Calista Flockhart, the star of one of America's most popular TV series, Ally McBeal, has said she wants out of the series that made her name. “I am sick of it,” she is quoted as saying. She gives herself two more years in the role and then plans to call it quits. “I just don’t care any more. David will probably kill me for saying this, but I am sick of boys on the show. I’m sick of men too.”
The David in question is Ally McBeal creator David E Kelley. Also the show’s executive producer and husband of Michelle Pfeiffer, David will not be happy with his star’s comments, and they perhaps spell the beginning of the end for the programme which hit a chord with women the world over. Calista, despite the furore over her weight, is much loved in TV land, however. She is up for an Emmy award this weekend, for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series.
Ally’s tangled love life made her a veritable stateside Bridget Jones. The closest she got to finding a decent man was Robert Downey Jr, but the actor’s off-screen shenanigans – he was arrested on drugs charges in April – meant his character, Larry was written out of the series, just as he was about to make Ally his wife.
Thirty-five-year-old Calista said: “There could be so much more to Ally. It’s a big world, but all we do is dwell on boyfriends and dating and I find that tedious.”
Perhaps this is a reflection of the actress’ private life. On New Year’s Eve last year Calista became a single mother when she adopted a baby boy whom she named Liam. Famously unlucky in love – romances with American Beauty director Sam Mendes and comic actor Ben Stiller have all fallen by the wayside - the actress is remaining upbeat about the possibility of future romance.
“We’re all human and we all want a partner,” she said. “I certainly want love. But there’s a lot more to life than that for me. Now that I have a baby, everything has changed. I’m a mum – and it’s the best and most challenging thing I’ve done. Motherhood is so nice. It’s amazing. I started to cry last night because I realised he’s almost a year old already. He’s growing up too fast for me.”
One man about to enter Calista’s life is Jon Bon Jovi. The New Jersey rocker is due to start filming on Ally McBeal, for a nine-episode appearance. Although no details have been released of Jon’s character in the show, it is widely thought the singer, who has the makings of a credible leading man, is to play Ally’s new love interest.
However, Jon’s shooting schedule has been postponed to enable him to play various benefit concerts for the victims of the US terrorist attacks. “I want to lend my name and support to as many of these benefits as I can, so I told the show’s producers, ‘Either delay it a month or I have to withdraw,” the musician told MTV. “David E Kelley was really wonderful, because he completely understood and supported my decision wholeheartedly.”
Another star from the world of music due to appear in the show is Sir Elton John. He will follow in the footsteps of fellow Brit-rocker Sting, who lensed an episode for the show’s last series.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
