"I remember exactly
where I was on that day," commented Emmy Award-winning actress Holland
Taylor, who plays First Lady Nancy Reagan in the upcoming Showtime Original
Picture THE DAY REAGAN WAS SHOT. "I had just arrived at a spa and
was preparing for a long weekend off from BOSOM BUDDIES (the 80's TV series
co-starring Tom Hanks). I had the television news on in the background
as I unpacked in my room. I was actually watching as the President was
making a speech or something, when suddenly there was all this commotion,
[and] I watched it all happen live."
It is this
memory the instinctive actress brings to the role of one of modern history's
more formidable women and the 24-hour period that had to be one of the
worst days of the former First Lady's life. Mrs. Reagan, one half of
the world's most powerful couple at the time, and her singular commitment
to her husband are almost legendary. That commitment provided most of
the dramatic fuel for Taylor. "While there are many things you
can say about Mrs. Reagan, what with the designer dresses, the china,
astrology and more, her devotion to her husband is unquestionable, and
her role as a wife was incredibly fulfilled," comments Taylor.
As an accomplished actress with an eye for a good role, Taylor immediately
saw this as a great part, based on a woman who was truly committed to
her marriage at the exclusion of everything else. What appealed to the
actress was this deeply personal aspect of the international crisis
that played out on the world stage. "It was fascinating to play
a real person and know exactly how she reacted in that situation,"
commented Taylor. "For instance, as the President was being wheeled
into surgery, the doctors told Mrs. Reagan [that] there was no time
for her to see him. The First Lady turned to an aid and said, 'They
don't know how it is with us. He has to know I'm here.'" The actress
felt that this plea was just an indication of the intense intimacy and
total open communication this husband and wife team shared day in and
day out. That rapport was further illustrated by the now well-known
crack, "Honey, I forgot to duck," the President threw out
to his wife when she finally reached him.
"I've played many of these powerful Chanel-suit-wearing women before, but Mrs. Reagan was different," commented Taylor. "These other powerful women I've portrayed were flashy and wore their strength on their sleeve. Mrs. Reagan was much more modest. She was a rather withheld person, who kept her own counsel, was very smart, knew the right way to do things and executed them very well. "If she felt someone was not serving her husband well, or was against something she cared about, she wanted that person out and would do everything she could to see it happen."
Taylor, who was the first choice to play Mrs. Reagan (Richard Crenna plays the ex-President), saw in the role something that resonated deeply within her. "I love playing professional woman who are good at what they do. It's not just someone saying, 'More coffee, dear.' Not that there is anything wrong with playing a housewife, mother or grandmother. Professional women are often very interesting."
This instinctive knack for roles comes in handy for Taylor. "No one ever wins an award for just acting well," comments Taylor on her Emmy-winning performance as Judge Roberta Kittleson in the hit ABC show THE PRACTICE. "You win an award for acting well in a great part." Currently, Taylor plays a legal professor in MGM's LEGALLY BLONDE with Reese Witherspoon. "I will probably do a lot of legal crap for the rest of my career, which is just fine with me!" the actress jokes.
