<< back                                       November 25, 2005
Zap2it
Author: Rick Porter

Starring in a movie brings with it a fair amount of responsibility to make the film something audiences will want to watch. Emmy winner Patricia Heaton took on that task, and considerably more, for her latest role.
Heaton stars in the TNT movie "The Engagement Ring," a romantic comedy that premieres Monday (Nov. 28). Among her co-stars is real-life husband David Hunt, and the couple also served as executive producers of the film.

And, oh yeah, the couple also brought their four kids with them on the five-week shoot.

"My husband and I really had our hands full," Heaton says of juggling the jobs of actor, producer and parent on set. "It was very intensive for the five weeks we shot, I have to say. But very satisfying, because when the movie comes out and turns out the way you dreamed it would, it's all yours."

In her first project following the end of "Everybody Loves Raymond" earlier this year, Heaton plays Sara Rosa, a Napa Valley winemaker who's closing in on a business deal for a neighboring winery's land. One problem: The land is owned by Nick Di Cenzo (Tony Lo Bianco), who's been locked in a 40-year feud with Sara's mother, Alicia (Lainie Kazan).

While serving in the Army as a young man, Nick sent Alicia an engagement ring through the mail. It never arrived, leading her to think Nick had found someone else and Nick to believe Alicia had rejected his proposal. It finally turns up as Sara and her fiance, Brian (Hunt), are trying to close the sale, further complicating matters.

To top all that off, Sara finds herself drawn to Nick's nephew, Tony (Vincent Spano), as they prepare a lunch they hope will bring the two former lovers to a reconciliation.

"I was very attracted to the multi-generational romance, where we really delved into my parents' lives and their romantic life," Heaton says. "I think so often after actors get to a certain age, they're kind of shuttled off as these side characters who don't experience those feelings of love and romance an wistfulness and regret. I loved that in this, that was really the main theme of the movie."

Finding the right actors for those parts, naturally, was a key to making the movie work, and Heaton is pretty happy with the choice of Kazan and Lo Bianco. She cites a scene she shares with Kazan early on, when Kazan has a rather, uh, forceful reaction to finally receiving the ring.

"I thought Lainie was so wonderful, and it takes an actress of her presence carry that off with real confidence," Heaton says. "And the same with Tony Lo Bianco. They both have such a history. I loved just sitting with them and listening to their old war stories in show business and the people they worked with -- hearing Tony Lo Bianco talk about working with [Heaton's 'Raymond' co-star] Doris Roberts on Broadway."

An added treat, Heaton says, was acting with her husband -- even if their characters' relationship isn't the greatest. Hunt guest-starred on a few "Raymond" episodes, but "The Engagement Ring" was the first time the couple shared significant screen time.

"We worked really hard on his character, because it's the most thankless role normally in movies like this. So we wanted to really give him some humor and personality. Then he brought so much to it that I really enjoyed watching him. It was really a lot of fun, and fun for the kids to see too."

Heaton pauses for a second. "A little confusing for the kids too," she says with a laugh about her character's spark with Spano and not Hunt. "Nonetheless, they'll figure it out. We'll set aside some shrink money for them."