Christina Applegate Q&A
Christina Applegate might be the busiest woman in Hollywood. Not only is she star and producer of ABC's 'Samantha Who?,' but she's also starting a foundation for breast cancer research after having a double mastectomy last fall.
As if that's not enough to keep her busy, she has to keep 'American Idol' on her radar. With 'Samantha Who?' premiering at its new night and time (Thurs., March 26 at 8:30 PM ET), the show's up against Fox's reality competition ratings juggernaut. The bright side? The move puts 'Samantha' a lot closer to one of Applegate's faves, 'Grey's Anatomy.'
AOL TV got the exclusive scoop from Applegate on what's happening with Good Sam, Bad Sam, Todd, Andrea, Dena and the Newlys, if there's going to be a third season and why it's important to make lemonade when life hands you lemons. -- By Maggie Furlong
ABC
1. We're so happy the show is back!
I know! Hopefully people won't watch 'American Idol' and they'll watch us instead. [Laughs] That's only like 50 million viewers ...
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Fox
2. How do you feel about starting on a new night and time after having been off the air for so long?
I have mixed emotions about it -- I'm really glad we're coming back obviously, but the unknown is always a very scary thing. You don't know how you're going to perform in that slot, and hopefully you do well, because we all want to keep our jobs. I got very, very comfortable with my lead-in -- I was very happy there -- and so it's just the newness. It's like moving into a new house or something. But I'm a big Thursday-night TV watcher -- I love my 'Grey's Anatomy,' so I'm happy to be kind of close to that. [Laughs]
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ABC
3. Does it feel like a vote of confidence from ABC, to put you against 'Idol'?
Yeah, that's how we're trying to look at it ... hopefully that's what it is! I'm very positive about it. I think the shows are strong. Hopefully we'll come back next year and really kind of get a groove finally. It's been a little unfortunate with writers' strikes and things like that that our show never really got a momentum.
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ABC
4. So have you gotten any word about a third-season pickup?
No, no. They're very hush-hush over there. Believe you me, I try to get it out of everybody as much as I possibly can. [Laughs] All I hear is just, "Be positive." Tough times -- with the economy, even networks have suffered immensely, so you just never know what's gonna happen.
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ABC
5. This first episode back is a lot of fun, and we get to see an interesting twist to Andrea's budding relationship with basketball star Tony Dane. Will we be seeing a lot more of them?
Yeah, it's pretty fantastic. It's funny because despite what you think would happen with that relationship between Andrea and Tony, it actually goes on for a while. It's really funny -- she really works it. And she does a beautiful job in the next few episodes because there's a sadness to that too ... to wanting that over love and loneliness. So [Jennifer] Esposito's got some amazing work coming up.
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ABC
6. And she and all the other characters have had more one-on-one time with each other lately -- is the show focusing on being an ensemble in that way?
Well, finally we've gotten the show established, as far as what is the show about, and I think now we can get rid of that and really concentrate on these other characters, and that's what we've been trying to do. Get them interacting, instead of always just with me. There's a lot of scenes that are gonna be coming up that it's just Andrea and Dena and no Sam. It's a really weird friendship -- it's kind of fantastic. [Laughs] I love that dynamic.
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ABC
7. What TV couple do you think you and Todd are most like?
Every show has their Sam and Diane, and people love that. Like on 'Who's the Boss?' Tony and the ... you know? [Laughs] The sexual tension also can be misconstrued as hatred as well, and I think that's what works for the Todd-Sam relationship. That fire -- they don't really know what it is. Can they not stand each other? Or are they just madly in love? Whatever it is, they kind of butt heads, and when one turns their back on the other one, the other one tries to run after that one. It's always that push-and-pull.
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8. You mentioned you love 'Grey's,' so I'm assuming you're just as frustrated with the Meredith-Derek storyline, but who is your favorite TV couple?
Yes -- boy I was really mad at [Derek] when he hit that ring off into the bushes. [Laughs] That was mean! I don't like that at all. [Laughs] [But] I love Lucy and Desi.
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9. What's the one storyline that you're really hoping you all get to do on the show?
Oh gosh ... it'd be kind of funny to watch us all ice skate. I don't know if that's anything I've ever wanted to do, but now that I think about it ... they need to teach Sam how to ice skate. She doesn't know how to ice skate. Like the dance episode -- why couldn't she have been like an award-winning ice skater as well? Doing like triple salchows or whatever. [Laughs] But we'll definitely need [a stunt double] -- I can't ice skate.
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ABC
Reader Comments (3)
John at 10:16AM on Mar 26th 2009
What? No comments about Christina Applegate? I would have thought she would draw lots of commentary. For myself: I LOVE HER!
Christina may be THE most beautiful woman in the entire world. OK, maybe No. 2, but right up there.
She also is funny. These are two things that American Idol does not have: beauty and brains. But when has American TV ever been devoted to either?
George Davis at 1:03AM on Apr 11th 2009
Christina Applegate, I've been a fan since the movie 'Don't Tell Mom' and enjoyed her 'Jessie' and now 'Samantha Who?'. I wish her well in all of her projects, so I can enjoy the media more. Just watching her perform makes my day.
Wendy at 3:01PM on Jun 25th 2009
I loved her in "The Sweetest Thing". That is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. If you haven't seen it, you need to buy it or rent it. VERY FUNNY!