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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