Here's Why Jane Lynch's 'Glee' Role Was Close To Her Heart
Actress Jane Lynch has played in some pretty hard-hitting roles. She's hilarious yet can be serious when necessary (like any good actor), but there's another reason why she picks and chooses her roles, beyond what is fun or interesting to play.
In fact, the role on 'Glee' spoke to her, and she found the character of Sue Sylvester, one of many that fans miss most, so relatable for one particular reason.
In an interview with Slate, Jane admitted that she's "drawn" to certain roles. She elaborated that even though, as the journalist stated, "nobody in real life is like Sue Sylvester," her inspiration does come from real people and real life.
As Jane shared, she vibed with the character of Sue because she shared some of the same deeper motivations as her fictional counterpart. And that is part of why she accepted the role and really felt connected to the character. Sure, there were things that didn't make sense about 'Glee' as a whole, but Sue's character was surprisingly well-developed.
As Jane told EW "I have a quick temper... Now that I’ve had some therapy I know what this comes from: It’s protecting a soft heart." Sounds a bit like Sue, when fans remember the gym teacher's past.
Lynch explained that the character's back story, having a sister with Down syndrome, meant that "I [as Sue] took on this militaristic thing when, deep down inside, my heart was breaking for the vulnerability of my sister in this very cruel world."
Fans can see where Sue's personality alludes to hurt beneath her tough exterior, though as Lynch says, "but it’s a very thin veneer—about as thin as her track suit."
Like countless other talented actors, getting into the mind of her character is part of what makes Jane so great. But when Slate asked her whether "being Sue Sylvester" informed Sophie Lennon from 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Jane said, yes, of course!
After all, Sue is "informed by" Jane Lynch, the actress noted, so of course, some of Jane Lynch will leak into Sophie.
In an explanation of what Collider calls her "wild career journey," Lynch also said that the reason she connected to her 'Glee' character was the same explanation for why she enjoys being a game show host.
After all, she likes to nurture people, as kind of a "caretaker," Jane admits. But then again, she also likes it when they leave at the end of an hour and her responsibilities as host and mentor are brought to an end!
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