“I never thought in terms of ‘I’m going to buck the system.’ I just thought from day to day, minute to minute, lily pad to lily pad, what am I interested in? And I very rarely thought about the entire pond.” – Holland Taylor, episode 241 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
This week, we’re revisiting a favorite of ours with American actress and playwright, Holland Taylor. She’s best known for her television roles on The Practice and Hollywood, and films like Legally Blonde, Romancing the Stone, and The Truman Show. You can see her latest performance in The Chair, now available on Netflix.
She walks us through her storied career, from her days as a playpen baby (7:39) to the college experience that solidified her choice to place career ahead of motherhood (12:30). Having moved from coast to coast, she discusses her early years in New York with Anne Bancroft on Broadway (19:14), lessons learned from the great Stella Adler (22:25), and finding her footing in Los Angeles with Tom Hanks in Bosom Buddies (29:09). Finally, we reexamine the day she met Gov. Ann Richards (38:40), and why she felt compelled to write and star in a play about her (46:50).
Organizations against the Texas abortion ban:
Unapologetic Abortion Advocacy (AVOW), Texas Equal Access Fund, Fund Texas Choice, Jane’s Due Process, Buckle Bunnies Fund, West Fund, Bridge Collective, and Clinic Access Support Network
Show notes:
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- Stream The Chair on Netflix.
- Follow Holland on Instagram and Twitter.
- Learn more about how and where to watch her play, Ann, here.
- Watch the clip of Holland in Bosom Buddies.
- For more info, visit Holland’s website.