“The Office,” “Transparent,” “Dancing with the Stars” — It’s Melora Hardin!

Los Angeles, CA (January 30, 2024): Today’s guest on Hollywood at Home features Melora Hardin, the highly acclaimed actor, singer, and director, known for her captivating performances on both the small and big screen. With a career spanning over three decades, Hardin has established herself as a versatile and talented artist, captivating audiences with her powerful portrayals of complex characters. From her unforgettable role as Jan Levinson on the hit TV series, “The Office,” to her riveting performance as Tammy Cashman on “Transparent,” Hardin continues to push boundaries and challenge herself creatively. Beyond acting, Hardin is also an accomplished singer, having released several albums showcasing her remarkable vocal talents. With her forthcoming one-woman movie, Golden Vanity, Hardin is set to make waves in the industry once again with her groundbreaking approach to storytelling. Bonus feature: Hardin also discusses her exhilarating journey on “Dancing with the Stars,” reflecting on the camaraderie backstage and the thrill of competing on the acclaimed show. Tune in for an insightful conversation that dives into Hardin’s multifaceted career and explores the industry’s dynamic nuances.

Hollywood at Home is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Listen now at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/back-in-the-office-with-guest-melora-hardin/id1521900273?i=1000641019276

For planned coverage, please link to:
http://thecreativecoalition.org/podcast

Highlights from Hollywood at Home featuring Melora Hardin: 

She’s Such a Jan: [‘The Office’] was so wonderful because she’s sort of unraveling right before your very eyes…You get to see her flaws. She’s funny; she’s a great straight man. And the chemistry between Michael and Jan was always really tangible and really exciting because they were so, kind of, offbeat…such an unlikely couple, but yet it just felt really right.”

On “Transparent”: “One of the things that it said on the character breakdown was that ‘Tammy has the biggest balls of anybody on the set.’…I really work my characters outside-in, so the costume, the haircut, all of that is really important to me; just sort of really being able to look in the mirror and see her, so that I could feel her…and that groundedness of having big balls…I could really feel that the kind of the masculinity of that, and the ‘bad-assness’ and coolness of that.”

On what made “Transparent” special: “It was wonderful to have a show on television that was doing good things in the world, showing that trans people are just people, and showing that this sort of family dynamic. It was really a show about a family more than it was about the trans issue.”

On her one-woman film, Golden Vanity: “It’s the first one-woman movie ever…It’s based on a fictitious movie star, Mabel Montgomery Mayflower, set in 1967, a la Judy Garland [or] Elizabeth Taylor. She comes off of the Golden Movie Awards, where she has a little bit of a breakdown, and then flees the police and barricades herself in her mansion to record her life story and finally set the record straight.”

On “Dancing With The Stars”: “I’ve danced on Broadway…This was really different because it’s a reality show, so they keep you just slightly deprived all the time. When you’re on “Dancing with the Stars,’…you’re always struggling a little bit. That part of it is scary, especially because they tend to gravitate towards real ‘type A’ people.”

Brian Austin Green and I had done a series together years ago…so we were already friends. We were absolutely cheering each other on all the time…we definitely were supportive of each other. And, [former NBA player] Iman [Shumpert] was super fun. I liked him from the minute I met him. He was just warm and funny and just a really great guy, and I think everybody liked Iman on the whole show.”


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:
Lauren Peteroy
Scenario Communications
Lauren.Peteroy@scenariopr.com
C: 424-303-3861

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