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TWO DIVERSE PERSONALITIES INHABIT THE WORLD OF "STYLE & SUBSTANCE"
chemistry: the composition, structure, properties and reactions of a substance.
-- American Heritage Dictionary
Hollywood talks about chemistry all the time. Bogart and Bacall had it. Tracy and Hepburn had it. Lucy and Ricky had it. But then Lucy and Ethel had it too, and let's not forget Laverne and Shirley and Mary and Rhoda. All great teams, whether they be lovers, partners or friends, had chemistry that made it funny. Everyone involved with "Style & Substance" agrees that it is the pairing of Jean Smart and Nancy McKeon, those two actresses specifically, that make the show work. "Everybody can relate to a work experience where you are working with someone who is clinically insane and yet you have to deal with them daily," said Executive Producer Peter Tolan as he explained the primary relationship of the series. "Chelsea and Jane work because of the chemistry between Nancy and Jean."
"The chemistry between us just happened," said Smart. "The fact that Nancy and I have now become friends just increases it, and you can see it every week on the show." "It's either there or it isn't," added McKeon. "You can't manufacture it."
Chelsea and Jane are a classic example of the old adage that opposites attract. The conflicts that grow out of their opposing views on nearly everything are at the core of the storytelling and comedy of the show. "Chelsea is a nut job," said McKeon. "She's lovable and means well, but she just doesn't live in the real world." It's McKeon's character who remains grounded and keeps Chelsea's business on an even keel. The Nebraska based corporation that employs Jane sent her to New York to manage Chelsea's affairs. "Jane is an earnest young woman who's done everything right: liberal arts degree and then on to business school," explained Tolan. "Her first big responsibility is running Chelsea's office and, while Jane works and works, Chelsea is off in her own little world. Jane gets frustrated because she lives in the real world."
"Chelsea is ultimately harmless," adds Tolan. "She's just one of those people who is completely and totally self-absorbed. It's not mean spirited; she just lives in a perfect world of her own creation where she's got all the answers. She sees it as easier than living in the real world.
Tolan is also very quick to point out that Chelsea is only tolerable because of the balance that Jane provides, and McKeon's skill and timing allow Jane to be the ballast for the ship. "Jane is the eyes and ears of the audience, the character the audience can relate to inside the world of this crazy character," said Tolan. "Nancy is just a nice person, and the audience responds to that. The fact that she's a terrific actress is our treat. She's doing some very funny stuff, and not just playing the straight man all the time." Tolan confessed that his favorite scene in the pilot was probably the purse scene where Chelsea has taken Jane's purse so she can go through it to find out more about her. The fun begins when Jane discovers that Chelsea has the purse. "Watching the two of them play the scene is very musical. They get into each other's rhythms. You can tell that they've been working at their craft for a long time."
Veteran director Jay Sandrich, who is directing most of the series' episodes, heartily agreed. "They react beautifully to each other," he said during a break in rehearsals. "Often one of them or the two together will find moments of humor that I wasn't expecting." Sandrich is no stranger to chemistry and great comedy teams. His career includes a stint as an assistant director on the most classic sitcom of all-time, "I Love Lucy," where he observed Lucy and Ethel working together. This experience foreshadowed his work with Mary and Betty White, as the happy homemaker on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." I'm always asking him to tell me about Mary," laughed McKeon. "I would consider it a great compliment to be mentioned in the same list as those characters," said Smart.
"In a weird way," said Sandrich, "these two ladies basically need each other. What's fun is to watch how they get their own way with one another, and to watch the relationship grow." Fun is the other word that comes up a lot when people talk about life on the set of "Style & Substance." In fact, it often just sounds like a mutual admiration society.
"We clicked right away," commented McKeon about her co-star. "Jean just made me feel very comfortable. She's so generous as an actress. She's so open and talented. And we have fun!"
"I think for the first time, this role finally convinces me that I AM funny," admitted Smart. "But Nancy helps make me funny, and I don't ever forget that."
Both actresses are convinced that their work on the series is a collaborative effort with director Sandrich in control of the reigns. "Jay is one of the greats. He's a sweet man who gives you amazing confidence," said McKeon. Jay is so easygoing, he makes it comfortable for us to explore different things in a scene. He imbues the set with confidence," added Smart. "When you're working with talented people, they're up there because they have a point of view on things. What I try to do is encourage them and help them find the best way to play a scene," explained Sandrich. Then, paying them probably the highest compliment a director could pay his actors, Sandrich talked about the director's role of stepping aside. "With this group, I sort of stay out of their way and shape the things they give me. And it's funny stuff!" Ah, chemistry!
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