Joan Van Ark of “Knots Landing” Goes Very Dark for Lifetime

The first step in her transformation was her look amp160After toying with a few ideas the movieamp8217s producers decided to go dark amp160amp8220It was a good visual and an expression of her hardnessamp8221 Van Ark said amp160amp8220My thing is go big or go homeamp160 I feel that in anythingamp8220Daisy is despicableamp8221 she continued amp160amp8220When first I read the script I thought she was so one note amp160But then when we started filming I wanted to give the director options to show why she is that way amp160Sheamp8217s lonely she loved her deceased brother who was also the only man in her life so I had to motivate all of that and it was embarrassingamp8221Starring opposite Van Ark is Heather Morris as Daisyamp8217s niece Jenna a seamstress with a loose thread completely frustrated by her own loneliness After crashing her auntamp8217s last clientamp8217s wedding Jenna manages to infiltrate the coupleamp8217s lives before ruining them amp160For Morris the role is a major departure from the delightfully dim and sweet Britney S Pierce on Glee and one Van Ark is sure viewers will enjoyamp8220Heather is strong and what she delivers in the movie is a tribute to her skillsamp8221 Van Ark saidamp160 amp8220She executes vulnerability and then becomes anything but that She shows several sides to her talents and when you have been a part of a series as I was for many years with Dallas and Knots Landing and as Heather was with Glee going somewhere that violates your brand is braveamp8221Van Ark told me it was Morrisamp8217 endless encouragement that resulted in her completely overthetop portrayal of Aunt Daisyamp160 Together they created an onscreen dynamic reminiscent of the motherdaughter pairing of Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek in the horror classic Carrie amp160amp8220I had trouble during our first scene getting my engine going to be on the attack like a Dobermanamp8221 she revealedamp160 amp8220Heather kept telling me to put my big girl pants on and she really helped amp160She is a tough cookie in the best possible wayamp8221She explained that while playing a woman so filled with bitterness she needed to find at least one redeeming quality to the character amp160amp8220I did love that there is a deep artistry to this womanamp8221 she saidamp160 amp8220Daisy designs these beautiful wedding gowns that Heatheramp8217s character sews yet they come from a dark place amp160A wedding is something Daisy will never ever know first hand and all Jenna wants is a wedding and she will have one or else Thereamp8217s a wink wink element to the story and that also makes it deliciousamp8221When asked about it Van Ark balked at the subject of celebrating five decades in showbizamp160 quotI39ve blocked out my early workamp8221 she laughed amp160However while recently perusing her resume she admitted to being pleasantly surprised amp160amp8220I thought wow I have done a lot of things I am proud ofamp8221 she said amp160amp8220The Tony nomination for my work on Broadway and all the theater work there are things that are important to me and theater is at the center of my soulamp8221With the 25th anniversary of the Knots series finale fast approaching Van Ark shared there is talk of gathering its stars together for a special in which they reflect on the showamp160 And there is something else in the works with her Knots costars Donna Mills and Michelle Leeamp160 amp8220Donna Michelle and I are kind of talking to producers about trying to put together something fun but with a purposeamp8221 she revealed amp160amp8220Nothing scripted more something of us together as girlfriends because we still are and regularly get together amp160I love to say amp8220weamp8217re forever tied in knotsamp8221 along with costar Ted Shackelford whom I also get together with every few weeksamp8220Iamp8217d love to do something unexpectedamp8221 she musedamp160 amp8220An RV trip in a camper would be hysterical and show us as girlfriendsamp160 I like to call us earth wind and fire amp160Michelle is earth I am wind and Donna is fire amp160It would be funamp8221Psycho Wedding Crasher will be telecast Sunday September 3 at 8 pm on Lifetime Click the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Joan Van Ark of “Knots Landing” Goes Very Dark for Lifetime

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Steve Gidlow

We Are the Outliers - By Jack Myers

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Joan Van Ark of “Knots Landing” Goes Very Dark for Lifetime

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Steve Gidlow

We Are the Outliers - By Jack Myers

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