Carrie Preston.Photo:Shawn Flint BlairCarrie Prestonis savoring her leading turn onElsbeth.In CBS’s newest spinoff ofThe Good Wife, Preston reprises her role as the eponymous attorney whose eccentric observations and kooky personality gives her a unique point of view in partnering with the NYPD to tamp down crime.Though Elsbeth Tascioni is a role that feels familiar, Preston reveals that there were “very different” aspects of stepping back into the character’s skin.“There are some things that are very similar, obviously, the way her mind works, the unconventional way in which she approaches things and sees things,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE. “That was there from the beginning, but if you go back 14 years to when we first met Elsbeth onThe Good Wife, I was finding my way as were the writers and the directors.“Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni in ‘The Good Fight’.Jeff Neumann/CBS via GettyIf fans were to “go back and look” at previous episodes of the original drama series, the actress, 56, points out that viewers would be able to “see” her tentativeness with her approach to the character.“I wasn’t sure how far to go,” she admits. “I wasn’t sure how to take it. When you’re a guest on a show, you defer to the way the show is done and what the other actors are doing on the show. You are there to serve their story.“ThroughoutThe Good Wife’s seven-season run, Preston was eventually able to find a “wonderful groove” with playing Elsbeth, though there were instances she wouldn’t be able to step back into the role for years at a time. When Elsbeth’s story continued inThe Good Fight, Preston says she “adjusted myself” and her approach once again to accommodate that show’s tone.Now she’s expandingThe Good Wifemultiverse once again. After years of serving as a complement to other shows' protagonists, Elsbeth is making her entrée into leading lady territory — and she’s ready to dig in.“I was excited to get back inside of her brain. It’s just such a delicious character. I have a lot of creative freedom with her, and there’s a comfort level because I’ve played her for so long,” she explains. “I was also looking forward to seeing what it would feel like to be the full meal and not just the side dish so to speak.“Carrie Preston and Wendell Pierce in ‘Elsbeth’.Elizabeth Fisher/CBSPreston also tells PEOPLE how series creatorsRobert and Michelle Kinghave been “so helpful” in helping her step back into Elsbeth’s shoes.“I felt in great hands with them because, obviously, we have this institutional memory together of this character and where she was at the beginning and how far she has come,” she says. “This show is, in my opinion, decidedly a comedy, so we will lean into that.““It’s definitely lighter in tone, and so we take off with the levity that Elsbeth brings to situations and we just run with that,” Preston adds.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Elsbethairs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
Carrie Preston.Photo:Shawn Flint Blair
Shawn Flint Blair
Carrie Prestonis savoring her leading turn onElsbeth.In CBS’s newest spinoff ofThe Good Wife, Preston reprises her role as the eponymous attorney whose eccentric observations and kooky personality gives her a unique point of view in partnering with the NYPD to tamp down crime.Though Elsbeth Tascioni is a role that feels familiar, Preston reveals that there were “very different” aspects of stepping back into the character’s skin.“There are some things that are very similar, obviously, the way her mind works, the unconventional way in which she approaches things and sees things,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE. “That was there from the beginning, but if you go back 14 years to when we first met Elsbeth onThe Good Wife, I was finding my way as were the writers and the directors.“Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni in ‘The Good Fight’.Jeff Neumann/CBS via GettyIf fans were to “go back and look” at previous episodes of the original drama series, the actress, 56, points out that viewers would be able to “see” her tentativeness with her approach to the character.“I wasn’t sure how far to go,” she admits. “I wasn’t sure how to take it. When you’re a guest on a show, you defer to the way the show is done and what the other actors are doing on the show. You are there to serve their story.“ThroughoutThe Good Wife’s seven-season run, Preston was eventually able to find a “wonderful groove” with playing Elsbeth, though there were instances she wouldn’t be able to step back into the role for years at a time. When Elsbeth’s story continued inThe Good Fight, Preston says she “adjusted myself” and her approach once again to accommodate that show’s tone.Now she’s expandingThe Good Wifemultiverse once again. After years of serving as a complement to other shows' protagonists, Elsbeth is making her entrée into leading lady territory — and she’s ready to dig in.“I was excited to get back inside of her brain. It’s just such a delicious character. I have a lot of creative freedom with her, and there’s a comfort level because I’ve played her for so long,” she explains. “I was also looking forward to seeing what it would feel like to be the full meal and not just the side dish so to speak.“Carrie Preston and Wendell Pierce in ‘Elsbeth’.Elizabeth Fisher/CBSPreston also tells PEOPLE how series creatorsRobert and Michelle Kinghave been “so helpful” in helping her step back into Elsbeth’s shoes.“I felt in great hands with them because, obviously, we have this institutional memory together of this character and where she was at the beginning and how far she has come,” she says. “This show is, in my opinion, decidedly a comedy, so we will lean into that.““It’s definitely lighter in tone, and so we take off with the levity that Elsbeth brings to situations and we just run with that,” Preston adds.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Elsbethairs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
Carrie Prestonis savoring her leading turn onElsbeth.
In CBS’s newest spinoff ofThe Good Wife, Preston reprises her role as the eponymous attorney whose eccentric observations and kooky personality gives her a unique point of view in partnering with the NYPD to tamp down crime.
Though Elsbeth Tascioni is a role that feels familiar, Preston reveals that there were “very different” aspects of stepping back into the character’s skin.
“There are some things that are very similar, obviously, the way her mind works, the unconventional way in which she approaches things and sees things,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE. “That was there from the beginning, but if you go back 14 years to when we first met Elsbeth onThe Good Wife, I was finding my way as were the writers and the directors.”
Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni in ‘The Good Fight’.Jeff Neumann/CBS via Getty
Jeff Neumann/CBS via Getty
If fans were to “go back and look” at previous episodes of the original drama series, the actress, 56, points out that viewers would be able to “see” her tentativeness with her approach to the character.
“I wasn’t sure how far to go,” she admits. “I wasn’t sure how to take it. When you’re a guest on a show, you defer to the way the show is done and what the other actors are doing on the show. You are there to serve their story.”
ThroughoutThe Good Wife’s seven-season run, Preston was eventually able to find a “wonderful groove” with playing Elsbeth, though there were instances she wouldn’t be able to step back into the role for years at a time. When Elsbeth’s story continued inThe Good Fight, Preston says she “adjusted myself” and her approach once again to accommodate that show’s tone.
Now she’s expandingThe Good Wifemultiverse once again. After years of serving as a complement to other shows' protagonists, Elsbeth is making her entrée into leading lady territory — and she’s ready to dig in.
“I was excited to get back inside of her brain. It’s just such a delicious character. I have a lot of creative freedom with her, and there’s a comfort level because I’ve played her for so long,” she explains. “I was also looking forward to seeing what it would feel like to be the full meal and not just the side dish so to speak.”
Carrie Preston and Wendell Pierce in ‘Elsbeth’.Elizabeth Fisher/CBS
Elizabeth Fisher/CBS
Preston also tells PEOPLE how series creatorsRobert and Michelle Kinghave been “so helpful” in helping her step back into Elsbeth’s shoes.“I felt in great hands with them because, obviously, we have this institutional memory together of this character and where she was at the beginning and how far she has come,” she says. “This show is, in my opinion, decidedly a comedy, so we will lean into that.”
“It’s definitely lighter in tone, and so we take off with the levity that Elsbeth brings to situations and we just run with that,” Preston adds.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Elsbethairs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
source: people.com
