Law & Order: CI's Alicia Witt Says She May Return

• Nov 29, 2007 03:00 AM ET
• by Megan Walsh-Boyle

We're just starting to get used to Logan's new partner… and she's just about to go. After tonight's Law & Order: Criminal Intent (10 pm/ET, USA), only two more episodes are left (one on Dec. 13, the other slated for early 2008) for Alicia Witt's brassy Det. Nola Falacci — who has left her stamp on the Major Case Squad. We chatted with Witt about her time on CI and some other interests.

TV Guide: What happens tonight?
Alicia Witt: I have a feeling this is going to be my favorite, because Falacci really butts heads with [Capt.] Ross in a huge way. She doesn't like to be antagonistic for the hell of it — she's doing it because she's right.

TV Guide: What is it you like about playing Falacci?
Witt: I'm still discovering her. She's somebody I believe the audience will either love or hate, which I much prefer to playing somebody who is just your run-of-the-mill conservative detective. She's very mature yet still has enthusiasm for everything, even if it's the darkness of solving a grotesque murder.

TV Guide: You've been filling in for Julianne Nicholson while she's on maternity leave, but if Dick Wolf asked you back, what would you say?
Witt: They've sort of discussed it a little — not in any official terms — to maybe come back for an episode or two at some point [and] I'd love to do that. I'm not keen to do a series as a regular because I find that I get really stir crazy.

TV Guide: Was the sitcom Cybill a good experience?
Witt: The fondest [memory] was that I still had my day job playing the piano at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel when I got it, and I was so excited because I was able to write my two weeks' notice letter to the hotel. I was so proud [laughs] — now I can say I'm an actor and not just an actor-pianist.

TV Guide: Another memorable TV stint was on The Sopranos as a sex-crazed Hollywood exec....
Witt: That was just a dream. I loved playing that character — I got to base her on several different really obnoxious, fake female producers I've had the "privilege" to work with. For about a month, every time I went into a meeting, people would say, "I totally know who that's based on," and it was always somebody different. [Laughs] They never guessed the right [ones].

TV Guide: Any career highlights so far?
Witt: Working with Al Pacino [on 88 Minutes] is definitely No. 1. I'm very eager for that to come out [in February] because I'm really proud of my work in it. My character is unlike anything I've done before.

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