Lesley Ann Warren Revisits ‘Clue,’ ‘In Plain Sight,’ ‘Desperate Housewives’ & More Memorable Roles

Lesley Ann Warren has shined playing moms onscreen in recent decades. Who could forget her turn as Sophie Bremmer opposite Terri Hatcher’s Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives or Jinx Shannon to Mary McCormack’s Mary Shannon on USA Network’s hit In Plain Sight? There was also widow Millicent Prescott in the short-lived Panhandle. Even just last year, the 79-year-old guested on 9-1-1 as Ann Hutchinson, estranged mother of Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause). And that’s not even considering other credits from Crossing Jordan to Less Than Perfect. 

The Golden Globe winner’s latest turn sees her in familiar shoes in the new movie Home Delivery, which is in theaters now. She is part of a powerhouse ensemble in the comedy centered on a famous plus-size supermodel Elye Ferguson (Melanie Field), who looks to experience the birth of her first child on her own terms. If the stress of preparing for a baby wasn’t enough, Elye invites her opinionated family for the occasion. Among them is Warren, who plays her mother Linda Templeton and wife to Gary (Joe Pantoliano, The Sopranos). Rounding out the stars in the Thom Harp directed film are Lindsay Sloane, Rainn Wilson, Jimmi Simpson, and Donald Faison. 

Here Warren opens up about her longevity. The star also takes us on a fun trip down memory lane. 

LESLEY ANN WARREN, PETER KRAUSE in 9-1-1 – “Holy Mother of God” – The 118 responds to a call at a mega-church, where Bobby runs into his estranged mother.  ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard)

At this stage of the game, how is it for you to keep finding new projects to dig into? 

Lesley Ann Warren: It’s not as abundant as I would like I suppose, but I’ve also been more selective in my older years. I really want to put my energy and creativity into something I really believe in and feel challenged by. So, Olive, this short film I did came along, I knew immediately I knew I wanted to do it. It’s such a beautiful script. I love the director [Tom Koch]. Last year, I did 9-1-1, and it was a really interesting character, and something I’ve never done before. That is sort of what guides my desire to work. 

What was it about Home Delivery that made you say yes? 

The cast. I thought it was a really funny, fun cast. It lit up my comedic excitement. I love Joe Pantoliano, Donald Faison, all of them I was excited to work with. I worked on the script with Thom Harp, the director, with Rainn Wilson before it was even a greenlit movie. We had a table read and worked on the script at that time, and it took several years for them to get the finances together. When they did, it was perfect timing. I was available and really happy to step into that world. 

Home Delivery

Talk about the family dynamic as you share scenes with Joe and the like. 

It was kind of crazy because it was so easy. We just kind of melded. I knew Joey a little bit, but not very much. I didn’t know Peter MacNicol, who I came to adore. He plays my ex-husband. Lindsay Sloane, who plays one of my daughters, and I just bonded right away. She would come and hang out in my trailer every morning. Melanie [Field] had so much to do and was so overwhelmed with all of that, but was an absolute doll. It was just a very easy thing. We felt like a family. It sounds cheesy, but we really did feel like a family. We behaved that way on and off the script. 

You’re known for playing so many moms. Do you have a favorite? 

I have never been sort of the mom who cooks in the kitchen, which is appropriate because I hate cooking. When I moved into that part of my career, I was really afforded the opportunity to play very colorful women. Some dysfunctional mothers, alcoholic mothers, some great mothers, nurturing and compassionate. Getting to have such opportunities in that lane was really great. I don’t think I have one favorite. I really do get invested in whatever it is I’m doing, unless I don’t have a good experience. That is pretty rare. 

Ron Tom/ABC

A lot of people are excited for Wisteria Lane. Before it was kind of explained there wouldn’t be any original Desperate Housewives cast out of the gate, TV Insider did a characters we’d love to see back and Sophie was named. That was a standout. 

I love that. It’s so great. That was an amazing character. It was different compared to the roles I’ve played before. The fact she was a mom was important, but it was more of value to me to discover who she was and how her engine directed her to behave. It was a great opportunity. 

For In Plain Sight you were playing a recovering alcoholic. How was it digging through those layers of complexity? 

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That was a great experience. I adored working with Mary McCormick. It was a very rich, deep, and funny character at times. It went on for four seasons. You really get to explore and invest. She got sober and did all these changes. That was a wonderful chance for me. 

Throughout your career has there been one set you wish you could have been on longer? 

There are projects I hated saying goodbye to. One of them was a miniseries called 79 Park Avenue. I ended up getting a Golden Globe for that, which was a total surprise, but I loved that character and the situations. It was challenging, but valued to me. I did a movie with Mel Brooks, [Life Stinks]. I hated leaving that set. I loved Mel so much. I hated leaving. I did another small movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh and others called The Quickie, who had a Russian director [Sergei Bodrov] who I thought was fantastic. I hated leaving that set. It really depends on the material and the people. It’s hard when you form these tight and meaningful relationships before you say goodbye. 

You mentioned winning the Golden Globe for 79 Park Avenue playing Marja Fludjicki. How is it looking back at that moment now almost 50 years later? In a lot of ways this was a story ahead of its time when you think of the material. 

I’m just so utterly proud of it still. We went through so many decades with her. There was so much turmoil and emotional ups and downs given what my character had to go through. Plus, I love period movies. I love getting to be in the 1930s and 1940s. It was my idea of heaven. 

Sheedy-Long / TV Guide / Courtesy Everett Collection

Last year, you celebrated 60 years since you starred in the 1965  Cinderella production on CBS. When you think about teen stars breaking out today, but that was yours. What does it mean to look back at this milestone? 

I had been on Broadway already at that point. I won the Most Promising Newcomer Award on Broadway. It was during that run where I auditioned for Cinderella for Mr. Richard Rodgers. The people that respond to me, and it’s in the thousands. Ones who reach out about Cinderella. It’s almost more than I can completely take in because I was so young. I was 18. To have that opportunity and to fill it in the way I must have to affect so many people, it’s so meaningful to me. I’m so proud of it. It never diminishes for me. 

A shot of you was shared on Instagram from The Happiest Millionaire recently, which is also reaching a milestone at almost 60 years. This was Walt Disney’s last live-action movie as a producer before he died. What do you remember about working on that? 

He passed away before my second film for him, but to be part of that legacy of his, and my own first starring role when I was turning 19. It was all extraordinary. I loved working for him and there. It was one of the best studio experiences I’ve ever had. 

You’re appearing alongside Tim Curry for a screening of Clue. How is it to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of what has become a cult classic? This movie has this renewed appreciation today with other whodunnits that followed like the Knives Out franchise? 

I adore Tim. I can’t wait to be with him in that regard on stage. Clue is such a beloved movie. It brings me joy. I’m friends with Colleen Camp, and we do things together sometimes. The cast who is no longer with us, I remember getting a phone call from Martin Mull when this momentum started to build around Clue. He called me on the phone and said, “Are you getting a lot of fan mail about Clue?” I was like, “Yes!” It just took off and became this iconic, cult classic in a way. It’s just incredible. 

If it was released today, I feel it would have been even more successful given the landscape today and brought a sequel or two. 

For sure. It’s a little too late, but I agree.

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You’re still consistently working. What keeps you going? 

I am passionate about what I do, but I didn’t want to do it the same way when I was younger. I don’t have the pain attached to the passion. I have joy. At the same time, I’m working on a one-woman show for the first time in my life. It has stories, singing, dancing, and it’s really a retrospective starting before Cinderella. I’d say even before Cinderella. Starting from the time of wanting to be a ballerina. That has been really fun for me and exciting and challenging in a whole different way. If something speaks to me creatively or artistically, I’m excited again. Those are my reasons for staying engaged. If not, I love my life. I have this great wonderful home, husband, son, kittles. I love my life. I’m not yearning for something that is going to complete me. 

Home Delivery is now playing in theaters.  

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