[IMG:L]As the clock ticked down to minutes before the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Hollywood.com got ready for the red carpet with the nominees as they prepared to squeeze into their sexiest formalwear and scribbled down that last-minute acceptance speech, just in case (because no one ever really thinks they’re going to win–or admits it, anyway).
We caught up with some of the biggest names before they head over to the Shrine Auditorium, including a screen legend who’s already won her Emmy, and one final pre-Emmys chat with Jon Cryer, the very first nominee we spoke to on the day the announcements came out.
T.R. Knight–Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Hollywood.com: What are you excited most about the Emmy nominations for Grey’s Anatomy?
T.R. Knight: I think being nominated myself. That would be the answer for that! It’s really cool and unexpected. To be recognized like that is completely unexpected.
HW: What was the episode that you put in that you got nominated for?
TRK: It was the one where George’s father gets really ill and passes away. It was because the writer of the episode, Krista Vernoff had lost her father and so it was a very personal script so yeah, it definitely took on a completely different kind of feeling. And the director, Greg Yaitanes, I love working with him and also the cast. We got George Dzundza and Debra Monk who we knew from New York, and Tim Griffin and Greg Bits as the brothers. They were just insanely incredible to work with.
HW: What’s it like to get through that week at work and focus on what you’re doing?
TRK: I don’t think it’s that hard because the guys, we got it really easy. You just got to get the tux and put it on. There’s nothing else you got to really worry about.
HW: What about Emmy night, what are you going to do?
TRK: I’m not nervous because I feel like I’m like you said, I’m just thrilled to be invited and so it’s really cool. Not any more nervous than just the nervousness of getting dressed up and talking to strange people…I mean talking to strangers, not strange people. I’m a strange person.
HW: Are you used to the hoopla by now?
TRK: I’m trying. I’m trying. It’s not exactly in my comfort zone. I’m trying. I think any time you do something, the more and more you do it hopefully you’ll get a little better at it. I’m saying “um” a lot less I think.
HW: Will you have any kind of ritual that morning or any good luck charms?
TRK: No. No. No my superstitions, they’re not that way. I just want to make sure that I don’t…hopefully I won’t have any zits. But I’m sure I will because that’s the thing I don’t want.
[IMG:R]Kate Burton–Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
HW: How has this whole experience been for you?
Kate Burton: It’s been a hoot and a holler. It’s hilarious to be getting our nomination certificates tonight and having had the award last Saturday. It’s a little bit putting the cart before the horse, I think. But I didn’t get to participate in all the hoopla last year because I was moving out of my New York apartment so it’s been really, really great to be here and to do all the events. And I just did a fundraiser for my friend, Jane Kaczmarek who had this fantastic foundation Clothes Off Our Back and Jane‘s gone to France so I am speaking on behalf of Clothes Off Our Back a lot this week. And my agency is having a party for all its nominees of which there are many. And then tomorrow I go to Entertainment Weekly and then I go to the HBO party on Sunday and so it’s really, really fun. And what the heck? You don’t get to do this very often.
HW: It’s nice when the spotlight shines a little bit brighter, right?
KB: Well, it’s just sweet. And honestly I loved playing Ellis Grey so much. And I mean it kind of has put me into a different stratosphere in my work and I’m now getting all kinds of opportunities that I hadn’t had before Ellis Grey so I really feel very grateful for her and to Shonda [Rhimes].
[IMG:L]Robert Duvall–Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
HW: You’re usually only in Hollywood to work or collect awards, right?
Robert Duvall: Yeah, all that. We’re out here from Virginia. We live in Virginia. We’re up for 16 Emmy nominations so yeah. Beautiful project. One of my favorite ever, so really good to be here.
HW: Did Broken Trail feel special when you were making it?
RD: It was a very difficult thing to make. I won’t go into all the complications, but the most. But on the other side of it, it’s left me with some of the best memories ever because…you make a prestigious movie, a movie, six people see it, it goes to DVD, right? Almost 30 million people saw this. So television can be terrific.
HW: You’ve done some great television in the past as we’ve seen.
RD: Well, Lonesome Dove was my favorite part ever. Ever. And when they keep talking about great westerns, they say a movie and they differentiate. They should include television. Every cowboy I know anywhere in America or Canada sites Lonesome Dove as their favorite western. Ever. Movies or anything. So television is sometimes overlooked with this sense of film is more prestigious. But it’s all action and cut, what in between those two words.
HW: What about all the awards stuff, is this fun for you?
RD: I haven’t won anything in a long time. Yeah. I like to win some. Yeah. I kept thinking the Golden Globes next year they might as well hold it in England. They give the English everything.
[IMG:R]Jaime Pressly – Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
HW: We’ve known each other way before your success With My Name Is Earl–It’s amazing to see this happening for you.
Pressly: It’s been such a great experience for me. It’s been a good long 13 years. Which is why I appreciate it, you know? It’s because it happens quick. And then it goes away quick. That’s why I keep working. Hard.
HW: Do you have the Emmy dress picked out?
Pressly: Yes. And I can’t tell you what it is. I can’t tell you what it is, but I definitely have it picked out. It’s amazing. I’m going late ’40’s, early ’50’s style with everything. We’re doing a new…something no one’s ever seen me or him dressed as. Something no one else will be dressed as…I have an amazing stylist. I went to high school with her and she’s been styling me for years and we decided we’re going to do something new. I’m 30 now and I have baby and we were like let’s do it. And we did. And it’s going to be great.
HW: Obviously there’s a lot at stake professionally if you win or don’t, but…
Pressly: Either way, I was still nominated so instead of one time nominated, I’m two time nominated, you know what I mean? It’s different. When you hear somebody who was Emmy nominated or six-time Emmy nominated, either way, whether that six-time Emmy nominated person ever won or not, they were nominated six times. You know what I’m saying?
HW: What’s happening with baby Dezzi while you’re at the Emmys?
Pressly: Ethan Suplee who plays Randy, his two oldest daughters are 9 and 11 and they have Ethan’s little girls who are two years old and five and a half months old, a month and a half older than Dezzi, and they’re amazing with children and they love Dezzi and Dezzi loves them. So on Sundays they come over and take care of Dezzi while I’m there, of course. So while I’m getting my hair and makeup done, they’re coming over tomorrow, Lilly and Bella, and taking care of the baby and playing with him while I get ready and then the nanny shows up. I have the best babysitters ever on Sundays. Bella and Lilly Suplee.
[IMG:L]Vanessa Williams – Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
HW: Coming out the gate Ugly Betty hit so big. What does the Emmy attention mean to you?
Vanessa Williams: It means that you never know. It’s one of those things that for me I was doing another show in Miami, loving that. That went away or I was only hold, got this, I didn’t even know whether I was going to be available to do it because you know I was already committed to another show and then we shot it, it was great. You wonder whether it gets picked up. It gets picked up, but I guarantee it was going to shoot in New York, it doesn’t and I say okay I’m not doing it. They appealed to me and my kids. I mean I literally was saying I’m not going to do it. I turned it down. And my kids said, mom, it’s a great role, you’ll have fun and we’ll be fine. And so if it wasn’t for the support of having my kids say it’s okay, I wouldn’t have done the role. And also Salma insisted to the networks. She said we’re not going to do the show without her. And that was fantastic. So you never know. You never know.
HW: Any dress drama?
Williams: It’s hanging up and all fitted and ready to go. It’s definitely a trend that’s for this season and it’s a risk and I’m sure I’ll get some comments about if I’ve lost an egg or am I molting, so those are my clues. But it’s very dynamic so it could either be Ginger Rogers or a gigantic mistake. Kevan Hall designed it and he designed it for me in mind when the nominations had come out. He called and said I have the dress. And I looked, tried a bunch of other ones and then finally said “Okay, what is it?” I saw it and I said okay. It’s breathtaking. We tweaked it and custom tailored it and it definitely makes a statement that I feel great in it.
HW: Do you have any rituals set for tomorrow?
VW: Everybody’s coming to the house so I’m sure…just on the phone with my assistant like “What am I serving? Please go get some bagels.” I’ll put the coffee on. I’ll make some fruit salad and even though it’s my day, it’s also entertaining in my house, hosting. So I can’t let it go.
[IMG:R]Judith Light–Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
HW: Have you been dress shopping? On a fashion minded show like Ugly Betty, it’s got to be, like, double pressure.
Judith Light: I have. Oh my god. Oh it’s just this whole other world. I had no idea. No, I haven’t settled yet. But I’m still in process. I love Sharon Stone so much and Sharon, I remember one year she went to the Oscars and she wore a long black skirt and she threw on a Gap T-shirt and she looked completely stunning and I thought, ‘Sharon, I think you have a really good idea.’ This is a really good idea. But people are so gracious and so generous, and they really do make a point to be generous with things that they’re helping you out with. It’s just a whole other world that I’m not used to.
HW: Are all the ladies on the show comparing notes? Like I saw this the other day…
JL: No. I mean nobody really is. I mean really we’re busy working so you know nobody’s saying I went to this person. And I haven’t shot yet this week so I’ll be shooting next week so it may very well happen when I go there next week.
HW: Be careful because there was that year where all the Desperate Housewives showed up in the same colors. You might want to do one last minute check with everybody.
JL: I don’t think that our cast would have a problem! If everybody showed up in purple suede, everybody would go “Oh my God! I love you so much, you wore purple suede.” It’s just that kind of show. It’s very special. We’re all very appreciative of that fact, that everybody is there rooting for each other, supporting each other and really loving each other. It has a very special kind of energy, this kind of soul connection that everybody seems to have with each other. It’s just like we’re family.
HW: Your show’s creative mama, executive producer Salma Hayek, is about to become a real mama any minute now. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen on Emmy day?
JL: You know what, that baby’s going to do what it’s going to do. And of course she will surrender to that.
[PAGEBREAK][IMG:L]Elizabeth Perkins–Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
HW: Have you picked out a dress for the Emmys yet?
Elizabeth Perkins: Yes. It’s Carolina Herrera.
HW: What kind of look were you going for?
EP: Comfort. [Laughs] I almost died on the red carpet last year, it was so hot, because it was 107 or 108 degrees. It was ridiculous and I was wearing this Badgley Mishka, beaded, heavy, squeezed me into it. I felt like a roasted sausage. It was so negative that I had to go into the bathroom before the show and take off the dress. I stayed in the stall, and our award was first up, and I was like “I’m not going to get the dress back on.” At one point I was standing on the red carpet and something started dripping onto my shoe. I realized it was coming down my back, from my hair, down my back, and into my shoe. That is how hot it was, I thought, this isn’t human. I said to Carolina “I need something that weighs about an ounce.” So, that’s what I’m going to wear, something that weighs about an ounce. It doesn’t mean that there is not a lot of fabric, it just weighs about an ounce. That was the importance this year, to have a good time, because you can’t have a good time if you are doing that.
HW: Is it a good time in reality? When you go and there is so much at stake professionally, or so one thinks.
EP: Oh, yeah. Though part of me isn’t really sure that I would want to win. I guess you would have to have that real competitive spirit for it to be. When I think about winning I think “Oh, have to talk in front of how many millions of people” I’m just sort of thrilled to be nominated, that is all you could ever hope for, just to have that recognition from your peers.
HW: Do you bring your own flask, like Weeds’ Celia?
EP: No, I don’t drink. I am so different from Celia. I don’t drink, I love my kids, you know what I mean? I’m so different.
HW: That’s why they call it “acting.”
EP: Exactly.
[IMG:R]Lorraine Bracco–Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
HW: Is this sort of a valedictory lap for the show? I mean you guys get to get together after the show’s wrapped and be together one more time for this kind of big thing. Is it fun?
Lorraine Bracco: Oh absolutely. Are you kidding? I love my boys. I love them. I just left them at the hotel at happy hour.
HW: What is that like? Happy hour with the cast of The Sopranos?
LB: Listen, you haven’t lived, okay. Trust me. You have not lived. They’re great. The guys are great and you know they’re sweet and they’re loving and caring and it’s been a whole decade we’ve been together. We’ve been through a lot, good things, bad things and you know I’ll tell you I don’t think that it will ever really, our love and affection I don’t think will ever really change.
HW: Is there any one person from your show or not from your show that you’d love to see walk away with an Emmy this year?
LB: Robert Iler gave a great season. He wasn’t nominated but I felt he should have been. I would have liked to have seen at one point or another Tony Sirico nominated. You know I always said it was nice to be invited to the prom, so if you get it, you get it. But if not, you know, our peers have acknowledged us and that’s always been unbelievably touching.
HW: What really happened in the end of the show?
LB: I don’t know. You tell me. God. But good question.
[IMG:L]Joe Mantegna–Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
HW: Did you think that you guys were even in contention for Emmys when you were making The Starter Wife, or did you just do the project, get amazing ratings, and say “That’s good enough.”
Joe Mantegna: That kind of stuff, you know I got to say, I really feel blessed to do what I do for a living. Beyond that, all the rest is frosting on the cake. You know what I mean? I don’t even watch half the stuff I do, because the enjoyment, for me, is to just do it. I enjoy the process. I love being an actor, and all this other stuff is fun and great, but I don’t really point my nose toward it. And it’s like, if it happens, wow, look at that, a perk. I feel very blessed, because I do what a lot of people I know fantasize doing, so I just take it as it comes, and when this kind of stuff is a result of it, great.
HW: Did you feel any special alchemy when you were making the thing? You and Debra Messing feel like this is all?
JM: We were having a good time and making a good movie, and that’s all I ever hoped for. Beyond that, like I said, it’s all gravy on the cake – no, I guess frosting on the cake, gravy on the pasta.
HW: Depends on your taste.
JM: Yeah, exactly.
HW: Do you have any favorites among the people that are in your competing categories?
JM: Oh God, I probably know all of them. You’d have to remind even who else. I don’t even pay attention. Great, I’m not even sure what the category is. I think it’s supporting actor I guess in a miniseries. But whatever, I’m sure I’ll know a lot of the people, and it’ll be like a fun night with friends, and it doesn’t even matter. Somebody will win and walk home with a statue, and the rest of us will have a good time, and that’ll be that.
[IMG:R]Conchata Ferrell–Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
HW: What’s all this I’ve been hearing about a mud wrestling match between you and Two and a Half Men co-star and fellow nominee Holland Taylor?
Conchatta Ferrell: Straight up mud. The only thing about it is that I insist that the water be warm. If either one of us should win the Emmy, we have decided we will mud wrestle for it on the set the following Monday. Now I have an advantage because of the bulk in the head, but she’s quick and slick, so you know it could be quite a wrestling match.
HW: Why do I think Charlie Sheen might have some experience refereeing one of these matches?
CF: I don’t know. The old Charlie might, the new Charlie wouldn’t even be interested. Well, in us, yes.
HW: Do you know what you’re going to wear for the Emmys?
CF: Yes. The costume designer from our show, Mary Quigley, heard my cry of what am I going to wear? And she found, where she found it I don’t know, but she found me a silver beaded dress that is, I’ve never had anything like it in my life. And she put everything together. And a woman my size in that many beads, you’re going to see me when I pass.
[IMG:L]Jon Cryer–Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
HW: Anybody you’re excited to run into at the Emmys that you haven’t seen in a while?
Jon Cryer: Sure. All of them. I still freak out when I see S. Epatha Markerson. Because I was always a huge Law & Order fan. God, I would love to…there’s all kinds of people I’d love to see. But I love those things. I love running into people I didn’t expect. I’m hoping that Charlie takes home something this year or Chatty [Ferrell] or Holland [Taylor]. We’ll see.
HW: Next year we’ve got to get Angus Jones a nomination.
JC: I know. Exactly. He doesn’t campaign. He doesn’t take out ads. It’s true he doesn’t. And the studio doesn’t do it for him and he doesn’t know that that’s what it is.
HW: Well, good for that.
JC: Good for that. You know what, he’s a lovely, lovely kid. And I feel like he may get through this without being messed up for life. I’m hopeful. Again, you know you get life advice from Charlie Sheen, you know you’re talking to a guy who’s been through some stuff, so it has a little extra weight.
[IMG:R]Lost Producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof–Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
HW: You’re in some pretty serious company in the writing category.
Carlton Cuse: It’s exciting, you know. I mean this is kind of a great thing for us to be nominated in the same league with all these Sopranos writers and I’m a personal fan of Battlestar Galactica and Ron Moore. So we’re in very illustrious company.
HW: What did nominations for the show this year mean for Lost?
Damon Lindelof: The season had obviously a lot of ups and downs for us. It felt, the big victory was getting an ending declared for the show and in terms of engendering the loyalty of our viewers who have stuck with us this far to kind of say we’re working towards a definitive endpoint and that really allowed us to do the finale, to show the audience that at least Jack and Kate were going to get off the island that was part of our story I feel like really put us back on track. And this season four is going to be really exciting. I don’t think anyone knows what’s coming up and we’re really operating in a vacuum because before we would always be on the air in September. We would give the audience a little taste, see what they thought. Now we’re not on the air until February. We’re going to run straight through. So you know hopefully everyone will turn up and not get too lost but we’re pretty stoked about it.
HW: You’ve joked that as producers you guys get to take all the credit for the whole team’s efforts, but is it nice to be able to come and represent all the hard work of all the writers when it comes to Emmy week?
CC: Yeah. We really do have a very collaborative staff and we all support each other very well. Yeah, the fact that our show gets recognized for its writing is something that I think we take great pride in.
HW: What was your favorite moment of the last season?
CC: My favorite moment was actually we had a little party for the writers and editors and the people that worked on that show and sitting in that room with all the spouses of people that worked on the show and basically nobody tells their spouses anything about the show and when the last scene, when it was revealed that it was a flash forward instead of a flashback, I was so keyed up to sort of see what everybody’s reaction was and there was just this collective gasp. And it was so fun, actually after having plotted it and written it to actually see how it played. It was really fun.
[IMG:L]Leslie Caron–WINNER, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
HW: Did you ever imagine that your little Law & Order guest shot was going to bring you to this point? Now you’ve got an Emmy.
Leslie Caron: Well yes, I thought this is going to be a fun gig and it doesn’t matter if I don’t get it. And I thought the marvelous thing is to still be wanted. Still be active, still be working and still be you know every time I have a part I’m like a beginner. Can I do this one? I’m not sure. I’m not sure I’m good enough. I’ve got to learn and I keep watching all the young people act on television and I’m so impressed by the quality of acting. And I think oh, one has to remember, they are acting with no affects. They make no affects. They’re very simple. It’s all inside. And there’s a lesson.
HW: We could say that about your movies, too.
LC: No, no, no, no. You know, one has to keep learning.
HW: Is there a special memory that’s come back since you’ve been in Los Angeles for this round of Emmy fun?
LC: You’re telling me. No, no, no. There’s millions of, millions of memories. Millions. I’ve seen millions of Oscar nights and great stars and Humphrey Bogart kissing my hand. And lots of memories of very great evenings, yes. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. Writing my memoirs. It’s difficult to write about one’s self. One doesn’t know how far you can tell the truth.
HW: The uncensored version and the censored version.
LC: Exactly. You don’t want to hurt feelings and yet you want to tell quite a lot of truth. It’s difficult.
[IMG:R]Mariska Hargitay–Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
HW: You’ve got your Emmy, does that make it a little easier to come here?
Hargitay: SO much easier. Stress-free year. I came here, having fun, getting ready, playing with my son, stress-free, it’s all…
HW: You say that until you win again and don’t have a speech.
MH: Oh my gosh! Don’t say that! That’s the funniest thing.
HW: Okay, you’ve been through the fashion gauntlet–what’s the most important tip you have for the newbies?
MH: The most important thing is, and I’m just learning this now, only wear things that you feel really comfortable in. It changes your whole confidence. That’s what I’ve learned. Don’t wear really uncomfortable shoes. That’ll never work for you. I don’t care how cute they are.
HW: And you’ve got your comfortable, confident dress?
MH: Yes, I am. I’m mixing it up this year and I’m wearing a little Zac Posen. I feel like such a fashionista. It’s in Zac Posen, right?
HW: What’s the look you were going for?
MH: You’ll have to see and tell me if I achieved it!
[IMG:L]Charlie Sheen Talks About His Nomination and His Engagement
‘How I Met Your Mother’ Star Neil Patrick Harris Reacts to His Nomination
Emmy Nominees Sound Off: Round One with Masi Oka, Alec Baldwin and Others
Emmy Nominees Sound Off: Round Two with America Ferrera, Kiefer Sutherland and Others
