Tea makes foreign policy less boring
Frank Lovece discovers why Tea Leoni has the right stuff to play Madam Secretary.
‘ Honestly, we’re all still just wrapping our heads around [the results of the presidential election] it.’ TEA LEONI
No, but I’m such an admirer of hers, obviously. And I’m also heartbroken ...
Who I did meet with for this part was Madeleine Albright. We met down in DC and I knew I only had a limited time so I was firing questions at her. And then she came and was on the show, as Secretary Albright, and it was very interesting because she said, ‘‘You must stay involved in politics. You must stay involved in politics.’’
And I remember other things, like a bulletproof raincoat she once had. I was fascinated with that. loved the show because it made foreign policy less boring. I think that’s certainly our greatest compliment. and Madeleine Albright inviting us, so we went as a foursome.
I was Bob’s date and Tim was Madeleine’s and we had a great time.
I’ll get out for that, you betcha. But I don’t go out – you don’t see me at fashion shows.
They had to put it in my contract to get me to go to my own premieres. Reuters Honestly, we’re all still just wrapping our heads around it. I think we all are. My biggest worry is ... what does this do to the show? How can we compete with what has now become the most fantastical news? He’s impacted for the whole run of this season. It’s a broken ankle on his right leg and on the left he crushed his tibial plateau. He’s had surgery, two or three pins, and it’s hard, but it’s interesting. There’s not a lot you can do until that surgery heals, until the bone really takes to the screws. God bless, he’s got an amazing attitude – he’s a fighter. At first, he was like, ‘‘Well, we’ll just say Henry broke his ankle’’. But one broken leg is very different than two, because you’re not on crutches with two. You’re in a wheelchair. So you’ve gotta mess up both legs in the writing. We wrote it in: Henry’s busted up both of his legs. Tim was desperate to get back to work. I think it was five days after surgery that he was pretty much back. The good news is that a full recovery is expected soon. I said to Joey when I first met him, I said, ‘‘Pantoliano? That’s not even Italian! It means nothing!’’ He goes, ‘‘What are you telling me?’’ I said, ‘‘Pantaleoni – it means ‘‘courage of a lion’’. I don’t know what happened to you coming through Ellis Island, but that ain’t a name!’’ Then I say, ‘‘This is actually getting creepy because you kind of look like my dad in a way’’. And he says, ‘‘We’re probably cousins – they screwed up your name coming in!’’ – Newsday ● Madam Secretary, Thursdays, 9.30pm, Prime.