Stockard Channing Career Retrospective | Conversations on Broadway

Screen Actors Guild Foundation and Broadway World have partnered for a filmed Conversations Q&A series to recognize and celebrate the vibrant theatre community in New York City and the actors who aspire to have a career on the stage and screen. We are thrilled to present this event in partnership with the New School for Drama at the Auditorium on 12th Street. Please join us for a career Conversations with Stockard Channing and moderated by Broadway World's Richard Ridge of "Backstage with Richard Ridge!"
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Stockard Channing was recently seen on Broadway in Other Desert Cities directed by Joe Mantello, for which she garnered Tony and Drama Desk nominations. Receiving the Tony Award for A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, she is also Tony-nominated for her roles in Pal Joey, The Lion in Winter, and John Guare’s Four Baboons Adoring the Sun, The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation, for which she also received an Drama League Award, Obie Award and an Olivier nomination for the London Production, and was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe reprising her role for the 1993 film version. Other stage credits include the musical version of Two Gentleman of Verona, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Little Foxes,Hapgood (Drama Desk Nomination), Woman in Mind for which she won a Drama Desk Award, The Rink, The Golden Age, They’re Playing Our Song and Love Letters which she premiered off-Broadway. Channing’s first major television role was in Joan River’s The Girl Most Likely To. Since that breakout she has accumulated a total of 13 Emmy nominations and three Emmy Awards, including those for her television roles in Jack, The Matthew Shepard Story and The West Wing, the latter two also garnered her two SAG Awards. She can currently be seen in a recurring role on The Good Wife. Her first leading role on the big screen was in Mike Nichols’ The Fortune opposite Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson for which was was nominated for a Golden Globe. Among her other films include Sweet Revenge, The Big Bus, Practical Magic, The First Wives Club, Moll Flanders, Le divorce, Up Close & Personal, Heartburn, Where the Heart Is, Smoke (SAG nomination) and Grease, earning a People’s Choice Award for her performance as bad girl Rizzo. Channing received a London Film Critics Circle Award and an AFI Best Actress nomination for The Business of Strangers. Currently Stockard Channing is on Broadway in Terrence McNally’s It’s Only a Play.

[@squatsngiggles]

And now she lives in London absolutely rocking the theatre, long may it continue.

[@berniechatterton795]

It is such a delight watching this marvelous video again...Stockard Channing is a cultured....articulate..witty and down to earth UNIQUE actress...may she perform in the Arts for a long time to come...

[@berniechatterton795]

Stockard Channing is a maestro in her field...acting...combine intelligence..wit..charisma...I enjoyed listening to her...

[@maryhuse3391]

Such an absolute treasure!

[@thebigladyistheboss5466]

Stockard Channing has always been one of my favorite actresses. I always wondered why she wasn't in more motion pictures. She is so intelligent it's easy to listen to her.

[@EastSide-qc5oy]

She has said in other interviews that when she was younger she really didn’t “get” Hollywood and what is required of actresses working in film. There was a lot of pressure for her to base herself in LA after the success of Grease, and she felt out of place. She would go out to lunch and resent that her agents would tell her she had to glam herself up every time she did something mundane like go out to lunch. This timed with some of her planned screen projects not panning out. Not only was she more passionate about theater but she much preferred the lifestyle of a New York based theater actor. And New York was home to her. Though obviously she has returned to the big and small screen plenty of times.

[@lupelupelupe]

Stumbled onto this video! Wow she is amazing!

[@JamieJobb]

At the Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center, I watched in awe as Stockard Channing went on stage in "Six Degrees of Separation" while losing her voice. Despite that trouble, she carried on and completed the performance right through her "anecdote" monologue to bring down the house.

[@charlychips]

Stockard, in my opinion is a great actress and a movie star.

[@simplyemonnie]

The way she speaks about acting is just so calming, makes me feel like I can do it no problem. Of course that’s not true but she makes acting as a career look so authentic and honest. No glamour or glitz just experience, some luck and a good feeling. Makes me think I actually might have a shot.

[@tiffsaver]

Always follow your passion. Always.

[@Sassyellechica]

She is very talented and beautiful, yes. she also did a good performance in the Mysteries of Laura NBC love seeing her act again.

[@railehtdoe2907]

The fact that she is a natural and everything she’s done has been through instinct. She’s so awesomely intelligent but obviously shy with a touch of being a little introvert but once she’s comfortable and happy and she feels safe, she is such a wonder. I could listen to her talk for hours. And have? For the last fifteen years of my life. ♥️

[@leonagraca2239]

The song there are worse things I can do and the scene and working on the car are absolutely perfect for the film, Rizzo amazing

[@Sassyellechica]

her hair is amazing

[@garygraves5596]

It is quite possible that "The West Wing" is the GOAT network television show.

[@kitobianchort7809]

I just love her.

[@nancyk3615]

I love everything I see her in! Love those pants!

[@kevinivers]

Love how tired and cranky she got at the end

[@captainnice9698]

exceptionably bright lovely woman.

[@marishanameyer6132]

That"s a really sweet comment.

[@dr.calebrobbins.3177]

I've loved this woman 's work. Seen her in UK & NY ... Stage an screen's. As I first really saw her as ' Rizzo ' ... I knew here was a performer who will be around for a long time. A highly stylized Individual ARTIST.

[@christyschrage3755]

I love her!

[@railehtdoe2907]

One of the best things I ever heard anyone say about her was Ron Silver trying to explain just how smart she was…he said she liked to entertain and invite close friends to dine at her house and it was always fun and the conversation was excellent but he knew she was on a different level because she would tell him a joke and he wouldn’t get it until well after the dinner was over and he was at home. And after spending that time thinking about it, he would get it then laugh his ass off.

[@atidilzi]

Stockard Channing! Nice 👍 name and nice person 👩 I love her 😍

[@douglasabbey4038]

LOVE her!!

[@alwaysnew189]

thanks!

[@wsegen]

not to mention my personal fave, as Kitty Baxter in The Big Bus

[@icosotc]

If they decide to recast Carrie Fisher's role as General Leia in the next Star Wars movie, I hope they choose Stockard Channing.

[@thewesleygoo]

Talking about The West Wing begins at around 58:53 (for all Wingnuts out there). ;)

[@tiffsaver]

I loved her in "The Girl Most Likely To," but I'm a little weird. What an incredible career.

[@joemckim1183]

She'll always be Abbie Bartlett to me.

[@philmfan]

The Big Bus!

[@marcziegenhain8420]

The next should be "POTUS Bartlet" Martin Sheen.

[@en6278]

I wish she embraced Grease more than she does. Its such a beloved film & certainly her most famous role. but of all the main cast she is the one that doesnt seem to get involved wth reunions or like to speak of it much. I think seh considers it kinda lowbrow. John has had such a huge career even without Grease but even he seems proud of it.

[@jamiecramer3579]

I'm curious to know what she meant when she said "If you've met my mother, you'd know why." haha

[@marishanameyer6132]

Stockard is one of eleven kids. Her mother lived till she was 97. Maybe it was her personality?

[@railehtdoe2907]

This is an old comment but okay, no. Stockard is not one of eleven kids. She has one older sister who was married to an Ambassador and the same sister was also once a mayor of Palm Beach. Best explanation on the mother comment-Ouisa was based on her mother. Or at least, the foundations of the character. Her mom was Park Avenue Rich with the capital R and lived in all the trapping of it. We’re talking boarding schools and small puppies, equestrian and going to school everyday in a limo. Stockard basically ran away from all of that, leaving behind the perfect husband she married at 19 and the perfect life her mother fully expected her to live. Think of it like Stockard was supposed to be Cynthia (minus the suicide) in First Wives Club. Marry rich and stay comfortable. Stockard got her trust fund and lived off of it but, of course, it it ran out. But she was disowned by her mom. I don’t think they started speaking to each other, as implied by Stockard, until she started making a proper name for herself with Six Degrees. Movie or the theater version? Unconfirmed. But yeah she was super broke and things were bad for a while like ketchup sandwiches bad (hence taking the role in Grease)…but she didn’t go back home and she didn’t want to give her mother the chance to say “I told you so” because Stockard isn’t joking when she says “she ran away to join the circus”. She was the black sheep of a known family in the Upper East Side. She was close to her biological father and they adored each other. But even she acknowledges that if her father saw where she eventually ended up, he would have been furious with her too. She turned into everything someone like her was never supposed to turn into. It was embarrassing for their family back then because making a spectacle of oneself and specifically a woman putting herself first and standing out was considered by her mother to be unladylike. We will never have it but she would have had the most interesting Autobiography in her generation. Not just for the work and everything that created her persona and career but the entirety of the life she lives.

[@CM-ll7ww]

25:12 for Grease

[@thapelomahlatsi8243]

😍😍😍

[@solange7777]

de q año es esta entrevista

[@amandacampbell2945]

what a shame stockard didnt have children, I think she would have been an amazing mum.

[@liammorgan2155]

I love her but find it amusing she feels Grease is low-brow but the sitcom “The Stockard Channing Show” immediately after was not exactly Shakespeare.

[@georgetirebiter6987]

This is Stockard Channing from the Fish that saved Pittsburg? What have you done to that beautiful face?

[@reidrr41]

DAMN, THIS IS NOT CHANNING, SHE HAS CHANGED HER BEAUTIFUL FACE....WHY DO STARS KEEP DOING THIS....GROW OLD WITH THE SAME FACE THEY WERE BORN WITH

[@storie8417]

I agree but I think certain people *like Stockard* look outstanding either way

[@alexd1121]

i cannot recognise her!!

[@joaniec6178]

Oss Delmar Unlike a lot of actresses nowadays, she has allowed herself to age

[@gina.1]

She also had a car accident I believe.