CYNTHIA GEARY - Change Is GOOD

The Northern Exposure alum talks about her new show, accepting challenges and her life today

- Katie Bruno

In the television series Going Home, Cynthia Geary plays Charley Copeland, a nurse working in a Seattle hospice. It's a project she's extremely enthusiastic about. "I think the subject matter might seem like a downer, but it's not," Cynthia tells Closer. "Obviously, it's fiction, but we took the experiences of real people and the nurses at a hospice in Spokane, Wash., and created these lovely stories. It's really positive and hopeful."

Of course, fans of the 1990s TV series Northern Exposure, remember Cynthia, 57, as Cicely, Alaska's scattered but unexpectedly wise young waitress Shelly Tambo. In the years after the show went off the air, Cynthia married, had two daughters and a second career in business. An unexpected turn of events brought her back to performing, her first love. "I'm super proud of the example I set for my children, and the best part is that my daughters tell me how proud they are of me!" she says. "Coming from a 16-year-old and a 21-year-old, that's pretty amazing."

What did you like most about the role of Charley in Going Home? Well, I just love messy characters and ones with lots of depth. That's Charley. She has a great backstory, which gets revealed over time. I love that you see little pieces of her in each show and learn more as you go along.

Did you know anything about hospice going into the show? I had zero experience with hospice. So, I visited the hospice in Spokane that inspired the show. It was an incredible experience and such a peaceful place. It really made an impact on me.