'‘Weeds’ Perkins on How to Grow an Emmy'

September 11 2007

By: Juontel White

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 9/11/07— This Sunday, actress Elizabeth Perkins will walk the red carpet as a nominee for the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards. And boy is she excited.

It took her a long time to cultivate the Emmy noms. “I’ve been doing this for almost 25 years now,” said Perkins. “And I think this (nomination) is partly more of longevity.”

“Weeds,” the dark comedy about a pot farmer, has now received 10 nominations five for each of the two years it’s been on air. Perkins received her second nomination for best supporting actress for her role as the town Mayor in the cable show. However, she thinks that the nomination is not for her recent work but more of an overarching congratulatory effort for her career.

“It’s the respect of your peers and your industry that you have been hanging in there as long as you can,” the actress told Hollywood Today.

Perkins, also known for her film work (”Big,” “Cats and Dogs”) shared her favorite thing about this 59-year-old television award celebration.

“The best thing about going to Emmy’s is that it’s a chance for me to see people that I have known for 20 years but don’t usually get to see,” said Perkins. “I can run into Tony Shaloub, Hugh Laurie, Amy Brennamen, people I’ve known for so long but never get to see.”

Perkins admits that she runs into more than just long-time-no-see friends. Just last year the actress ran straight to the bathroom and undressed just to wipe the sweat off her body.

“I would have slipped on the carpet because of my sweat,” Perkins said. “It was 108 degrees on the red carpet.”

“Weeds” is a series about a suburban mother who becomes a pot farmer after her husband dies and she is left in a desperate bind to care for her 10-year-old son.

The show first debuted in 2005, at which time cast and crew expected media to raise controversy about the show because of its cannabis content.

This year’s season of “Weeds” is expected to be more brow-raising than the last.

“This year we’re going pretty far,” Perkins said. “It’s pretty out there. The finale this year was shocking to even us (cast).”

“For cable television it’s about finding that medium between films and prime time television,” Perkins continues, “you can do much more cutting edge material you can go a lot more with scripts, writing, nudity.”

We look forward to seeing Perkins at this Sunday’s Emmys but hopefully the red carpet temperature is cooler than last year.

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