AOL Chat from November 5, 1999 about Shake Rattle and Roll

Tvgchat:  Welcome, Dana! Thanks for coming tonight!

Dana Delany:  Hello everybody! Rock and roll!

Question:  Is your character in "Shake, Rattle and Roll" based loosely on a real person?

Dana Delany:  No. In fact, there were no female record executives in the 1950s that I know of.

Question:  Since you've done "China Beach" and "Tombstone" and now "Shake, Rattle and Roll," are period pieces a particular favorite?

Dana Delany:  Yes. I like dressing differently, acting differently and talking differently.

Question:  Do any rock artists appear in the miniseries, and do they perform?

Dana Delany:  Many rockers. Blink 182, Terrance Trent D'Arby, Dickey Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Chante Moore, B.B. King, KC and JoJo, Billy Porter and Gary Allen, who plays Eddie Cochran.

Question:  Who were some of your favorite artists when you were growing up in the 1960s?

Dana Delany:  I like all the Motown sounds. I like Brazilian bossanova and, of course, the Beatles. And, I'm embarrassed to admit, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.

Question:  What drew you to acting?

Dana Delany:  I've wanted to act since I was three years old, mostly to get attention from my parents. Then it became a craft that I love.

Question:  Who are some of the actors/actresses that you admire or look up to?

Dana Delany:  My favorite actress growing was Gloria Grahame, who was a B-movie actress from the 1950s.

Question:  Do you find voice acting more or less challenging, and do you think it's a lost art?

Dana Delany:  That's a good question. I was surprised to find that I prefer voice acting. I've never liked my voice, and I'm still amazed that I get paid for it. I'm now the voice of Toyota, which blows me away. And I do think it's a lost art.

Question:  "Tombstone" is one of my favorite Westerns -- any great behind-the-scenes stories?

Dana Delany:  It's amazing the movie ever got made. The director was fired one month into the movie. Val Kilmer went through three different girlfriends on screen. We shot one month over schedule, in Tucson in 115 degrees.

Question:  Do you have a favorite character that you have portrayed?

Dana Delany:  My favorite character is Colleen McMurphy in "China Beach." My second favorite is in the movie "Light Sleeper."

Question:  Dana, any plans for a new upcoming series?

Dana Delany:  I am looking to do a new series this year.

Question:  How was it acting with Rosie O'Donnell?

Dana Delany:  She was a very funny woman, and your timing has to be sharp.

Question:  Do you sing in the show?

Dana Delany:  No, I don't sing in the movie. I like to sing, but I'm not good enough.

Question:  Do you plan on doing any theater in the near future?

Dana Delany:  The last play I did was on Broadway, and that was five years ago. It was a Brian Freils play called "Translations." It was savaged by the critics, so I'm a little wounded.

Question:  What qualities do you feel it takes to make it in the entertainment business?

Dana Delany:  You have to really need to do it. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.

Question:  What do you look for in a script?

Dana Delany:  A three-dimensional character. Surprises. Spare writing and edge.

Question:  What do you plan on doing on New Year's Eve, the change of the millennium?

Dana Delany:  Originally, I was going on a safari in Kenya. But I've changed my mind. I'm going to stay home with my sister and my boyfriend.

Question:  When you are away from acting, what is a typical day for you?

Dana Delany:  I go to yoga at 7:00AM for two hours. Then I have a Starbucks coffee. I read the New York Times from cover to cover, and I do the crossword puzzle. I return phone calls. I answer e-mail. I take a nap... LOL. I go out to dinner... and I drink a lot of wine. I have a great life. :)

Question:  "China Beach" is my all-time favorite show. I was wondering what your favorite episode was.

Dana Delany:  That's a tough one. I can only name my top favorites... I liked "The World," part one and two... I won an Emmy for an episode that I can't remember the name of where I was in therapy. And I like the final episode very much.

Question:  If you could play any character, who would it be?

Dana Delany:  There's a wonderful John O'Hara novel called "A Few Trips and Some Poetry," and I'd like to play the female lead in that.

Question:  Could you give us some thoughts on your role in "Live Nude Girls"... one of my favorites? :)

Dana Delany: I liked "Live Nude Girls" very much. I wish more people had seen it. I feel that the character of Jill talks the way I talk. Except that my fantasy is not to be spanked.

Question:  Your role in "Exit to Eden" was quite a departure for you. What drew you to that role?

Dana Delany:  I read the Anne Rice erotic novel. I thought that the character of Mistress Lisa was a good metaphor for career women today, women who put having control over letting themselves be vulnerable. And, unfortunately, the movie turned out differently.

Question:  What do you find most rewarding about acting?

Dana Delany:  The search for truth.

Question:  How did Colleen McMurphy change you?

Dana Delany:  That's a good question. It taught me to be more compassionate. I never believed in altruism until I met nurses who had served in Vietnam.

Question:  Do you keep in contact with any of the people from "China Beach"?

Dana Delany:  We had our ten-year reunion last summer. And we all still love each other. I'm happy to say that no one had changed.

Question:  What are your views on the models and actresses and this thin fad that's going on?

Dana Delany: Unfortunately, there will always be pressure in America to be too thin. I know that this protein diet works. But it's a total bore. :) I like pasta too much. I like a woman with some junk in her trunk... LOL

Question:  Dana, what was the hardest role you've had to play?

Dana Delany:  The only time I have difficulty is when the writing is not good. Then I have to compensate, and I feel like it's my fault.

Question:  Dana, is your fan web site still up, and do you still answer your e-mail fan letters? Thank you.

Dana Delany:  Yes, my official Dana Delany home page is at www.danadelany.com, started by the fantastic webmaster Francis Hartley. And I do answer questions on it regularly.

Tvgchat:  Thanks, Dana, for chatting with us tonight. We had a great time and hope you come back soon!

Dana Delany:  Rock and roll! Watch especially on Wednesday, because that's the two hours that I'm featured in. :)

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