Judith Light EMOTIONALLY Looks Back at Her ICONIC Career Through RARE Interviews | rETrospective

Added: 2026-06-10

[00:00:01]What in the world is this? It was the first time that and a lot of people had heard about a throppple. People would come up to me on the street and say, I really, really hate her. Oh, I'm so excited. It makes me so happy. You have really gone back there. My goodness. Hi, I'm Judith Light and this is my ET retrospective.

[00:00:24]Haven't I said what everyone wants to hear?

[00:00:29]>> One life to live.

[00:00:31]>> That I am a common hawker.

[00:00:34]>> Oh my goodness.

[00:00:35]>> Now, this was not only your breakout role, but it brought you your first two Emmys. How did this role prepare you for your entire career?

[00:00:44]>> You have to do an hour of programming every single day. So that means you have to be prepared. You have to be disciplined. You have to be resilient.

[00:00:53]you have to know your lines because I could never read the teleprompter. And so what it did was it gave me this body of understanding about television and also how to work at a at at an extreme level.

[00:01:07]>> And not only did it bring you your first two Emmys, but it brought you your husband.

[00:01:11]>> It brought me my husband. It did indeed.

[00:01:13]That's correct. That's right. And we've been together for 40 years now. Brand new life around the >> Now, let's move on to our first ET interview from Who's the Boss?

[00:01:23]>> This is amazing that you do this. People want to laugh. They want humor in their lives. That was the the8s hair.

[00:01:30]>> Oh my goodness.

[00:01:31]>> Now, this was your entry into the world of sitcoms, and you're learning from comedy vet Tony Danza.

[00:01:37]>> That's right.

[00:01:37]>> So, what what was that like?

[00:01:40]It was an indelible, extraordinary experience.

[00:01:48]He was my teacher. He taught me about comedy.

[00:01:51]>> What's with you?

[00:01:52]>> What's with you?

[00:01:53]>> He had come from taxi. And so all of it was really a learning experience for me.

[00:01:58]>> How often do you guys all keep in touch?

[00:01:59]>> We keep in touch on birthdays and holidays and stuff like that. Or if there's a special thing we hope for each other to see, we keep in touch that way.

[00:02:07]And I just was on the lot and I just went and said hello to Danny Bendaro.

[00:02:12]>> It's your mom.

[00:02:13]>> Wendy, what?

[00:02:14]>> Why?

[00:02:16]>> Hi, baby.

[00:02:17]>> Something you had said in an early ET interview was that you would never do a soap nor a situational comedy.

[00:02:23]>> Right. Those two shows were a soap opera and a situation comedy.

[00:02:27]>> So, what changed?

[00:02:28]>> Truth be told, my unemployment was running out. I was completely broke. And they brought me in for one day just to be an understudy. And then they asked me to audition for it again. So it wasn't like this one smooth thing.

[00:02:42]And when you have respect for people's work and what they do and you read a script just like I did with Who's the Boss, you know that there's something that resonates and when you listen to that, everything changes in your life.

[00:03:00]>> And fans still want that reboot. Do you ever I know Amazon scrapped it, but do you ever see a world where we could see more Who's the boss?

[00:03:08]>> I have no idea. I really If I knew something, I would tell you. I have no I have no way to answer that for you. And I wish I did.

[00:03:18]>> Okay. Next, we went cooking with you because cooking is your hobby. So, let's let's take a look.

[00:03:23]>> FIRST, YOU TAKE THE CHICKEN.

[00:03:25]>> What is this?

[00:03:26]>> Mayonnaise is great. You can always use more mayonnaise and rub it directly into your hips.

[00:03:30]>> Oh. Oh, yes. I was in France. I went over there to do publicity for what they call in France Madame is which means the the Mrs. the miss is served or madame is served and I didn't realize that they have this that you have how did you find this? Uh, I went over there that we a magazine brought us over there, Telis sajour and we did this together over there, I believe.

[00:04:05]I'm a go and very impressed.

[00:04:09]>> Sometimes you fight interview with my husband.

[00:04:11]>> You have to be able to walk a mile in the other guy's shoes.

[00:04:14]>> Oh, he's such a prize. Oh, God, I love him.

[00:04:19]He's just he's a remarkable man. What I said then still holds for us. And I believe that's why we're still married.

[00:04:29]Also, he stopped being an actor. He is a recovering actor. He calls himself. He is now a published uh author. And you got to know how to hear each other. And you've got to be able to put yourself in somebody else's experience. And you've got to talk about your own experience.

[00:04:43]You can't be blaming the other person for your, you know, your life or why you're upset. So, you talk it through.

[00:04:50]And it's it's really important. He's um he's very very special. I'm very blessed.

[00:04:55]>> I know you said he doesn't act anymore, but you guys haven't acted on screen together since One Life to Live. Are you hoping for that project to be No.

[00:05:03]>> No. What we're doing is he's writing projects and I'm producing them. So, we're doing that together and we prefer that.

[00:05:11]>> He really doesn't want to act anymore. I can't make him do that. He doesn't want to do it. You want to quit?

[00:05:17]>> Yes.

[00:05:17]>> Yes.

[00:05:18]>> Ryan White story. I got very scared. Um, it's a big story. Um, it's an important story. And then I say, just say you forgive me, Ryan.

[00:05:28]>> Oh, that boy, that Lucas Hus, that Jeanie White, that Ryan White, that what a story.

[00:05:38]>> And this was a passion project of yours.

[00:05:40]>> Oh, yeah. No question. Um, Robert and I had done a lot of work with the uh AIDS community, the LGBTQ community. When AIDS happened, people were treating the LGBTQIA plus community so reprehensibly. And I couldn't understand how you could be a person and treat another human being that way, somebody who was suffering. And I just thought, I I can't not say something.

[00:06:17]>> We were also instead of my boyfriend's back. Oh my word.

[00:06:23]>> You still remember the moves?

[00:06:24]>> Oh my god. I don't remember the moves, but I remember the song.

[00:06:29]>> Oh my god. We had such a good time doing that. Law and Order SVU. I want to kick his ass myself. You didn't hear any of that.

[00:06:37]>> You recurred on this show for nine seasons. What?

[00:06:39]>> I did. It was nine seasons.

[00:06:42]>> I didn't realize that.

[00:06:44]>> Yeah. What was the part? What was your favorite part of being part of such an iconic franchise?

[00:06:50]>> Well, I mean, Marishka and Chris, come on. And there were I mean, lines that they gave me that were just like this stuff. I mean, how do you not love that?

[00:07:02]Just eat that up. And I remember this, there was this one episode where there was some kid who was just this uh encouraable kid and he was I think he was talking back to me or something and I got up from the bench and I said, "People take your meds." And it has become this sort of iconic line that a lot of people repeat all the time. So, people take your meds.

[00:07:29]>> And you last appeared in 2010, but could we ever see your character return? could I mean they they had talked about it a while ago and I wasn't available. Um I anything's possible. I never say never about anything.

[00:07:43]>> Ugly Betty.

[00:07:47]>> What was it like channeling your inner dynasty with Vanessa for this scene?

[00:07:51]>> I love her so much.

[00:07:54]>> We had the best time.

[00:07:56]>> Stay away from my son.

[00:07:58]>> That show should still be on the air.

[00:08:00]There's no question about it. It was just it taught you so much about who was the right stuff, who all of us in society think are the right stuff. But in their heart of hearts and in the dark of night, if you ask someone if they feel like they're the right stuff, they don't. And that was why everyone loved Betty. That's why everyone loved America. She was the counsel to all the people that you would never think she could be the counsel to.

[00:08:31]>> I don't want to bore you with my problems.

[00:08:33]>> Oh, Betty, please.

[00:08:34]>> So many people loved that relationship between Claire and Betty. You didn't you wouldn't think they would work, >> but >> but it was America and me. We had a a real solid connection. And America is she's my daughter. I mean, I I just I really I really really love them.

[00:08:58]>> What do you think they would be up to in 2026? Cuz I do think this is one of those shows that was ahead of its time.

[00:09:03]So, what do you think they would be up to in current?

[00:09:06]>> I don't think it was ahead of its time.

[00:09:07]>> You don't? Okay.

[00:09:08]>> I think it was right on the moment.

[00:09:10]Okay.

[00:09:10]>> Right on point. Um, it wasn't about the magazine.

[00:09:17]>> It was about the relationships.

[00:09:20]It was about the fashion world. I think what you would have now is like look at look at what fashion is doing now. Look at what you could see. Look at what you could have. Those feelings are still there. It was an iconic show then and it would be even more so now.

[00:09:33]>> I think everyone would be on board.

[00:09:34]>> I think so, too.

[00:09:35]>> Well, let's do it, Judith.

[00:09:37]>> I don't have time right now. Everybody's a little busy. We could talk about it, though.

[00:09:46]Dallas.

[00:09:49]Oh god, what a great character. You're going to have to deal with me. That's right. You're going to have to deal with me.

[00:09:57]>> What was it like playing someone so cunning and villainous?

[00:10:01]>> I don't feel that way about her. I never feel that way about any character I play.

[00:10:05]>> Okay. Why? Because when you have a character that you understand what their motivations are, what they deeply desire and want and what they'll do to go after it, that's somebody who's part of the human condition.

[00:10:23]>> It's no joke, Bobby.

[00:10:25]>> How much fun was it getting to play with members of the OG Dallas cast?

[00:10:30]>> Oh my god, they're all amazing. I mean, every one of them, they've been there for a long time. They know the land.

[00:10:37]They know the They know the whereabouts of everything. They know everybody's secrets. And so when you have a group like that, >> you get to learn from them. It was great.

[00:10:49]Transparent.

[00:10:51]>> Why do you do that? I don't want that.

[00:10:53]>> Because I just don't need all this. It's on my own plate and I eat it. You know how quickly I put on weight.

[00:10:57]>> How much do we love her? Oh my god.

[00:11:01]People would come up to me on the street and say, "I really really hate her." And they'd say, "But I really, really love her. Everybody knows her.

[00:11:13]You You know this woman." And I also understand why she drives other people mishuga. It is the story of this family and what it means to be confronted by a person who says, "I want to be my authentic self." It was right in the moment of the zeitgeist of what had happened in the trans community and it was this real true what happens to a family when someone says I am actually not the person you have thought I am I am this other person and that's the beauty of this >> what do you hope the legacy of this series is >> of transparent.

[00:11:59]>> Yeah.

[00:12:00]>> Is that people use it as a way to understand what support from a real family can be and how important it is to be your authentic self.

[00:12:10]>> How dare they say our marriage was a shame.

[00:12:12]>> American crime story Versace.

[00:12:15]>> I loved him very much.

[00:12:19]>> This is a special project.

[00:12:20]>> Yeah, >> you're getting emotional again. How come? when you get that kind of support um to do something that's challenging that's written so beautifully and challenging and that there are people that are there for you. It's a very um it's a very humbling experience and I that's partly what makes me emotional about it.

[00:12:45]>> How did you and Ryan first connect?

[00:12:50]>> Through this. We have people like Ryan Murphy who are supporting those of us who are in that part of our careers and our lives. He's like the great directors of the 30s and 40s who just loved women and loved women who were who had life experience.

[00:13:19]He was interested in them. He was curious about them. He was curious when I did this. They only had I think it was just maybe a part of this one episode and then he saw how people responded and he saw what I did and he said, "We're going to write you some more because I you don't have enough footage and we're going to get you an Emmy nomination."

[00:13:40]And he did.

[00:13:41]>> You also worked on another Ryan Murphy project, The Politician.

[00:13:44]>> I did.

[00:13:45]>> I know about the throppple. It was the first time that and a lot of people had heard about a throppple because this was this politician who was also sleeping with her husband and another man. And that Ryan's great idea. He said, "We have to talk about women who are more mature and their sexuality." And so, and then we were at the Emmys, I think it was, and he was hugging me and um he said to me, "Guess who's going to be your campaign manager in the show? It's going to be B. Midler and I met Be on the set and the two of us, we like hugged each other and it was like long lost sisters. Uh, and we had the most hysterical time together.

[00:14:27]The menu, >> please tell me one dish you ate the last time you were here.

[00:14:31]>> How great is he?

[00:14:33]>> Cod, it wasn't Cod. You donkey.

[00:14:37]>> Talk about another great group of actors. You know, Anna Taylor Joy, Rafe Fines. I mean, I could go on and on.

[00:14:44]This was this very strange odd. And people will come up to me and say, "I really hated that movie."

[00:14:54]Or people come up to me and say, "That's the most brilliant movie I've ever seen." I I thought it was just genius. I just loved every minute of it.

[00:15:03]>> How was the food on set, though?

[00:15:05]>> Well, you couldn't really eat it because it was like some of that really strange sort of stuff. Some of it you could eat.

[00:15:11]You could sort of eat around, but it wasn't about the food. I can tell you. I can promise you.

[00:15:17]>> Shining veil.

[00:15:19]>> Mommy, I hate my family.

[00:15:20]>> I know. Me, too. Courtney Cox is never given >> the kind of acknowledgement that she should get as an actor.

[00:15:30]>> I phenomenal. If you watch this series for the two years that it was on, the writing was so great.

[00:15:39]>> Mhm.

[00:15:41]>> She took it away. She creder.

[00:15:46]I mean, everybody I mean she really she uh she's really really special.

[00:15:54]>> I loved this show.

[00:15:55]>> Wasn't it great?

[00:15:56]>> Yeah.

[00:15:56]>> Also should still be on. I was really uh unhappy that it was cancelled. I really was. I love doing it. With nearly 100 credits to her name, the 77year-old hasn't slowed down. She just joined the MCU as a crime family matriarch in the Disney Plus special, The Punisher: One Last Kill. Oh, I'm so excited. It makes me so happy. I'm the one who's doing the punishing now.

[00:16:21]>> You are this big bad mob boss. What finally led you to joining the MCU?

[00:16:28]Well, don't you want to be everybody be in the MCU? I mean, come on.

[00:16:35]>> John Bernthal called me and he said, can you come to New York? We have to do this in 11 days, 12 days. And I said, I'm there. I'm there. I just thought this is just this is something I have always wanted to do. And it came out of the blue. It was just like one of those miraculous things in the universe that came to me.

[00:16:58]>> And I'm assuming this isn't the last we've seen of Manuji.

[00:17:02]>> I think you could assume correctly. And she's a psychiatric hospital lifer in the eerie anthology series, The Terror, Devil in Silver. The sixth and final episode drops on Shudder and AMC Plus Thursday.

[00:17:16]>> Just play nice. That's all they want from you. So, what attracted you to playing this mental hospital patient?

[00:17:24]>> Tough day. Everything.

[00:17:28]I said to people, I said, I read two lines of the script and I called my agent and I said, I'm in. I'm in that that I'm I'm I don't think I've ever done that before. This is not just a horror story. This is a psychological thriller. How do we treat people who are suffering? How do we treat people that don't live the same way that we do? How is it that we demand that they be normal? When these people come together and they form this beautiful family, this delicate, fragile, terrified, clinging to each other family. It's it's magical. Now, I say that in a way, and I hope people understand what I'm saying. It is a show that you cannot stop watching.

[00:18:23]>> I rely on your cooperation.

[00:18:27]>> When you watch this, you have to decide who if the monster is real or not and if the monster is in you.

[00:18:37]>> And also your transformation.

[00:18:40]>> Oh, >> is fun.

[00:18:42]Talk about great >> great hair and makeup. And Karen Kusama, the director, came up to me and she said, "This woman hasn't had her teeth looked after for like 30 years." And she said, "Can we put some stuff on your teeth?" So, every day in makeup, they would put this stuff on my teeth.

[00:18:59]>> How long did it take the transformation?

[00:19:02]>> Not that long. I mean, they were really quick. What took the longest was the prosthetics, which you will see later.

[00:19:09]And there's a lot of um there is I guess you would I there there is gore and I would I would say that and for some people who can't take that just think about it as a really great makeup job. You can just do that. Okay. So you can still watch it.

[00:19:29]>> And you shot in a real life prison.

[00:19:30]>> We did. There's this place out in Staten Island that had been a prison and had been a mental health facility at one point in time also. It was brilliant.

[00:19:40]And what what they did, what the producers did was they put um all the dressing rooms on either side of this one long corridor so we could all be together. It's one of those shows that gives you water cooler conversation because you will be talking about it just the way that you're talking about it where you go, who is she? What's she doing? Who is he? What are they doing? I don't want to give anything away. It's really special. It's a really important and special story and it will lead people to talk about mental health in this country and around the world. Well, Judith, how does it feel to go through almost 50 years of Judith?

[00:20:21]>> I can't believe it's 50 years.

[00:20:25]I guess what I would say is I didn't realize that I had done all of this and all I know is that I'm so grateful for all the opportunities that I've had.

[00:20:42]My life is rich. I am um I'm always growing in the work that I do. I'm always curious about something.

[00:20:52]I think my curiosity is something that keeps me going. I have a great husband.

[00:20:57]I have good friends. I have um just people who care about me and who I care about. What a job.

[00:21:12]Thank you so much. My goodness. I Thank you. We'll do it again in 50 years.

[00:21:20]You're on. I'll take you up on that.