Aaron Sorkin uses a lot of the same people again and again - the people he likes. I think if there's ever a part for me, he would consider me for it. I hope so. Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt, other times it helps you. It's just amazing to work with his scripts. There's never any fat in them. It's all perfect, and there's such a rhythm to it. The musicality of his writing - it's so specific and unique to him, and such a joy to play as an actor, because there's no sentimentality.

Allison Janney

Categorized in : Thinking Writing Unique

Don’t ever underestimate the power of mentoring someone, or helping some young actor, doing a favor for them, or introducing - everyone needs somebody to help them along when they’re first starting out.

Allison Janney

favors actors needs

I didn't understand the reasons why I was there in the Lost episode - the mysteries of the island. I just instead made my own little reality, made it as simple as possible. I figured I was a crazy woman, just a little screw loose. I don't know how I got on that island. No one could tell me how I got there either, so I just assumed I got there on a shipwreck, and I went a little nutty.

Allison Janney

crazy simple reality

One of the things I love about acting is other actors, looking into their eyes, and working off them, and listening and responding to them.

Allison Janney

acting eye listening

One out of forty American men wears women's clothing. We've had more than forty presidents. One of these guys has been dancing around the Oval Office in a prom dress.

Allison Janney

office dancing men

I think one of my big skills is making unlikable characters likable or real in some way. No matter how hateful people are, there's always something vulnerable about them, or something that you can understand or relate to. I think that's my job as an actress - to find those.

Allison Janney

real character thinking

It was terrifying when Aaron Sorkin announced that he was leaving West Wing, he and Tommy Schlamme. We felt like our parents were abandoning us. It was a tremendously sad day and I'm sure I will never understand exactly all the reasons why that happened.

Allison Janney

sad-day leaving parent

I love wasting time and learning to lip-sync to songs; it's a silly hobby of mine.

Allison Janney

hobbies silly song

If I could stomach the awful part of being a veterinarian, which involves sticking your hand up animals' behinds, I would be a vet.

Allison Janney

would-be animal hands

Someone said I wasn't attractive enough. People say those things, but they make you stronger. Then you can win an Emmy and think, ha, ha, ha.

Allison Janney

winning people thinking

I trust other people to tell me if it's too far or tasteless, because there's not too much that I won't do. I like to push the limits. Obviously, that's more dangerous and more fun for everybody.

Allison Janney

dangerous fun people

Aaron Sorkin wrote me one of the best female roles on television, I think. He's a wonderful writer for all people. If he chooses to write, hopefully he'll write something that involves more women next time, because I would love to do it.

Allison Janney

writing people thinking

I'm the worst speller on the planet. I'm so glad for spellcheck on my phone.

Allison Janney

planets worst phones

I'm afraid of flying.

Allison Janney

flying

It is a very difficult job, being the servant of two masters.

Allison Janney

masters jobs two

I never stop. I don't want to stop acting because I'm afraid it'll all end, so I never say no.

Allison Janney

acting ends want

I always feel like a doctor who loses a patient on the operating table or something where I felt just devastated and I beat myself up until I get to try it the next night and “I'll get it better tonight.” So I'm hard on myself. I think I'm not alone in that regard with acting.

Allison Janney

doctors night thinking

I guess my height has hurt me as much as it's helped me. In comedy people don't mind casting tall women next to shorter men. It adds to the humour.

Allison Janney

hurt men people

I never watched Lost. I just thought it would be fun to be part of something that was such a big part of pop culture. But I thought I was going to be acting with more of the other people. I didn't know that I was going to be on my own on the island, doing this whole other storyline.

Allison Janney

acting fun people

There was a courtroom scene where my son is convicted of killing Kevin Spacey's character. I find the bloody T-shirt and realize my husband did it. I get up the courage to take the shirt and send it to the police as evidence. I go out of the house for the first time. There was all this stuff I had to do that became quite truncated, because they slimmed down the movie. I understand the American Beauty is brilliant without all that stuff, but for me, personally, it was hard to see all that go.

Allison Janney

husband character son

Annette Bening should've won Oscar for American Beauty. I mean, I know Hilary Swank was there, she was so great too... Annette deserves one. She better win. I'm an Academy voter, and I voted for her.

Allison Janney

deserve winning mean