Kyra Q&A

Kyra Sedgwick is The Closer. As the star enters her fifth season solving the seemingly unsolvable crimes of Los Angeles, Sedgwick pauses to speak about the show’s phenomenal success, The Closer’s June 8 premiere and how she balances fame and family.

Sedgwick’s Brenda began the cavalcade of award-winning actresses of film migrating to TNT. After Sedgwick and The Closer, Oscar-winner Holly Hunter rocked Saving Grace, and now Jada Pinkett-Smith is joining the drama powerhouse this summer with her Hawthorne.

When The Closer films in LA, the wife of Kevin Bacon is 3,000 miles from home in New York. The Golden Globe winner shares how, as her own family grows up, she looks at her Closer family more maternally.

Sedgwick’s street smarts

SheKnows: With each passing season, The Closer only seems to become more real. The new season premiere is a classic example. What aids you on set with that process?

Kyra Sedgwick: Well, we have someone on the show who is a 25-year vet of the LAPD. He was originally sort of our — just someone we consulted. Now he’s a writer on the show. The way he talks about crime is always from the victim’s point of view, and I think that this is a vision that’s shared with James Duff, the creator of the show. Brenda is the advocate for the victim and the victim’s family — and is sometimes the only living, breathing person who is advocating for the victim. And because of that, I think we have to include those who are affected by the murder of somebody. I definitely do think that it is somewhat of a mission statement of the show — to really be the advocate of the victim, show what murder’s really like, how it affects people… the horror of it.

SheKnows: There are huge differences between you and your Brenda character. What continues to fascinate you about her?

Kyra Sedgwick: I can tell you that, as an actress playing a character for this long, it just gets deeper and more multilayered for me. I really enjoy that. It’s been an inspiring process for me to get deeper and deeper into this character. I never would have thought (that) would happen. If you’d told me, “You are going to play the same character for five years, and you are going to still find it fascinating — you are going to still find new things about her,” I’d tell you that you are probably crazy.

SheKnows: It’s always refreshing to go back to those first few episodes. It’s amazing how your character, as a woman, wins over your team of mostly men. As an actress going into each successive season, do you find new things about Brenda in terms of her leadership?

Kyra Sedgwick: Yes. I think that she has become more of a maternal figure for everybody. I think that, in some ways, that was inevitable because she is sort of a loving maternal person — even though I don’t know that she’ll ever actually have her own children. But given the fact that her first marriage will always be to her job, it makes sense than her squad become somewhat of her children. So yes, I think that there is a lot of truth to that.

SheKnows: Last summer, at a Turner network party, I was hanging out with you and the the entire cast and immediately had a sense from you all — and I don’t know if you even realize it — you appeared to be maternal with them off-set as well.

Kyra Sedgwick: Yes, I do! I totally do! Actually, that’s my nickname. The cast and the crew call me “Mama.” I think my kids are getting older and I need to fulfill that part of who I am. You know, I’ll try and fill that need anywhere I can.

SheKnows: What were your thoughts on joining TV after a career in film?

Kyra Sedgwick: It was such a leap of faith. It’s been one of the most, if not the most, creatively fulfilling jobs I’ve ever had. I love the fact that I get to play someone who’s so multi-faceted. That is incredibly fulfilling for me, especially since I have to be away from my family for that time, and it is such a huge commitment. So it’s been really great.

SheKnows: Are there guest stars you’d like to brag about for this upcoming season?

Kyra Sedgwick: We have Mary McDonnell! She is so great on Battlestar Galactica and also in film. She comes on as Brenda’s antagonist, an internal affairs officer. If you know anything about the LAPD, internal affairs is the biggest nightmare. And since the rampart scandal, they’re much more prevalent in the community.

SheKnows: What most prepared you to play Brenda in your past?

Kyra Sedgwick: I think growing up with two brothers prepared me for this role. You know I’ve never played a cop — I don’t think — not that I can remember offhand.

The balancing act
SheKnows: Balancing home and a hit show: Is it a challenge — or do you and Kevin have it down?

Kyra Sedgwick: Oh, you know, I think that it’s always probably a struggle for people who work and have a family life. It’s always a struggle to fit everything in — to balance, to give something to both. To give as much attention as each thing needs, I definitely think it’s probably hard for everybody. It’s not easy, especially when you’re 3,000 miles away.

SheKnows: Each The Closer season has a theme. What is this year’s?

Kyra Sedgwick: This year’s theme is change, and I think the most obvious change is Brenda being married. There’ve been some shifts in the squad. And then, in the first few episodes, the cat is unwell. I think that that’s a change that she doesn’t want to have to deal with — the idea of life without her cat, who in some ways is sort of her independent self. You know, I think the cat is the thing that she had before she got married. I remember, when I first met him, Kevin had a dog; Jane was with us for years and years. I think that when she finally passed, it was a very big deal because she was sort of the thing he had before I came along. It was the thing that defined him before marriage and children, and I think that’s a very big deal. And yes, Brenda’s got to deal with some issues that come up this year that she hasn’t had to deal with before. I don’t think she likes it too much. I think change is hard for everybody.

SheKnows: What’s next for Brenda, romance-wise? She and Fritz just got married.

Kyra Sedgwick: Well, the inevitable next step to marriage is having children and I think that that’s a struggle for the two of them. I think it’s hard for Brenda, who doesn’t see the world as a benevolent, loving place. I think she sees a lot of the darkness of the human soul and a lot of people who behave badly. It’s hard for someone like that to believe that the world is a loving, safe place to bring a child into — so I think that is a struggle for her and for him.

Closer as dramatic anchor
SheKnows: Lastly, is any pressure on The Closer to maintain an audience — so to speak? In some ways, it seems like the quality drama at Turner has been built off of your success. TNT’s drama is anchored around you — do you guys feel any of that pressure on the set?

Kyra Sedgwick: Oh, God, I could never take that on. I take on so much crap, I don’t need to take that on! That would be way too much. I mean, I take on personal stuff. That sounds very corporate and difficult — I can’t go there. I am thrilled that we can usher in a show and give it a good lead-in and some legs. That feels really good to me as a performer as well as a businessperson. It’s show business, and the fact that the show continues to do well and can be a good lead-in for a new show to get some traction, is good for me as a performer as well as a person in this business.