doing on our show? She was actually
great, but I have to admit, my first response when I heard she was coming on was, who? Really? (Laughs) I guess it’s good to see that she has a sense of humor. Exactly, loosen up Martha (laughs)! And she totally did, she was great on the show.
Catch Jane Lynch Thursday nights for Hollywood Game Night on NBC. Glee’s final season will begin mid-2015. She will be performing her one-woman show, An Evening With Jane Lynch, in San Diego at the Balboa Theatre on Saturday, October 18. For tickets and more information call 619.570.1100 or go to
sandiegotheatres.org.
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