Imagine a picturesque wedding weekend in Nantucket.
The temperature is perfectly mid-70s.
The air smells of sea salt.
But then a body appears face-down in the water.
Cue the dramatic music.
A blue-collar detective, played by Donna Lynne Champlin, is brought in to investigate.
But acting alongside her new co-stars?
That was a dream.
But Im not going to say anything!
Itll be too late by the time they realize.
Unlike herPerfect Couplecastmates, her character doesnt exist in theElin Hilderbrand bookon which the show is based.
Below, she breaks down her latest role, its familiar accent, and the legacy ofCrazy Ex-Girlfriend.
In many ways, youre the glue onThe Perfect Couple.As thedetective, you really get to interact with everyone.
I would sit in that interrogation room with Mike Beach, and wed joke that we lived there now.
What surprised you about the cast?
The incredible senses of humor of all these actors who are more established in the serious vein.
Dakota Fanning, Nicole Kidman.
They had me laughing my *ss off.
Jack [Reynor] had me in stitches.
What was it like filming on Cape Cod?
Im not from New England, but my whole family is.
My mom grew up in blue-collar Fall River, [Massachusetts], similar to this character.
I told her we were staying at this fancy hotel for the read-through, and she started to cry.
She was like, I cannot believe you are staying at the Chatham Bars Inn.
So I got a chance to invite her.
Tell me about your characters accent.
So she put a line where I [reference] Fall River.
Your character is always jotting down info in her detective notepad.
Is there a trick to make that look convincing?
I learnedshorthandfor Paula [onCrazy Ex-Girlfriend] because I was constantly taking notes.
The camera guy was like, For this take, will you like not scribble?
I was like, OK, copy that.
I am taking notes.
Speaking of Paula,Crazy Ex-Girlfriendturns 10 next year.
How do you feel about the legacy of the show?
I love it just as much as I did when we were doing it, probably even more.
Im so proud to have been on it.
Were all on a text thread from 2015.
Pete [Gardner] and I were the mommy and daddy of the cast.
At that point, we were the only series regulars who had kids.
Pete and his wife, Suzie, are the godparents to my son.
I love its message.
I love how it makes people feel.
It made me feel less alone.
It made me feel less crazy.
Is there a song from the show that sneaks into your head from time to time?
Hes now 13, so hes allowed to watch.
Face Your Fears is a big one.
As a musician, I would say Lets Generalize About Men.
I will never not be mad that song didnt get nominated for an Emmy.
Settle for Me is beautiful.
And The Math of Love Triangles.
Those three songs, theyre chefs kiss.
I wouldnt change a note.
What do you imagine Paula is up to today?
Paula Proctor, 10 years later, having worked in a real law firm as a real lawyer.
I feel like she probably got talked into running for office.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
