« Crime and Replenishment: Why Wednesdays Have Been Murder | Main | Martin Sheen - Actor, 'The West Wing' »
October 15, 2004
'West Wing's' Maloney pushes for Kerry in FM
By ROB JENKINS
Fort Morgan Times
Janel Maloney is not a politician.
But she plays one on TV.
Maloney, who plays Donattella "Donna" Moss on the largely popular White House television drama "The West Wing," got a taste of life imitating art Thursday as she took to the campaign trail in support of presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry.
Maloney's tour of Colorado began with a stop at In the Mood Coffee House in Fort Morgan Thursday afternoon before heading to Colorado State University and New Belgium Brewing Co. in Fort Collins.
While she is an actress of relatively widespread popularity, Maloney simply decided to campaign for Kerry because of her conscience.
"It's really simple for me," Maloney said. "I'm just doing what I can do. I want to be of service at this point in the election. I heard somebody say, 'If they win they wanted it more,' and I really took that to heart."
Maloney took the time to chat with voters discussing the issues that were important to Morgan County voters and how Kerry could force a change with regards to those issues. But while appearances portrayed a confident actress speaking up for her favorite presidential candidate, Maloney's internal thoughts were not necessarily the same.
"One of the things that scared me about this is I am an actor and I care about my career," Maloney said. "Part of my egotistical, small-minded fear was that I'd get labeled as this crazy, lefty actress, but we all have to do what we can. We owe it to ourselves to do the best we can."
Maloney is preparing to take on the role of Donna Moss for the sixth season (the show is in its sixth season as well), and viewers will get a bit of a surprise as the new season of the show premieres.
"You'll find out in the beginning (of the season) if Donna lives or dies," Maloney hints.
Maloney's character, who plays the assistant to the deputy chief of staff on the show, is known for being one of the characters on the show who very seldom ventures outside the confines of the White House fences. However, at the end of last season, Maloney's character was sent to the Middle East as a part of a fact-finding mission that resulted in her being caught in a car bomb that has left her critically injured.
As an actress cast alongside Martin Sheen, a celebrity known for his vocal Democratic political activism, Maloney could not help but catch a bit of that activism from her cast mate and taking a cue from Sheen that being involved does not necessarily mean you can't have a flourishing career at the same time.
"At the end of the day I think you have to give; you have to be of service, and all of the stuff you gather in life you don't get to keep it in the end," Maloney explained. "We need to be taking care of each other and speak the truth, and that is what Martin has always done. Plus, he's had a great career so it's not like you can't do both."
And as she departed Fort Morgan to attend to the rest of her engagements, Maloney shared her thoughts about a plains town that is about as far removed from Hollywood as anywhere in America.
"Everyone I've talked to has seemed really smart and informed and concerned and really sweet," Maloney.
"The West Wing" airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC with the new season set to premiere Wednesday, Oct. 20.
Posted by Jo at October 15, 2004 10:01 PM