logo
L.A. Affairs: I was over dating in L.A. Then a charming co-worker came along

L.A. Affairs: I was over dating in L.A. Then a charming co-worker came along

Before I met Tony, I had written off the idea of falling in love in Los Angeles. Dating in this city felt like an exhausting game I didn't want to play anymore — one full of superficial encounters and people more interested in networking than connecting. It always felt like everyone was chasing someone just slightly more impressive than the last. Or rather, someone with more followers.
I was trying to finish law school and keep my head above water. Romance? That felt like a luxury for someone with more free time, more energy or less on their plate.
Tony was the last person I ever expected to fall for.
We met while working at Amoeba Music, the iconic Hollywood record store that feels like a dusty cathedral for audiophiles and aging punks — or at least the old location did. At the new store on Hollywood Boulevard, I was there for a job, not a love story. Tony had just returned to the store, freshly sober, needing what he called a 'get well' job. He'd worked at Amoeba Music on and off for 15 years while touring with his band — his life seemingly a chaotic swirl of sound checks, dive bars and reinvention.
He was a lot older than I was and outgoing, wild, beloved by everyone. I'm reserved, shy, focused. It felt like we were from different planets.
But slowly something shifted.
Between shelving records and clocking in for shifts, we started to talk. Then joke. Then laugh. I realized that beneath his boisterous surface was the kindest, most caring man I had ever met. We connected over our mutual love of movies and how we both felt more alive in the soft hush of a dark theater than anywhere else in the world.
We'd spend our nights off catching double features at the New Beverly, taking in moody indies at the Vista or planning our weekends around midnight screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse. Our first 'non-date' date was a midnight showing of 'Kill Bill' at the New Bev. Sitting beside him in that tiny, red-velvet theater, watching Uma Thurman's character slice her way through betrayal and heartbreak with a katana, I felt something unexpected stir in me. It was violent and stylized onscreen, but underneath it all was a woman reclaiming her power — and maybe that's what I felt too. It felt like the beginning of something.
Tony and I didn't always like the same films. He loved big, bold movies like 'Aliens,' and I leaned more toward grounded dramas, the kind of emotionally messy stories Paul Thomas Anderson tells. But we both loved the experience of going to the movies and talking about them afterward, breaking them down scene by scene over late-night coffee or fries at Swingers.
The moment I realized my feelings were more than friendly came a little later. Tony was supposed to see Iggy Pop at the Hollywood Palladium one night. But earlier that day, he casually asked me, 'If my plans fall through, would you want to hang out?'
I said sure, not thinking much of it. According to him, when he told me that he couldn't get a last-minute ticket, I said, 'Good.'
It was a quiet, telling word. Good. Because I wanted to see him. Because I liked him.
We ended up at Lily's Bar at the Adler a Hollywood Hills Hotel — just up the street from Amoeba. It's the spot where so many little moments between us had accumulated. The bar was dark, intimate, tucked into Hollywood in a way that almost feels like a secret. We talked for hours. At some point, I told him I had feelings for him. We kissed.
I couldn't believe that kiss happened. He was everything I wasn't — bold, unpredictable, magnetic in a way that made people orbit around him. Falling for someone like him felt like stepping off a ledge without knowing what was below. I was scared of what it might mean. What if we were too different? What if I lost myself in his potential chaos or he got bored with my quiet corners? Despite every warning bell in my head, I couldn't deny what was pulling me toward him. And when we finally kissed, it wasn't just a kiss. It was a surrender to the idea that love doesn't always show up looking as you imagined.
I wish I could say I walked away that night feeling certain and secure, but I didn't. I was terrified. I was still in law school, still trying to find my place in a city that often felt like it was chewing me up. I felt like a kid. How could I be ready for something serious with someone so much older and so seemingly different?
But here's the thing: He didn't have it all figured out either.
We were two people from different worlds who happened to crash into each other in the same corner of Hollywood. We had no road map. Just this strange, beautiful thing growing between us and a mutual willingness to see where it might lead.
Two years later, we're still figuring it out. Together.
We live in Hollywood, not far from where it all began. We'll walk past Amoeba sometimes and remember that version of ourselves: me, burned out and bracing for more disappointment; him, trying to heal and rebuild. We'll pass the Adler, and I smile at the thought of that first kiss and the girl who almost talked herself out of taking a chance on something real. Or we'll drive past the New Bev, check out what's playing and wonder if it's worth staying up until 2 a.m. again.
I never thought love would look like this: a guy who's been everywhere, knows everyone and has stories tucked into every bar and theater in L.A.; and me, someone who has mostly kept her head down, trying to just get through it all. But somehow, we found a rhythm. A quiet, steady beat underneath the noise of this city.
Love didn't arrive in Los Angeles the way I expected it to. But it arrived anyway.
The author is studying for the July California bar exam and is a certified Pilates instructor. She lives in Hollywood. She's on Instagram: @ehhhriqua
L.A. Affairs chronicles the search for romantic love in all its glorious expressions in the L.A. area, and we want to hear your true story. We pay $400 for a published essay. Email LAAffairs@latimes.com. You can find submission guidelines here. You can find past columns here.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Saturday, June 7 Evening Cable News Ratings: George Clooney Lifts CNN Past Fox News in Primetime
Saturday, June 7 Evening Cable News Ratings: George Clooney Lifts CNN Past Fox News in Primetime

Yahoo

time34 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Saturday, June 7 Evening Cable News Ratings: George Clooney Lifts CNN Past Fox News in Primetime

CNN's special presentation George Clooney's Tony-nominated Good Night, and Good Luck reaped huge rewards for the network. The live broadcast won its two-hour timeslot in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo, with the network stating that it was the most-watched program on cable television in total viewers. Thanks to Clooney, Fox News had a rare second place primetime finish, with the 7 p.m. hour of The Big Weekend Show providing its biggest total viewer draw. The 7 p.m. hour of The Weekend was first for MSNBC. 25-54 Demographic (Live+SD x 1,000) Total Day: FNC: 107 | CNN: 59 | MSNBC: 39Prime: FNC: 103 | CNN: 124 | MSNBC: 32 FNC: CNN: MSNBC: 4PM Scott:116 CNN Newsroom/Dean:43 Melber*:38 5PM Five*:132 CNN Newsroom/Dean:51 Sharpton:45 6PM Big Weekend Show:119 CNN Newsroom/Good Night:66 Weekend:40 7PM Big Weekend Show:122 Good Night:220 Weekend:42 8PM Levin:77 Good Night:187 Weekend:46 9PM Trump:96 Good Night:92 Maddow*:27 10PM Failla:139 CNN Newsroom:94 Melber*:23 11PM Gutfeld*:117 Maher*:64 Ruhle*:25 Total Viewers (Live+SD x 1,000) Total Day: FNC: 908 | CNN: 492 | MSNBC: 377Prime: FNC: 1.134 | CNN: 1.164 | MSNBC: 405 FNC: CNN: MSNBC: 4PM Scott:822 CNN Newsroom/Dean:331 Melber*:425 5PM Five*:881 CNN Newsroom/Dean:423 Sharpton:464 6PM Big Weekend Show:1.133 CNN Newsroom/Good Night:635 Weekend:477 7PM Big Weekend Show:1.325 Good Night:1.947 Weekend:498 8PM Levin:1.096 Good Night:1.866 Weekend:470 9PM Trump:1.192 Good Night:993 Maddow*:386 10PM Failla:1.113 CNN Newsroom:632 Melber*:357 11PM Gutfeld*:707 Maher*: 395 Ruhle*:249

Highly Opinionated: Eater Editors' Favorite Movie Theater Popcorn in Los Angeles
Highly Opinionated: Eater Editors' Favorite Movie Theater Popcorn in Los Angeles

Eater

time4 hours ago

  • Eater

Highly Opinionated: Eater Editors' Favorite Movie Theater Popcorn in Los Angeles

Popcorn can make or break the movie-going experience. A fresh, hot tub of salty popcorn can make even bad movies feel enjoyable, while a stale bag of hard kernels is enough to dampen even the best films. While chains like AMC offer fairly standardized popcorn, other theaters across Los Angeles, such as Tarantino's Vista Theatre in Los Feliz and the dine-in Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown, serve their own versions of the classic movie snack, topped with classic drawn butter, churro seasoning, and even truffle garlic. We've spent innumerable hours at theaters across Los Angeles, catching midnight screenings, the latest action flick, and 70 mm showings of cult classics. Between the three of us, pounds of popcorn tossed in butter (and imitations of butter) have likely been demolished. As regulars at the movies, we've tried it all — from adequate chain offerings to stale bags, all in search of that perfect, hot, buttery popcorn bucket. After lifetimes of research, here is where to find the best popcorn at Los Angeles theaters. At a 10 a.m. screening of Charlie's Angels , the smell of popcorn is already wafting out the front doors at the Vista Theatre, which stands at the crossroads of Silver Lake, East Hollywood, and Los Feliz. First opened in 1923 as Lou Bard Playhouse or Bard's Hollywood, the Vista eventually shuttered permanently in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as it seemed like it might never reopen, Quentin Tarantino purchased the property, adding to his Los Angeles theater portfolio that includes the New Beverly. After two years of renovations and the installation of a new 70 mm projection setup, the Vista reopened in 2023. Tarantino's Vista has retained all the charm of the original, sprucing up the once-faded exterior paint on the marquee and introducing the adjoining coffee shop, Pam's Coffy. The interior, with its cone-shaped glass chandeliers and unsettling statuesque heads, remains largely unchanged. Before the picture starts, the staff warns that they are quite serious about the no-cell-phone-use policy, and any violators will be swiftly removed. The theater only has a single auditorium (plus a 20-seat hidden video club), so unlike larger chains, everyone will be seeing the same movie, together. That captures a feeling lost by the ever-expanding chains, with their tightly packed reclining seats and rising concession and ticket costs, which makes seeing a movie feel out of reach for so many. A single concessions stand located just beyond the front doors serves the entire Vista. Candy is displayed in neat stacks in a glass cabinet set into the counter, while the popcorn machine bathed in yellow light rumbles as kernels erupt from the suspended steel pot. Even the largest popcorn size comes in at under $10. The warm kernels are tossed with real butter, which outperforms flavored oils in every way. The fattiness coats the entire piece, enveloping it in a pleasant saltiness and an inimitable, creamy butter flavor. Joining the popcorn and candy at concessions are hot dogs (regular and vegan), White Castle burgers (kept fresh in a warmer), RC Cola from the fountain, glass bottles of Mexican Coke, and a selection of beer and wine. The Vista disavows seat reservations, so go early, grab a bucket of popcorn, and settle in for a movie — previews and all. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Alamo Drafthouse regulars know that the full-service model makes the Downtown theater one of the best cinematic experiences in Southern California. Located inside the Bloc on Seventh and Flower Streets, a handful of systems are in place to ensure an enjoyable visit. Programmers blend a mix of new and old by running Wes Anderson's latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, playing on the same day as the 1995 cult classic, Showgirls . The Austin-based chain has a firm rule on latecomers, forbidding entry after the movie starts, and will boot disruptive guests (especially those talking or texting) without a refund. Placing food and drink orders while watching a movie is one of the Alamo's best features, with goodies like pizzas, cheeseburgers, and beer or cocktails delivered right to one's seat. DTLA's Alamo might as well be a museum with its extensive movie poster artwork placed throughout. Alamo's reclining puffy chairs are an especially cozy touch. Right next to the entry is the Video Vortex bar and video store, where you can find old-school games and even karaoke after dark. Even driving through the whimsical, round parking garage can be fun. It sounds ideal, right? But we haven't even begun to talk about the popcorn. The bottomless buckets of popcorn at Alamo Drafthouse are a must-order. Staff work overtime to keep the servings freshly made with a nice balance of clarified butter. As for toppings, it's hard to beat the spicy ranch and truffle Parmesan flavors, with recent additions of chile garlic, churro, and dill pickle. For the very hungry and adventurous, it's entirely possible to try different flavors in one sitting. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest It seems impossible that a movie theater with an attached video movie rental is busy and thriving in 2025, but here we are. The current Vidiots opened in 2022 with a plan that keeps its Eagle Rock theater packed most nights. The establishment is a wonderful throwback to the '80s and '90s, when Vidiots first opened in Santa Monica on Third and Pico, blocks away from the ocean. The OG Vidiots catered to indie and overlooked films before closing in 2017, which is what the current version still does. At a May screening of Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense , beer and wine-holding moviegoers danced in front of the screen. And though it seems that a 30-plus-year-old movie would never sell out, this screening barely had any seats available. Ask for freshly made popcorn, and head straight to the adjacent topping bar, which can help with customization. Sprinkle dehydrated ranch, cheesy jalapeno, white cheddar, or the highly underrated and wonderfully salty nutritional yeast onto popped kernels. After a screening, it's fairly common for theatergoers to trek less than a half-mile to the nearby Walt's Bar or Capri Club, depending on the movie showtimes. In all, it's a fun way to hang out in Eagle Rock. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest As the sun sets in Gardena, a landlocked suburb in the South Bay, the lights turn on over the colorful Gardena Cinema marquee, where films like Jason Goes to Hell and There Will Be Blood promise classic films for movie lovers. The classic one-screen theater has been operated by Judy Kim and her family since 1976, accommodating a massive 800 people when fully occupied, though on this particular night, the second showing of Stanley Kubrick's war movie Full Metal Jacket drew in about a dozen viewers. The entire experience at Gardena Cinema feels pulled out of the 1980s; a booth up front issues torn tickets, neon graces the front lobby, while posters adorn the walls. Ever since Gardena Cinema dropped its approach of showing first-run movies and switched to classics, it's made the prospect of watching a movie here all the more nostalgic. My only wish would be for places like this to never go away so that I can come here with my son when he's old enough, so he knows what it was like when I went to the movies growing up. The concessions situation at Gardena Cinema punches well above its weight. Hot dogs twirl back and forth along a 7-11-style warmer, plump and snappy with a decent condiment bar featuring mayonnaise, Tapatio hot sauce, ketchup, and relish. There are dozens of candies and chips, and even Korean instant cheese ramen. A popcorn machine makes small batches, priced at $6.95 for a small and up to $10.95 for a large. Refill your popcorn for half the price. Instead of actual clarified butter, Gardena Cinema dresses popcorn with a vegan soy oil that tastes like butter so that it can accommodate vegans and those with lactose intolerance. Kim said over email that flavoring the popcorn with Flavacol, a butter-flavored seasoned salt, after popping it makes it 'more noticeable,' and makes movie theater popcorn special. It's hard to argue with the results. Gardena Cinema's popcorn is laden with seed oil fat, but tastes nutty and toasted, crisp without feeling drenched. Fine salt from the Flavacol gives it that MSG-level seasoning without actual MSG, a nice sleight of hand. I wolfed down the entire small bag of popcorn by myself and made it through the darkly comic but gruesome first half of Full Metal Jacket , my stomach unsettled not from the popcorn but from Kubrick's macabre film. I almost wish there was an intermission between the halves so I could get a refill of Gardena Cinema's excellent popcorn. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Los Feliz 3: This tiny neighborhood theater in Los Feliz is part of American Cinematheque, which also operates the Egyptian and the Aero Theatre. The popcorn here falls on the saltier side and has no frills. It's affordable by the bucket, and given the small size of the theater, concession lines are never too long. New Beverly: New Beverly serves the same concession lineup as the Vista, promising fresh butter, freshly popped kernels, and affordable prices. Landmark's Nuart Theatre: The flagship of arthouse theater chain Landmark, the Nuart Theatre screens a mix of cult-classics, documentaries, and other hard-to-find films. Popcorn, hot dogs, pretzels, beer, wine, and more are on the concession menu here. See More:

Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive)
Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive)

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive)

Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive) originally appeared on Parade. Jessica Hecht, like the rest of us, struggles with the technical aspects of watching live awards show nomination announcements. Some categories are announced on a morning show. Some on a social media simulcast. Is the livestream on YouTube, the awards show's website, behind a pay wall? "Oh my god! Should I be on Chrome?" she quips. Unlike us fans and journalists, however, Hecht actually was nominated for a Tony Award this year. She's up for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work as PTA mom Suzanne in Eureka Day. On nominations morning, however, Hecht couldn't figure out how to watch the nominees being announced. "I was at home," she tells Parade while chatting in our office studio. "I feel fairly computer savvy, but I couldn't get the feed of the nominations coming out. I love not knowing when they come out. I love just forgetting. Of course, it creates so much anxiety either way, but a couple of people had said, 'Oh my God, they're coming out tomorrow.' So I walked the dog, I had my bagel, and then I was like, 'Okay, let me try to go online,' and I couldn't get it together. About 9:20, I started to get texts, and I thought, 'Well, thank you, my friends.'" 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 This is Hecht's third Tony nomination. She was nominated previously for roles in the 2010 production of A View from the Bridge and the 2023 production of Summer, 1976. Hecht is a true staple of the New York acting scene, however, and in addition to numerous theater roles has also popped up in everything from Succession and Law & Order to Friends and The Boys. Her next film Eleanor the Great comes out later this year and on the day of our meeting, she'd come straight from a costume fitting in New Jersey for another upcoming project. Unlike many of the 2025 Tony nominees, Hecht's show Eureka Day, isn't currently on Broadway, completing its limited run earlier this year. The show, which is also nominated for Best Revival of a Play, focused on the five members of a private school's PTA board, navigating a vaccine policy in the wake of a mumps outbreak. Hecht's Suzanne often serves as the comic relief during the first act of the play before her much darker backstory is revealed towards the end of the play. Since this is Hecht's third Tony nomination, she knows the perks of both being a nominee as well as the downsides of the month-long press tour leading up to Broadway's big night. "If you don't get nominated," she tells us, "You have like 24 hours, maybe 48 at the most, kind of like, 'Oh, I guess I just paled in comparison,' but you deal with it. You say to yourself, 'But I do feel proud of my work.' I very rarely get nominated for certain kinds of awards, almost never. Someone once told a friend of mine, that being an underdog is better for your acting, which I believe." "If you do get nominated," she continues, "You have about a month of this low-grade worthlessness you cannot shake. 'Why am I wearing this? Why do I look so old today? Why does everybody else know how to pose? Why is everybody so quick with the answers?' It's about four weeks of that. You have to think about what you're ready for." With the Tony Awards presented tonight, hopefully most of the dog-and-pony show elements are in Hecht's rearview. When asked if she has a speech prepared for if she wins, Hecht says, "It's very dry, what I do write out in my mind. I really love my agents, so I always think one day I want to thank my agents. I'm really close to my mom. All the classics. I'm more mortified about who I would forget. If I win something one day, it's going to be a little bit of a list." Ahead of the Tony Awards, Parade chatted with Jessica Hecht about her pre-show rituals, working with Scarlett Johansson and her many appearances on Law & Order. Read the full interview below: Related: Did it feel different getting nominated this time for versus the other two times? The first time was for an Arthur Miller play [in the 2010 production of A View From the Bridge], and being with Liev [Schreiber] and Scarlett [Johansson] was so precious, because Arthur is my truly favorite writer. And there's something about elevating your sense of self because you're doing that kind of work, that you think [awards] shouldn't matter. Then, to be honest, when I was doing Summer, 1976Laura [Linney, who was not nominated for a Tony that year,] was my goddess, so I wish we had experienced that together. It just goes to show that it's random, because she was just made the whole thing work. This one was really delicious, but this ensemble is fire, as my kids would say. Many times as we were doing the play, I just looked around and thought, "This is the most kick ass ensemble I have ever been with." They would throw things at you, so alive. I owe them such a debt of gratitude. What was it like with the five of you off stage? Did you hang out? There's the sense of the community that you already have here. Bill [Irwin], I knew a bit from the New York theater scene, and I feel a reverence for Him, and he's extraordinary. Each person had a different place in my history here. We didn't hang out a ton because I'm not a big hanger outer, but Bill arranged a couple of beautiful meals for us. Your character is so funny in most of the play, but then has a few very dramatic moments towards the end. You get to really show the breadth of what you can do as an actor. What is it like figuring out a character that complex? Well, I think people who have experienced terrible tragedies often create a really complex and meticulous way of overriding that. This character is beautifully written because her life's biggest tragedy occurs when her kids are little, and so the play is constructed around being in an environment where you are around children and you feel the joy of that. You are trying to maintain safety and hope and the preciousness of childhood for many kids, until that totally cracks. So the play is written, to my mind, like the little playpen until the walls collapse, and then you're suddenly without any safety net. What was the most difficult part of the show? There's two things for me. One was to not make it a satire. I was very anxious about that when we were developing it. When you're dealing with stuff that could be considered woke subjects. The way many left-leaning people are navigating life has been the subject of a lot of comedy. I was desperate for it not to fall into that, so to create something that made people think they knew the characters was essential for me. Then the second half of the play, when she reveals to someone who she thinks is her friend, the rationale for her beliefs, I couldn't quite figure that out. Anna [D. Shapiro, the director] was so gracious, helping and guiding me, but not telling me what it should be. That was an extraordinary part of our rehearsal process. Related: Do you have any pre-show rituals? I do. I sing show tunes. I'm not a great singer, but I can carry a tune. I have a little library of show tunes that I don't realize I have. When I go backstage, or even in the dressing room, I just kind of let them out. Most of my casts really indulge that. I'm very silly backstage. I was silly until the moment we go on, because I get super nervous, and the only antidote for that, for me, is silliness. What show tune do you sing most often? I go to a lot of different ones. "Start Spreading the News." Sometimes when it's cold, we do "Steam Heat." We do anything that is the old, like, "Whatever Lola Wants." The only musical I've ever done is Fiddler [on the Roof], so I do that. It makes me so happy. Because 's limited run ended in the winter, have you been able to see some of the other nominees? Yes! Oh my gosh! I saw Operation Mincemeat last week. Isn't it awesome? It's so good! They were so wonderfully creative. I saw English right before it closed, which is exceptional. I saw John Proctor, which I loved. I have a few things for this week, so I'm catching up. To pivot, you're in the movie , which premiered at Cannes in May. You work with June Squibb who is an icon. What was it like working with her? First of all, she was a huge theater star. People don't realize that she was a hoofer. She was iconic in these wonderful character parts and musicals. She goes to Sardi's every weekend if she's here shooting, and so she had these Sunday night dinners. I went a couple of times, and I brought the actors that I'm friendly with, who were like, "How do you know June Squibb?" All these people who really know theater history just love her. The exquisite thing about the way she works is she's actually very clear. She doesn't mess around. She makes a decision, and if she feels maybe that's not right, at least she'll try. If you give her a direction, she'll always try it, or she'll say, "You know what, I don't think I'd do that the way you're describing," and we move on to a new idea. She knows herself, and she has such a way of focusing everything. She's also just a beautiful energy. She's so present. It was incredible to work with her. Related: Scarlett Johansson is the director, and this is the first movie that she's directed. How was it having her direct? Absolutely wonderful. First of all, she's very girlfriendy. The first few minutes is talking about your outfit and what you want to eat. Then she's very specific about what it should be. She understands filmmaking so precisely, and so the way she directs is utterly doable and also really helps to make the scene as perfect a storytelling vehicle as possible. She drops you into such a human and specific place. She's wonderful. She's my hero. You're also in , which is one of my favorite movies. You guys are all staying in this big house and doing these crossword puzzle competitions, what was it like filming that? Awesome, oh my God. Peter Hedges is a great director, and he had us doing all this family stuff to get into the character of the family. The family was Amy Ryan, one of the greatest actors ever. She's my great friend as well. Norbert [Leo Butz]. John Mahoney was the dad. Diane Wiest was the mom. We sat around the first couple days. We sang the Bob Dylan songs as a family, and ate pancakes, and then Juliette [Binoche] came, and she's actually very girlfriendy and wonderful. I couldn't believe I was with Juliette Binoche. It was as advertised, great. You were also in , and so many Broadway actors were on that show. Was Broadway just abuzz with that one? With that one, it was early on, maybe the second season. I don't watch a lot of TV, and they were like, "It's a small part, but people seem to like this show." For most actors, if there's just a little juice in the scene, and they say that it'll be recurring, you're like, "Sure!" Also, you just don't get paid a lot in the theater, so this is a nice way to make a little cash. So I had no idea what the thing was, and I just had the most wonderful time there. What do you get recognized most often for? I think Breaking Bad, and then Friends, and then a show that I loved doing, which was The Sinner, and for a while that was running a lot during COVID. I think it has to do with what's popular, but also, I just had one little scene, but Alexander[Payne]'s film Sideways. There's a great quote about film acting: as long as you have a beginning, middle and end to your scene, that's all it takes to have a truly memorable part in a film. You've been in four different episodes, plenty of other guest roles in procedurals. All evil. How is it popping on those for one episode? Crying for dollars. Amy Ryan actually coined that phrase, which is so funny. All those shows require a little crying. They're fun. They're a real testament to the actual trade of acting. You have a job to do, which is to play this person who is suffering or anguished in some way, and the craft of acting comes into play much more than anyone ever realizes. What is the oddest part that you've ever taken in one of those? I did one where I played a slave owner. It's so bad that I just have to say it. I had taken a couple of kids from Haiti, and I enslaved them. I played some really wonky ones. I played a nun in a few things. That made me very proud, because I love spiritual people. I played a few nuns. If they've got a nun role, they know who to call! Look at me. Who else would you call? Come on! This interview was condensed and edited for length and clarity. Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive) first appeared on Parade on Jun 8, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store