Im Living MY BEST LIFE

 The Hot in Cleveland alum believes in starting every day with gratitude

- Susan Hornik

As a guest star on the new Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking, Wendie Malick goes toe-to-toe with Harrison Ford as his doctor. I told him he was like an old pair of jeans which I mean as the highest compliment,” Wendie, 72, tells Closer. We were very comfortable going back and forth. We got along really well and had a blast.”

Whether she’s playing a doctor on Shrinking, a six-time divorced former actress on Hot in Cleveland, or any of the other characters Wendie has brought to life over the years, she always looks like she’s having the time of her life. Anytime there’s an opportunity to try something new that will stretch me, or scare me, I say yes,” the two-time Emmy nominee says. I am sort of a gun for hire, not having a series of my own right now]. So I go and play with different people. It’s quite fun and very engaging.”

Let's start at the beginning. Did you always want to be an actress?

It was either an actress or a veterinarian. Always had a huge love of animals. I now live with a miniature donkey, three horses and a dog. We’ve had a much bigger menagerie at various points. I have always adored animals, but I was never very good at math and science, so that sort of made the decision for me. But I did put on plays as a kid and direct them and write them and star! It was pretty clear that was the direction I was heading in.

Are there any other performers in your family?

My grandmother was an opera singer, but then got married and had kids, so she gave it up. She used to sing when she was massaging my arm she had these magic fingers. It was cute how she would sing while she rubbed my arm. And my mother is such a character. I’ve stolen shamelessly from her and her friends. My dad did amateur theater and played saxophone in a band. I guess I come from theatrical people.