Brooke Elliott has been knocking them dead on the Broadway stage from Taboo to The Pirate Queen and, for four seasons, on Drop Dead Diva on the Lifetime Channel.
On "Diva," she plays lawyer Jane Bingum, a plus-size woman who has her body inhabited by a wannabe model named Deb Dobkins—which makes for simultaneous comedy and drama. The show tackles relationships and court cases with a strong cast that includes gay fave Margaret Cho.
Windy City Times caught up with the multitalented Elliott right before the new season started.
Windy City Times: Hi, Brooke. Good to finally track you down. I have been trying for a few seasons and so excited about talking to you today.
Brooke Elliott: Oh, good.
WCT: You are originally born in Minnesota?
Brooke Elliott: Yes, I was born in Minnesota but we moved by the time I was 3, so I don't remember a lot about it. [ Laughs ]
WCT: Where did you go after that?
Brooke Elliott: We moved around a lot when I was kid. After that we went to Missouri, Oklahoma, Chicago, then to Michigan—so lots of moving.
WCT: I didn't know you lived in Chicago.
Brooke Elliott: My parents are from Chicago and my grandparents are there, also aunts and uncles and a lot of my cousins. I love Chicago. I love it!
WCT: Well, you have to come visit.
Brooke Elliott: Absolutely.
WCT: You have studied musical theater. Did you always love musicals?
Brooke Elliott: Yes, I did. It is funny because when I was little I thought I was going to be Barbra Streisand. I thought that is my path and I will just be Barbra. But as I got older and got into theater and realized I could major in that in college, which I didn't even know you could do, I did that and doors just kind of opened in that area. So I walked through them and luckily was able to do a lot of great shows.
WCT: Do you have an all-time favorite musical?
Brooke Elliott: I think my all-time favorite would be Jesus Christ Superstar.
WCT: That's a good one.
Brooke Elliott: I love that musical.
WCT: Do you watch the television show Smash?
Brooke Elliott: I do!
WCT: What led you to audition for Drop Dead Diva?
Brooke Elliott: The writer's strike had gone on around the time of the audition. When that was over I actually had an audition for a Broadway musical that day and for "Diva." It is funny because I thought there would be more chances of a job coming from the Broadway musical.
Obviously, I wanted to do a great job at that audition for Diva and, luckily, I think I did. I got to test and all of those other things. It was kind of a shock that things proceeded with Diva the way they did. I never thought they would.
WCT: Can you give our readers an overview of how things have changed since season one?
Brooke Elliott: In season one with Deb in Jane's body, the first and foremost dealing [ involved ] changes in the body type and her mindset in what beauty is. As we see her through the seasons, we find what is gorgeous about Jane and what makes her beautiful and how limited her thoughts were before. Through the seasons we really do focus on that. We focus on Deb's closed-mindedness and her self-involvement.
As she continues to grow and be confronted where she has to make a decision and take a stand. It is really fun to see that part come out, to see her grow and her mind expand and all the wonderfulness you get when you open your mind. That is how she develops from season to season.
WCT: What have you been able to tell people about the new season?
Brooke Elliott: Oooh, let's see. The new season is really fun. We leave off season three with Jane heading to Italy with Owen. We pick right up in Italy and that relationship with Owen. It continues to progress. You know Grayson gets involved in there too and starts noticing Jane. I think that will be really fun for the audience to see Grayson noticing Jane for the first time. It is bittersweet because Jane has moved on.
WCT: You have had so many guest stars, including Kim Kardashian, this season. Have you had a favorite one?
Brooke Elliott: We have had so many amazing guests. One that probably stands out is Rosie O'Donnell because she was the start of my Broadway career. She gave me my Broadway debut so then to have her be on the show with me was really fun. She is such a supporter of mine and such a friend. She is a tremendous actress; I love working with Rosie. She is really good so I always love when she is on the show.
I love when they are all on the show and could give you a paragraph about each one of them!
WCT: You must like doing the dream sequences and doing musicals again.
Brooke Elliott: I always love those. It is a little bit of my history coming in. It is my home.
WCT: Having openly gay producer Josh Berman must have helped build a gay following.
Brooke Elliott: That is a very good question for Josh.
WCT: Well then, how is it working with gay advocate Margaret Cho?
Brooke Elliott: I love Margaret. She is so great. She has been one of the most supportive people in this whole show for me. She is kind, giving and funny. She is selfless and has zero ego. She is just a wonderful person.
WCT: Where do you find common ground with your character?
Brooke Elliott: I am kind of a mixture of Deb and Jane and then, of course, Brooke. With Deb, I relate to her girlie side. My bathroom is pink. I like makeup a lot. I love high heels and relate to that girlie side.
With Jane, there may have been times in my life where I was shyer or more insecure. I was good in school so I relate to that part of Jane.
I think both of them have a really big heart and that was important for me to give that to Jane. I wanted to make sure Deb and Jane had big hearts. I guess because I do, too!
The new season of Drop Dead Diva debuts Sunday, June 3. Visit www.mylifetime.com for listings and Diva details.
