Actor and SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher takes our career questionnaire.

SHE ROSE TO FAME PLAYING FRAN FINE, THE “FLASHY GIRL

from Flushing,” on the CBS sitcom The Nanny, which she cocreated and produced. But it’s Fran Drescher’s latest role, as president of the Screen Actors Guild–american Federation of Television and Radio Artists, that has put her in the headlines. This year, she led members through a strike, campaigning for cost-ofliving increases and guardrails around the use of AI in entertainment. As of press time, negotiations between the labor union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are ongoing.

What’s your best habit, and what’s your worst one?

My best habit is being a person of word and deed. My worst one is that I get very emphatic, and people think I am angry [when] I’m really just being fiery and passionate.

What’s the advice you’re glad you ignored?

They wanted to make the nanny Italian, and I said, “No. The nanny has to be Jewish.” I was the first Jewish actor in a lead role in prime time playing an openly Jewish character since Molly Goldberg in 1948.

Is there a businessperson you admire?

Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, because he is labor-friendly. He makes everybody a partner in his company.

What’s your work uniform or wardrobe staple?

A good bra and a sexy pair of heels.

Do you have a style icon?

Audrey Hepburn.

What is your biggest indulgence?

An espresso martini.

What do you do when you’re creatively stuck?

I stop what

I’m doing. I take a walk. I’ll cook. I’ll prune flowers.

How do you exercise?

Distance walking is my favorite kind of exercise. [I also like] isometrics with or without a Pilates machine.

How do you unplug?

I put on chant music, a cooking show, the Tennis Channel. Or I take a walk or go in the hot tub.

Is there a book you recommend to everyone?

Offerings: Buddhist Wisdom for Every Day, by Danielle and Olivier Föllmi. It never ends, because when you finish it, you restart on the first page again. Eventually it sinks in, and you notice that you’re more mindful and react to things in a healthier way.

What advice would you give your younger self?

You are going to go through some serious, hellish things. Always know that when you turn lemons into lemonade, you’re better for it.

Do you have a career fork in the road?

The last series of pilots I did that I didn’t produce, before The Nanny.

That was when I decided I’m done with that. I want to produce the projects

I’m involved in.

What’s always in your bag?

Tissues, money, eye drops, my phone.

Do you have a favorite object in your office?

Fresh flowers.

What TV show are you mid-binge?

Jury Duty.

Do you have a favorite podcast?

The Doctor’s Farmacy with Mark Hyman. It is informative about functional medicine and alternative [treatments].

Do you have a “get pumped” song?

Brandi Carlile’s

“The Joke.”

What’s your mantra?

“I love you, Fran. I know how good you are. It’s Fran and Fran to the end of time.”

Is there a meeting you never miss?

The meeting of the minds.