Interview Privileged: JoAnna Garcia Keeps the Faith

Prior to landing the leading role on the CW’s nighttime drama Privileged, JoAnna Garcia was best known for her co-starring roles in Reba and Party of Five. Now, as Privileged lies on the cusp of finding out if the show has been renewed for a second season, JoAnna is keeping herself pretty busy.

She has been tapped to co-star in two pilots: one for Fox called Cop House and another untitled comedy for NBC starring Henry Winkler. (JoAnna gushes, “I think Henry Winkler might be my favorite person on the planet.”) While she is excited about both new projects, JoAnna wants to make one thing clear to the very passionate and very vocal Privileged fans: “Obviously, ALL of my commitments lie with Privileged. My whole heart is with Privileged, and I really believe it will be picked up for the second season.”

She went into filming these two pilots with everyone being aware that she might not be available to continue her role. “It would take a project that’s really special to get me to do another series (if Privileged is not picked up), and I really feel like both of these projects were really special, so I wasn’t sure how all of that would pan out. But I did let everyone know that I am definitely on the Privileged train.”

From Entertainment Weekly to TV Guide and every trade magazine and newspaper in between, people have been championing this show since it premiered in the fall of 2008. “In the beginning, our show didn’t really get a lot of promotion, so I was so pleasantly surprised by how well we were received, especially Megan. I think Megan is such and appealing character and I am so proud to play her. It feels really, really, really good to have people I respect in the business behind the show.”

The universal appeal of Megan is a big reason the show has such a strong fan base, and JoAnna also considers herself a fan of Megan. “When I first read the script, I felt like Megan was a really strong female role, and television lacked a girl in her 20s who is wholesome and good and strong and makes mistakes and falls flat on her face. She is emotional, intelligent and funny. She empowers young girls and is a real role model. The way I feel about Megan runs a lot deeper than just an actress taking a job.”

Privileged is in a class all its own in a market flooded with sensational, unrealistic shows geared toward the younger set. JoAnna explains: “There is a place for all types of characters and shows in television. There is a place for 90210 and Gossip Girl and that escapism. Privileged has that escapism quality, but on the flip side you have a very real girl that I think every girl in America can relate to.”

JoAnna is the first one to give credit where credit is due when complimented on the intelligence and realism of the show. “It’s a direct reflection of a writing staff that values the intelligence of our viewers and fans, and writes to that. They are always thinking about what our loyal viewers want to see next.”

Only time will tell what is next for our friends at Privileged, and JoAnna has high hopes for its renewal. “I just have a good feeling that we all will have a lot more Privileged in our future.”

Interview: Anne Archer on Running an Empire

Although she is known to most of her fans as a movie star, Anne Archer is no stranger to television. She has co-starred on quite a number of prime-time shows, including “Falcon Crest,” “Boston Public” and “The L Word,” to name only a few. Now you can catch her on the small screen in The CW’s latest offering, “Privileged” (Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT).

Anne stars as Laurel Limoges, the head of a cosmetics empire who hires a 23-year-old spitfire named Megan Smith (JoAnna Garcia) to tutor her twin 16-year-old granddaughters. How was The CW able to lure the Academy Award-nominated actress to prime time to star as the cosmetics mogul?

“I read the pilot and just fell in love with the character,” Anne tells me. “The show is so well-written, and Laurel is such a great character. She’s smart as a whip, she’s successful, and there is a sense of glamour to her.”

Laurel’s daughter died, so she is raising her two granddaughters -- however, she realizes she needs help, so she decides to hire a live-in tutor to help them get into college. “It is beyond Laurel to know how to relate to these young girls at this time; she knows she needs help. Laurel is brilliant and articulate, but she is also warm and understanding,” Anne explains. “She knows there is a lot of tragedy in life, but she doesn’t like to look at that.”

It is fun, and challenging, for Anne to play a character who has such a different personality from her own. “Laurel can be abrupt and not in tune to the effect she has on people. She is used to being catered to, without realizing that she can be a bit self-centered. I am not like that. That’s what makes her an interesting and fun character to play.

“But I understand her lifestyle, and I love the glamour and fashion part of it,” Anne admits.

When Megan enters Laurel’s and the girls’ life, things around the mansion begin to change. “Megan is disarming in that she has a realness about her. That realness is refreshing. She’s quirky, and I like quirky. She doesn’t censor what she says, and I can read her.”

So, what sets this show apart from the plethora of other shows about 20-somethings trying to find their way in the world today? “This is a show that has humor. You can watch the show and have a good time. The characters are likable, even in their own dysfunctional way. It’s not a mean show, and it’s not an exploitative show. It attracts young audiences, but it also appeals to adults.”

All of this good will about the show also translates into how Anne feels about her co-stars. “Without question, these are the nicest people I’ve ever worked with. They are all very professional, and we really like each other. We have a great time -- it’s already like a family. JoAnna has a wonderful ability to keep everyone up when the day has gotten long.”

Anne hopes viewers feel the same attachment to the show that she feels, and by the look of the first few shows, she has reason to be proud of her involvement in this project. “I hope viewers come away with the feeling that they care about what happens to the characters so much that they have to see what happens next week.”

Hopefully for Anne, JoAnna and the rest of the crew, viewers will keep coming back week after week.

© 2008 North America Syndicate Inc.
All rights reserved.

Photo: Anne Archer
Photo credit: Patrick Ecclesine/Warner Bros. Television

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)