Interview: Catching Up With Nicole Sullivan

While Nicole Sullivan made her Hollywood breakthrough on nighttime soaps like “Party of Five” and “Models, Inc.,” she is best known for her comedic roles. She was a principle cast member on “MADtv” for 10 years, she starred as the titular character on Lifetime Television’s original sitcom “Rita Rocks,” and she now co-stars as Bonnie in the William Shatner-starring CBS sitcom, “$#*! My Dad Says.”

Aside from being a talented actress, comedian and voice-over artist, Nicole is first and foremost a wife and mother. She’s been married to actor Jason Packham since 2006, and together they have two sons, Dashel, 3, and Beckett, 1. When I caught up with her recently, she told me about juggling motherhood with her busy career.

Daytime Dial: I am sure you are having lots of fun with “$#*! My Dad Says,” but I was sad to see that “Rita Rocks” had been canceled. What was it you liked most about that show?

Nicole Sullivan: Well, it was a great family sitcom, and it really clicked with me at this time in my life. It’s like the minute you give birth — and I mean THE MINUTE you give birth — it’s not about you anymore. It’s about someone else. And that’s the joy of motherhood, and I don’t think any mother would have it any other way. But what happens is, over time, you start thinking: What about a little something for me? And as moms we just feel so guilty if we prioritize ourselves at all. And I think the next thing you wake up and you’re unfulfilled, and you’re not sure why. “Rita Rocks” was about a woman who woke up after 16 years and said: “You know what? I really love music; I love singing. I want to get that back.” I know she’s never going to open for U2, but she’s going to have a great time in her garage playing with her friends.

DD: Of course I knew about your extensive comedic and dramatic work, but I had no idea that you had done and continue to do so much voice work. What are some aspects of doing voice work that you really like — besides the fact that you don’t have to put on makeup to do it?

NS: Sitcom work is an 8 1/2 out of 10 as far as work goes. It’s the greatest job. The hours are great. The one downside to sitcom work is there are no sick days. You’re sick; you go to work anyway. You’ve got 150 people going, “Really, she’s not going to show up?” That’s not an option. Other than that there’s not a downside I can find with this job. It’s just a great job and I’m so blessed that I’ve gotten it. And the only thing that’s better is voice-over work. And I’ve been really lucky, because there are some really dumb cartoons out there, and I’ve been really lucky to have worked on really well-written, fun ones. “Kim Possible” went on for seven or eight years, and it was a really great show. I’m doing “Penguins of Madagascar” now, which shows on Nickelodeon, and I think is either neck and neck with “SpongeBob SquarePants” or just surpassed it for the top children’s show in the country. I’ve just been really lucky to get to work with good-good material and really nice people.

DD: I also love seeing you pop up on something I don’t expect, like the recurring role you had on “Scrubs.” That was such a departure from what I’m used to seeing from you. What was it like working on that set and doing that character?

NS: Tremendous. Bill Lawrence, the creator of the show, is a friend of mine. So it was totally nepotism. He wrote in parts for a lot of his friends, and you always get a really good view of what Bill thinks of you when you see how he writes you into shows. And when he wrote that part I thought: “He thinks I’m out of my mind! I love it!” That cast was so talented; I loved that show. I loved everyone there. It was such a top-notch experience.

Interview: Ex-Party of Five Star Enjoys the "Privileged" Life

JoAnna Garcia, known to many television viewers as Cheyenne from “Reba” and Hallie from “Party of Five,” is entering the world of the Palm Beach social set on The CW’s new show called “Privileged.” JoAnna stars with Academy Award-nominated actress Anne Archer in the weekly drama, which premieres Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 9 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT.

JoAnna stars as Megan Smith, a recent Yale graduate who finds herself being hired as the tutor of Laurel Limoges’ (Anne Archer) twin 16-year-old granddaughters. As the show’s premiere gets closer, JoAnna can barely contain her excitement.

“I am so thrilled,” JoAnna tells me. “Up until now, it has felt like our little secret, but soon, it will be for everyone. I had worked with people from The CW for some time, and I happened to read this script by chance. After I read it, I was like, ‘I don’t care what you have to do to make this happen, just make it happen.’”

One thing that drew JoAnna to the show was the similarities between herself and Meg. “Everything about Meg hits home to me. It’s wonderful to play her. She sometimes puts her foot in her mouth, like me. She’s just a sweet, sexy girl who is just starting to come of age. Meg is a very strong female voice in a television world that is usually dominated by men. She stands for everything I’d want my daughter to stand for.”

For Meg -- who initially went to Yale for journalism but ends up becoming a tutor -- it could be seen as a step down to not be working in her field, but JoAnna doesn’t see it that way. “Initially there is shock. She says to Laurel: ‘I’m a writer. I’ve never taught anyone anything.’ But everything she has, she did all on her own. There is a drive and inner confidence you aren’t aware of. There is uneasiness at first, but ultimately she is trying to find herself through writing in her journal and just living life each day.”

Meg is able to find a common ground with the wealthy twins she is tutoring in that the three of them grew up motherless. JoAnna explains: “No matter how much money you have, you have to choose a path. It’s all part of the journey for her.”

Working with such a renowned actress as Anne Archer has been an amazing experience for JoAnna. Aside from being a true professional and such a pleasure to work with, JoAnna is most captivated by Anne’s girly side. “There is nothing about Anne that I don’t adore. She is amazing; and she is also such a girly girl. She’s so excited to be a part of such a young show. She told me, ‘I love to be around young people and see their world as it opens up before them.’ She’ll sit around with us and talk about tattoos and boys. Bottom line: She’s a really neat chick.”

Being the main character in a new show has been a little bit scary, but JoAnna is mostly excited about what lies ahead. “In the first few weeks I had some anxiety, in that there is a lot of responsibility on the Megan character. Her character helps the other characters to take shape. But now that we are all settled in, things are really coming together. Everyone is definitely bringing it, and it’s made it such a great team effort. I feel like there is so much we can do with this show under the guise of wealth and privilege. It’s a nice escape for the audience, but we also send a good message.”

(Photo: Patrick Ecclesine/Warner Bros. Television)