Laura Linney talks about the new “Tales of the City” on Netflix and about being a “mini” gay icon

I’ve been such a fan of Laura Linney’s since the first time I laid eyes on her in the original Tales of the City miniseries on PBS. I think of her in Love Actually, John Adams, Kinsey, Savages, You Can Count on Me, and Mystic River, among many others. She’s good in everything.

She is back in the role of Maryanne Singleton and PrideSource talked to her about that and more. Here is an excerpt.

When did you first become aware that, with “Tales,” you were part of something that was so deeply affecting to members of the LGBTQ community?

Well, I’m glad I didn’t know when the project first came to me. I’m really glad I didn’t understand how broad the reach and how deep the reach was of Armistead’s work. I’m sure it would’ve completely intimidated me – and I’m sure I wouldn’t have handled it terribly well – so I’m glad that I was somewhat ignorant when I first started to make the series. But it became very clear to me shortly after we finished just how loved these stories are, and the more I got to understand and know Armistead, the more I understood that phenomenon. He’s truly a great man.

How did you know that the show had this weight?

I just noticed that everyone was very happy to see me all of a sudden! (Laughs) Honestly, I would walk down the street and people would just be very happy and it was really wonderful. It’s been a real joy.

“Tales of the City” has made you a bit of gay icon, hasn’t it?

I wouldn’t say full-blown icon. Like, mini. I’m sort of like a mini icon.

A half Cher?

A quarter Cher, maybe. Not even. A fifth Cher. Cher is a big deal! But it’s something I’m so proud of, and it’s really just a tremendous gift.

What has it been like for you to be part of a show that has existed at various points in LGBTQ history?

It’s a remarkable, amazing experience. And it intersects with my own life at different periods of time as well. I mean, with Mary Ann, very rarely does anyone get to do something that spans over 25 years of their life. And it’s amazing to see how our culture has changed, how our identity has changed, how our relationships and understanding of each other has changed, in some ways for the better and maybe in some ways for the worse. And it’s also amazing to see a generational shift. What it was to be LGBTQ in 1990 is very different than 2019, and what it means to be either gay or trans or non-binary or queer. It’s amazing to see things evolve.