Howard Stern's "Wife" Returns

Best known as Howard Stern's wife in Private Parts, Mary McCormack has followed up that role with a string of second-banana spouse and girlfriend parts. But this Friday, she enjoys more prominence in two competing films, K-PAX and High Heels and Low Lifes.

In K-PAX, McCormack feels she's once again typecast as the strong, dependable wife of Jeff Bridges. Grateful for the work nevertheless, she tells TV Guide Online: "You just do your job and you accept the size of your part and have fun with it. You see people who have really tiny parts making soup a meal and you're like, 'Oy! It's just soup. Just do your part!'"

But in the crime caper High Heels, McCormack gets leading lady status for the first time, alongside co-star Minnie Driver. "It was fantastic," she says. "It was our movie. We cracked each other up and had great chemistry together." Since the flick was a hit in England, she adds, "I hope it works here. The sense of humor is a little different there."

And while McCormack hopes her Heels will kick open doors to other leads, she'd be content to keep on playing the love interest. "I'm happy to be thought of as wife material forever," the 32-year-old smiles. "I've worked with amazing actors in small parts and big parts."

In her nearly two dozen films, she's had the enviable task of sucking face with some of Hollywood's top leading men. While shooting True Crime, Clint Eastwood even dubbed her "Sweet Lips"! So, if she were to kiss and tell, who gives the best lip? "Howard Stern," she quickly offers. "I'll always say Howard Stern. Russell Crowe, Jeff, Clint... I think they'd all understand."