Actress Hilty talks blond ambition
Megan Hilty hasn’t clinched the role of Marilyn Monroe on TV — yet — but onstage it’s a different story.
On NBC’S Smash, Hilty plays Ivy Lynn, a veteran performer vying with a wholesome newcomer (American Idol’s Katharine Mcphee) for the lead in a Broadway musical about everyone’s fave blond bombshell. Who gets the role is still a mystery — but those on Team Ivy who need a Marilyn fix can check out Hilty in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, part of the Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert series held at New York City Center.
In this madcap comedy set in the 1920s, Hilty plays Lorelei Lee, the original “dumb blond,” a role that made Carol Channing a star in the 1949 Broadway production and secured Monroe’s fame in the 1953 film version. Question: So why do gentlemen prefer blonds? Answer: Ha! There’s a perception you can pull things over on a blond. But the blond — at least in this show — knows how to get what she wants. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Q. What’s it like to be back onstage after a season of TV? A. It’s so much fun rehearsing. In TV, it’s go, go, go. Minimal rehearsals. Here, we get to develop moments. I feel like I’m home. Q. Smash’s first season is winding up. What surprised you most about TV work? A. I didn’t expect to bond with the cast like we did. In theatre, we all become a family — you create this bond because you’re so vulnerable onstage, you have to develop this . . . insane trust. I thought TV would be different. But we all bonded quickly, intensely. Q. You’ve had to think a lot about Marilyn Monroe. Any insights? A. What’s surprising is that, in the midst of all this glamour and adoration, she felt incredibly alone. She desperately . . . wanted to be taken seriously. And to be loved. Those are two basic human needs. People loved this character she was playing, but not who she was. It’s tragic. Q. I gotta say — I’m troubled by Smash. There’s such focus on being the star. Obviously, who plays Marilyn is a major plot point, but there’s all this dialogue where the message seems to be, “Being a star is all that matters, and if you’re in the ensemble, you’re nothing.” A. I hate that. Q. When you’re not talking Marilyn or blonds . . . what are you obsessed with? A. My two Jack Russell terriers. They’re a handful, but great. Umm . . . I just finished a motivational book called Take the Stairs. Q. You need . . . motivation? A. Absolutely! We all do! I try to get inspired to be better. Q. After Blondes, will you get to relax? A. I just got my first record deal with Columbia and Sony Masterworks combined. So I’ll start recording. It’s all new material. It’s not gonna be a pop album, per se. We haven’t nailed down the sound yet. It’s a new adventure.