Hillary Clinton couldn’t make it to the White House, but Cherry Jones had no problem getting there. That’s because she’s playing a fictional female president – on the 7th season of “24.” It’s a part that most ambitious television actresses would have killed each other for but Jones, an acclaimed New York stage icon, thanks to two Tonys, had never considered doing TV.
“It wasn’t something I ever thought I wanted to do,” she says. “I think slowly. I work slowly. I need my four weeks of rehearsal. Television never appealed to me because it’s so fast,” she says, adding with a chuckle, “I must be the only actor in New York who’s never done a “Law & Order.'” Before landing the part, Jones, 52, had never watched the series and subsequently schooled herself on Jack Bauer’s adventures via rented DVD marathons. But her love of classic series like “The Man From Uncle” and “Mission: Impossible” helped pique her appreciation for “24.”
“I love espionage, I always have. And I’ve been so intrigued by the Jack Bauer character,” Jones says. She gives high praise to series star Kiefer Sutherland. “He is a great gentleman, a good leader. Everybody adores him.” Like Bauer, President Allison Taylor has a full day in the two-part, four-hour premiere on Sunday and Monday nights. Terrorists, apparently aided by resurrected former CTU agent Tony Almeida, threaten to sabotage national air traffic control. Using a calculated near-miss at JFK International Airport as a warning, they demand that the president withdraw U.S. forces sent to Africa to overthrow a ruthless military ruler. Rogue behavior, as usual, drives the story, and President Taylor spars with Bauer. “They have fitful interactions at times because Mr. Bauer marches to his own drummer for the sake of the country,” says the Paris, Tennessee native. “She has tremendous respect for him, but it’s also challenging for her to deal with an independent agent.” The show’s timely move to a female president after a succession of ultimately doomed male commanders-in-chief makes sense, she says. “They didn’t have a lot of options left,” she says. “It’s safe for me to say that they’ve gone more back into the world of David Palmer,” the upstanding African-American president who was ultimately felled by an assassin’s bullet in season five. “They’ve tried to move more in that direction. Taylor is a president who has great dignity – and hopefully I play her with authority.” Broadway director Doug Hughes, who in 2005 guided Jones to her second Tony for her portrayal of intimidating school principal Sr. Aloysius in “Doubt” (her first was for “The Heiress” in 1995), sees the role as a natural fit. “Sister. Aloysius was a commander-in-chief of sorts. She ran a very tight ship,” he says. “If the role requires a military command presence, I think Cherry has that to spare.”Jones admits her portrayal of the president “is not warm and cuddly” and is crafted as an amalgam of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, with “a dash of John Wayne for the lack of vanity.” She won’t pinpoint President Taylor’s political affiliation, which, like those of the series’ previous leaders, isn’t specified. However, she does offer one key observation about President Taylor, who seems to favor power suits with presidential piping. “I think my hair is Republican,” she adds with a laugh. Before “24,” Jones logged a hefty 708 performances in her seminal stage role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Doubt.” Last month the film version of “Doubt” hit theaters with Meryl Streep starring as Sister Aloysius. While Jones “obviously did very briefly fantasize about doing the role on film,” she knew her chances were slim because bigger box-office names were desired. Upon Streep’s hire, playwright John Patrick Stanley wrote Jones a “beautiful” letter to let her know that the role was going to the two-time Oscar winner. No regrets or hurt for Jones: she praises Streep’s “incredibly clever” portrayal, saying, “Every once in a while I’d start anticipating what twists she’d give.” While Jones is watching herself on the small screen through May, she will also have a loved one – her partner, Sarah Paulson – launching a remake of the 1998 romantic comedy “Cupid” in late March on ABC. Paulson plays therapist to Bobby Cannavale, who is the reincarnated god of love. “I watched every episode of [her last series] ‘Studio 60.’ I’ll tune in to watch Sarah play a Cupid psychiatrist,” Jones says.Even though they’ll both be on television at the same time doesn’t mean the actresses see a lot of each other. Jones has spent less time than desired with her partner of five years. “It’s been challenging because I’ve been on the road,” Jones says. “It’s challenging to find the time. But we have, and we are [finding it], ” Jones says.Prior to “24,” Jones appeared in only a handful of television guest spots, including a role as a conservative Republican congresswoman from North Carolina on “The West Wing” in 2004. But with her latest endeavor, she is keeping all options open, including the potential for more television work. “To get to play the president of the United States is something that few middle-aged actresses could get a chance to do,” Jones says. “I’m embracing all mediums. For the rest of my career, I hope to be doing everything.” Meanwhile, she credits the series for enhancing her quality of life. “There’s a thing called ‘the weekend’ that I’ve never had before,” she says with zeal. “Dinner parties at night – that I’ve never had before. I think it’s maybe called more of a normal life, which I’ve greatly enjoyed these last couple of months working on ’24.'”24Sun. & Mon., 8-10 p.m., Fox