Allison Janney on Playing the President in ‘The Diplomat,’ Her Broadway ‘Seven-Year Itch’ and the One Genre She’s Never Tried
Allison Janney has transitioned her character Grace Penn from vice president to commander in chief in Netflix's political thriller 'The Diplomat,' a development that caught even the seasoned performer off guard when she discovered it while reading a script at home. The show has garnered recognition with seven Emmy nominations, including a supporting drama actress nomination for Janney, marking her latest recognition following her earlier tenure as White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg on 'The West Wing.'
The forthcoming fourth season will navigate fallout from a morally and politically questionable action undertaken by Janney's character and co-star Rufus Sewell's diplomat Hal Wyler, with the actress obliquely suggesting the transgression involves nuclear materials and could ignite tensions between multiple nations. Filming the presidential inauguration sequence proved emotionally significant for the cast, taking place shortly after the 2024 election, amid broader cultural reflection on perceptions of female leadership in high office.
- Allison Janney's character has become president in Netflix's 'The Diplomat,' surprising the Emmy-nominated actress who didn't learn it until reading the script
- The show earned seven Emmy nominations; Season 4 will explore consequences of a morally questionable act involving nuclear materials with international repercussions