Fran Drescher Is More Than 'The Nanny'
An idiosyncrasy of the cavernous Broadway Theater in Manhattan — currently home to the hit show “Cinderella” — is that actors need to traverse the stage to get from their dressing rooms to the stage door. So it’s where I wait for Fran Drescher, who has very successfully traversed from lovable Jewish nanny to evil step mom.
But when she appears, it’s more like the fairy godmother — or at least someone with magical powers. Though it’s been 15 years since the finale of her hit TV sitcom, “The Nanny,” the 56-year-old actress hasn’t seemed to age a bit. And that’s not all that hasn’t changed.
There is, of course, the familiar voice, one the adjective nasal only begins to describe. No, she says, in response to a question, she is not comfortable “playing a character that you love to hate. I love playing characters you love to love.”
So the first time she ripped a fancy gown from Cinderella (Carly Rae Jepsen), she actually apologized to the young singer. Recalling that moment, Drescher laughs. That laugh. The laugh once called “the sound of a Buick with an empty gas tank cold cranking on a winter morning.”
Several days later on the phone, she continues the thread of that conversation, speaking also about how she got to Broadway and the perils of her very public life.
Curt Schleier: Did you really apologize to Carly Rae after the scene?
Fran Drescher: It really was hard for me to be so mean and afterwards I felt that it was so harsh I wanted to say to her, “I’m not really bad.” Since then [doing that scene] has gotten easier and I don’t feel people are mad at me because my character does things that are despicable.
How did you come to this role?
My [most recent] television series, “Happily Divorced,” did not get a pick up after 34 episodes so I found myself available for the first time in many years. When the offer came in, I was going to be in New York so I went to see the show. I saw [it on television] growing up, and I thought if it’s as good as I remember, I have to have the experience.
What was your reaction?
I told them I thought it was wonderful and I think I can make the role my own. I wanted to reinvent the character. Make her much more glamorous, not just a mean old biddy. They redesigned the costume. The old one wasn’t what the paying audience coming to see the show with me in it wanted. I’m known for my clothes, my hair and dresses. They accommodated me, so here I am. Ticket sales have increased, [thanks to] Carly Rae, too. We get along great and love working with each other. It’s been an amazing experience I’m really cherishing.
Is there anything that surprised you about the experience?
