Katey Sagal has been working so hardat ABC that one of her characters got sick.
The star of first-season drama "Rebel" (Thursdays, 10 EDT/PDT), in which she plays anactivist dynamo inspired by Erin Brockovich, had to take a break from "The Conners" (Wednesdays, 8 EDT/PDT) due to filming conflicts. The solution: Louise, the girlfriend of widower Dan Conner (John Goodman), contracted coronavirus and went into quarantine, a plotline appropriate for a comedy that embraces contemporary issues.
"Louise had COVID because she had to go be a rebel. That was kind of how we worked around that," Sagal says, explaining the maneuver that gave her time to focus onAnnie 'Rebel' Flynn Ray Bello, athrice-married mother of three and unstoppable crusader for the downtrodden.
Katey Sagal's latest role is inspired by activist Erin Brockovich
Katey Sagal is proud of her role in the new ABC series “Rebel.” She plays an "age appropriate" legal activist without a law degree who is"still sexy and smart." (April 15)
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Don't worry, Louise recovers and will return on Wednesday. Sagal loves her recurring role on "The Conners" and says she is contractually allowed to continue on the "Roseanne" spinoffif "Rebel" is renewed for a second season.
In a business where employment is always tenuous – especially as actors age –Sagal, 67, known for memorable roles in "Sons of Anarchy," "Married... with Children" and "Futurama," remains in heavy demand. "Rebel" is a big play for ABC, with Krista Vernoff ("Grey's Anatomy," "Station 19") ascreator,Brockovich as an executive producer and Andy Garcia and John Corbett as her co-stars.
Despite her busy schedule, Sagal, a mother of three who's married to "Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter, also is a singer-songwriter who hopes to start scheduling performances again with her band, The Forest Rangers, when the pandemic recedes enough for group gatherings.
During a break in "Rebel" filming, Sagal spoke to USA TODAY about her career and life. (Edited and condensed for clarity)
Question: How much are you modeling Rebelon legendary environmental activist Brockovich, who was played by Julia Roberts in a movie?
Katey Sagal: Rebel is a consumer advocate,she's a fighter for social justice, but I'm not playing Erin Brockovich. Thereare broad strokesthat are similar. Like (Rebel is) on herthird marriage. (Erin)has also had three marriages. She gives voice to the voiceless, andthat is very similar to Erin.
Q: Do you see any of yourself in Rebel?
Sagal: Not as much as I thought because I tend to be a little more chill. It's been great to channel somebody that gets in your face and doesn't let go and says what she reallyfeels and thinks,even if it's somewhat inappropriate. It's been kind of liberating to play somebody like that. We'll see if my family starts telling me that I'm not letting them get a word in edgewise.
Q:Your daughter, Sarah Grace White, appeared in a recent episode as a young woman who needs Rebel's help with a negligentlandlord. What was it like working with her?
Sagal: We've never acted together, so it was really exciting. We hadso much fun. She's worked on series before,soit was like just anotherpro actor with me, not so much about mom and daughter,which is very nice.
Q: Did they try to make the two of you look different on the show?
Sagal: Yes. They wanted no resemblance. So, she's got the glasses, she's got her hair up andI think she looks not like my daughter. I think she looks likethis freaked-out Millennialthat's dealing with poisoned water.
Q: You seem as busy as ever acting these days, with other recent roles in "Shameless," "Dead to Me," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "Superior Donuts." How do youfeel aboutthis part of your career?
Sagal;I feel blessed and grateful that I keep working. I'm really glad (they)decided to use an age-appropriate actress to playRebel,which I think is something that should be addressed more.I'm proud to sort of symbolize somebody in her 60sleading the charge and having that position on a show. I'm very lucky.
Q: Do you feel moreactors are gettingrolesas they get older?
Sagal: I see more and more older women in bigger roles. Part of the issue (is) there are fewer parts for women of a certain age that are being written. Sothat would be a place that we could see more representation. It's so funny how in Europethey treatgetting older asa fantastic thing, and in this country, we're kind of youth-oriented, which is sort of boring.
Q: Who wouldwin in a fight, Gemma from "Anarchy" or Rebel?
Sagal: Probably Gemma because she would use a gun. (Laughs)Gemma was an outlaw. Rebel pushes the boundaries of the law, but she stays within it. Even though she (has) a gun she wouldn't shoot you.Gemma would shoot you.
Q: How would a couple of your other memorable characters, Leela from "Futurama" or Peg Bundy from "Married," do against them?
Sagal: Leela'sa tough one. Shemight karate chop somebody. That's her whole thing. Peg would be much more passive. Peg was the lightest of all those women. She didn't care.I think she would walk away from a fight.
Q: Which one of your characters do fans talkabout most often?
Sagal: A lot of people were very scared of Gemma, so I’ll get a lot of like, 'Hi' (feigning fear). I still have an enormous fan base for Peg.People really like ("Married"). It makes them laugh. Leela has a very strong following. My voice is usually what people will recognize right away (from "Futurama"). So, it's kind of a tossup. AndRebel's getting somechitchat now, too.
Q: Before your acting career took off, your early professional focus was singing, with stints as a backing vocalist for Bob Dylan, Etta James, Tanya Tucker and Bette Midler. What was it like working with those big stars?
Sagal:My story with Bob Dylanis interesting because he fired me and I never actually made it on the road with him. I made it through a six-week rehearsal process, which was mind-blowing because I was 18. There I was with Bob Dylan and he's singing "Just Like a Woman" and all those songs. Andone week before the tour, he fired all the singers and half the band. He just wanted something different. ButI was starstruck. It was really amazing to go to rehearsal with him every day. I'm sure I was singing terribly because I was so enamored. Singing with Ettawas really amazing. I went in a bus all across country with Etta and the band andshe'd let me open her shows sometimes. And Tanya Tucker,I remember there was a time when she was with Glen Campbell, so he’d be on the road with us. And then with BetteMidler, I went all over the world. That was a fantastic experience as well.
Q: With two TV shows and hopes for a return to band performances, do you have time for anything else?
Sagal:I'm also a mom and I have three kids anda husband andthat's as important as anything in my life. My youngest is now 14, so I feel like I can work these kinds of hours andthat she's duly taken care of. The other two are in their 20sand they'reon their own,so I feel like this is a time of my life when I want to work a lot. I love what I do. Playing this role has been so rewarding and fun.
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