Allison Janney

In her nearly two hour Archive interview, Allison Janney talks about her early interests in figure skating and theater acting. She describes auditioning for a play directed by Paul Newman while at Kenyon College, and her later mentoring by Joanne Woodward, which led her to her training at the Neighborhood Playhouse. She comments on some of her first television roles, and describes her experiences working in television movies and feature films, including "David and Lisa", 'Primary Colors", and "American Beauty". She then details the role for which she is most identified, that of press secretary "C. J. Cregg" on The West Wing, a role which earned her four Emmy Awards. Janney talks of her audition, describes her character, and gives her impressions of her fellow actors in the ensemble. She discusses working with series creator Aaron Sorkin, her enthusiasm for the show's signature "walk and talks", and recounts some memorable "C. J." storylines. Jennifer Howard conducted the interview on October 6, 2006 in Beverly Hills, CA.