Leoni Online: The Articles — AOL Chat

AOLiveMC2: Welcome Téa Leoni. It’s a pleasure to welcome you to AOL Live.
AOLiveMC2: Let’s get right to the questions.

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Thank you!

Question: I know that most celebrities do not want their children photographed,

Question: however I think this is a really great cause…what made you decide to do
Question: it?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I met Joyce Ostin a few months before

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: the photograph was taken
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and she shared with me her story
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: of surviving breast cancers twice.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I was already at that time in another charity
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: to promote Breast Cancer Awareness
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and to help to raise money.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: This was called Expedition Inspiration.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I was extremely moved by Joyce’s experience
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and welcomed the opportunity to join an effort
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: to stop this disease.

Question: Tea, you are one of the spunkiest, sassiest actresses I know.

Question: How do you manage to be a new mom, love David, and act?
Question: Don’t you want to pull your hair out sometimes?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I wanna pull my hair out all the time!

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I am pretty tired a lot of the time.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And sometimes feel that everyone only gets
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: just enough of me.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: … My baby, …. David
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: but at the same time I am excited and happy
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: to be able to do all these things at once.

Question: What’s the hardest part about being a mother while also being an actress?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Let’s see…

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I would have to say that …
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: getting up in the morning (Laugh, Laugh)
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Sometimes it feels, between being a mom and working,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and I know this is a popular thought,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: it can feel like you are busy 24 hours a day,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: 7 days a week,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: but in an odd way, both my family and my work
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: benefit from one another.

Question: First off… It’s great honor to chat with you. I have a huge question.

Question: At what age did you know you wanted to be an actress? Or how did that
Question: come about?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: There wasn’t a specific age or moment

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: at which I knew I wanted to do this.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I was actually dared to do it.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: It was a very slow road towards feeling confident
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and correct in the “profession.”
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I wasn’t a little girl who always dreamed of becoming
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: an actress, but
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: sometimes I feel like a little girl loving being an actress.

Question: How do you keep from going postal on the media?? What coping

Question: techniques do you use?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Ha ha ha ha!

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I don’t know …. uhhh
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I think the media just sort of stalk …
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: The media is unjust, there are certain aspects
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: of the media or rather living in the media
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: that are difficult.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: There are moments that a very private with my family
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: that are sometimes exposed through photographs
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and I can’t explain why,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: but that can hurt my feelings.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: But, it seems just after that, I can remember that
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: or realize that, it isn’t really an invasion ….
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: its just a photograph.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: There are some other things that I can’t think of right now.

Question: I read you enjoy singing. Ever think of doing it onscreen? what

Question: singer/styles do you admire?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I do enjoy singing.

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: But I think it is to everyone’s benefit that I
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: quarantine my voice to the shower and car.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I grew up with Janice Joplin, Bette Midler, Manhattan Transfer
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Bonnie Rait, and these are some of the voices that are still
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: favorites.

Question: Your background suggests an intriguing mix of New York City

Question: sophisticate and Texas country cowgal. How does this contribute to
Question: your unique style, as an actress at work and a mom at home?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Its hard to be specific to say how a New York or Texas

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: background plays in my personal or professional life.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I can do a wicked Texas Accent!
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: But I do think I was very close to my Grandparents, both
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: from Texas and New York.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: they were very different and all very inspiring.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: My New York Grandmother inspired grace and kindness
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: in my life.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: My Grandparents in Amarillo inspired
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: a kind of gentle ambition and loyalty.

Question: Have you ever lost someone close to you to breast cancer?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I am very fortunate to say that at this point in my life

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I have not lost anyone to Breast Cancer.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: As I get older and know more women who are struck
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: by this disease.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I am all to aware that the latter is not something
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: that I will be able to report.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: For the duration of my life and now
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I have a daughter.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Maybe my ambition is to give her life in which she
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: never loses anyone close to her to breast cancer.

Question: I read that you are very active in a number of charity causes, what Question: other causes do you believe in?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Well probably the most prominate other cause

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: in my life is through Unicef.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I would be very hard pressed to limit that answer by
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: trying to name and perhaps leave out a cause or an
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: endeavor, but
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I think sometimes, it can be overwhelming
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: when you think how many causes there are around you
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: that you become aware of,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and it is easy to feel, perhaps
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: that you can never do enough.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I am not sure the point is ever to do enough,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: just do what you can.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: For me right now,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I’ve had some very inspiring and beautiful opportunities
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: to work in the fight of Breast Cancer and to better
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: the world’s children through UNICEF (in particular).

Question: As much as people tell you what motherhood will be like, when you

Question: become one there are still surprises. any mommy epiphanies you’d Question: care to share?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Yeah …

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: gosh, so many!
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I’ve learned not to get too attracted to any
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: method in Motherhood!
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Because dollars to doughnuts, it changes next week.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: For example,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: the sleeping through the night problem.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I’ve had that licked so many times, with so many different TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: objections, and so many different new
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: manipulations from my very evening rowdy daughter!
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Just when I think I’ve got the program, the schedule
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: worked out with her,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: it’s a new issue that comes up.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And I am open to any and all
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: For what I may face with my new two year old!!!!!!!!!!

Question: You’re a splendid actress, comedy or drama. Who/what makes you laugh?

Question: Make you cry?

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Before I answer that, let me add with regard to that sleep issue

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Other celebrities have websites, mine could be:
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: IWANTSLEEP.COM!
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Okay, now for the question …
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Gosh …
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Gee …
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Lucille Ball, Kathryn Hepburn, and David are always good
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: for a great laugh!
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: it is suprising how many commercials can make me cry.

Question: Tea, can you tell us what you are working on? Your an amazing

Question: actress & I can not wait to see you on screen again.

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Wow and Thank You for that!

TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I’ve just finished a movie with Al Pacino.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: A somewhat dark drama and
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I am now working with Woody Allen on his Spring Project.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: But, Jurassic Park is coming out this Summer
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and I think that will have to be as much fun to watch
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: as it was to make.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: After all this, I think I will take a little vacation,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: or maybe,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: a big vacation,
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: and spend a lot of time with David and my daughter.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: I want to thank everyone for their support and interest in
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: this book.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: It is something that meant a lot to me.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: And it is something that any mother will understand.
TeaLeoniL*:TeaLeoniLive: Thanks a lot!