Tavis Smiley interview
Harden discusses her new movie, Parkland, about the fallout in Dallas after Kennedy’s assassination, in this interview for PBS.
What’s so interesting that I didn’t know is that Parkland Hospital was a learning hospital. This is where the doctors went to learn how to be doctors. So they didn’t know what they were doing, and the person who would run that room would have been the head nurse. Can you imagine being an intern and you’re going there just to learn how to be a doctor, and in comes the president in such a tragic, tragic state, and not but three days later, Lee Harvey Oswald in the same hospital.
Trophy Wife
Harden plays Diane Buckley in this ABC sitcom created by Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins. Diane, an uptight physician, is Pete Harrison’s first ex-wife and mother of his son. Co-starring Bradley Whitford, Malin Akerman, and Michaela Watkins.
I am the first wife and then Michaela Watkins is the second wife. So I refer to myself as the degree, and Michaela is the award, and Malin is the trophy.
The Newsroom Season 2
Harden plays Rebecca Halliday, an attorney, in the second season of this HBO drama created by Aaron Sorkin. Halliday takes on the task of deposing Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) and MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) on behalf of the network after it is hit with a wrongful termination lawsuit. Harden speaks of the challenge of working on an Aaron Sorkin project:
When I first got the role, Jeff Daniels said: “I’ll give you a little Aaron Sorkin tip: Come to set with your lines down for the rehearsal.” I said, “What?” Usually the actor learns them during the day. But as an actress, I have never had a sigh of consternation when I get something complicated. You know how it is when you feel used in a good way. It’s like that old song, “keep on using me, ’til you use me up.” I just feel grateful.
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You
0 CommentsHarden plays Marjorie Dunfour, owner of an art gallery and mother of James, in this drama based on the novel by Peter Cameron and directed by Roberto Faenza. In the midst of her third divorce, Marjorie cannot see that James is dealing with pain, confusion, and uncertainty in his own life. Co-starring Peter Gallagher, Toby Regbo, and Ellen Burstyn.
…that was a very poignant story, with the children kind of lashing out, but at the end of the day, the story was about family. And family coming together, even if it’s in the dissociative form that we experience today.
Emmy nomination
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences nominates Harden for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards for portraying Janina Krzyzanowska on The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler.
This summer is just fantastic. The Tony, and a hit play that we’re going back to. I have a fantastic birthday coming up this summer. It’s just that it’s all happening. I don’t feel like I’ve ever felt happier or healthier, more delighted with the work. I feel showered with blessings.
Mystic River
0 CommentsHarden plays Celeste Boyle in this crime drama from the book by Dennis Lehane, written for the screen by Brian Helgeland, and directed by Clint Eastwood. Celeste is married to Dave (Tim Robbins) who comes home bloody and injured the night a neighborhood girl, Dave’s boyhood friend Jimmy’s daughter, is murdered. Old wounds are opened and secrets are spilled in the ensuing investigations. C0-starring Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Laura Linney, and Laurence Fishburne.
And my character… If you think someone committed a crime, you should turn them in to whomever you perceive authority to be. And in this case, Celeste didn’t believe the authority was the police, because she’d grown up always thinking that the police were the bad guys. So she took it to Sean. He was authority. He was the neighborhood boss. He would do the right thing. And in each case, the moral action came back to sting us.
The Education of Max Bickford
Harden plays Andrea Haskell, a professor of pop culture, in this CBS sitcom created by Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin. Haskell joins the faculty and finds herself working with Max Bickford (Richard Dreyfuss), her former professor and lover. Co-starring Katee Sackhoff.
That was fun, because I got to read and read and read. I was constantly checking out books about pop culture. Who knew that you could even teach a class about pop culture? Some of it just felt like the snake eating its own tail, like icing on top of icing, so I was slightly cynical about it, but that was perfect for the character of Andrea Haskell.
Pollock
0 CommentsHarden plays Lee Krasner in this biographical drama from the book by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, directed by Ed Harris, who also co-stars. Krasner, an artist herself, discovers Pollock (Harris) and decides to become his manager, later marrying him. Their life together isn’t easy as she deals with his drinking problem and infidelity while trying to nurture his talent.
It was probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever done. It was full of museum visits and art study and painting classes. And emotional drainage. Working so closely with Ed Harris, who I just think is a genius. Long hours. Hard days. A full character. It was everything I dreamed of. And it was a tough shoot. You know, Ed wasn’t always easy, but he was always right.
Used People
0 CommentsHarden plays Norma in this dramedy directed by Beeban Kidron. Psychologically unstable since the death of one of her children, Norma copes by dressing up as various celebrities depending on the situation. Co-starring Shirley MacLaine, Marcello Mastroianni, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Tandy.
She dressed up like other characters to experience the scenario that that character exemplified. That’s a hard sentence to know what makes sense if you haven’t seen the movie, but she dressed like Jackie O to go into mourning for her dad. Well, who mourns more beautifully than Jackie O? She dressed like Marilyn Monroe to come out of mourning. Who comes out of mourning more beautifully than Marilyn Monroe?
Miller’s Crossing
0 CommentsHarden plays Verna, a bookie’s sister, in this stylized mob drama from the Coen brothers. Verna is involved with Leo, a mob boss, and Tom, his right hand man. After a hit on Leo fails, Tom reveals the truth about his involvement with Verna and the two have a falling out. Tom tries to maintain loyalty to Leo while still trying to get the girl at the end. Co-starring John Turturro, Albert Finney, and Gabriel Byrne. On winning the role:
I auditioned for them three times, and against all odds they cast me. It is typical for them to give newcomers a chance, however. They’ve done it for Frannie McDormand, they did it for Holly Hunter, they did it for me, and they’ve really helped a lot of other New York actors toward roles of prominence and longevity. So I’ll always be grateful to the Coens and to Donna Isaacson, because they sort of gave me my start.
