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The revered beige flight suit was not part of the original plan. Annie Potts, who plays Janine, explains that her character’s transition from receptionist to action hero was not originally written. Potts has appeared in all the Ghostbusters films, including the 2016 all-female reboot. The next installment, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, is the fifth film in the franchise and will be released later this month.
“During filming, director Gil Kenan surprised me by suggesting that we put her in a flight suit. As a woman, I was excited because it showed that women are just as capable as men.”
After Janine’s comeback, the familiar team consisting of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson are rejoining as well. Unfortunately, Harold Ramis, known for portraying Egon Spengler, passed away in 2014. The new crew includes Spengler’s estranged daughter and her children, who were introduced in the 2021 film Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Potts joyfully mentions, “They have a young ghostbuster, a mom ghostbuster, and then there’s me, the old lady ghostbuster.”
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When asked about why she believes Ghostbusters is so enduring, she responds: “Well, it has generated a large amount of profit.” However, the true reason behind its success is the fondness that audiences have for it. “It was uniquely humorous and frightening – it had a scalar attraction – and that ultimately created a successful blend.” For those of us who adored it as children, she believes that we are attempting to “revisit that moment where we experienced both amusement and fear. And now, 40 years later, here we are.” We are conversing through Zoom; Potts is in New York for the premiere, and she exudes warmth, humor, and the no-nonsense demeanor of someone who has experienced it all.
Potts, star of the long-standing show Young Sheldon, expresses her joy in reuniting with her ghostbusting coworkers. “It’s a wonderful feeling, realizing that we’ve made it through another five years or so. Back when we first began, we were all just youngsters.” It must be bittersweet to see the passage of time and the absence of some individuals, including Ramis and Ivan Reitman, who helmed the first two films and served as producer for all of them. Sadly, Reitman passed away in 2022. “Yes,” Potts reflects. “There are a few empty spots now.”
When Aykroyd collaborated with Ramis on the original, he was friends with Murray. Potts, who joined the team later, was asked if it was daunting to become a part of a close-knit group. She responds, “No, even though we had different backgrounds. I had a background in theater, while they were known for improv. I had done some improv in theater school, but I prefer a well-written script – something to memorize and think about. The idea of improvising scared me because I thought the script was already great. But they were always striving to make it even better. I found it fascinating that the actors were given the freedom to come up with lines on their own. It made me laugh. Eventually, I became the more serious character among them.”
A person inquired about the reason for Janine’s supposed nastiness. The speaker responded that they were not aware of it and that others thought she was always angry because of her colleagues’ incompetence. The speaker believes Janine saw them as morons and that society often labels successful women as “bitches.”
Was Janine ever made to feel left out, as though the female receptionist on the team should have had a more significant role? “I am not sure,” she responds nonchalantly. “I feel the distribution of tasks was pretty fair. It would have been nice to have a bigger piece of the pie, but I am content with what I was given the opportunity to do.”
In 1984, when Ghostbusters was released, Potts was 31 years old and a single mother working as an actor with some previous success on television. She recalls being “trying to make it in Hollywood”. Did the success of Ghostbusters drastically alter her life? When I asked, she replied, “I make an effort not to let anything like that have too much influence on my life.” She acknowledges, “It definitely increased my visibility, but at that time, there was no internet. Things were different then, you could stay relatively unknown.” I ponder if, after experiencing such commercial success, Potts aimed to become a leading Hollywood star. “I am a practical person,” she responds. “I always saw having a long career that paid the bills as the most practical goal, and things seem to have worked out in that regard.” She mentions that the majority of actors do not earn enough to sustain themselves, with only 14% of Screen Actors Guild members making above the $26,000 threshold for health insurance. This was a contributing factor to the recent strikes. “So in that sense, I feel very fortunate,” she says.
Ever since she can recall, Potts had a desire to pursue acting. Growing up in Franklin, Kentucky, with a father in business and a stay-at-home mother tending to her and her two older sisters, she would eagerly return from school to catch the 4pm movie on television. “I remember watching old, classic films – it was the 50s and my parents allowed it. I don’t even remember having homework.” She was particularly drawn to funny female performers like Rosalind Russell, Carole Lombard, and Lucille Ball. “My earliest memory is of laying on the couch in our TV room, watching I Love Lucy – and I had a bottle, so I was essentially raised on Lucille Ball and she was such a great role model. But all the women from that era were exceptional teachers.” During one summer spent at a camp, a teacher recognized her talent during a drama class and told her she had a “spark”. “I was thrilled. Nobody had ever acknowledged anything special about me before.”
Soon after beginning her professional journey, it was almost disrupted by a car collision at the age of 21. “Intoxicated drivers in three cars, full of teenagers, were racing recklessly on the opposite side of a two-lane highway and collided head on with the car I was in.” She explains that the crash caused numerous severe injuries to her lower body, and the recovery process was lengthy. “I am still trying to recover.” This incident most likely shattered her sense of safety and invulnerability, things that many of us take for granted at that stage of life. “When your life is nearly taken away, its value becomes incredibly precious. You cannot fully grasp its worth until it is on the verge of being lost.” She acknowledges that the accident’s impact should not be downplayed – it has necessitated numerous surgeries throughout her life. However, she also recognizes that it served as her most challenging and most valuable teacher because of the lessons she learned.
In 2017, the #MeToo movement brought attention to the widespread issue of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry during the 1980s and 90s. Was Potts a victim of it? She admits to experiencing some level of harassment, but it wasn’t until after the fact that she fully understood what was happening. She recalls moments where inappropriate comments and implications were made towards her when she was younger, but it didn’t have a significant impact on her.
Although sexual harassment may now be seen as unacceptable, the fight for true equality for women is far from over, as she clarifies. She raises her concern that even in the US, there are still obstacles in achieving equal pay by 2024. Assertively, she expresses her hope for the unjust treatment to be acknowledged and rectified sooner rather than later. We discuss the concerning rollback of abortion rights. She admits feeling terrified, but firmly states that men have no right to dictate what women can do with their own bodies. She remains optimistic for this imbalance to change.
Mary Jo Potts was a prominent actress on popular shows like Designing Women, Love & War, and Any Day Now. However, as she entered her fifties, she noticed a decline in job opportunities. She turned back to her passion for theater and performed in a few productions in New York, such as God of Carnage on Broadway in 2010. Reflecting on her journey, Potts never imagined making her Broadway debut at the age of 57 and credits perseverance for her success. She never gave up and waited for the right opportunity to come her way.
In 2017, Potts joined the cast of the popular TV series The Big Bang Theory spin-off prequel, Young Sheldon, playing the role of Sheldon’s spirited grandmother, Meemaw. As the show’s seventh and final series airs, Potts has thoroughly enjoyed portraying her character. She describes Meemaw as a strong and lively southern woman, with whom she has a personal connection. Additionally, Potts has also lent her voice to the character of Bo Peep in the Toy Story movies. Initially a minor member of the toy group, Bo Peep was given a more prominent role in Toy Story 4 (2019). In her latest project, Ghostbusters, Potts takes on a different role, as she is now the one wearing the ghostbusting suit and tackling the supernatural.
The slow years must have been tough. How did she cope with it? “The best I could,” she says. “You run into people and they’re like, ‘Didn’t you used to be an actor?’” She remembers one man: “He said, ‘I remember you, you were really cute and now you’re … old.’” She laughs and pretends to be gracious: “I’m going to accept what the universe just delivered me, I shall be humble, and thank that person. ‘Thank you so much, so nice of you to say, I’ll be on my way now.’”
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We are both finding humor in how terrible it is, but it appears to have affected her confidence. “Naturally, this can cause some individuals to become reclusive or resort to excessive plastic surgery, leading to their lack of confidence being displayed on their face.” She grins. “While some minor enhancements can be enjoyable, it’s easy to feel pressured to constantly please those who may approach you on the street and comment, ‘Wow, you used to be so attractive.’ I’d rather just be shot now.”
According to her, the roles available to women have improved and she has witnessed significant changes throughout her professional journey. Initially, she turned to television as a means to maintain a steady life for herself and her children, but it was considered inferior to the film industry. However, this perception has completely shifted. The film industry is now dominated by movie franchises such as Ghostbusters and Toy Story. Potts recognizes that audiences are drawn to familiar content. “They know that they will be thoroughly entertained when they watch a Toy Story movie with their kids. The same goes for Ghostbusters. People are aware of what to expect. These are two examples of exceptional entertainment, but there may be some content that may not be as appealing to people of my generation. However, I believe that is just the current reality.”
We discuss the potential impact of AI on actors, specifically those who work with voice acting. According to Potts, who has relied heavily on her unique voice in her career, it will be simple for AI to replicate it. However, she adds that there are protections in place for actors, thanks to the agreement recently reached by SAG. When asked about the consequences of AI taking over acting from humans, Potts admits that it’s beyond her comprehension. She believes that AI will be capable of doing everything humans do, from acting and writing to other tasks, which may leave humans with nothing else to do except take care of each other. She tries to comfort herself with these thoughts.
She describes herself as an optimist, which may have played a role in her four marriages. She has three sons, two of whom were born during her marriage to her fourth husband, filmmaker Jim Hayman. Their relationship has lasted for over 30 years, and she believes that her many life experiences have taught her valuable lessons. Despite enduring multiple broken bones and four marriages, she has gained insights and knowledge that have allowed her to empathize and show compassion towards others.
Young Sheldon’s success enabled her to establish a charitable organization with a close companion. This initiative assists individuals experiencing difficulties and who may otherwise go unnoticed. She shares, “We encountered so many people in need that we felt compelled to offer aid.”
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At the moment, there are three families of Afghan refugees and a young woman from Guatemala that she has been supporting through college. She believes in paying it forward since others have helped her in the past. As her salary exceeds her needs, she sees it as a logical decision to share it with those in need.
Potts is eager to return to the stage because it provides a source of creative inspiration, above all else. Regarding Ghostbusters, she believes it’s possible that another one will be made now that the younger characters have been introduced. She also adds that as long as the original cast is willing to use their proton devices, they will continue to be involved.
Janine struggled for a while to put on the flight suit. Hopefully, she won’t be retiring it anytime soon.
Source: theguardian.com
