Allison Janney told CNN she finds playing a female president in Netflix’s The Diplomat meaningful, in an interview that appears in CNN’s “Coming Up” video series.
In the CNN segment, Janney discusses what it means to portray President Grace Penn and why the role resonates with her; the video is titled “Allison Janney on playing a female president in Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’” and is available on CNN’s site.
Deadline recently profiled Janney’s turn as Grace Penn, describing the character as a calculating politician and noting the role has generated awards attention for Janney. Deadline reports the part follows Janney’s long history of authoritative roles and quotes her on why she’s drawn to those parts.
Janney and Keri Russell co-star in The Diplomat, and Deadline says Janney and Bradley Whitford’s chemistry lets the series show a private marital dynamic alongside the presidency; the article also ties Janney’s West Wing past to her readiness for the part.
Why it matters: Janney’s CNN interview brings attention to how The Diplomat stages a woman in the highest office and how actors approach power roles on-screen — a theme Deadline connects to Janney’s career and Emmy recognition for the turn.
Sources
- CNN — video interview “Allison Janney on playing a female president in Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’” in the “Coming Up” series, where Janney discusses the role.
- Deadline — feature “‘The Diplomat’s Allison Janney Is Not Your Typical President,” profiling Janney’s portrayal of Grace Penn and contextualizing her career and awards attention.
