Actress

Edie Adams on advice to aspiring performers

Lucie Arnaz on the craft of acting in different media and advice to aspiring actors

Beatrice Arthur on finding her comedic voice

Beatrice Arthur on acting in a sitcom

Beatrice Arthur on her advice to aspiring actors

Beatrice Arthur on her time at the Actors Studio and lessons she learned there and from others she worked with

Bonnie Bartlett on what she likes about acting, and on doing comedy

Bonnie Bartlett on her process of acting once she gets a script, and on acting in different media

Lucille Bliss on wanting to be an actress when she was little

Lucille Bliss on discovering she had a talent for doing voices when she acted in radio serials

Connie Britton on studying acting with Sanford Meisner 

Connie Britton on learning television comedy for Spin City

Connie Britton on the process of shooting and acting on Friday Night Lights

Carol Burnett on the first scene she ever performed and how she caught the acting bug

Margaret Cho on always wanting to be an actress and on how she got roles when there were no parts for Asian Americans

Jeanne Cooper on type casting

Jeanne Cooper on managing a busy work schedule

Jeanne Cooper on the development and evolution of her character "Katherine Chancellor" on The Young and the Restless

Jane Curtin on what she enjoys about acting 

Jane Curtin on advice to aspiring actors

Ann B. Davis on her sense of gratitude toward writers

Ruby Dee on one of her first film roles - an Army movie to combat venereal disease

Elinor Donahue on her very early start in show business

Patty Duke on how her acting process has evolved over the years

Patty Duke on advice to an aspiring actor

Barbara Eden on the craft of acting

Stephanie Edwards on wanting to be an actress, but having trouble with competition

Nanette Fabray on her acting style

Nanette Fabray on good advice she's gotten regarding her acting in her career

Nanette Fabray on working with a difficult director

Nanette Fabray on advice to aspiring actors

Edie Falco on not consciously doing research for roles

Edie Falco on what she likes in a director, as an actor

Edie Falco on why she prefers shooting single-camera television shows without an audience

Edie Falco on what she likes about acting

Edie Falco on advice to aspiring actors

Barbara Feldon on her early interest in acting

Barbara Feldon on what got her interested in performing and the thrill of performing when she was young; on her early interest in ballet

Barbara Feldon on doing comedy v. drama and acting in the film Smile

Sally Field on film acting versus television acting

Sally Field on becoming a mother, and on studying under Lee Strasberg

Sally Field on studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio

Sally Field on advice to an aspiring actress

Genie Francis on being an adolescent TV performer

Eileen Fulton on her acting style, and on advice to aspiring actors

Betty Garrett on advice to aspiring performers

Mitzi Gaynor on joining the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Company and her first show

Marla Gibbs on taking acting classes when she first got to Los Angeles

Marla Gibbs on advice to an aspiring actor

Melissa Gilbert on how she got involved in acting

Sharon Gless on what caused her to lose her fear of pursuing acting

Sharon Gless on why being on a hit TV show is her favorite acting experience

Whoopi Goldberg on starting to gain traction as a performer in San Diego and starting to do improv

Whoopi Goldberg on Jumpin' Jack Flash and playing roles that were originally intended for people of other races and genders

Whoopi Goldberg on hosting Comic Relief as another character, "Whoopi"

Lee Grant on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse

Lee Grant on advice to aspiring actors

Valerie Harper on joining Second City and her acting philosophy

Valerie Harper on her acting style

Patricia Heaton on wanting to be a performer

Patricia Heaton on acting tips from William Esper

Patricia Heaton on what made her character on Everybody Loves Raymond a comedic force; the power of silence

Patricia Heaton on the benefits of performing in front of a live audience

Patricia Heaton on her advice to aspiring actresses

Katherine Helmond on what Soap did for her career as an actor

Katherine Helmond on advice to aspiring actors: "take every job" that comes along

Florence Henderson on deciding to become an actress

Florence Henderson on advice to young actors

Florence Henderson on making scenes believable

Marilu Henner on advice to an aspiring actor

Ellen Holly on appearing as "Stephanie" in the Broadway production of Too Late the Phalarope, and on how she played the role

Ellen Holly on being invited to join the Actors Studio by Lee Strasberg

Ellen Holly on what she learned at the Actors Studio, and why she didn't like Lee Strasberg as a teacher

Ellen Holly on what she learned from her time on One Life to Live, including advice she would give to young actors about the business-end of television

Monica Horan on how she always knew she wanted to be an actress

Monica Horan on memorable work experiences in television

Monica Horan on the impact and influence that working with different creative people has had upon her life and career

Monica Horan on advice she would give to someone starting out in acting

Felicity Huffman on what she likes about acting and the importance of storytelling

Felicity Huffman on advice for aspiring actors

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on Macy studying acting with David Mamet at Goddard College and how that led to Macy teaching acting in New York, where Huffman studied with him

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on how they help each other prepare for roles and the challenges of preparation as an actor

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on watching each other's work and their own, and how much they prepare for roles

Kim Hunter on advice to aspiring actors

Allison Janney on becoming interested in acting and doing a play directed by Paul Newman

Allison Janney on memorization's place in acting

Allison Janney on worries about being typecast

Allison Janney on her acting style

Allison Janney on the most important advice she ever received about acting

Allison Janney on advice to aspiring actors

Geri Jewell on filming the Deadwood episode "Jewel's Boot Is Made for Walking" and how show creator/director David Milch coaxed a reaction from her

Geri Jewell on what she loves about performing and her hopes for her career as she ages

Geri Jewell on advice for aspiring actors

Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered

Kathryn Joosten on her first paid job in television - on Family Matters

Kathryn Joosten on what she loves about acting, her approach to acting, and advice to aspiring actors

Eartha Kitt on performing on live television

Lisa Kudrow on realizing there was no "mystical truth" to becoming a working actor after seeing her brother's friend, Jon Lovitz, land a gig on Saturday Night Live

Lisa Kudrow on what she learned about acting from her work at The Groundlings Improv group and how invaluable the character monologues were

Lisa Kudrow on her first-ever performance in front of an audience

Lisa Kudrow on some realities of working in television and the expectations and challenges of coming in as guest-star on a long-running sitcom

Lisa Kudrow on the challenges of performing the same character for so many years, as on Friends with "Phoebe"

Lisa Kudrow on advice to aspiring actors "as long as it's not porn, do it"

Sheila Kuehl on advice to aspiring actors and politicians

Angela Lansbury on wanting to be an actress

Louise Lasser on being typecast after Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and on her relationship with the character

Louise Lasser on advice to an aspiring actor

Piper Laurie on the craft of acting for television

Lucy Lawless on what she likes about acting and her approach to acting

Lucy Lawless on her advice to an aspiring actor

Vicki Lawrence on advice to aspiring performers

Michael Learned on what she likes about acting

Michael Learned on advice to aspiring actors

Judith Light on figuring out her acting career

Judith Light on advice to an aspiring actor

Judith Light on balancing her career as an actress and marriage 

Judith Light on what she loves about acting 

Loretta Long on advice to aspiring actors, and how she'd like to be remembered

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on her early interest in acting

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the challenge of portraying a version of herself on Curb Your Enthusiasm

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on developing her character "Selina Meyer" on Veep; on speaking with actual Vice-Presidents and the research that went into creating the character

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on developing her character "Selina Meyer" on Veep; on speaking with actual Vice-Presidents and the research that went into creating the character

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on one of her favorite improv moments on Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on advice to aspiring actors

Susan Lucci on receiving and learning her All My Children  scripts and the rehearsal process

Susan Lucci on good advice she's received as an actor

Susan Lucci on her advice to aspiring actors

Nancy Malone on what she learned from studying acting with Stella Adler

Sonia Manzano on being cast on Sesame Street

Sonia Manzano on the power of being on stage

Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall on performing the physical comedy of Laverne & Shirley

Penny Marshall on her advice to aspiring actors and directors

Rue McClanahan on acting in front of an audience, and on the best advice she ever got about acting

Jayne Meadows on her early stage experience and deciding to become an actress

Jayne Meadows on playing different historical characters on the series Meeting of Minds

Jayne Meadows on advice she'd give to aspiring actors

Anne Meara on her path to becoming an actress

Anne Meara on her acting style

S. Epatha Merkerson on advice to an aspiring actor

Mary Tyler Moore on initially being a "dramatic" actress on a comedy on The Dick Van Dyke Show

Rita Moreno on how acting for television is different than acting for films, and appearing in Oz

Rita Moreno on having the "EGOT" (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) and on studying acting

Rita Moreno on what it is like for an actor to guest-star on a show

Diana Muldaur on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment

Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress

Laraine Newman on creating characters for animated shows

Laraine Newman on advice to aspiring actors

Laraine Newman on creating characters for Saturday Night Live

Nichelle Nichols on the challenge of moving from acting on stage to acting in features or on television

Nichelle Nichols on advice to an aspiring actor

Janis Paige on navigating her acting career through the years

Estelle Parsons on advice to an aspiring actor

Charlotte Rae on what she likes about acting

Charlotte Rae on advice to aspiring actors, and how she'd like to be remembered

Joyce Randolph on joining the Catholic Theater Group tour and eventually getting to New York

Phylicia Rashad on a reading she did at a local music festival that inspired her to become an actress

Phylicia Rashad on her approach to acting

Phylicia Rashad on the instruction Bill Cosby gave the cast at the beginning of The Cosby Show

Frances Reid on her acting style, and her career

Maria Riva on establishing herself as a TV star in the 1950s, and how little TV demanded of acting "talent" in the early days of the medium

Actress Maria Riva on the difference to the public between a movie star and a television actor as she noted when approached by a fan while accompanying her mother Marlene Dietrich in the 1950s

Doris Roberts on the difference between acting on stage and acting on television

Marion Ross on her process for learning her lines

Marion Ross on acting in front of an audience

Marion Ross on how she creates her characters

Marion Ross on important advice she's received as an actress, and on the importance of having an agent

Marion Ross on advice to an aspiring actor

Isabel Sanford on her process as an actress

Hazel Shermet on the audition process for television commercials

Hazel Shermet on her experience acting in commercials

Doris Singleton on honing her acting skills in radio

Doris Singleton on learning comedic timing from her work in radio

Doris Singleton on performing in front of an audience on radio shows

Doris Singleton on how acting for soap operas differed from acting for sitcoms

Doris Singleton on her acting style

Doris Singleton on the most important advice anyone ever gave her about acting

Doris Singleton on acting for television, stage, radio

Erika Slezak on wanting to become an actress and her father insisting that she be properly trained in acting

Erika Slezak on her advice to aspiring daytime drama actors

Jaclyn Smith on her advice to an aspiring actor

Yeardley Smith on her stage fright and how she's overcome it by being "over prepared"

Yeardley Smith on her early determination to find success as an actress, and feeling that she had a "gift"

Yeardley Smith on playing to your strengths as an actor and finding her way into a role

Yeardley Smith on the differences between television/film and theater, and appearing as a guest star on a TV show

Yeardley Smith on performing "Lisa Simpson"

Yeardley Smith on being on The Simpsons and wanting to get more on-camera roles

Suzanne Somers on her experiences at the beginning of Three's Company, and learning to play "Chrissy Snow" as she went

Suzanne Somers on advice for aspiring actresses

Jean Stapleton on the professional reasons for not giving her age

Jean Stapleton on consciously trying to avoid being typecast by "Edith Bunker"

Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns on the challenges of acting in live television

Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns on the challenges of acting in live television

Mary Kay Stearns on how she conquers stage fright

Mary Kay Stearns on how she approaches a role

Gale Storm on her experiences working on the radio show, Gateway To Hollywood

Gale Storm on her My Little Margie character "Margie Albright"

Gale Storm on hosting the NBC Comedy Hour nine times

Gale Storm on how Lindsey Parsons affected her career

Gale Storm on advice she received from Jackie Cooper about acting

Maxine Stuart on performing under bandages, her face entirely obscured, for the classic Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder"

Loretta Swit on preparing for her role on M.A.S.H as a nurse

Marlo Thomas on her advice to aspiring actors and producers

Leslie Uggams on studying acting as a child and later on with Stella Adler

Leslie Uggams on performing on stage versus performing on television

Leslie Uggams on advice to an aspiring actress

Tracey Ullman on how she transforms into characters

Helen Wagner on her advice to aspiring actresses

Ruth Warrick on acting in live television

Ruth Warrick on developing her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler," and learning that an audience can accept a villainous character that they "love to hate" 

Dawn Wells on teaching acting; on the Spud Fest Family Film Festival

Dawn Wells on wanting to be an actress

Betty White on her "bag of tricks" as an actress 

Betty White on dealing with agents and managers

Betty White on her career longevity 

Betty White on words of wisdom for aspiring television performers

Cindy Williams on what she enjoys about acting

Cindy Williams on advice to aspiring actors

Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall on performing the physical comedy of Laverne & Shirley

Cindy Williams on working with Penny Marhsall on the physical comedy of Laverne & Shirley

Jane Wyatt on the differences between acting for film, television, and the stage

Jane Wyatt on her acting technique

Jane Wyatt on advice to aspiring actors

Kim Zimmer on her early interest in acting (and participating in pageants)

Kim Zimmer on her approach to acting

Kim Zimmer on being comfortable on camera right away

Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers

Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers

Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective