Former Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton has overcome her
fear of being typecast.
Many actors -- including Get Smart's Don Adams, Roseanne's Roseanne Barr
and Mad About You's Paul Reiser -- have struggled to find work after
leaving long-running sitcoms, but Heaton's role in the Channel 7 drama
The Path to 9/11 is an astonishing departure from her role of Debra in
Raymond.
For instance, consider this dialogue from Heaton, who plays US
ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine in the emotive mini-series.
"This is a fledgling democracy," Bodine says. "I don't want you (FBI
agent played by Harvey Keitel) coming in and ruining all my good work .
. . and how about teaching your female personnel how to dress in an
Islamic country."
Turning to a female agent, Bodine adds: "Cover your a---!"
The Path to 9/11 is a dramatisation of events in The 9/11 Commission
Report. It starts with the 1993 bombing of New York's World Trade Centre
and ends with the events of September 11, 2001, when jets ploughed into
the centre's Twin Towers.
"Some people blame her quite a bit for standing in the way of the
terrorism investigation," Heaton says of Bodine. "She was an
accomplished woman. I sort of wanted to honour her as a person on
screen."
Heaton hasn't looked back since the cameras stopped rolling on Raymond
18 months ago.
Last year, she signed a seven-figure development deal with US-based ABC
Television and its sister studio, Touchstone TV, to produce series and
long-form projects through Four Boys Films, the company run by Heaton
and her husband, David Hunt.
She is producing the film Amazing Grace, which stars Ioan Gruffudd and
Albert Finney and is based on the true story of William Wilberforce, who
waged a 20-year battle to abolish the British slave trade.
Heaton has filmed the lead role in The Engagement Ring, a movie about a
long-lost ring that divides childhood sweethearts now in their golden
years.
Heaton, once America's darling for her role as spunky mum Debra in
Raymond, confesses she doesn't find it easy mothering her own sons --
Sam, John, Joseph and Daniel -- and pursuing a career.
"They're loud but manageable," she says.
After years of trying to make it as an actor in New York, Heaton moved
to Los Angeles. She auditioned for the role of Elaine in Seinfeld, but
found worldwide recognition with Raymond. Eventual peace of mind came
with a trip to a Mexican orphanage.
"Up to that point I'd been obsessively focused on getting acting work,"
she says.
"When I came back, I realised that in the scheme of things it didn't
matter if I got to be an actress."
