Some delicious quotes by Audra McDonald in the February 22, 2008 (#979) issue of Entertainment Weekly.
Hot Off the Set - McDonald on life behind the scenes of PRIVATE PRACTICE:
SUBBING IN: The role of Dr. Bennett was originally played by Merrin Dungey (ALIAS), and when McDonald took over, an uproar ensued. "People said, 'She looks like a man. She's not pretty. She's fat. She's not talented.'" It upset McDonald -- at first. "I started to joke, 'I'm just your average transvestite trying to get a job on TV.'"
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AUDRA McDONALD -- Taking another turn in the 'Sun', the venerated stage actress makes a play for mainstream success (by Vanessa Juarez)
Despite the praise, the actress has managed to avoid acquiring those other diva-esque attributes. "As performers, we're insecure, that's why we get up on stage. It's like, 'Love me! Love me! Love me!'" So she skirts temptation, choosing instead to live in upstate New York (when she's not shooting PRIVATE PRACTICE in L.A.) with her husband and 7-year old daughter. "I love being able to go home to trees and leaves and grass and deer s**t. My garbagemen are so used to me running after them because I've forgotten that it's Tuesday morning and my garbage cans need to be out. Literally, with my Afro out to here, no bra on, in a muumuu, in my bedroom slipprs, I'm going, 'Wait! Wait!' If there were paparazzi, I would never work again."
I don't get the insults. I think she is gorgeous. And fat?!? if by fat, they mean by hollywood anorexia unhealthy standards, then maybe, but in real life, not by a longshot.
What do they say about Sara Ramirez, if they are so opinionated on Audra's appearance?
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
the blog she did when working on the new operas for HGO was so good...I looked at their website but couldn't find it. She can really write, and I love her sense of humor.
As someone who saw her in a body suit, she's not fat in the least!
How can they say such mean things about such a talented and beautiful person?
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
Those were the novice producers of the Cat revival. I thought, Wow even a fool is thought to be wise if his mouth is shut. In that one comment they broadcast to the world that they didn't know what they were doing.
Gotta love Audra How could anyone not see her pure, true beauty and talent?!
And we do
Don't foget to watch RAISIN on ABC this weekend
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
Although the "cat" producers may have said those things....which I'm not sure those were the exact reasons go take a looksee at the ABC.com private practice message boards. Those names were used MANY MANY times. So she may just be a closeted message board reader. just a thought. Loves her!!!!
Those comments are clearly supported by the first episodes of the season where Audra's character was depicted as a compulsive overeater. Not a scene went by when she wasn't eating something or handling some sort of food product. Happily they moved away from that (probably once they realized they were in presence of true talent) and her character has deepened since - that is until the strike happened of course. Love Audra and her happy, healthy attitude. This is a woman who clearly knows that she can succeed in whatever arena she wants, be it TV, movies, theatre, concerts, recordings, opera - so she doesn't require anyone or anything to validate her. I say, BRAVA.
"When you're a gay man, you have to feel good about yourself when a urologist says, "Yeah. I pick you". - Happy Endings
Audra's pretty great in PRIVATE PRACTICE, and completely won me over in 110 IN THE SHADE, yet I'm glad the role of Maggie went to Anika Noni Rose. I'm surprised people said those awful things about Audra McDonald especially when every critic (and plenty of audience members) mentioned in their reviews of 110 IN THE SHADE that it was hard to buy gorgeous, elegant Audra McDonald as "plain" Lizzie Curry.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I'm not that surprised by the comments. Die-hard fans of anything are always like that when something like this happens. I remember when the first photos of the girl playing Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films were leaked, people all over MuggleNet.com were complaining for weeks that she was "fat" or "stupid-looking" or something. Most of them came to love her just as much as the other film actors. It just takes adjustment, and die-hard fans of any fictional phenomenon are rarely welcoming to such things.
The funny thing is that I find Merrin Dungey to be pretty odd-looking (read "ugly"). McDonald is certainly an improvement in the looks department.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I tell you, just when I think there couldnt possibly be another reason to love her, she gives you another! She has the best sense of humor! And whoever those fools were who hurled the ridiculous and unfounded insults at her would not want to meet me in a back alley!