CBS Fall Show: The Good Wife
Julianna Margulies, Chris Noth Play Out Political Sex Scandal
Aug 9, 2009
Political sex scandals are a dime a dozen. Just this week, Jenny Sanford, the wife of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, moved out of the official governor's residence. It's been little more than a month since Gov. Sanford admitted to having an affair with an Argentine woman he calls his "soul mate."
Hot on the heels of this comes the CBS series The Good Wife, starring Julianna Margulies as Alicia, a politician's wife. The pilot opens with Alicia's husband, Peter, (Chris Noth of Sex & the City) sucking a prostitute's toes. Shortly after, he's in jail.
In Pasadena, Margulies, and the show creator/executive producer, Robert King, spoke to Suite101.com.
Complicated Relationship
Suite101: What did you see in the role?
Julianna Margulies: I loved how complicated she is. We're going to be able to peel her like an onion for years to come. From that scene where you see her standing there... in my head I kept thinking, "Well, why are you standing there?" And I feel like these women really don't get their due. They're supposed to have the children, support the husband. These are smart women. Silda Spitzer right now is heading a hedge fund in New York City. She's never been better. Elizabeth Edwards just wrote a book. Look at Hilary Clinton. It's not like these are silly little wallflowers that are waiting for their husband to come home. Most of them have two degrees, at least, and they're incredibly accomplished.
Stand By Her Man
Suite101: Why do these women continue to stay with their man?
Margulies: We just don't know what's going on in the bedroom or at home. We all assume that when you see the scandal, he's - I can't say that word - he's a bad man and she's a good woman. We don't know what they've been going through in their own marriage. Most of these scandals happen after years of marriage. Not to say that anyone should ever cheat, but we're all human beings.
Scandal
Suite101: Mr. King, how will the episodes be balanced between Alicia's work and her interactions with Chris' character and the family?
Robert King: One of the reasons we made it about a State's attorney in Chicago was we wanted her return to the workplace to have an essential meaning to where her husband worked and where her husband had the scandal. We will always have the tentacles of the scandal because whenever you open one door and think you know what the scandal is, there will be another door that you will open up. Sometimes that will make it look like Chris's character, Peter, looks more innocent. Sometimes that will make him look more guilty.
No More Visits to the ER
Suite101: Julianna, what's changed for you personally since you left ER at the height of its success?
Margulies: I've had a great 10 years away from ER. I've been able to do a lot of theatre and films and miniseries, and I've never stopped working. I took a - not quite a year off after I had my baby. I'm a mom and a wife and I need to stay in one place. For me, television is the medium for women. And it's a lovely entry back into a place where, to now being be a mom and be able to play this role from a very different point of view.
