Kyra Sedgwick is back on TV. I will not accept her back on TV until she does The Closer: Whatever Brenda Leigh Is Doing Now, Which Is Probably Not Working For The LAPD. They’ve tried to keep up with the Brenda character a little bit on Major Crimes, but I can’t keep track of what she’s doing exactly. Anyway, Kyra’s new show is Ten Days In the Valley. I forgive you if you didn’t hear of it. Kyra forgives you too – she basically blames ABC for barely promoting it (the first episode premiered Sunday night). Kyra chatted with The Daily Beast about Peak TV and politics and more. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
The world today: “On some level we’re all acting like everything’s normal. And it’s not. There’s nothing normal about anything! I mean, my god, it’s 90 degrees. Our president is spouting bellicose rhetoric with a madman. It’s a crazy time….I do everything I can, and it’s not enough. I feel like we should just be marching in the streets all the time… I think everyone is in a state, not even of PTSD, but in a state of trauma. Then I hear people saying that it’s the cancer that’s good, it’s the boil that needs to be lanced. I’m like, I’m all for that, but let’s not destroy ourselves in the process.
Double standards in Hollywood: “I think you begrudgingly move up a ladder when you’re a woman. The truth is that if a woman has one failed movie they’re in director jail for so much longer. There are so many directors out there where it’s like, god, they’re getting another $50 million movie? I can’t f–king believe it.
Her kids don’t want to have children because of global warming: “My children are terrified about having children and probably won’t because of it. They think it’s irresponsible. That their kids are just going to be burned. This is just the reality of people who are really aware of what’s going on.”
On mom-shaming & mom-guilt: “Part of what the show really deals with is the inherent guilt a mother feels the moment a child comes out of your body. And also how we perpetuate that weapon on women constantly, whether it’s the way they’re behaving, their size, their age, or what they are or aren’t doing to their faces. We deal with that a lot in the show, about shame and how we deal with it. She’s a great lightning rod for those issues.
The guilt working mothers face: “I feel a little bit like a role model at this point for women. I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m saying it’s hard to age and it’s hard to juggle it all and we’re supposed to do it well and it’s unrealistic expectations. I love women so much. I feel like if I can help somebody with something I say, a young mother who’s struggling, saying that guilt is a useless emotion unless it actually spurs change or action. It just comes with the territory. You have to say sometimes, ‘Thank you very much for sharing, now shut the f–k up, guilt.’Her big return to TV is happening during Peak TV: “The biggest difference is that there’s tons more shows and there’s a lot more competition, you know? I also think ABC’s not doing a good job getting the word out there. When I was doing The Closer, literally the two weeks before we aired, Steve Koonin’s goal was that everyone living in a major city would be exposed to something about The Closer five times in a day. He used to run Coke, and he was the head of TNT marketing. And he made that happen. It’s great that I get to do interviews for this now, because I have a track record. But the truth is that no one knows [Ten Days on the Valley] is on. So that’s disturbing and scary.
She talks about a lot of other stuff in this piece, like how Kevin Bacon (her husband!) convinced her to do The Closer even though they had lived in New York throughout their marriage at that time. They relocated to LA for her job, and Kevin was the one who spent time at home, saying “no” to scripts and taking care of their kids. Kevin and Kyra have such an amazing marriage, my God. As for the rest of it… I bet ABC isn’t happy that Kyra is slamming their promotional efforts, or lack thereof. I also think it’s interesting that Kyra’s kids don’t want to have kids because of global warming.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I don’t want children either because of global warming. Well, global warming and a whole f*ckton of other things that are going wrong. Don’t want to put more people on this planet and don’t want to put them through all of what is to come. Also I love Kyra and Kevin too.
Ditto. I have enough anxiety, I can’t imagine inflicting that on a poor, innocent, little baby. Global warming, pending world wars, inept leaders across the world, any other daily inconvenience, it’s all not worth it.
I am with you!!
Also there are so many children that need safe and caring homes currently living on the planet. So if/when I feel like expanding my family, then there is a way without me adding another life to this overburdened planet.
Me neither! The world is too f up to have a child.
count me in as well.
We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.
I made that choice in childhood too due to DNA concerns LOL. Did not want to risk a child’s life. Anyway, I’m glad for that decision because it was correct (re: DNA and general family dysfunction) but also due to state of world today. And just general humanity, and lack of it.
Kyra….Something to Talk About…Kevin…Footloose….I have loved these two forever.
Perhaps the next generation can do something to change things. I would like to believe that.
I don’t disagree. I don’t want children either-between global warming, overpopulation, growing racism and so many other depressing things happening in this world my child would suffer more than succeed. It’s a sad reality
If someone is unborn of course they won’t suffer. But they never exist either so it’s such a odd argument. Only the most clinically depressed people wish never to have been born. Who are going to speak against racism if only racists have children?
And adopting form other countries has limited help vs having your own if you care about global warming since it’s the lifestyle we have that contributes the most.
But if you don’t want to have children for global warming it’s fine. But if you have only a limited amount it’s not like need to feel guilty. If the population would drastically shrink it would cause its own issues.
“But if you have only a limited amount it’s not like need to feel guilty.”
I think some people feel guilty not because of the sheer numbers they’re adding to overpopulation issue but because of what they’re subjecting their children to: an uncertain future on a hostile planet.
@ Mango: Life has always been “an uncertain future on a hostile planet.” People like to pretend, but there was never a golden age of safety and security in the world. The closest thing we’ve experienced to that is actually…now-ish.
Common sense, maybe you’re right, but in known history there’s never been a time when we had so much scientific knowledge to predict such an apocalyptic future, and/or live on such a populated planet with everyone wanting the resource-intensive middle-class and upwards lifestyle. Maybe we’ll have the scientific know how to avert it.
I am also leaning heavily towards not having children, and global warming is one of the main reasons. I really feel that even if I wanted kids I just couldn’t justify having them to satisfy my own wants with the way the world is now. It would be a burden on the world and a burden on my children. Decisions, decisions.
I wish more people would take this stance.
I wish the Kardashians would take this stance. No but seriously I’m surprised at how widespread this sentiment is. People are watching out for the end of the world.
I wake up every morning and fearfully look at this site and the news wondering what new tragedy has struck. Maybe I need to stop. Because I honestly feel swallowed up by it. All of it. And that carries into my day. Fortunately my 20+ daughter wants kids and still feels excited about life and believes she will make a difference in the world. The world needs people to still feel that way. Especially young people.
@Other Renee, it makes me happy to hear that about your daughter. My hope has all been drained away and we need more people like her!
Having children is a personal choice and nobody should feel bad about that . As far as the global warming , we had the hottest summer in history this past summer . It’s happening and it is inconceivable too me that it’s still getting denied . It’s happening and it isn’t science fiction .
@Aims: I sincerely hope I heard this incorrectly, but on a recent episode of Bill Maher, I think he said 53 members of Congress are climate change deniers. 53! We’re f*cked. I don’t understand how so many people are so stupid.
I don’t want to live in a world where it doesn’t rain in Seattle. Among other things, of course!
I would be bold enough to say that the 53 members are bought by big oil or something along those lines . For once I would like to see someone stand up and say facts. Science is not the enemy . Things are happening and people in charge are either cowards or crooked to do something about it.
Also I’m from oregon, I get the rain comment .
If Seattle is even still there. All bets are off these days.
The Zero Population Growth movement started in 1968 because of environmental concerns. Too bad it didn’t catch on more than it did.
Zero Population is that no one should have more than 2 children: one to replace each parent’s place on earth. It is NOT saying don’t have any kids.
I don’t disagree, and this is what helped me to decide to definitely not have any more.
As other posters above said, it’s not just global warming— it is the state of the world in general. Why would I want to inflict this misery on more innocent people by bringing them into the world?
I don’t even want to be here most days at this point!
I first side-eyed the article until I googled the age of the kids and learned that they are well in their 20’s. The kids are plenty old to make independent informed decisions. I was imagining much younger kids parroting their parents beliefs.
When I was 12 I told a family friend I didn’t want kids because “the planet is dying.” I was a dramatic child, but he recently reminded me of that. Kids are perfectly capable of making up their minds.
Honestly if I had listened to the worst case scenarios regarding global warming instead of assuming we’d be more inline with the best case scenarios, I probably would not have brought children into this world. Because I love them more than I knew was possible to love and I hate the world they are growing up in. We live on cape cod and this morning my 7 year old asked if erosion was going to eliminate the cape? Never mind the president and all the guns. Lockdown drills are a regular part of their life. I feel so much guilt about the world I’ve brought them into.
@Meg: Same. It’s horrible. My five-year-Old daughter recently asked me “Is Donald Trump a bad man?” and I had to come up with a non-scary (for her) answer. And she’s only going to absorb more and have more questions as she gets older. It’s hard.
My kids are in their early 20’s and I don’t say a PEEP about them having kids. They’re both leaning toward not, but it’s early. I don’t understand these gals who nag their kids to give them grandchildren; that just seems so selfish to me. It would cause ME too much anxiety to watch them try to raise babies today. Seems like such a different world than 25 years ago.
I just don’t want children. there is no excuse for it. I just don’t want to be a mom. never have.
side note: my uber Christian 10 years older brother adopted 2 8 year old russian “orphans” years back through his church. Then he changed their names to be more “american”. weirdest thing to do? they were 8 they knew their names!!! I don’t talk to them very much…bc they’re weird.
I feel like I channel Brenda Leigh every time I walk into a meeting with my purse on my shoulder. 🙂
I’m indifferent to most H’wood couples, but hard not to like the Kevin and Kyra partnership. No reason to think they won’t, but fingers crossed they go the distance!
I’m delighted to see Kyra is up and being public again…somewhere. Have enjoyed her work since “Let’s give them something to talk about”…giggling just thinking about the scene w/Dennis Quaid…..
Kyra’s right about the advertising – I’m a fan of hers, but had NO idea she had a new show, or that it was starting already. I’ll have to check it out.
When I was young, I always assumed I’d have kids because it was the thing everyone did. As I got older, I never felt the need. Nowadays, I’m a little relieved I don’t have them, because everything is so bad right now. I really feel for parents who are worrying about the future and have to explain such awfulness to kids.
I love this woman. And I miss seeing her around!
When I was younger, I did not want children because of this, then I wanted them but it was too late for me to get pregnant, I tried IVF nd everything, no luck. We ended adopting a beautiful little girl.
Still think “The Closer” is one of the best shows I’ve ever watched. Makes me sad that many women are reconsidering having kids, due to climate change. But I understand it.