“Grace and Frankie’s” June Diane Raphael:
Beyond the Characters – A Candid Conversation on Funny, Hollywood, and Motherhood
Los Angeles, CA (April 9, 2024): Comedic force June Diane Raphael effortlessly blends her razor-sharp wit and impeccable timing while in the hot seat this week on Hollywood at Home. Raphael, known for her standout roles in “Burning Love,” “Big Mouth,” and “Grace and Frankie,” captivates in a revealing interview that gives listeners the exclusive opportunity to delve into the life and experiences of the versatile actor and comedian, as she sheds light on her journey from the screen to real life.
Beyond the characters she portrays, Raphael opens up about her collaborations with industry legends such as Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Kelsey Grammer.
Raphael has a candid discussion on the intricacies of balancing a thriving career in Hollywood with the joys and challenges of motherhood. From navigating auditions mere weeks after childbirth to advocating for greater diversity and representation on screen, she fearlessly shares her personal and professional triumphs and tribulations.
Join June Diane Raphael on Hollywood at Home as she shares her unfiltered perspective on navigating fame, family, and the future of women in film and television.
Listen now at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hollywood-and-motherhood-with-guest-june-diane-raphael/id1521900273?i=1000651876002
For planned coverage, please link to:
http://thecreativecoalition.org/podcast
Highlights from Hollywood at Home featuring June Diane Raphael:
Meeting Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin postpartum: “I auditioned for [‘Grace and Frankie’]…postpartum with a newborn…We were shooting the pilot…with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and also Marta Kauffman. [They] couldn’t have been more accommodating to me.”
She’s Mama Jane to me, and finding extended family on set: “[Fonda and I] had such natural chemistry early on and she’s become a dear friend…There’s this love that we had for each other immediately…I started calling her ‘Mama Jane’…We also were comfortable poking at each other and understood how deep [our characters’] love was…and how withholding her character was to [my character]…Brooklyn Decker also became like a sister to me. Some series take years and years and years, it was like we dropped into it and it just did it.”
Her character Brianna’s commitment to being childless: “Her commitment to being a childless woman in the world – that decision for women seems to be a consistent battleground and something that as a culture, we feel we want, we need to control…‘Grace and Frankie’ created a new future possibility for women aging. I had so many young women come up to me and say, ‘When I get older, I wanna just live in a beach house with my best friend.’ And I’m like, ‘God damn it, that’s really powerful that there might be more outside of what we imagine for women and our roles in our nuclear families.’…I think Brianna has had a part in that cultural conversation of what it looks like to be childless and to have a full life.”
Rebooting “Frasier”: “The energy of those live tapings is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. It’s like doing a play, and the connection the cast had and the way everybody gels– it was just a great time and I really found it to be intoxicating.”
Collaborating with showrunner legends Marta Kauffman and Howard Morris: “Marta and Howard Morris, our showrunners on ‘Grace and Frankie,’ really did trust me…I am an improviser, so it wasn’t going to be like insanity coming out of my mouth. There was a real deep collaboration.”
More about Hollywood at Home:
Hosted by The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk, “Hollywood at Home” brings listeners intimate portraits, key moments of discovery, and “art and soul” conversations with iconic entertainment industry personalities from the big screen to the boardroom, from L.A. to D.C. Listen now at http://thecreativecoalition.org/podcast.
Previous guests include Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”), Marlee Matlin (“CODA”), Jason Alexander (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Alan Cumming (“Schmigadoon!, “The Good Wife”), Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The Middle”), Eric McCormack (“Will and Grace”), Willie Garson (“And Just Like That…”), Colman Domingo (“Euphoria”), Kerry Ehrin (“The Morning Show”), Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), Ken Olin (“This is Us,” “Thirtysomething”), Anthony Rapp (“Star Trek: Discovery”), Grace Caroline Currey (Shazam!), and Alfre Woodard (Clemency, “Luke Cage”), among others.
More about The Creative Coalition:
Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization of the arts and entertainment community. The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance. The Creative Coalition also creates award-winning public service campaigns, including #RightToBearArts, to promote the efficacy of the arts. Actor Tim Daly serves as the organization’s President. For more information, visit https://thecreativecoalition.org.
Media Contact:
Max Jordan
mjordan@thecreativecoalition.org
C: 240-506-7913
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