 |
 In
our December Preview, beautiful Lynda Carter discussed he, role
as television's Wonder Woman, her marriage, and her musical
career. In the conclusion of this exclusive, on-the-set
interview, Lynda further discusses her future ambitions, how she
successfully combines a fast-paced career with a happy home
life, and more...!
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 Q.
Lynda, you're now busy planning a Las Vegas singing engagement
for yourself this spring. Can you tell us a little about it?
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| A.
Oh, yes. On stage I'll have some dancers and background singers.
Of course, I'll have my own rhythm section and hire my own
musicians, also.
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| Q.
Can you describe what your upcoming album will be like? A lot of
people will probably be surprised to discover that Wonder Woman
sings!
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| A.
That's true! The album will be released on the Epic label and
will contain both songs that I've written and other people's
material as well I co-write with a fellow by the name of Bob
Seller. He writes for Diana Ross, Rare Earth-many people in the
recording business
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| Q.
What inspires you as far as songwriting goes?
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| A.
Oh, it might be something that someone says ... or a mood, a
feeling. I usually write a lyric and a melody together-as
opposed to writing a lyric and then putting a melody to it-or
writing a melody and then putting a lyric to it. I write them
both simultaneously. But I'm not such an avid songwriter anymore
because I basically don't have the time. And there are so many
good songwriters around whose material I can use.
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| Q.
Is music currently consuming a great deal of your time?
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| A.
Yes! I work in the evening and on the weekends-writing songs and
recording in studios. Last night, for instance, I stayed up
until 11 P.M. writing. Name up with a couple of good songs I
want to use on my album. Singing? "I love it-it's a very
immediate thing!"
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| Q.
Do you love singing as much as acting?
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| A.
Definitely. I Ave to sing! Singing is a very immediate thing, as
opposed to acting, where you see your performance aired later.
You can have some truly magical moments in a recording studio.
The studio is dark and it's very intimate.
It's like working with a small family.
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| Q.
How do you feel about the popularity of your series virtually
making you a household name in the past year or so?
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| A.
It gives me a thrill! But I don't always realize the powerful
extent of television-what it can do and how many people might
recognize me from it. I do get uncomfortable about it
sometimes-especially on the occasions where people want to touch
me or tug at me. It's a claustrophobic feeling to makes me
panic... "I used to panic when a whole group of people
would recognize me."
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| Q.
Are people constantly recognizing you in public?
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| A.
It depends on where I am. If Ron (Samuels, her personal manager
and husband) and I are just going out for dinner, it usually
doesn't happen much. When people first began recognizing me, I
used to panic when a whole group of them would walk towards me.
I can't possibly be what they expect me to be!
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| Q.
Which is... Wonder Woman?
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| A.
Yes! But amazingly, many people know me directly by my real
name-as opposed to the character I play-because of my being on
magazine covers and the like.
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| Q.
Were you a big movie star fan when you were growing up?
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| A.
I was a fan of Greta Garbo and a few other actresses, but I
wasn't an avid fan of anyone in particular. I feel that
Katharine Hepburn has given the show business industry much
dignity. She's such a good actress, and she's always worked hard
at her craft and kept her self-esteem.
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| Q.
How would you describe your home life with Ron?
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| A.
Well, the only time we spend together alone without telephones,
maids, or other people around is when we go out to dinner-so we
go out to dinner a lot! (Laughs.) Ron plays a lot of tennis and
we both swim a lot to keep in shape. We go to parties every once
in a while, but we like to spend most of our time-_ whatever
time we have left after the week is finished-by ourselves.
Occasionally, well have close friends over.
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| Q.
Lynda, how do you feel right now-about your career and your
personal life? Do you sometimes feel as I you are caught in the
eye of a hurricane? Like everything is spinning around you?
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| A.
Yes, I do sometimes. I don't dwell on it ... I just try to keep
straight ahead with things. Often, I let Wings get out of
balance. A small incident will seem like a huge one. My emotions
are often at the surface, and everything seems to affect me in a
certain way.
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| Q.
Do you have an outlet for all the tension and pressure you may
sometimes experience with your busy life?
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| A.
I'll play tennis or I'll exercise I try to think of everything
as a positive experience, although you can't always do that. Or
I'll get so frustrated that I'll cry at be drop of a hat! I
could worry about everything if I wanted to-but worry certainly
isn't going to change anything!
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| Q.
Would you say that you are involved with the actual product
people see on television -either in writing or producing. |
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| A.
I'd
like to be more responsible for the entertainment value. I have
a lot of ideas for scripts. So I write them down and turn them
in.
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| Q.
Are you allowed to improvise a lot with your Wonder Woman
scripts?
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| A.
Not a whole lot but there are reasons for it. Too much
improvising can turn things around too much The script girl has
to go and put the changes in and make sure that they're cleared.
It's a lot of rigamarole, so we don't improvise too much. But I
do have a great deal of freedom in changing certain dialogue
around.
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| Q.
The credibility gap is something that is stressed in dramatic
training. Did you find it difficult at first to make the
audience believe in Wonder Woman? Did you consider this before
you accepted the role?
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| A.
No, not before I accepted the role-I jumped at the role! It was
the first professional acting I had ever done, so I didn't think
twice. And, as an actress, I believe I am credible in the role.
I've certainly worked on it...
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| Q.
How do you feel when you're referred to as a comic book
character?
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| A.
I stay away from the word "comic book" because nowhere
on the show is there ever a comic book seen! Although I don't
want to lose the fantasy flavor, the show is a real live, action
thing. The show is three-dimensional because the characters are
living, breathing, human beings. Wonder Woman is definitely a
fantasy-she uses her tiara as a boomerang and she can talk to
her mother through her ruby ... it's fantasy! So that's the way
I treat it-as opposed to something strictly make-believe.
Because the show is a fantasy, many people will sit down and
watch it. It's not like someone just playing a sex symbol role.
"I try to be prepared so I won't regret the things I've
done."
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| Q.
As a last thought, are you satisfied with the way your career
and your personal life is evolving?
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| A.
I just try to be prepared as much as possible so I won't look
back later and regret the things I've done. I could complain and
say I don't have much time to myself, but to be honest, I'd
rather not have much free time than too much of it!
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