Primetime Emmy Tally: Two
How She Got the Gold: As lead actress in a drama series (1989, ’92) for her role as army nurse Colleen McMurphy in ABC’s China Beach.
Now for the Noms: Two more lead-actress nominations for China Beach (1990, ’91) and one as guest actress in a drama (2001) for the CBS series Family Law.
Emmy Memory: “After I won my first Emmy, I received wonderful letters from actresses that I admired, like Sharon Gless, Tyne Daly and Suzanne Pleshette. It was like being welcomed to some club I never thought I’d belong to.”
Role Call: “My character on China Beach spoiled me. She was beautifully written, richly layered… [and] wonderfully not perfect. I look for characters who have beautiful imperfections — with humor and a dash of danger.”
New View: “By the time China Beach aired, America was finally ready to look at our role in the Vietnam War and how we treated our veterans.”
Treasure Chest: “I keep my Emmys on a Tansu chest in my office, with a Honey West doll — Honey was my idol as a girl — stuck in one, and a Barbie dressed like me at the 1991 Emmys in the other.”
First Love: “I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was three. I knew no one in the business. It just was. I truly love acting and hope to do it until I die.”
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