MADEFEATURE
MADEXXX
be private.
of our height and the perception that the
husband should be taller than the woman.
Allison Kugel: But you are enjoying
having audiences get to know the part
of you that shines as Constance on Bless
This Mess.
Pam Grier: I'm sharing my rural side, my
military side, my pragmatic side and my
sexy side in this wonderful role that has
been bestowed upon me by actress and
co-creator Lake Bell and [co-creator]
Elizabeth Meriwether; and ABC and
Fox and Disney. They support me greatly,
they listen to me, and they laugh at some
of the funny things I do. Even the way I
came into my initial meeting with them,
all stinky from doing chores. Who does
that?
Allison Kugel: That's not so much meth-
od acting as it is the real Pam Grier! You're
a roll up your sleeves and get your hands
dirty kind of woman.
Pam Grier: That's right. For fifty years
of my career, I would commute. I would
come off the plane ready to work, in
character, and I was very serious about my
work. I couldn't do all the roles because
I'm tall. For example, I couldn't play
Tina Turner, because I was 5'9" and she's
5'1". I'm not going to get roles where the
characters are diminutive. I was always
asked why I didn't play Tina Turner. I'm
actually, like, a foot taller than Tina. I'd
be the tallest Tina Turner in the world.
Like Geena Davis and a lot of my peers
who are tall, we don't get a lot of the roles
with husbands and love stories, because
Allison Kugel: This interview reminds
me of how film directors will say that
sometimes they'll have an actor on set, and
they know the best thing they can do is
get out of their way and just let them do
their thing. With this interview, I couldn't
direct you. You directed the interview, but
I learned a whole lot and I thank you!
Pam Grier: Well, I love to share and I
love to teach. I've got a PhD. from the
University of Maryland in the Human-
ities, and an honorary degree in Science
from Langston University in Agriculture.
It's who I am.
Watch "Bless This Mess," starring Lake
Bell, Dax Shepard, Pam Grier and
Ed Begley Jr. on ABC, Tuesdays at
9:30/8:30c. Pam will also star in "Poms"
with Diane Keaton and Rhea Perlman, in
theatres Friday, May 10th. Follow her on
Twitter @PamGrier
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