Why We Love Raising Hope's Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman, Raising Hope
She plays Raising Hope's Maw-Maw, the addled but still vivacious great-great-grandmother in what Leachman calls a "zany, off-the-wall, dysfunctional, in fact typical American family." Adds the 84-year-old, "I read the script and love [creator] Greg Garcia, so how could I resist?" In tonight's episode, baby Hope gets sick — so naturally, they lock Maw-Maw in a bedroom and feed her through a funnel in the door to prevent her from falling ill as well.
Where you've seen her Everywhere. Best remembered as Phyllis from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a trio of Mel Brooks movies and her Oscar-winning performance in The Last Picture Show, she appeared more recently on Malcolm in the Middle and Dancing With the Stars. "She's done it all: She was a beauty queen, she's an actress, a comedian, a singer, she plays piano," says costar Martha Plimpton. "She's a legend for good reason."
Why we love her Whether wandering around topless or nursing the baby — "raising Hope on Maw-Maw's milk!" cracks Leachman — she's brilliantly batty.
Maximum exposure Promising even more "Grandma Gone Wild" antics to come, Leachman's ready to let it all hang out: "Playboy, here I come! I was the oldest contestant on Dancing With the Stars, so why not?" Plus, her frisky character might even get a romantic interest. "Absolutely! Why not?" Leachman says. "And if he's cute, I might even take him home with me."
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