Interview: A Conversation Among Friends with Mary McCormack and Fred Weller of #InPlainSight

I’m an avid fan of USA’s In Plain Sight so every time I am afforded the opportunity to speak with Mary McCormack and Fred Weller, I jump at it. On Monday, August 2^nd, I spoke with the stars of this great series for the third time in two years. Mary and Fred are incredibly fun to talk to and are always willing to answer anything that comes their way.

This conference call was a bit different than most I’ve had the pleasure of participating in. There was no moderator telling us who’s next and what site they’re representing. So it was kind of a free-for-all with everyone jumping in wily nily. We are all professionals though, and had the presence of mind to wait before asking our questions.

With no moderator to tell us to limit our questions, I was able to ask everything I had on my list of prepared topics. LS stands for me, Linda Seide. As you’ll see, Mary and Fred have just as good a relationship off screen, as they do on screen, even to the point of interrupting each other and finishing each other’s sentences. It was all in good fun.

LS:  Hi, Mary, Hi, Marshall.

Mary:  Hello. Hello.

Fred:  Hello.

LS:  This is Linda Seide from Your Entertainment Corner. This is my third conference call with you.

Mary:  Oh, cool. Welcome back…

LS:  I feel like I...

Mary:  …thanks for (having us).

LS:  …know you intimately at this point (in time).

Mary:  Yeah, you probably do.

LS:  Yeah. Fred, tell me, did you have to do an awful lot of research on all of these things regarding pregnancy, or did you know a lot of the things?

Fred:  I knew.

LS:  You certainly are proficient in talking about it.

Fred:  Yeah, I read…

Mary:  He doesn’t know that much.

Fred:  …a fair amount of those books.

Mary:  Oh, please.

Fred:  I mean, we reference a book in the script called The Birth Partner, which is one of several that I was forced to read for my daughter’s birth. My – you know my son, after you’ve had one you kind of feel like you know it, and then you forget everything.

But yeah, I – that – I have some experience with – I won’t say dealing with obstreperous or irrational pregnant ladies because sometimes my wife doesn’t – she doesn’t read my press, but sometimes somebody will point it out to her, so just being a birth partner that’s all.

LS:  To stay on the safe side.

Fred:  Yeah. Yeah.

Mary:  I don’t think my husband…

LS:  Well, I just…

Mary:  …read one book.

LS:  …have to tell you really how much I’ve enjoyed this entire season and…

Mary:  Oh, how nice.

LS:  …that was one hell of a Season…

Mary:  Thank you.

LS:  …Finale, really.

Mary:  Oh, you’ve seen it…

LS:  Way to rock it – the cliffhangers

Fred:  Oh, thank you.

Mary:  …oh you’ve all seen it?

LS:  Oh, yeah…

Mary:  Oh, thank God…Thank Christ, I don’t have to worry about giving everything away. All right, let’s chat.

LS:  No, no, I think – they gave us a link…

Mary:  All right, let’s talk!

LS:  …Friday that we could watch.

Mary:  Yeah.

LS:  Oh, yeah, absolutely. What do you feel about Brandi running away like that? I mean…

Mary:  Well, I loved it…

LS:  …is this going back to your…

Mary:  …I thought it was such a great – I know but I thought it was so great because it’s just, you know…

LS:  It’s Brandi.

Mary:  Nichole’s so good at playing that stuff too, and I thought she…

LS:  Oh, she’s fabulous.

Mary:  …did a great job in the scene. And yeah, like people say it’s hard to escape your nature, so I think that was a really nice scene. I love it. I loved (that scene because that was that)…

LS:  Do you think…

Fred:  Especially…

Mary:  What?

Fred:  Especially, when your nature…

LS:  Do you think that the writers…

Fred:  …is crucial to the – sorry, go ahead.

LS:  No, go ahead, Fred. Go ahead.

Fred:  I was just saying it’s harder…

LS:  You’re more important than I am.

Fred:  …to escape your nature, especially when your nature’s kind of crucial to the dynamic of the show.

Mary:  Yeah, that’s true too……that helps us out. But also, it shows…

LS:  So, do you think…

Mary:  …it’s nice, it’s just a nice development…

LS:  …that’s why the writers did that or did they do it more to give Mary back the – as you were saying, you know, they’re…

Mary:  I don’t know.

LS:  …they’ve been so great this season that you really don’t have…

Mary:  Yeah.

LS:  …to watch over them, so…

Mary:  Yeah.

LS:  …now maybe this gives you an opportunity…

Mary:  Well, I don’t know, it’s also – you know, in the Finale you look for opportunities to make people come back, you know, and…

LS:  Right.

Mary:  …you look for opportunities of cliffhanger without things being cheeseball and like, you know?

LS:  Right. Yeah, exactly.

Mary:  So, I think that it added to the whole, you know, drama of what’s going to happen next season, and what does that mean for Peter? And you know I just think it’s a nice – it’s a great bit of writing for cliffhanger quality.

LS:  Yeah, oh it was fabulous. It really was great.

Mary:  Cool. Oh, cool.

LS:  And it really – it looks like that you might be heading towards keeping the baby. How do you feel about that…

Mary:  I…

LS:  …if it goes there?

Mary:  If. Well, it…

LS:  If it goes there, how would you feel about that?

Mary:  …both ways both ways are dramatic. I don’t actually know what they’re going to do at this stage, I really don’t. But, I do know that I’m sort of excited to play it either way. I mean, I think giving a baby up for adoption would be incredible, in terms of sort of, you know, dramatic stories, and the keeping it obviously has, you know, crazy, you know, sort of opportunities for her to – I mean, the thought of her raising a child is – sounds fun also.

LS:  Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

Mary:  So, I’m not sure what they’re going to do. We will see.

LS:  I saw you on the Craig Ferguson…

Mary:  Oh, I know.

LS:  …show the other night.

Mary:  I’m going to hell.

LS:  He’s so hysterical and you’re terrific.

Mary:  He is. I shouldn’t have trashed (Rose) that way though. Does that work, Fred?

LS:  I thought it was good.

Mary:  Well, thanks.

LS:  Tell me, your character is so opposite of who you really are because you love having babies in real life.

Mary:  I do love having kids. We’re a lot alike in other ways, but…

LS:  Yeah.

Mary:  …I like…

LS:  Well…

Mary:  …raising kids…

LS:  So, how difficult…

Mary:  …I don’t like having them.

LS:  …is it for you to play somebody who’s so totally opposite from you?

Mary:  No so – oh, she’s so similar to me in other ways that I think it’s easy. I mean, unfortunately I am very grouchy and judgmental and…

LS:  No, not Mary McCormack?

Mary:  …opinionated and – I am. So, I – it’s not hard to sort of extend that to children for me.

LS:  Okay.

Mary:  That’s an easy way…

LS:  So…

Mary:  …plus kids can be annoying.

LS:  …how – I missed how long you had been married to your husband.

Mary:  You know, we were trying to figure this out the other day. I think we’ve been married eight years or nine, probably nine. I should know that. I don’t know it.

LS:  You think?

Mary:  I’m not 100%. I think it’s eight…

LS:  Well, I have the opposite…

Mary:  …but I may be wrong.

LS:  …situation from you. You’re married to a Jewish man and I’m married…

Mary:  You’re married to a Mick…

LS:  …I’m Jewish and I’m married to a Catholic.

Mary:  Oh, right.

LS:  He’s not a Mick, but he’s a Catholic, so…

Mary:  He’s Italian? What is he?

LS:  Yeah, he’s Italian – he’s Sicilian actually.

Mary:  Oh, dear. Well, that’s your biggest problem; forget the Catholicism.

LS:  Well, I was married to a Jewish man first, but I got rid of him after seven years, so…

Mary:  Right, interesting.

LS:  …what’s your secret for staying with your husband?

Mary:  For staying with a Jewish man?

Linda:  Yeah.

Mary:  Is that the question? Because he’s a great person, yeah he’s a great person. I’m pretty lucky to be married to him. So, I think the question should be directed to Michael. What’s his secret for staying with me? He’s the better player on this team. I mean, I think even Fred would agree.

Fred:  No comment.

LS:  Would you, Fred? Oh, no comment.

Mary:  I’m lucky to have him. I am lucky. He’s a saint. He puts up with a lot.

LS:  Fred, tell me…

Fred:  Yes.

LS:  …given that Marshall saved Mary, in essence, during that shootout, do you think there’s any possibility that he is ever going to realize what his true feelings are for Mary in the show?

Fred:  I don’t think Marshall is in denial about his true feelings for Mary at all.

LS:  Oh, okay.

Fred:  I think he’s completely aware of…

LS:  You think it’s the other way around?

Fred:  Yeah, I think so. I think he knows. I think he’s come very close to telling her.

Mary:  Saying it, yeah.

Fred:  I think she probably knows too. I think she – I think he thinks that she reciprocates those feelings as much as she can. I don’t know – Fred doesn’t know if Mary McCormack agrees, but…

Mary:  No, I agree with that. I think she’s – I think Mary Shannon is able to be – to compartmentalize in an unhealthy way, you know, and push things out of the front of her brain and push them to the back of her brain for comfort and ease, so survival. But, I think deep down…

LS:  One last question…

Fred:  Yeah.

Mary:  …she’s sort of is aware of stuff, but…

LS:  Yeah, that’s true.

Mary:  …it’s sort of – she’s able to sort of just push it away, you know, and make noise and fill her life with other things that are easier, simpler.

LS:  Right. Right. I have one last question. Mary, how uncomfortable have you been going to work as a pregnant woman in real life?

Mary:  You know, it was not easy, I’ve got to say. I think I’m pretty tough and I thought it would be easier than it was. It was really – it was hard. I’m old too. I forget how this pregnancy game is sort of a young girl’s game, so…

LS:  Yeah, it’s a little easier when you’re younger.

Mary:  …I’m a little out of my league. Yeah. It’s all right. It’s a small price to pay. I mean, it was a lesson in humility watching the episodes now. I’m like, “Wow, that’s a big back.” But…

LS:  Yeah.

Mary:  …you know, you get on with it, (unintelligible).

LS:  Did you have any special changes for your dressing room or, you know, anything different…

Mary:  No, no.

LS:  …to accommodate the pregnancy? No. Good for you.

Mary:  No, no, I didn’t get that big. I mean, I got big, but they didn’t have to blow out a wall or anything. I am quite big now though. It’s where I’m in the final month, so it’s getting…

LS:  Yeah, I’m sure. Yeah.

Mary:  …ugly, yeah.

LS:  Oh, well, thank you both very much…

Mary:  Thank you.

LS:  …for talking to me. I appreciate it.

Mary:  Well, thanks for joining us.

Fred:  Thank you very much.

Mary was asked whether she was hoping Fred would be the father of her baby and both she and Fred said no. They both agreed they thought the audience would have felt robbed – that if that were the case, they would have had to start a relationship much earlier.

Mary:  “I mean, we’d already shot – we were already – timing wise that couldn’t have worked anyway, but I think also it would have been a – I just think it would have rushed – accelerated something that’s sort of fun to draw out.

But I found Fred’s answer to be interesting and most enlightening:

Fred: “I think that Mary and Marshall should and will hook up at some point, but it’s a little bit like the Escape from Gilligan’s Island. I mean, what comes after it is going to be tricky.”

Mary:  Yeah, that’s true. That’s a good reference as well.

Fred:  Cheers. I mean, it was before my time, obviously.

Mary:  Oh, yeah. Yeah, right.

Fred:  I – you know, I barely remember Cheers, but…

Mary:  Right. Oh, bless your heart. Listen to them laugh, Fred.

Next, Mary and Fred were asked to talk about what Mary’s pregnancy did for the show and the characters.

Mary:  Oh, you know, I mean, when I – I knew I was pregnant. Obviously, I got pregnant sort of right before I showed up for the season, but I couldn’t really tell anyone. I told Fred of course right away, but I didn’t tell anyone else because I was afraid at my age, you’re, you know, it’s obviously really risky.

And so, when I told the President of the Network and then the showrunners, we told the showrunners together, it was further along and we had to make a decision fast about what we were going to do. And Jeff Wachtel, who I think is really – has such a keen sense of story and drama, he’s the President of USA, he sort of said, “You know, this is, in a weird way,” I mean we discussed first my wishes and whether I was willing to write it in, and I was.

And then, we started talking about the pros and cons story-wise and character-wise, and he was sort of excited about it, you know, as long as I was comfortable with it. He was excited about the opportunities that it would create for Season 4, because I think, you know, shows have to – his point was line in Season 4 he looks to – he looks for showrunners or he looks for the creator to shake things up, because otherwise things can get pretty stale.

So, it timed out that it was a nice moment for something really big to happen, you know?

Fred:  Yeah.

Mary:  And so we all decided to do it, and then we had to move fast, story-wise. I think the writers had a ten-day hiatus already scheduled, which worked out great, because they rewrote a bunch of stories and came up with, you know, Mark being the father of the baby and what it would mean, and how it would change the shape of the season, so they had to work really fast and they did a great job.

Fred:  Yeah.

Mary then answered a question as to whether the storylines have been a challenge for her in terms of her own views of motherhood.

Mary:  You know, I don’t find it very challenging to her point of view on kids. Even though I love having kids and I – it’s the one thing in my life I always knew I wanted to do was be a mother. And I mean, so I’m different than she is that way, but I relate to her I think so easily in so many other ways that it doesn’t feel like a leap for me.

It just doesn’t feel like a leap for me. I sort of feel so comfortable playing her and I know exactly what her – you know, even David Maples when he created the show, I think in the second episode you have me looking at newborn and going, “What’s with babies?”

You know, I – so from the start I’ve always known her point of view. She just doesn’t like kids. She doesn’t see the upside, you know? So, it’s been very clear for me and I’ve tried to sort of touch on that at least once a season throughout. So, this is a perfect development – character development for Season 4 because it’s – she’s just the least maternal person in the world, so for her to be faced with this thing growing inside of her is excellent.

Fred spoke about what he’s looking forward to for Marshall in the future – what he would like to see Marshall do or get into.

Fred:  Well, I’d like to see him get into some kind of romantic relationship with Mary, but not something that’s too cozy or long lived. I just feel like it’s got to happen at some point.

Question:  Without the danger of the Gilligan’s Island theme?

Fred:  Without the danger of – yes, I don’t want to jump to shark. I mean, I think that the more drama would ensue as a result of that. I don’t think that they would – they’re certainly not going to start getting along better than they do now, which is pretty questionable already, you know what I mean? And there’s plenty of room for conflict and trouble.

Question to Fred:  I was wondering, aside from Mary, can you tell us about another In Plain Sight cast member who you really enjoy working with and who really inspired you this season?

Fred:  I like Maury – oh, you mean regulars or guests?

Question:  Either one.

Fred:  Well, in terms of regulars I think Mary will agree with Paul Ben-Victor is…

Mary:  Yeah, we love PBV.

Fred:  …just astonishing to watch. He’s a great actor and he’s…

Mary:  Yeah.

Fred:  …just really lovable funny and…

Mary:  Yeah, we love him.

Fred:  …he’s amazing. In terms of guests, I like Maury Sterling who came on – who made a second appearance, I think based on the quality of his first appearance, right Mary?

Mary:  I think it was planned all along to have that…

Fred:  Oh, it was?

Mary:  Yeah, character come back, but I think he came back in a much bigger way, because Maury was so good, you know? And actually, I mean, I’ve heard rumblings of maybe he surfaces again just because everyone enjoyed him so much, so who knows.

Fred:  He’s funny. And then…

Mary:  He is really funny.

Fred:  …Bryan Callen’s…

Mary:  And fun to work with.

Fred:  …great too.

Mary:  Yeah.

Fred:  Yeah.

Question:  Going back to something you said a little bit ago, so was the character of Mark, then that whole relationship had already been in place before you got pregnant in real life or…I was a little confused with the…

Mary:  …there was a – I know the story was planned and we were – yeah, he was definitely coming back and we were probably going to hook up, but it work out timing-wise that when I told everybody that I was pregnant we were like, “Geez, Louise, who could it be? Is it Faber’s? Is it,” and then we thought like, “Oh, no timing-wise maybe it works out perfect if it’s Mark’s,” so it worked out great.

And it’s kind of, I think – I think it worked out even just story-wise because it sort of, you know, a pure accident. You know, there was nothing really…

Question:  Yeah.

Mary:  …deeper and, you know, with Faber it might have been sort of confusing. He had that wife and kids and it was the whole thing. It just would have opened up a whole other set of really dramatic stories, whereas with Mark it was like, “Oh,” you know, it’s one of those things that happens in life that you just go, “Oh, my Lord.” You know, it was lighter.

In interpreting the next question asked of Fred, Mary asked:

Mary:  What – did I make your life miserable because I was pregnant or was I easy? Careful.

Fred:  You know, no. Interestingly, while I made a comment earlier that Marshall was surprised to see that Mary Shannon was capable of getting even more obstreperous than she already was, I find that Mary McCormack is maxed out on that front. So, she really can’t get anymore abrasive.

Mary:  That’s it. Even pregnancy doesn’t make it worse.

Fred:  It’s redlined. Yeah, it’s redlining.

On what people would be surprised to know about each of them:

Mary:  Oh, my gosh. Holy Toledo, I don’t know?

Fred:  Geez, surprised to know about me?

Mary:  Geez. A hidden talent? I can palm a basketball. Not for long, but I can palm one. I have crazy drag queen…

Fred:  Yeah. Well, you’ve done on that show…

Mary:  …I have like drag queen hands. Yeah, but people thought it was a stunt on the show. I can actually do it.

Fred:  Is that right?

Mary:  I have man – I have crazy man hands. There you go, I’m done. What do you got, Fred?

Fred:  Oh, God. Geez, I don’t know. I’m…

Mary:  Fred speaks German, fluently.

Fred:  That probably wouldn’t surprise them who watch the show. You know, I’m not a fast reader and Marshall’s, I think, probably a very fast reader, so that’s…

Mary:  That is such a boring answer. I’m like…

Fred:  I know. I know.

Mary:  …are you serious. That’s it?

Fred:  I – give something.

Mary:  That’s your big confession? I said I have drag queen hands and you said I’m not a fast reader? Oh, call TMZ. I’ll teach you how to read. I mean, see what I’m dealing with?

On whether there were any deleted scenes they’d have preferred been left in:

Mary:  …I can’t think of any that I – I mean, sometimes once in a while I’ll go, “Oh, shame that scene’s gone.” And then – but now in the moment I can’t think of any, so obviously nothing that was so upsetting that it stuck with me.

Fred:  I think we have lines that we’d like to see in the show; lines that get cut from the script even occasionally, or stuff that we add-lib on the on the set…

Mary:  Yeah, but actual…

Fred:  …that doesn’t line up.

Mary:  …scenes I don’t think so.

Fred:  Yeah.

Fred was asked how, since Marshall’s not in denial about his feelings, how he justifies his relationship with Abigail with himself?

Fred:  Well, it’s a bit of a – I think he’s sort of licking his wounds with her a little bit. I mean, he likes her. I think he’s surprised that he likes her. They get along. They have fun times. But, I think that – I think he knows there’s something missing. I think – I don’t think he’s always aware of it, but I think he’s a romantic at heart and I really – I feel like he’s got this undeniable longing for Mary and I think that it’s always lurking there. But, he’s got to move on and he’s got needs, after all, so – for companionship and so forth, so…

Mary:  Don’t say needs.

Fred:  Needs, don’t say needs?

Mary:  I’ll throw up. Oh, my God, I’m going to throw up.

Fred:  He’s got carnal urges…

Mary:  Oh, stop.

Fred:  …can I say carnal urges?

Mary:  Just stop. Can we stop, please?

Fred:  I mean, you know, he can’t be a monk forever.

Question:  And – but you think he feels like it’s unfair to Abigail on a certain level?

Fred:  What’s that?

Mary:  Yeah? Do you ever think of that?

Fred:  What? What’s the question?

Mary:  That it’s unfair to Abigail on some level?

Fred:  Yeah. Yeah, I think probably so, yeah. But, she’s – yeah, she’s young.

Mary:  She’s young.

Fred:  Yeah, sure. It’s complicated. It’s messy. Can you all hear me because I’m hearing weird stuff?

Mary:  I don’t know, there’s something weird. Yeah, everything is echoing now.

Fred:  Is this interview still taking place?

Mary:  I don’t know, Fred. It’s you and me. I don’t know.

((Crosstalk))

Mary:  …there?

Fred:  Are we – I think we’re just being interviewed by robots from here on out. I just hear weird shit.

LS:  Well, I’m still here. It’s Linda again.

Mary:  Okay, well, that’s nice. Welcome.

Fred:  Hello.

LS:  Hi.

Mary:  But, you know, what, I am echoing.

LS:  Mary, do you know the sex of the baby?

Mary:  I don’t know the gender. No, I don’t know the sex.

LS:  Have you picked out names for a boy and a girl?

Mary:  We haven’t. We are in denial, like Mary. Like Mary, exactly. I don’t know why we haven’t. We just haven’t. It’s no good, but we have to.

LS:  (Unintelligible) one to spring on your husband?

Mary:  What is – I’m sorry, I’m having trouble hearing everybody. I think we should start the call over. I’m echoing and…

LS:  Yes, you are, badly.

Mary:  All right. Well, I’m going to hang up and whoever calls me back, I look forward to talking to you. Oh, wait, I think it stopped. Oh…

Fred:  I can still hear you fine.

Mary:  …it did stop. It did stop. It did stop. It stopped.

LS:  Okay, well, what I asked you was…

Mary:  Yeah, let’s (get going).

LS:  …do you have a favorite name that you might want to spring on your husband?

Mary:  No. No.

LS:  Okay.

Fred:  Yeah, he could find out in the press.

Mary:  We haven’t actually – yeah, exactly. No, we haven’t actually talked about names. We need to do it. We need to deal with it. We’re in a bit of denial about the baby.

Question:  If it’s a boy, what about Frederick?

Mary:  Oh, it’s echoing again you guys.

Fred:  Yeah, how about Fredrick?

Mary:  It’s…

LS:  Yeah, there you go.

Mary:  …back to – okay, Frederick it is then. It’s done. Thank you all. I appreciate that. What would I do without this call?

LS:  Right.

Mary:  Frederick it is, or Frederica.

LS:  Oh, that’s cute. Yeah, it’s really cute.

Fred:  Frederica.

Mary:  All right, well, maybe we’re done? It sounds like (unintelligible)…

So that concluded our conversation. Did you have as much fun reading this as I had participating? I almost feel like I could call Mary and Fred for advice if I needed it! They are such nice people!