Bernadette Peters

ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST (NBC)

Long before Bernadette Peters was offered her role on the musical series, the Tony winner had made note of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. “It’s such a beautiful story — to think that you’re hearing what’s really in people’s hearts,” says Peters. “I love when actors give from the bottom of their souls to let the audience see something in [the art] that can make their life better.” But despite her love for the show, the Broadway star’s first instinct was to turn down the opportunity to play Deb, an acquaintance with her own loss who prepares Maggie Clarke, played by Mary Steenburgen, for life without her husband. “I am a widow, and I had never really done any kind of role that related to that,” says Peters. “At first I thought, ‘I can’t do this role. I’m not going to do this.’ But she’s such a different type of person. She’s so gregarious and extroverted, which people think I am, but I am not.” The role ended up being impactful in ways Peters didn’t expect. “She talks about moving on, alone. That’s very hard for people to do when they’ve had a tragedy or loss in their life. For me to play someone like that was freeing,” says Peters. “And it was fun to sing songs I wouldn’t normally sing!” But if Peters has a heart song of her own, it would be an ode to her new friendship with Steenburgen, which extended offscreen. “Really getting to know Mary was a gift,” says Peters. “She’s just this remarkable person, and I feel really fortunate that I know her now.”