This interview discusses the plotline of Nurse Jackie through the end of season five and beginning of season six.
On parenting, on-screen and off-
The things that go on in parenting I have been shocked by — my own reactions to things, my children's reactions to my reactions — they kind of are other-worldly. There's very little that brings out more deep-seated stuff than the parent-child relationship, I've found. ... You don't even know what's going to come out of your mouth when you feel as helpless as you sometimes do in the face of a smart kid. ...
This is going to be terrible, but I'll tell you: My son had an issue with coming into my bed — this is some years ago now — and he kept coming ... in the middle of the night when I'm half asleep. I was working at the time, I was getting four or five hours of sleep and he came into my bed and I think the words were, "If you don't get out of my bed I will throw you down the stairs." My son looked at me wide-eyed and went back to bed.
And then in the morning he said, "Did you say last night that you were going to throw me down the stairs?" And I was like, blushing, I said, "Anderson, I said that to you and I cannot believe I said that." It has become now, something we joke about. Everyone once in a while he'll say, "What? Are you going to throw me down the stairs?"
I'm like, "Anderson, I'm sorry! I'm not responsible for what I say at 3:00 in the morning when I'm not getting sleep." It's really insane what happens under dire circumstances, lack of sleep, and you know, kids who want their way.
On her own struggle with addiction, and whether it draws her to certain characters
I have to say, I never really know what makes me want to do a role. It's some sort of wordless place, you know? I imagine that everything I've ever been through is contributing on some level to the decisions I make, but I'm not privy to them. ...
The addiction piece, I have to say, is a huge part of my life. Not just my own, but that of many people I love. The helplessness around that, and learning to deal with that, and all the various 12-step programs I've been a part of over the years, and how much they've helped me, and how hard it is to love somebody who is going through that, and remain distant enough to not let it crush you each time. All that stuff is of tremendous interest to me. That keeps me very deeply involved in Jackie's journey.
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