The 70th annual Golden Globe Awards took place on Jan. 13, 2013, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Here is what this Golden Globe winner said backstage in the Golden Globe Awards press room.
CLAIRE DANES
Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama
How has becoming a mother affected your experience at an awards show such as the Golden Globes?
I literally can’t go to the bathroom unless I take the entire dress off, so yes, there’s some serious Spanx going on over here. I was on my feet a lot during my pregnancy. I was working hard. I didn’t have an opportunity to gain much weight while I was pregnant. It’s been a huge joy, this experience of becoming a mom. And I don’t know how to articulate it yet because it is so fresh.
What do you and your “Homeland” character Carrie Mathison have in common?
Blonde hair. Very dyed blonde hair. Not a whole lot [in common], actually. I guess a kind of focus, a kind of intensity. Hers is at a much higher volume, thank goodness, than my own. I think with any character I play, there is some kernel of similarity and connection that I just try to exploit and exaggerate and extrapolate from.
She is “other,” but I’ve played her for a while now. One of the wonderful things about television is that you really get to explore so thoroughly these people, these characters in so many different circumstances and contexts. I really enjoy that aspect of the medium.
Was there anyone who inspired you to create the Carrie Mathison character?
Well, I had to do pretty extensive research when I first started, before I shot the pilot and in the beginning of the first season. And I worked closely with a woman who is a very senior-ranking CIA officer. And she was incredibly generous with her time.
And she spent the day at Langley with me and introducing me to her colleagues. And they were surprisingly transparent and open in sharing their experiences. I also worked with a woman who is bipolar who has written a lot of books about the subject and has really struggled with it herself. They were very great models in the shaping of this character.
Where would you like to see the Carrie Mathison character go in “Homeland”?
I’d kind of like to see her become a mom. And I’m not just saying that because I am one now. Well, maybe I am. I’m very myopic right now. Now, I want all my friends to become moms. I’m really bossy about it.
So I think I just want Carrie to become a mom because I can’t imagine any other reality now, and I want everybody to join in on the fun. That would be really interesting because it’s so antithetical to who she is. Who knows? The writers are much better at this than I am.
How are you planning to balance motherhood and your career? And are you getting any sleep?
Am I getting any sleep? I’ve been very, very lucky in that I’ve had a night nurse, who is rad. I get some sleep. I just think, “OK, it’s another 4 a.m. call,” which I have a lot on set and working in film and television.
So I’m sort of used to being sleep-deprived. This is taking it to another level. There isn’t a weekend off. There’s no break, but it’s delicious and the best thing ever. It’s very motivating: his smell and his scrumptiousness.
For more info: Golden Globe Awards website
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