AS MELANIA : SCOTT KOWALCHYK / CBS |
actually in New York . I ’ m hoping they ’ ll come back for another season and that I ’ ll get to play with them again .
EDIE , YOUR CHARACTER ON THE
DETOUR , IS A TOTAL PSYCHOPATH … She ’ s definitely a psychopath , which I find delightful to play . It ’ s always more interesting to play someone who ’ s a little off-center than someone who ’ s holding down the fort .
HOW AMAZED ARE YOU BY THE POPULARITY OF YOUR MELANIA TRUMP PORTRAYAL ON COLBERT ? It ’ s really gratifying . I feel like I ’ ve been trying to prove that I ’ m acomedian for many years now , and this feels like the thing that finally got that message across . It ’ s such a nice group of people . Stephen is an amazing person , brilliantly funny , and the writers are fantastic . Any time I ’ m on there is a real joy . I ’ ve definitely gotten sillier with her as we ’ ve gone on , but my goal is not to mock her . I have no beef with her . I feel like she ’ s a beautiful woman , very smart , and Ithink she ’ sagood mom . So , I use her as avehicle to poke fun at [ Donald Trump ].
YOU ’ VE GOT A NEW LEADING LADY IN THE HOUSE WITH ELLA . HOW IS PARENTHOODTREATING YOU ? I ’ m really enjoying it . The first few
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FIRST LADY OF LATE NIGHT Benanti reprises her recurring role as Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert .
months were challenging . She was colic-y and didn ’ t like to sleep . She had baby FOMO ( fear of missing out ). But she ’ s 18 months old now and she ’ s a hilarious little person . I love being around her . She ’ s the best .
IN WHATWAY HAS BECOMING A PARENT CHANGED YOUR THINKING IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU ’ LL GO FOR AJOB , AND FOR HOWLONG ? It certainly has changed my criteria for accepting a job . Now , I won ’ t go just anywhere to do just anything . It has to be special . [ Ella ] and my husband are my first priorities . But , it ’ s also — interestingly — made me even more ambitious , in that there are things I want to achieve , and Iwant her to see me achieve them . Iwant to position her in this life to be able to do anything she wants . We live in a society
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where that takes money . College has become prohibitively expensive , and loans have become such a drain on young people . So , Iwant to work hard so that my daughter can choose to go to whatever school she wants and follow her dreams .
PROFESSIONALLY , WHATHAVEYOU NOT DONE YET THAT YOU ’ RE ITCH- INGTOTRY ? Instead of just being an actor for hire , I want to be a producer and creator . I have a live album from my show at 54 Below , but doing a studio album is important to me , and I ’ m in the process of working that out . There ’ s always more to do , always arole that ’ ll take you to the next level , but , for me , producing and creating , those are the next steps , and that ’ s what I ’ m in the process of doing .
ANGELA LANSBURYISSTILL ACTING AT 92 . ISTHATWHAT YOU ASPIRE TO — SPENDING DECADES APPLY- ING YOUR CRAFT AND BEING NEAR THE TOP OF YOUR GAME THAT FAR DOWN THE ROAD ? Angela Lansbury has done films , TV and she continues to do theater . She ’ s a philanthropist , and she ’ s a lovely person . She has a family . I feel like she ’ s done it all . People always say ,“ Whose career would you want to emulate ?” And , for me , it is Angela Lansbury , for sure . ■
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