UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — How did Glenn Close end up on a weekly TV series? And a cable series at that?
The Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated actress joined the cast of FX's "The Shield" (which returns with new episodes on March 15) despite the fact that, before being offered the role as the new captain of the police squad, she'd never seen an episode of the show.
"They seduced me, so here I am," Close said.
The seduction consisted of producers Shawn Ryan and John Landgraf and FX president Peter Ligouri telling Close what they had in mind, leaving her with DVDs of the first three seasons of "The Shield" and, basically, asking very nicely.
Which came as more than a bit of a surprise to network executives around town who hadn't pitched Close a series because they assumed she wouldn't be interested.
"Nobody ever approached me about a series," said Close, other than "preliminary" discussions about turning her TV movies "Sarah, Plain and Tall" and its two sequels into a weekly program.
"But I have huge respect for television," she said. "I think I did (the 1984 TV movie) 'Something About Amelia,' what, like 20 years ago or something, and I refused to be a snob about it. I think, as an actor, I go where great writing is."
She admits she was surprised at how good "The Shield" is when she started watching the old episodes. "I did find it surprising. I found it incredibly compelling," Close said. "I was watching it with my 16-year-old daughter. . . . We would be sitting there and we'd go, 'Oh! Oh my (gosh)! No!' Literally for most (episodes), you have a vocal response."
Close said her family got sucked into "The Shield." She recently visited her parents, sister, nieces and nephews who live "in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming" when she pulled out the DVDs.
"We started watching it, and they wouldn't let me watch anything else until they had seen every single episode," Close said. "Every night after dinner they would sit down. . . . They became addicted to it."
She said it's "rare" for a woman to be offered a role that's tough and in command. Which is what she'll be be playing when "The Shield" returns for its fourth season in March.
"The writing is great. It's a phenomenal company of actors. So, for me, it became almost a no-brainer," Close said.
Creator/writer/executive producer Ryan created the role last summer, and, knowing he had plenty of time before filming on Season 4 began this month, "We decided to aim high," he said, although he never really thought Close would say yes.
And, even when she did, Ryan had a hard time convincing the show's returning cast that she had.
"I didn't believe what he was telling me. I really didn't believe it," said Michael Chiklis, who won an Emmy for his role as tough guy/anti-hero cop Vic Mackey. "And it took him five minutes to convince me that we actually got Glenn Close for the show."
As for CCH Pounder, she just screamed. "I think Shawn Ryan almost lost an ear when he told me on the phone," Pounder said. "I was ecstatic."
Having a five-time Oscar-nominee and multiple Emmy-winner on the set can be a bit disconcerting. A week into shooting on the fourth season, she's part of the gang, but. . . .
"For me, it happens between scenes," Chiklis said. "I really tend to be very focused when we're working. . . . This morning it happened to me. I was sitting on my chair and Glenn came around the corner and I went, 'Oh, (expletive).' "
Close herself said she's "in shock" because of the speed required to shoot a TV show. "I mean, I'm really in shock," she said. "The pace of the show, the number of lines you have to learn in the short amount of time. You've got to be so ready, so on your toes. I am deeply humbled. I've only been at it for a week, and I feel like I don't know anything, I feel like I'm starting out from scratch.
"To be with this amazing group of actors — it's a top-rated theater company. I'm incredibly honored to be working with them, and I have a huge respect for what they do. And I'm swimming really fast."
E-mail: pierce@desnews.com