The Thinking Man's Romance:
Behind the Scenes on `Once And Again'

By Kevin Snow --
Four days after winning a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Drama Series, Sela Ward is on the telephone from Los Angeles, talking about her summer plans. But instead of rattling off a list of star-studded movie projects, Ward says she's planning to stick close to home.

``If the Screen Actors Guild strike happens as expected,'' she explains, ``nothing will be in production after May. Since our hiatus runs during May and June, it looks like I won't be working this summer at all.

``But that's just fine with me, because I need some time off to recharge my engines.''

For the first time in her life, Ward adds, she doesn't feel compelled to devote her time off to unnecessary movie roles. Now in her second season as Lily in the critically acclaimed ``Once and Again,'' starring opposite Billy Campbell as Rick, Ward believes she's earned the right to take a vacation and spend some time with her husband and two children.

``We're in production for nine months, sometimes for 12 to 14 hours a day,'' the actress says. ``There are times when I see Billy more than my own husband.''

But it's more than merely the long days spent on-set that make Ward ready for a break. After numerous film roles - most notably in ``The Fugitive'' (1993) and ''54'' (1998) - and seven years as Teddy on ``Sisters,'' Ward says she finally feels comfortable with her place in Hollywood. In addition to her Golden Globe win, she's captured the past two Emmy Awards as Best Actress in a Drama.

``I have a higher profile now than I've ever had in the past,'' she says. ``As an actor, I finally feel like everything has come together for me. My only reason to work now is in something that will elevate my career.''

In many ways, ``Once and Again'' is an unlikely vehicle to have brought Ward mainstream credibility. Its poignant tale of two romantically challenged 40-somethings may appeal to the critics, but nobody else seems to be watching. Week in and week out, the show is lucky to crack the top 50.

While Campbell downplays the importance of ratings, calling them ``icing on the cake,'' Ward has her own theory as to why the show has struggled.

``Without a doubt, our biggest problem is that we've never had a permanent night,'' she says. ``It's difficult to develop a regular audience when people aren't even sure what night you're on. `Once and Again' is a real thinking man's show, so you can't just pick it up at any point.''

Like many viewers, Ward admits that she's been frustrated by the continuous timeslot changes.

``There are weeks,'' she complains, ``when I have to stop and think, `When are we on this week, is it Tuesday or Wednesday?'''

When ``Once and Again'' debuted on ABC in 1999, it was given a trial run in ``NYPD Blue's'' coveted Tuesdays-at-10 timeslot. When ``NYPD Blue'' returned in January, ``Once and Again'' was shuffled over to Mondays at 10. This season saw the show back in the familiar Tuesday spot - but, when ``NYPD Blue'' came back in early January, ``Once and Again'' was bounced to Wednesdays at 10. There it faces an entirely different problem.

``Now we're up against `Law & Order,''' Ward says. ``It's a tough timeslot, but we all know that.''

Despite all the timeslot shuffling, series creators Marshall Herskowitz and Edward Zwick continue to produce some of the most honest weekly drama on television. While the relationship between Lily and Rick remains the focus of the show, it's their dealings with family and friends that make it so personal for many viewers.

``There was an episode where Lily said that our decisions are like waves: We may make them, but they will always cause ripples in other people's lives,'' Campbell says. ``We see these ramifications every week, especially as they deal with Rick and Lily's four children.''

It's this element of the series that makes ``Once and Again'' so special, its fans believe, and Campbell and Ward say that the warmth of the public response makes the show rewarding even in the face of low ratings.

``Some people have been genuinely affected by the show,'' Campbell says. ``It really makes me feel good when I hear how people truly appreciate what we do each week.''

Ward agrees with her co-star.

``Whenever I'm approached on the street or receive a letter about the show, I'm continually learning how much our show profoundly affects people,'' she says. ``As an entertainer, you hope you are rendering an honest performance. These comments really bring it home for me.''

The actress adds that the role of Lily has been simple for her, compared to some of the parts she's played in the past.

``In my previous work,'' she says, ``I would try to contrive or inhabit another character. But that hasn't been the case with Lily.''

The first time she saw a ``Once and Again'' script, Ward says, she felt a special bond with her character.

``I understand Lily,'' she says. ``There are many pieces of Sela in Lily, so I understand what she is going through. In the past, the `recipe' was missing pieces of Sela showing up in the character. Lily has many of my same emotions and sense of humor. As an actor, you give a much more textured performance if the essence of yourself comes through in the character.''

Campbell agrees that Ward's bond with the character is remarkable, adding that it has given him an appreciation for her work which he hadn't had when he came into the show.

``I never saw `Sisters' at all,'' he says. ``I think the only time I remember seeing her was in `The Fugitive.' But she is so down- to-earth, a great human being and a true pleasure to work with.''

It's her acting, however, which moves him to actually watch the show himself, Campbell says.

``There are times when I'm at home, watching the show, and I am amazed at how realistic she is,'' he says. ``You can see it in her eyes. She seems so real, it's like she's not even acting.''

(Kevin Snow is the sports editor for TV Guide Canada, based in North York, Ontario.)__nytimes.com (February 5, 2001)