Interview: Mary Lynn Rajskub
The "24" star on why Mommy & Me groups stress her out.
by Mina Hochberg
March 11, 2009
Most people know Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian, the
irritable computer whiz who's constantly saving Jack Bauer's hide on 24. Despite starring in a high-octane TV drama, the 37-year-old actress is a lowkey
comedienne at heart, performing stand-up in her spare time. As Rajskub and her
boyfriend learn the ropes of parenting — their son, Valentine, is seven
months old — she's mining motherhood for prime joke material.
Rajskub stars in a new movie, Sunshine Cleaning, about two sisters who start a crime-scene
cleaning business. Rajskub plays a woman who's become estranged from her
mother. We spoke to her about her new film, plus juggling the roles of new parent,
Chloe and comedian. — Mina Hochberg
In Sunshine
Cleaning, Amy Adams' character is raising her son out of wedlock. The film
addresses the fact that even though it's really common these days to raise a
kid and not be married, some people still attach a stigma to it. Do you ever
feel this stigma directed at you from other people?
I don't really feel that at all. Rather than feel a stigma
from the outside world, I find myself becoming more traditional in my own
thoughts. Like my boyfriend and I went out with the baby today. I'm twenty miles
north of Hollywood but I spent ten to twelve years all over L.A. So now we live in
the suburbs and we drive over to Hollywood and it's like, well god, I wouldn't
wanna live over here now that we have a kid. I'm not that kind of person, but
things pop into my head like, "Wouldn't it be fun to go Disneyland?" Who am I?
Where does that voice come from, because that sounds like an awful idea. But
for some reason I'm like, "Wouldn't that be fun?"
"My boyfriend and I share the parenting responsibilities."
Are you involved in
any parenting communities?
Not really. There's this list online that was kind of
started by mothers. They'll have, like, "mommy and me" groups. I always think,
"Oh, I should do that." But I don't have the lifestyle for it, really.
Because of work?
Yeah. I mean, I could probably show up at random meetings
from time to time. But it's like, "Lifetime friendships are formed! Sign up for
eight weeks!" And I'm like, I can't commit to that. It's supposed to not be
stressful, but I would be too worried about showing up or bringing the
cupcakes.
How have you handled
childcare when you're working?
My boyfriend and I share the responsibilities. We have been
using a nanny, but we're sort of on-and-off with that. It's hard, because we
don't have a regular schedule, but we're trying to keep [my son] on a regular
schedule. So when I'm working I've had him and the nanny come to work with me.
©2009 Mina Hochberg and Babble
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Mina Hochberg is a movie critic at amNewYork. She lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn. |
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