This conversation features actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Mariska Hargitay discussing their shared history, their careers in Hollywood, and the deep, personal friendship they formed later in life.
Key Highlights of their conversation:
- Shared Childhood: They discover they lived next door to each other as children in Los Angeles (0:29 - 1:38) but did not become close until they were adults, connected by a mutual friend, Amy Landecker (1:40 - 2:20).
- Building an Intimate Friendship: The two describe how they connected through shared personal experiences, including Jamie Lee Curtis’s documentary project about her family and Mariska Hargitay’s journey of discovering her own history (3:55 - 6:30).
- The Power of the Work: Both women discuss their dedication to the craft of acting, emphasizing that they value the work and the people they work with over the "shiny things" or industry awards (20:38 - 23:25).
- Leadership as Women: They discuss their roles as leaders on set, the importance of female showrunners in their respective projects (Law & Order: SVU and Scarpetta), and their commitment to mentoring and supporting others (25:47 - 29:43).
- Career and Future Projects: Hargitay discusses her long-standing role as Olivia Benson and her upcoming play, Every Brilliant Thing (40:32 - 42:55). Curtis discusses her transition into producing and her work on the Scarpetta series (28:36 - 32:00).
- Philosophy on Acting: They share insights into their creative processes, the value of fearlessness, and the desire to play characters outside their "strike zones" (32:25 - 37:45).