>>> DID SHE JUST CALL YOU
DARLENE?
>> YEAH.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT.
>> IT'S VERY MODERN.
IT ALLOWS THE PARENT AND THE
CHILD TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER AS
EQUALS.
>> THANKS, JACKIE.
>> PLEASE CALL ME AUNT JACKIE.
IT'S THE ONLY TITLE THAT I HAVE.
>> A THEME FROM ROSEANNE, A
THEME THAT EXPLODED BACK ON
TELEVISION AFTER 21 YEARS AWAY
WITH HUGE RATINGS THAT SHOOK THE
COUNTRY.
LAURIE METCALF HAS RETURNED AS
ROSEANNE'S YOUNGER SISTER
JACKIE, A ROLE THAT EARNED HER
THREE EMMY AWARDS DURING THE
SHOW'S ORIGINAL RUN STARRING ON
THE MOST POPULAR AND MOST TALKED
ABOUT SHOW ON TELEVISION.
IT'S JUST THE LATEST CHAPTER IN
A DREAM PROFESSIONAL YEAR FOR
METCALF.
LAST JUNE SHE WON THE TONY AWARD
FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY AND
EARLIER THIS YEAR SHE WAS
NOMINATED FOR AN ACADEMY AWARD
FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS FOR
HER ACCLAIMED ROLE IN LADY BIRD.
LAURIE AND I GOT TOGETHER HERE
IN NEW YORK FOR A SUNDAY SITDOWN
TO TALK ABOUT THAT
HER LATEST ADVENTURE ON
BROADWAY.
áá
>> Reporter: WHEN THE CAST OF
ROSEANNE GOT THE BAND BACK
TOGETHER FOR A REVIVAL OF THE
FORMER NUMBER ONE SHOW ON
TELEVISION, THE ACTORS WERE NOT
ENTIRELY SURE HOW VIEWERS WOULD
RESPOND THE SECOND TIME AROUND.
>> WHEN THOSE NUMBERS CAME OUT
THE NEXT DAY AND IT WAS 20
MILLION, DVR THROUGH TO 25
MILLION.
PEOPLE HADN'T SEEN NETWORK TV IN
A LONG TIME, WHAT WERE YOU
THINKING?
>> I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE
NUMBERS MEANT.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTEXT FOR
IT.
SO -- AND THEN SOMEBODY SAID,
NO, NO, THAT'S LIKE TRIPLE GOOD
SO I THOUGHT, OH, OKAY.
WELL, I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR
IT.
>> DURING THE SHOW'S FIRST
NINE-SEASON RUN LAURIE METCALF
WON THREE CONSECUTIVE EMMYS
PLAYING THE CHAOTIC BUT COOL
AUNT JACKIE.
MORE THAN TWO DECADES LATER --
>> WHAT'S UP, ADORABLE?
>> ROSEANNE IS NOT JUST A
RATINGS HIT, BUT THE SUBJECT OF
A CULTURAL DEBATE OVER THE
REASON FOR ITS MASSIVE
POPULARITY AND ITS WILLINGNESS
TO TAKE ON HOT BUTTON TOPICS.
>> MOST OF ALL, LORD, THANK YOU
FOR MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
>> SOME PEOPLE SAY TIMELY
THERE'S A SHOW FOR TRUMP'S
AMERICA WHERE EVERY OTHER SHOW
IS FOR COASTAL AMERICA.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY IT GOT
LABELED THAT EXACTLY FOR TRUMP'S
AMERICA BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
IT'S THAT.
WE COULDN'T NOT ADDRESS IT.
AND I FELT THE WRITERS DID IT
REALLY WELL, THAT IS THAT IT
CAUSED A RIFT IN THE FAMILY, BUT
I DON'T THINK IT'S -- THEY'RE
NOT CONSCIOUSLY WRITING IT FOR A
CERTAIN POLITICAL VIEW BUT SOME
OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE ON THESE
NEW SHOWS ARE -- SOME ARE
DIFFERENT LIKE OPIOID ADDICTION
AND SOME ARE THE -- EXACTLY THE
SAME OF WHAT THEY WERE 20 YEARS
AGO.
>> ROSEANNE IS THE LATEST IN A
STRING OF RECENT SUCCESSES FOR
THE 62-YEAR-OLD METCALF.
TEN MONTHS AGO SHE WON A TONY
FOR HER ROLE IN A DOLL'S HOUSE
PART TWO ON BROADWAY.
AT LAST MONTH'S OSCARS SHE WAS
NOMINATED FOR BEST SUPPORTING
ACTRESS FOR HER ROLE IN THE
INDIE HIT, LADY BIRD.
>> I WANT TO GO WHERE CULTURE
IS.
>> HOW COULD I HAVE RAISED SUCH
A SNOB?
>> AND WHILE METCALF IS STARRING
ON TV'S TOP RATED SHOW, SHE'S
ALSO ON ITS SECOND HIGHEST RATED
PROGRAM, THE LONG-TIME HIT
COMEDY "THE BIG BANG THEORY."
>> I LOVE THE BOY TO DEATH, BUT
HE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT SINCE HE
FELL OUT OF ME AT THE K-MART.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED A
WORKAHOLIC.
>> I THINK IT'S PRETTY AK OUR
RAMT RATE.
I LOVE THE WORK SO I LIKE TO
KEEP THE WORK COMING.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW TOO WELL
WHAT TO DO WITH MY DOWN TIME IN
BETWEEN JOBS.
I GET A LITTLE ANTSY.
>> GOT TO BET BACK ON A STAGE
SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> THAT'S RIGHT WHERE SHE IS NOW
STARRING ON BROADWAY IN EDWARD
ALBIE'S "THREE TALL WOMEN" WHICH
HAS PACKED HOUSES AND DRAWN
CRITICAL RAVES.
>> THAT'S THE THRILL OF BEING IN
SOMETHING LIVE.
THE RUSH OF THE RESPONSE, THAT
INSTANT GRATIFICATION YOU GET
WHEN YOU'RE ALL IN THE ROOM
TOGETHER.
>> OVER A 40-YEAR CAREER,
TELEVISION AND FILM HAVE MADE
METCALF FAMOUS, BUT IT'S THE
STAGE WHERE SHE ALWAYS RETURNS
TO FEEL AT HOME.
>> I LIKE THAT THERE ARE NO
CAMERAS INVOLVED.
I HAVE A CAMERA PHOBIA AND I'VE
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SHAKE IT.
AND AT MY AGE NOW I DON'T THINK
I'M EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO.
>> REALLY?
>> YEAH.
>> WE'RE NOT HELPING YOU MUCH
TODAY, SEVEN CAMERAS.
>> NO, NO, NONE OF YOU ARE.
ESPECIALLY THE MOVING ONE WHICH
IS SIGNALING I'M OVER HERE, I'M
OVER HERE.
>> THIS IS YOUR WAKING NIGHTMARE
RIGHT NOW.
>> RIGHT.
>> METCALF WAS RAISED IN
EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS.
FROM A YOUNG AGE LAURIE LIKED TO
HAVE AN AUDIENCE.
>> YOU CAN'T CALL IT ACTING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU COULD CALL
IT, BUT I HAD A SWING SET IN THE
BACKYARD AND I HAD A RECORD
PLAYER AND AN EXTENSION CORD AND
HAD A RECORD FOR SOME REASON OF
WHEN THE RED RED ROBIN GOES BOB,
BOB, BOBBIN ALONG.
I PUT THAT ON, SET UP LAWN
CHAIRS AND I CHARGED MONEY AND
YOU SAT AND WATCHED ME SWING IN
TIME TO THE MUSIC.
>> YOU CHARGED FOR THAT?
>> I CHARGED, AND THAT -- SO
LIKE WAS IT ACTING?
WHAT WAS IT?
>> PERFORMANCE ART.
>> IT WAS PERFORMANCE ART.
YEAH.
SO THAT'S WHEN I THOUGHT, I
CAN -- I CAN DO THIS.
I CAN DO THIS.
>> METCALF EARNED A DEGREE IN
ACTING AT ILLINOIS STATE
UNIVERSITY.
IN 1976 METCALF TEEMED UP WITH A
GROUP OF ACTORS, INCLUDING GARY
SINE WHO STARTED THE STEPPENWOLF
THEATER.
>> I OWE A LOT TO THAT COMPANY.
I DMOENT IF I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE
IT IN THE EARLY DAYS.
>> SHE MARRIED JEFF PERRY IN
1983 AND HAD A DAUGHTER, ZOEY
PERRY, WHO IS AN ACTOR TOO.
>> OH, GOSH, MOM.
>> WHO'S SUSAN?
YOU KNOW THESE PEOPLE?
>> A YEAR LATER METCALF LANDED
HER FIRST MOVIE FLOEL
DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN
ALONGSIDE A SUPERSTAR NAMED
MADONNA.
IN 1988 METCALF LANDED HER
BREAKOUT ROLE ON ROSEANNE.
THE SHOW CHANGED HER CAREER AND
HER LIFE OFF SCREEN.
AFTER A DIVORCE FROM PERRY
METCALF MARRIED HER ROSEANNE CO
HR STAFF MATT ROSS, THEY HAVE
THREE CHILDREN TOGETHER.
THE SUCCESS OF ROSEANNE BROUGHT
NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN HOLLYWOOD.
>> ANDY, LET'S GO.
>> AMONG METCALF'S MOVIE ROLES
IS THE VOICE OF ANDY'S MOM IN
ALL THREE TOY STORIES WITH
ANOTHER NEXT YEAR.
LADY BIRD, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
WAS METCALF'S FIRST MOVIE IN TEN
YEARS.
>> DO YOU LIKE ME?
>> AND THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING A
PART OF AN OSCAR DARLING WAS
ENTIRELY NEW.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE ON THE
RED CARPET OF THE OSCARS?
I KNOW YOU FLEW IN THAT MORNING,
RIGHT?
>> PART OF ME THINKS THAT IT
DIDN'T EVEN REALLY HAPPEN.
I HAD A VERY, VERY EARLY FLIGHT,
GOT TO THE AIRPORT, SAT ON THE
RUNWAY FOR 2 1/2 HOURS.
>> CUTTING IT CLOSE FOR THE
OSCARS.
>> YES, I KNOW.
I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRAGGING A
ROLL-ON BAG DOWN THE RED CARPET
RUNNING BAREFOOT.
>> DO YOU WANT TO DO ANOTHER
MOVIE NOW?
>> ACTING JOBS, MOVIES ARE AT
THE BOTTOM FOR ME.
I DON'T REALLY ENJOY THE -- WHY
AM I SHOOTING MYSELF IN THE FOOT
LIKE THIS IS -- I MIGHT AS WELL
SAY, NO MOVIE SUBMISSIONS
PLEASE.
>> SHE GETS NOMINATED FOR AN
OSCAR AND SHE'S OUT.
THAT'S IT.
WALK AWAY.
>> I WASHED MY HANDS OF IT.
POOF.
>> I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT.
THE PROCESS TAKES TOO LONG.
>> THE PROCESS IS -- IS NOT FOR
ME.
YOU DO SOME BIG, EMOTIONAL SCENE
AND THEN YOU SAY, WHEW, WE GOT
IT.
AND THEN YOU REALIZE, OH, THAT
WAS THE MASTER.
OH, NOW WE'RE FOR THE NEXT SIX
HOURS GOING TO COME IN AND DO
CLOSEUPS AND OVER THE SHOULDER.
>> NOT LIKE BROADWAY WHERE YOU
WALK IN FOR TWO HOURS AND YOU
WALK OUT AND THAT'S IT.
>> COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANIMALS,
YOU KNOW?
SO, YES, I WOULD LOVE TO DO
ANOTHER MOVIE IS THE ANSWER.
>> AT THE END OF THAT YOU SAY,
YES, I'D LOVE TO DO ANOTHER ONE.
SOMEHOW I THINK SHE'LL STILL BE
GETTING MOVIE OFFERS.
ROSE AYANBADEJO AREAS --
ROSEANNE AIRS THIS WEEK.
THE TONY NOMINATIONS WILL BE
ANNOUNCED ON TUESDAY.
TO HEAR MORE FROM LAURIE ABOUT
LADY BIRD AND WHY SERSA RONAN
MENTORED LAURIE, CHECK OUT WEB
EXTRAS AT TODAY.COM/SUNDAY.
YOU CAN FIND THE PODCAST ON
APPLE PODCAST OR WHEREVER YOU
GET YOUR PODCAST.