Q) Please tell us a little bit about where you were when you heard the news. What was your reaction to being nominated?

A) Well my goodness, I didn’t even know that the nominations were coming out that particular day. A friend of mine who lives in New York called, at 6:30 in the morning. And I was like bleary eyed. I didn’t even - I heard it on my voicemail. I wasn’t sure that I had heard the right thing. And finally when I really awakened I thought wow. And so I called them back. I’m thrilled.

Q) Will you attend the Emmys this year?

A) This is a very strange question because my category will not be done - it will be done August 21st at the Nokia Theatre. So I don’t think I’ll be on. 

Q) What made you interested in being on SVU to begin with?

A) Well first of all, Law and Order: SVU is one of my favorite programs. And, you know, Benson and Stabler I know them, you know, as an admirer. And of course I don’t know of any actress who would not want, you know, just this challenge of a drug addict, an alcoholic, a hoarder.

Q) In pouring yourself into the character what still stands out in your mind about how you approach such a troubled person?

A) I find it interesting that they are doing a whole bunch of shows now about hoarders because that is indeed a sickness. It doesn’t start off to be but it is. And but there’s such a wealth of information out there about alcoholism and drug addiction and my goodness, what actress would not want to be interested in doing something like this, diving into it?

Q) Where did you draw inspiration from to find out who she was?

A) I just did a research on a lot of - from a lot of different areas and I do have a couple of friends who are in that situation. And it’s not a pretty picture.

Q) What do you think Elvis would have thought of your performance?

A) Gee, I don’t know. I really don’t know. He was always very supportive of me so I’m sure he’d be very supportive.

Q) Do you pick your parts carefully? What is the criteria?

A) Well I have two movies that are not out yet. I’ve been very busy. This came up and wow, very meaty stuff here. I don’t know of any actress truly that would not want to get into this. It was quite interesting getting on the set. Everyone there has worked together probably 11 years. So it was really a good feeling. And the director, Helen Shaver, was terrific. I had never met her before but of course I know her work. It was a very interesting experience. I thought I was going out of my mind there for - during that interrogation but I guess I didn’t. I’m still here.

Q) You mentioned that you connect so well with Benson and Stabler because you’re a fan of the show. Was there chemistry when you first began working with Mariska [Hargitay] and Christopher Meloni or did you find a little time needed to gel before you guys fell in sync?

A) I felt really good immediately because I am such an admirer of the show. And I was hoping against hope - I was hoping and praying that when I met them that they really are Benson and Stabler and they really do get along and kid with one another. And of course I had to ask the question. I remember this so well. We’d been working for a while and I said, do you think maybe - maybe, you know, maybe when - when this is like the last episode or whatever, that maybe Benson and Stabler could maybe get together? I’m just a real admirer of the show and I want them to get together so bad.

Q) Why do you think it is that people do keep tuning in to see the show?

A) Well first of all, they are excellent - Mariska and Chris - just excellent. And the scripts are dynamite. And they’re all so different. And the directors that they have - everything - for - I mean for something to go on for 11 years you know that it’s high quality.

Q) Did you see the episode of Mad Men last season that they had references to you on your most famous film, Bye Bye Birdie?

A) Do you know my daughter in law called and told me about it. And I said what, because I had not heard anything about it. And I tuned it in and I just felt very self conscious watching myself. It was just so nice. My goodness, well - I was just so flattered that they would do that.

Q) Are you usually flattered when your work is adapted for like shows like Mad Men or any other?

A) Well of course, my goodness. You know, I never know if something’s going to be good or, you know, a good reflection or a bad reflection. I’m always happy when it’s nice and respectful.

Q) Did you have any problems with any of the subject matter - the fact that you swore a little bit?

A) No. I’m an actress. I do become that person. As sick as she was I did become her. I have to tell you that Mariska and Chris were so supportive of me. They were there for me. I would look at them and they were right there. Mariska was very protective of me. If she saw, that I was nervous or if there was somebody in the eye line or whatever or perhaps it was a little noisy or something, both she and Chris would help. I don’t - it’s hard to explain but you had to be there. They were really protective and helpful and generous - generous as actors.

Q) It was such a powerful performance on the show. But you’ve done so well before playing these troubled over the top women like in Carnal Knowledge and Tommy as mentioned. Are these types of characters the most challenging and the most fun for you to play?

A) Oh yes. Oh, definitely. You know that you have to get into this character. It was scary about the hoarding thing because I’m such a pack rat and I realized that it really could get so prevalent. I mean I could - it could get to be like a sickness. I watch these shows and usually it’s something that makes them go absolutely over the top. Something - a death of a loved one or I don’t know, something that they try to retrieve in their life and they just keep buying things and collecting things and, you know, swap meets and garage sales. They have an empty body. They want to fill it.

Q) Is there some collection you have yourself that’s kind of gotten out of control?

A) I did something about it. Like my - one of my rooms here got really overloaded with things. And I finally just went in there and a bunch of clothes - I had bags and bags and bags and bags of clothes that were, you know, sentimental things and everything. I put them in bags and the Salvation Army, the home for - all of these - for alcoholic women, for abused women, for, you know, Goodwill, the local things here. And now it looks really nice. But I felt it was getting to a point where it was not good.

Q) Would you want a regular series at this point?

A) I don’t know because the most important thing to me is really my husband. And if - it depends. You know, we all always talk about what somebody wants me to do. We discuss it and will it take a lot of time? Will it take a lot of effort? Will we have to go on location? Will we have to do this? How much do I have to work? You know, five days a week, is it - is it ensemble - maybe two, three days a week. Because I’ve been offered a couple of things and it was just - I knew it’d be too much work. It’d take me away too long.

Q) You did work with Oliver Stone. Any chance of working with him again?

A) I don’t know. I haven’t seen him - they - it’s just I worked together with him but I spoke with him I think it was last year we talked about one of the movies that he made. And we didn’t realize it had been so long since we worked together.

Q) Tommy is coming out on Blu-ray. Is there any memory - good, bad, indifferent that you have working with Ken Russell or the cast of Tommy?

A) Oh, it was great. I do have a scar from it - from that scene where I throw the champagne bottle into the TV screen. It took 27 stitches on my head. Let’s see. We worked for four months six days a week and sometimes we did seven days. Oh, and I just saw Ken Russell. He was - he was honored here in LA by the Academy. I went to a luncheon and it was so great to see him. I had not seen him for 20 years. He’s still got those sparkly blue eyes.