July 29, 2008
The Hollywood Exclusive: Using Celebrity Power for Good
BY MARILYN BECK and STACY JENEL SMITH
THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: “Sordid Lives: The Series” regular Lorna Scott is hoping Logo’s small screen adaptation of Del Shores’ gay-themed play and subsequent 1999 film will find the same crossover
audience. “I’m hoping it will open up people’s hearts and minds in the same way ‘All in the Family’ did by making them laugh at themselves and see how hysterically absurd prejudices can be,” says Scott, who co-stars with Olivia Newton-John, Rue McClanahan and Bonnie Bedelia in the saga of a wacky Texas family. “A good neighbor’s a good neighbor having nothing to do with sexual preference, race or religion. It’s about the person’s soul. Maybe this’ll give us a little push toward that understanding. You can heal a lot of pain with laughter.”
Scott – who’s currently on the big-screen as James McAvoy’s boss from hell in the big-screen thriller “Wanted” with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman – has come full circle with ‘Sordid Lives’ writer/producer Shores. “I was in the first play over 10 years ago,” recalls Scott, who was originally cast as Noleta (played by Caroline Rhea in the series). “Del created the part of Vera for me in the film and the series. Vera’s a pistol. She’s the best friend of Sissy (Beth Grant), works at the Corner Stop, is very religious and very sweet, but she’s always stirring the pot a little.”