∼ Interview by Anne Brodie ∼
Thursday, January 7th (9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT on CBS and City in Canada
Angel From Hell Global
Jane Lynch, the dazzlingly funny and engaging comedienne from Glee, Psych, Two and a Half Men and just about any series you can think of – with 179 credits since 1988! – is a ray of hope in the raucous new comedy Angel From Hell.
She’s Amy, dispatched to help uptight earthling Allison (Maggie Lawson) live a better life. She’s her guardian angel, But Allison only sees homeless women, possibly drunk and pushy, who, okay, has a great sense of humour. We spoke with Lynch in Toronto about this very funny character and show:
You play an angel and none of us knows any angels. How do you play her?
What I love is the compassion and her maternal nature although she is the weirdest mother ever but Allison really needs this person’s help. There’s a joie de vivre that comes from Amy. OMG what a great day! Look at the day we made today!
She is so in the moment and reverent unless someone wants to hurt Maggie and then she’s a lion. That’s one of the problems; Amy has compassion for certain things, keeping her stuck in this angelic realm.
She’s pure compassion; it’s a different kind of love. Allison is very buttoned up, to her own detriment. I think she’s so skinny because of it, but we’ll try to fatten her up on the show, whereas I am all about being in the moment, fun and having that weekday margarita.
I may or may not live in my car, everything is okay with me, everything is ok and the only agenda I have is to inspire this girl to see that everything is okay.
What about the religious / supernatural element?
I don’t know how far we will go, but we will we stay away from an explanation. In the pilot, Maggie’s rolling up the car window and I stop it and we’re leaving that nebulous. Did I really do that? I don’t know that we’ll go into the explanation of how I came to be. The relationship will be most important element. Do I live in the car, or go to the bathroom? Well the answer to that is yes, because, remember I had a “nuclear” situation eating those taquitos.
The show is so good, from the acting to the editing, the direction and look. Was it written for you?
No, not for me originally but my agent took a look at it and asked me to read it. They were looking for someone younger but my agent asked if they could tweak it for me. So I said yes right away. I wasn’t looking. No one offered me a script through pilot season. I was away doing a cabaret show and was very happy with that and I’m going to continue so it was a happy surprise.
Amy has quite the wardrobe!
I chose that! It was in the script that I wear a King’s jersey unless it’s beautifully fitted. I had to look homeless, I chose the army jacket with the sleeves out ad she has beads and those are my pyjama bottoms.
I always have fun, they are H&M. I grabbed three pair in case they couldn’t find them. I love that I’m wearing the same thing in every episode maybe a different dirty T-shirt.
There’s so much dark stuff on TV these days, you’re bringing a little light.
I don’t know. I don’t watch TV. I don’t watch appointment TV, I binge watch. I started to watch several episodes of Breaking Bad, but I couldn’t stay there, I couldn’t stay with the Sopranos or Games of Thrones.
They’re beautifully acted and the fights and it’s all gorgeous and wonderful. I could do a show like that but it wouldn’t be my entertainment.
You have been touring with your cabaret show for some time. How great is that?
I love the live audience I hadn’t done it in a long time, but I did Annie on Broadway two summers ago and I thought “I’m back”. 54 Below invited me to do my cabaret show and I didn’t have one but said I will get one.
I set a deadline and my friend and I put it together. I sing a lot and with two others. We have a band and travel across the country. It’s an hour and 30 minutes it’s fast and great.
Jane Lynch’ Set list: If Wishes Were Rainbows / Slappin’ the Cakes / Mr. Monotony / Far from the Home I Love / The Skeletons of Quinto / Blood on the Coals / Something Stupid / Coney Island Washboard and The Party’s Over.