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Home » Blogs » Trish Bendix's blog » Chandra Wilson butches up Broadway

Chandra Wilson butches up Broadway

by
Trish Bendix

While Chandra Wilson might be in limbo for the next season of Grey's Anatomy, she's not going anywhere out of the spotlight. Starting today, she'll be playing Matron Mama Morton on the Broadway production of Chicago, a role made famous in the film version by Queen Latifah.

Wilson recently spoke to The Advocate about her new role and what could be coming up for Callie and Arizona on Grey's:

On Mama Morton's butch qualities:

When someone new takes over a role, the company doesn't change anything from the script, but they do lay it all out there and let people take from it what they take from it. So sometimes, depending on who's playing Mama, it might sound crazy calling Mama butch. I decided that I'll give Mama her look, her walk, and her demeanor, and then I'll let the words fall where they fall.

Queen Latifah in "Chicago"

On playing gay:

I had a little, itty-bitty piece of a role as an inmate at the very top of the film Strangers With Candy. She probably was supposed to be a lesbian, but I don’t think you saw her long enough to know.

On Brooke Smith leaving Grey's and Callie's relationship with Arizona:

Whoever made that decision about Brooke, I know they kept saying that it wasn't about the story line; it was all about finding the right chemistry, whatever that means. You have limitless possibilities with series television, and it’s always changing, so there’s really no telling what direction we could go in with Callie and Arizona.

Chandra also gave her support for the anti-Prop. 8 movement, saying she has many gay and lesbian friends with families.

It's such an interesting issue for me because as a Christian you're told to believe certain things, but I can't get past my gut and my eyes, and I can't get past my gay friends that have more love than some heterosexual couples that I know.

Chandra Wilson is not only a talented actress on all levels, but a great LGBT ally. Here's hoping her Mama Morton is just as gay as Queen Latifah's!

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    • Submitted by
    Trish Bendix
    on June 8, 2009 - 5:00pm.
    TAGS :: 
    Lyndsey's picture

    lol

    Submitted by
    Lyndsey (62 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 7:10pm.
    oh trish you're funny with your strikethrough text
    Yes-I-Am-1's picture

    Mama Morton?! I totally

    Submitted by
    Yes-I-Am-1 (9 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 5:17pm.
    Mama Morton?! I totally wanna see Chandra Wilson performe in my favorite Musical Chicago. Gosh I just have to stop myself from booking a flight to NYC right now,
    Elisabeth's picture

    Your Avi!

    Submitted by
    Elisabeth (174 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 4:19am.

    Its the White Suit of Love!!!!!!!!!!!!

    LOL, sorry just had to get that out.......

    About Chandra on Broadway as Mama Morton, honestly she seems like a perfect fit for the role......yet another reason i LOATHE the Atlantic ocean :D, coz ill probably never see her perform it, but oh well. Im happy shes doing it!

    Yes-I-Am-1's picture

    avi-pic

    Submitted by
    Yes-I-Am-1 (9 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 6:27am.
    I love that suit too. It's a preview-pic for wednesdays episode of Guiding Light (Yes i admit I am a Otaliaholic). I'm so looking forward for watching this on screen. 
    Tea&Toast's picture

    She has to be back next

    Submitted by
    Tea&Toast (596 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 5:35pm.
    She has to be back next season! Bailey's like the only stable character in the show, one of the few that I never find myself thinking "oh shut up" to at any point :)! So yeah, bring back Bailey!

    ______
    I Tweet therefore I am; http://twitter.com/RainbowPleb

    Angelica's picture

    bailey must come back

    Submitted by
    Angelica (17 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 6:17pm.
    I'll be completely sad if Chandra doesn't come back to gray's as Bailey. She's one of my fav characters and brings the comedy sometimes. It's great news hearing about the broadway show. she is perfect for the part :) Trish.. great on the strikethrough font too lmao. ;)
    i want an athlete!'s picture

    hahaha

    Submitted by
    i want an athlete! (440 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 6:18pm.

    "just as gay as Queen Latifah's"  

    Best strikeout ever.

    And I love Chandra Wilson! She just seems like one of those people with huge hearts. Like Jennifer Beals and Sean Penn: straight but great allies :) if I was in New York I would definitely go and watch this.


    C.a.m.i.l.l.e's picture

    No You Did Not!

    Submitted by
    C.a.m.i.l.l.e (16 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 6:35pm.
    LMAO! OOOh, maybe one day she will join us publicly. I would love to see Chandra in Chicago- around the city. I don't think Shonda Rhimes would not bring Bailey back. *fingers cross* - just in case.
    royaroo's picture

    As if I needed another

    Submitted by
    royaroo (31 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 7:51pm.
    As if I needed another reason to love her.
    .★.Matt The Rock$tar.★.'s picture

    I love that movie

    Submitted by
    .★.Matt The Roc... (2393 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 8:42pm.

    Chandra Wilson looks so hott I want to see the musical now. 

    90 people get the swine flu, everyone wears masks; Millions of people get AIDs, no one wears rubbers.

    LolitaVida's picture

    Chandra!

    Submitted by
    LolitaVida (169 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 9:43pm.

    This article has me feeling both elated and stricken. On the one hand, Dr. Bailey is Matron Mama Morton! :) On the other, what do you mean her return to Grey's "might be in limbo?!" How did I not know this? WTF, man. Dennie and his elevator to heaven can take George AND Izzie for all I care, but for the love of all that is lesbian, leave me my Bailey! :(

     ~Lolita

    "But to see her was to love her, love but her, and love forever."

    turkish's picture

    It's Not Just Chandra

    Submitted by
    turkish (126 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 11:24pm.
    Actually the entire cast is "in limbo". They are all waiting to see if the network is keeping them on contract. That should be very shortly. Speculation is that the only ones there is really any concern about not coming back is TR and Katherine due to how their characters ended the season. Everyone else seems pretty safe.
    LolitaVida's picture

    Thanks For the Update!

    Submitted by
    LolitaVida (169 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 1:06am.

    Ah, I see. Thank you for assuaging my fears. After what ABC did to Brooke Smith, I thought I was gonna have to choke a bitch.

     ~Lolita

    "But to see her was to love her, love but her, and love forever."

    Salma's picture

    ohhhh ;)

    Submitted by
    Salma (16 posts)
    on June 8, 2009 - 10:22pm.

    Another reason to love Chandra Wilson. This woman is amazing, in my opinion ;) She seems like such a genuine person .

    Salma:)

    pecola's picture

    Give the Woman Her Awards

    Submitted by
    pecola (1504 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 12:08am.

    Now if only they would give the woman her damn Emmy!

    Or a Tony...

    I'm not picky.  

    ---

    Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong. - Theodore Roosevelt

    Lauren's picture

    Amazing. I heart Chandra

    Submitted by
    Lauren (327 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 6:32am.

    Amazing. I heart Chandra Wilson.

    And I've seen Chicago twice and I'm sure she'll be amazing. She sure looks the part! 

    Go here for my view on all things lesbian: http://allthingslesbeau.blogspot.com

    Natazzz's picture

    Very nice

    Submitted by
    Natazzz (1113 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 10:27am.

    Very nice...

    I heart her.

    ---------------------------------------

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    Hank's picture

    ZOMG.

    Submitted by
    Hank (1497 posts)
    on June 9, 2009 - 5:19pm.

    I just watched Strangers with Candy last night and saw her name in the credits, and I Was like 'WAIT WTF? Where was she?!?' and had to watch it again...yeah you can barely see her but i'm pretty sure she was a lez, lol. Hi-larious. Anyway. That's awesome, the Chandra and the Morton and whatnot. 

    ___   __ _____ __ _____ _ ___ _ ____ _

    I dangled my participle in her fragment and stretched it into a run-on.

    Adrenaline Rush: Badasses with Hearts of Gold and Other Honorable Traits TooAlsoAsWell-slash-Suavee. 

    freakunleashed's picture

    I just remembered they used

    Submitted by
    freakunleashed (96 posts)
    on June 10, 2009 - 5:56pm.
    I just remembered they used to call her 'the nazi' in GA
    tetchie's picture

    its really cool chanda play as mama morton but..

    Submitted by
    tetchie (3 posts)
    on June 10, 2009 - 8:15pm.
    its really cool chanda play as mama morton but don't u ever dare leaving GA..

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