HAIL TO THE POLICE CHIEF
Edie Falco returns to television following a pair of award-winning roles
Tommy
Thursdays, Global/cbs
Getting Edie Falco to say yes to a part is no easy task.
Best known for her roles as Carmela Soprano, the mob wife she played for six seasons on HBO’S The Sopranos, and the drug-abusing Nurse Jackie in the show of the same name, Falco has developed a nose for good television.
“I’ve received plenty of offers over the last few years, but I’ve gotten picky about the stuff I want to do,” Falco, 56, says from New York City.
Her stint on The Sopranos, which ran from 1999-2007, landed her two Golden Globes and three Emmy Awards. She added another Emmy as drug-addicted nurse Jackie Peyton on Nurse Jackie.
But after that ended in 2015, Falco found herself being choosy. After some brief downtime, Falco accepted the pitch for Tommy, a network drama from Homicide: Life on the Street creator Paul Attanasio. On a break from shooting the series, Falco speaks about what drew her back to television.
Q You’ve played two of the most memorable characters in TV history. What made Tommy stand out to you?
A There’s a lot. She’s very powerful, both as a person and in the job that she has. She doesn’t seem fazed by anything. She’s a character who has been around cops her whole life and she has a great deal of confidence in what she does, but it’s not in a way that is false or unearned. She knows who she is and she knows what she’s capable of. She doesn’t feel like she needs to prove anything to anyone. There was something about that amalgamation of those particular characteristics that I found appealing. Also, she’s quite funny.
Q How will Tommy set itself apart from other cop shows and police procedurals?
A My hope is that we’ll get to learn more about all the individuals working at her precinct, rather than have it be just about the plot lines and issues they are dealing with. Those are certainly important, but I prefer that the show be about the people that make up this particular piece of L.A. I hope that there’s enough time for us to dive into some of the backstories of the characters in Tommy’s life.
Q Why was it important for Tommy to be a lesbian?
A I don’t know that it was. I think it’s just who she is, but it’s been a long time coming. It’s not a show about lesbians — it’s just one of the many characteristics that make her who she is. But it’s about time that people can see themselves on a television show. Whatever parts of their life that have been made more difficult because of their sexuality, at a certain point you have to move past that. You’ve got to see all kinds of different people represented on television. Her sexuality is just part of who she is. This isn’t a show about a gay police chief. It’s about a woman who just so happens to be gay. For all we know, Tommy collects sweaters, too.
Q You’ve been on some really iconic television shows in your career. How do you know when something’s right for you?
A I don’t always know. It just starts with me reading something that compels me to finish it. It’s something that gets my heart rate going and I get excited by the prospect of bringing this character into the world. Sometimes, I find myself surprised that a particular work appeals to me. But the writing has to be interesting and it has to be something that isn’t too predictable.
Q Rolling Stone hailed The Sopranos as one of the best TV shows of all time. Why do you think it still endures?
A Gosh, I don’t always know why, but I sure am grateful that it’s stuck around. Outside of daytime-tv soap operas, I think it was the beginning of series television where people got caught up in the lives and the storylines of the main characters. People wanted to watch to find out what happens next. But I think one of the main reasons it appealed to people was because Tony (Soprano, played by James Gandolfini) was a confusing character. Audiences cared that he was able to be both good and bad and I think more people can relate to that rather than someone who is all one or all the other. It seemed to me there was a shift in the appetite of the viewing public around that time and The Sopranos was followed up by shows that also featured complicated characters.
Q I’ve always thought the way it ended was just the coolest. What did you think of that final scene on The Sopranos?
A I’m glad you said that. I’m there with you. I thought it was the coolest way to end it. That was the word I used. There was no way to please everybody.
That was the thing about (series creator) David Chase, he just wanted to write something to please himself. He wrote a story that he found compelling and he ended it the way he wanted to — ambiguously. Their lives go on — either Tony is killed or he lives, but whatever happens, we’re not privy to it anymore. That’s that. I thought it was so great.
Q What’s the best advice you ever got?
A When I was in high school, as part of my theatre class, we took a trip to Broadway and we got to do an audition for a producer — just for the experience of being on a Broadway stage. It was huge. We all did a monologue or something like that and afterwards this producer guy pulled me aside and he said, “You can work in this business, but you got to get your teeth fixed.” I had terrible, crooked teeth and he was right, so I got my teeth fixed.
This isn’t a show about a gay police chief. It’s about a woman who just so happens to be gay. For all we know, Tommy collects sweaters, too.