- 6 hours ago
Actress Elizabeth Perkins continues to balance a prolific career with a grounded personal life, bringing decades of experience to a new wave of roles. She sat down with LifeMinute editor-in-chief Joann Butler to discuss her latest projects and the perspective she’s gained throughout a career that’s still going strong. Perkins stars in Netflix’s Big Mistakes, a dark comedy from Dan Levy and Rachel Sennott, about siblings pulled into organized crime. She praised Levy’s inclusive, collaborative style, calling the set environment both rare and inspiring—made even more special by finally working with her longtime friend, Laurie Metcalf. She’s also set to appear in FX’s Cry Wolf, from Sarah Treem, alongside Olivia Colman and Brie Larson, tackling the complexities of Child Protective Services. She also had a brief, but impactful appearance in The Housemaid, directed by Paul Feig, continuing a run of high-profile collaborations. With a career spanning film, television, and theater, Perkins has built an eclectic résumé. She earned multiple award nominations for her role on Weeds and won a Gracie Award for Sharp Objects. Her early breakout came in Big alongside Tom Hanks, with other notable performances in About Last Night with Demi Moore and Rob Lowe, Avalon, and a wide range of film and television projects that showcase her versatility. Off-screen, Perkins finds balance in a quieter life spent hiking, making collage art, and connecting with nature. This is a LifeMinute with Elizabeth Perkins.
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00:00Hi, I'm Elizabeth Perkins, and you're watching Life Minute TV.
00:04Actress Elizabeth Perkins has been wowing us for decades with one big hit after another.
00:10From that breakout role opposite Tom Hanks to her Emmy-nominated turn on Weeds,
00:15her latest Netflix, Big Mistakes, is no exception.
00:19She sat down with me recently to tell me all about it and a whole lot more.
00:23This is a Life Minute with Elizabeth Perkins.
00:26Elizabeth Perkins in the house. Yay!
00:28Thanks for having me.
00:29It's been a Life Minute.
00:31So glad to have you.
00:32Lovely to be here.
00:33So, your new Netflix show, Big Mistakes.
00:36In Proverbs, it has said the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
00:44Yes, you're coming!
00:45I'm going to blow your brains out!
00:46I did it!
00:47You're being very dramatic!
00:48It's created by Rachel Sennett and Dan Levy, who created Schicks Creek.
00:54It's starring Dan and a wonderful young actress named Taylor Ortega.
01:00She's incredible.
01:01Laurie Metcalf is in it.
01:03And it's about two siblings who unexpectedly get involved with organized crime in New Jersey.
01:09They make a fatal error that opens the door to a lot of misadventure.
01:15Yeah, for sure.
01:16It's funny.
01:17Yeah, it's a comedy.
01:18Sort of.
01:19It's also dramatic.
01:20Anyway, watch it.
01:21So tell us about Annette, what it's like to play her.
01:24Annette has been involved with this family.
01:27My son has been engaged to Taylor.
01:29So I'm very, very, very close with this family.
01:32But they're definitely in a different class than me.
01:35I'm a very wealthy real estate mogul.
01:38I'm a little put off by their, I don't know, their very déclassé to me and opinionated.
01:44But at the same time, I know my son loves this woman.
01:48And so I kind of put up with them.
01:52And Dan Levy, what's he like to work with?
01:54Oh, he's so inspiring.
01:56He just comes from a place of deep humanity.
02:00That's what he's like in his personal life, too.
02:02He's very open.
02:03He's very collaborative.
02:05I mean, he's an amazing sense of humor.
02:07He insists that his sets maintain a sense of calm and are very inclusive.
02:14He knows that acknowledging the crew is just as important as acknowledging the stars or the actors.
02:21So there's a real sense of honest camaraderie and everyone feeling like they're important and that there's a real sense
02:31of family.
02:32And it's very inspiring to work with somebody who's that in control, but in a really good way, of setting
02:40that tone of inclusivity.
02:44Oh, that's so nice.
02:45It's really nice and very rare.
02:47Rare.
02:47Very rare.
02:48Rare, I'm sure.
02:49Very rare.
02:50Where is it taped?
02:51We've been shooting in Jersey City.
02:53You have been?
02:53Yes.
02:53Oh, my gosh.
02:54I didn't even realize it.
02:55Yeah.
02:56We have a soundstage out there and we've been doing a lot of location.
03:00You should come on by.
03:01I know.
03:01We get a season two.
03:02I know.
03:03And Laurie Metcalf.
03:04She's great as well.
03:05Unbelievable.
03:06And it's funny because Laurie and I have been friends for about 45 years, which I can't believe I have
03:12friends for 45 years.
03:14But this is the first time we've ever worked together.
03:17So for me, it was just an absolute dream come true because we have a shorthand.
03:22I mean, I remember when her daughter was born, Zoe Perry, and I remember her pushing her around New York.
03:29So it's been such a blessing to be able to finally work with her.
03:34Oh, that's so neat.
03:35Yeah.
03:35How did it all come to be?
03:37Well, I was fangirling on Dan Levy on social media and then met him at an awards show.
03:44I can't remember what awards show it was, but his table was right next to mine.
03:48And I had known Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy for years just through different iterations.
03:52And I just fangirled my way over to Dan Levy.
03:56And we sort of became friends through that.
03:58And we'd text each other.
03:59And I was always kind of hoping, like, oh, God, I'd love to work with him one day.
04:03And so when he asked me to do this, I didn't know anything about the project.
04:06And so when he told me Laurie Metcalf was in it, I just kind of melted.
04:10And I said, I don't care what the part is.
04:12I just want to hang out on the set.
04:15I'm like, I'll just hang out by craft services.
04:17And if you need anything.
04:19So it was just a little gift that landed in my lap.
04:23That's awesome.
04:24Well, good for them, too.
04:25They did good with you.
04:26You're an icon.
04:27And FX Cry Wolf, you're in that as well.
04:30Tell us about that.
04:31I'm just feeling really lucky these days.
04:33Sarah Treem is our creator.
04:35And she did The Affair, an amazing woman.
04:39And it's starring Olivia Colman, who, like, I bow down to the queen.
04:44Just an incredible actress.
04:46So that's been remarkable for me.
04:49And Brie Larson is in it, who's absolutely lovely.
04:51And I play Brie's mother.
04:53It's a new show on FX.
04:57They'll probably be coming in the fall.
04:58And it's on the dark side, but it's so well acted and so well written.
05:05It's about child protective services and the system and how that operates sometimes for the good and sometimes for the
05:13bad.
05:13And exploring, you know, different dynamics of social services, which particularly now in this environment are suffering.
05:23And there's, you know, a lot to be said about that.
05:25Yeah, really timely.
05:26Yeah.
05:27And Housemaid, you were great in that, too.
05:29Small role, but very good.
05:30My friend, Paul Feig, who's the director.
05:33So fun to watch Sidney Sweeney and Amanda Saver go after each other.
05:36It was so much fun.
05:38I have a very small part in it, but I'll do anything for Paul.
05:41He's amazing.
05:42He's amazing.
05:43Yeah, he does some good stuff.
05:44Well, you're on fire right now as well.
05:47Again.
05:48And still, I should say.
05:50You've been in so many iconic roles.
05:52Do you have a favorite?
05:53I think I have a favorite film.
05:55It was a small movie called Avalon that was made by Barry Levinson.
05:59No, no, Mike, Michael, it's going to be just the same.
06:02Us and your grandparents are going to live in our house, and they're going to live in another house.
06:04We're all going to live near each other just like it is now.
06:06Honey, please don't distract me, okay?
06:07It's going to rain any minute.
06:08I got furniture all over the street.
06:09I'm going to panic.
06:11Okay.
06:11He did three movies about growing up in Baltimore, and this was the last installment that was
06:17about his childhood.
06:18I had the honor of playing his mom in that, and it was an incredible group of actors, Aidan
06:25Quinn and the late Joan Plowright and all these actors from the Yiddish Theater in New York,
06:30and it was just lovely to make a period piece, and I was really honored to play his mom.
06:36That was a little gift.
06:37In terms of roles, I was on the show Weeds, and my character was Celia Hodes, and she was just
06:46nuts.
06:54I don't think there's any actor out there who wouldn't want to say, yeah, I want to play somebody who's
06:58just off the wall because it's so freeing and it's so unpredictable, and you can sort of do whatever you
07:05want and get away with it, and she was just evil and broken and mad and sad, and that was
07:11probably one of my favorite roles.
07:13Cool. How do you get ready for roles?
07:16It changes every time. You know, you can make decisions in your apartment or, you know, I'm going to do
07:22this, I'm going to do that, but it all comes down to what happens when, you know, your feet are
07:26on the stage and, you know, what that tone is and how everything's playing off of each other and the
07:34other actor in the scene.
07:35So every single job is completely different. I mean, you do as much prep work as you can. I study
07:41my lines until I know them backwards and forwards. That's my personal choice, but it just depends on the vibe
07:48on the set, what the director wants, how the director wants to approach it or the creator.
07:53I'm a child, Susan, and I'm not ready for all of this.
07:58Oh, that's fine. That is, that's just great.
08:02Yeah, people still quote that movie, which is so funny to me. Like, I'm like, wow, because I think I
08:07was 27, 26 when we made that, so a long time ago.
08:12And you look the same, just the same. What's he doing to work with, Tom Hanks?
08:15Oh, he's the best. I mean, everybody who's worked with Tom Hanks has been like, he's the best. He's a
08:20leader. He's calm. What I love about Tom is that he never takes it all too seriously. I mean, like,
08:27ultimately, you're making a movie, you know, you're not solving world hunger. It's a gift to be able to do
08:33it. And he always acknowledges that. Keeps a sense of perspective about it all, which is welcoming.
08:39And about last night, I always loved you in that, too. That was my first.
08:43I, on the other hand, work with monsters. You're talking about five-year-olds.
08:48Right. And my job is to break their spirit. That's what kindergarten is all about.
08:52He was sort of at the height of the Brack Pack, and I remember working with Rob Lowe, and he'd
08:56come out of his trailer, and there'd just be all these screaming teenagers on the street.
09:01And I was like, because I'd never seen anything like that before I'd come from the theater, so that was
09:07an experience.
09:08Yeah, he was definitely a teen idol in those days.
09:12And the theater, was it Chicago?
09:14Worked in Chicago and worked here as well in the theater. Yeah, I got my first big break here in
09:19New York doing Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs.
09:23Were there any actors along the way that inspired you?
09:26There's been so many. Well, Laurie Metcalf, who I'm now working with. Oh, my God. The first time I saw
09:30her on stage, I think I was 18.
09:32Oh, wow. And I remember thinking to myself, God, if I could ever be that good of an actor.
09:39I was very inspiring working with Mary Louise Parker, who's incredible, just always surprised me, always brought something new and
09:47interesting.
09:48Working with the late William Hurt was a great experience for me.
09:53Now being able to work with Olivia Colman has kind of been like, thank you, because I'm just in awe
09:59of her work.
10:00Did you always know you wanted to act?
10:02No. I mean, I always did plays, you know. I was in Hansel and Gretel when I was little, and
10:09I always did plays all through school.
10:11But I wanted to be a veterinarian. I'm a big animal person, big rescue person, and I just wasn't qualified.
10:19I just couldn't get through math. I just couldn't get through the science.
10:23I mean, I loved animals, but, you know, it's really, really tough to become a veterinarian.
10:29It really is.
10:30And most people don't realize it's harder than med school.
10:32Well, like it's so easy to be an actor.
10:34Well, that's a successful one, though.
10:37No, but most people don't realize about veterinary medicine is that, you know, being a doctor for humans, there's one
10:42body.
10:43But when you're talking about veterinary medicine, there's so much you have to learn.
10:47So I just couldn't handle it.
10:50But I always fell back on being an actor, and it's worked out great. I've had a great time.
10:56It's amazing.
10:56Do you have any animals now?
10:58I do. I have two little puppies.
10:59Aw, puppies.
11:01Two little puppies. Well, they call them puppies. They're full grown.
11:03But one's only three pounds, and one's eight pounds.
11:06So, yeah, Dudley and Little Pete.
11:07Little Pete is a special needs dog. He has a tumor in his brain.
11:11But he's fine. It's funny.
11:14When we adopted him, they said, oh, it could be six weeks, could be six months.
11:18And so we fostered him, and that was seven years ago.
11:22Wow. Oh, that's amazing.
11:23He's like, oh, I love him. Love him so much.
11:26Aw, that's amazing.
11:28You're really taking care of him.
11:30What do you like to do when you're not working, if that ever is?
11:33Well, I live upstate, so that's great.
11:35I have a property up there.
11:38I spend a lot of time up there.
11:39And I'm a collage artist.
11:40I have a studio up there, and I do mixed-media collage.
11:45And I love to hike.
11:46I'm very into nature.
11:47And I grow my own vegetables, which are going to be going in the ground shortly.
11:51Looking forward to the summer.
11:53And like I said, you look amazing.
11:55You look very different.
11:56What do you do to stay well?
11:58Drink a lot of water.
12:00I mean, people really underestimate water.
12:03I don't know.
12:03I'm happy right now, so that might help.
12:06That's so great.
12:07That always helps.
12:07Oh, yeah.
12:08What do you binge?
12:09Do you ever have time to binge anything?
12:11True crime.
12:12But it's so funny.
12:13I talk to so many women.
12:14They're like, I love true crime.
12:16And I've actually seen some memes on social media about, you know, women in bed.
12:22Then he dragged the body out to the shed.
12:25And, you know, I think it's true.
12:27I think it's a great escape.
12:29I love the show Snapped, about women who kill.
12:32Oh, I'm so nice.
12:33Women who kill.
12:34So I'll binge that.
12:35But what I am doing lately, and I don't know if it's because of the state of the world or
12:39where we're at,
12:40but I've been watching a lot of old sitcoms late at night, like Everybody Loves Raymond or Friends or Golden
12:46Girls.
12:47I don't know.
12:47There's a sense of comfort in that or familiarity that just feels like, oh, okay, everything's fine.
12:54Golden Girls are on.
12:55I've got my lemon tea.
12:57So good.
12:57Everything's fine.
12:58Favorite comfort food, speaking of comfort.
13:01Oh, bread.
13:02I'm just a bread and butter person.
13:04Like, if I was, you know, be on a desert island, it'd be like just a loaf of crunchy bread
13:09and some salted butter, and I'm good.
13:12What's on your music playlist?
13:14Well, last year was all Taylor Swift.
13:17Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift.
13:19We actually, my daughter and I went to the closing night of the tour in Vancouver.
13:23But right now I'm into French jazz.
13:26You know, when I'm just going about the house or working in my studio, it's just nice to have soft,
13:31kind music.
13:33And then all of a sudden, Chapel Rhone.
13:35I'm definitely into female singer-songwriters.
13:38Big Brandi Carlisle fan.
13:39Joni Mitchell.
13:41You know.
13:41Awesome.
13:42What would your current self tell your younger?
13:45God, the first thing that popped in my head was calm down.
13:47I think that, like, don't sweat the small stuff or don't worry.
13:52Like, it's all going to be okay.
13:53You know, as a young actor sort of, you know, making the rounds in New York, it's a lot.
13:58I probably would have told myself, you're going to end up right where you're supposed to be.
14:01But you don't know that when you're young.
14:03So probably just calm down.
14:05It's going to be okay.
14:06I remember being very anxious in my 20s.
14:09And now that I'm in my 60s, I sort of look back like, wow, that was a lot of wasted
14:13energy.
14:14So probably calm down.
14:16What's the key to happiness in life?
14:18Nature.
14:20Connecting with nature.
14:21That, you know, I lived in L.A. for 30-plus years and finally came back.
14:26I mean, I'm originally from New England.
14:27And I realized that I was, everybody says, oh, L.A., there's sunshine.
14:31But, you know, you don't go to the ocean every day.
14:34You know, it's, and the sun is kind of like, and it's dirty.
14:38And, you know, being upstate now, it's just really nice to have access to air and water and green.
14:47You know, even when I'm in the city, I'll just go into Central Park and be like, oh, this is
14:52good.
14:52This is good.
14:54Even, you know, go down to Union Square the other day.
14:56I was like, yeah, cherry blossoms.
14:58I'm good.
14:59I'm good.
15:00Definitely the key.
15:02What's something that you still want to do you haven't done?
15:04You have a lot going on.
15:06To be honest, I've been to Scotland twice, but I've never been to the Highlands.
15:13Like, I want to go on a hiking trip through the Highlands, like the Isle of Man, maybe hit Northern
15:21Ireland.
15:22So I think travel more.
15:23I, you know, we raised four children, been working a lot.
15:28So I think now would be a great time to travel.
15:31And that's Scotland's number one on my list.
15:34So it's just a matter of like booking it.
15:36Like if you book it, then you will go.
15:38But if you don't book it, you'll never go.
15:40One thing that I've always wanted to do is hike part of the Appalachian Trail.
15:44And I know several people who've hiked the entire trail.
15:47And my sister is a master hiker.
15:49She hikes all over New Hampshire.
15:51And I would love to hike at least a part of it.
15:54That's so cool.
15:54That's a dream of mine.
15:55I'll do it.
15:56Get it done, Elizabeth.
15:57Just get it done.
15:58Do your kids have a favorite role of yours?
16:01Probably.
16:02But I, we don't watch my movies in my house or the shows that I'm on.
16:07I was always very conscious of like, yeah, you'll watch it if you want to.
16:12You know, I've never been a person who said, you know, let's sit down and watch mom's movie.
16:16Because it's just, no, I don't get that.
16:19I'm sure there is, maybe, but I've never asked.
16:23That's so good.
16:24You're like so delightful.
16:26As I knew you would be.
16:27Oh, you're very kind.
16:28Congratulations on all the stuff going on.
16:30You're so good.
16:31I appreciate that.
16:32And everything you do.
16:35Thanks for having me today.
16:36To hear more of this interview, visit our podcast, Life Minute TV on iTunes and all streaming podcast platforms.
16:42Thanks for having me.
16:43Thanks for having me.
16:43Thanks for having me.
16:43Thanks for having me.
16:43Thanks for having me.
16:43Thanks for having me.