‘Madam Secretary’s Téa Leoni on Elizabeth’s Legacy as President
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Good evening, Madam President.
Yes, the calendar has jumped ahead — two years! — on the political drama Madam Secretary, so in the farewell Season 6, former Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) is approaching her 100th day in the Oval Office.
Leoni shares her experience “stirring things up and taking some hits” as the commander-in-chief.
What strikes Elizabeth most about being president?
Téa Leoni: She’s the first woman in the Oval Office, and we explore that elephant in the room in every episode.
Does her professor husband, Henry (Tim Daly), have an official job in the administration?
Henry is the first gentleman and he has a busy schedule of formal duties that must take precedence over his Thomas Aquinas jokes.
What do you think President McCord’s legacy will be?
Elizabeth is bringing back the beauty of the compromise.
(Mark Schafer/CBS)
What will you miss most when the series ends?
The McCord kitchen! For five years I spent more time there than in the Leoni kitchen. But [even more], I’ll miss the great people in the cast and the crew. I’ve told them, “We’ll all still get together at Christmas.”
Do you have a favorite episode or scene?
There’s some kind of joy on set every day, but a great time was when Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and Colin Powell played with us [the former secretaries of state made cameos in the Season 5 premiere] — and signed a cast on my mother’s broken arm!
Has Madam Secretary made you more or less politically interested?
It’s prompted a greater awareness, and vigilance, in me, but I’m not going to be that actor running for office!
Madam Secretary, Sixth and Final Season Premiere, Sunday, October 6, 9/8c, CBS
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