By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith | LA Daily News

Patricia Heaton reports after figuratively walking a mile in former Yemen Ambassador Barbara Bodine's shoes, "I completely understand and sympathize with her position."

"Some people blame her quite a bit for standing in the way of the terrorism investigation," notes Heaton, who is playing Ambassador Bodine in the upcoming "Untitled History Project" miniseries about the events leading up to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

"A lot of people who worked to build certain alliances (in the Middle East) got caught in all of that. She was in Yemen for five years...a woman, really trying to build democracy there and it was very hard. She didn't want the FBI coming in with big, swinging guns and alienating all the people she'd worked with so long to build relationships."

Heaton adds, "She was really an interesting part to play...quite an accomplished woman and a really impressive person. Unfortunately, everything leading up to 9/11 was a lot of crossed paths and misunderstandings. Everybody was trying to do their job, but they were at cross-purposes with each other. It was an unfortunate situation, but I felt like I sort of wanted to honor her as a person on screen."

Heaton is the only female star in the miniseries also starring Harvey Keitel and Donnie Wahlberg. "I had one scene, but it was with Harvey, and I just jumped at the chance to go work with him. All of us actors have our favorite other actors who we put on pedestals, and he's one of the best in my mind, so it was a thrill to do that. His character and my character get into a big fight. I never thought I'd have the honor of yelling at Harvey Keitel. It was really a lot of fun."