Harriet Hayes
Encyclopedia
Hannah Harriet Hayes is a fictional character
on the US television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
, played by Sarah Paulson
. The character is loosely based on actress Kristin Chenoweth
(who had dated Studio 60 creator Aaron Sorkin
and starred in Sorkin's previous series, The West Wing);; there is an opinion that she is also at least partially based on former Saturday Night Live comedienne Victoria Jackson
.
journalist Martha O'Dell in "The Long Lead Story". Hayes was born in Brighton, Michigan
to a father who worked in a paper processing plant and a mother who was a secretary in a doctor's office. She has six brothers, all older and none of them religious. It was her mother, a devout Baptist
, who introduced Harriet —w ho uses her middle name because a Hannah Hayes was already on the rolls of the Screen Actors Guild
— to Christianity, taking her to church every Sunday. By the age of six, Harriet was able to quote entire passages of scripture.
Hayes claims to have become a comedian and a Christian at more or less the same time, at the age of 11: "My mother put me in church plays and one time I just went up on a line and to cover I went into a Judy Holliday
impression. There was stunned silence until the minister burst out laughing, and I looked and I saw the pride on my mother's face, and I told her I was ready to accept Christ and I was baptised."
Hayes got her Bachelor's degree in music at Rutgers University
on an academic scholarship and was offered a scholarship for a Master's degree in music at Kansas State University
, but turned it down in order to pursue a career in comedy. She started at The Second City
in Chicago, where she swept up after shows, and later moved to L.A. where she interned with the Groundlings
. It was there that she was discovered by Danny Tripp
, who got her an audition for Studio 60
.
Hayes states that, as a Christian, she has no problem with premarital sex - indeed, she has no problem having premarital sex. According to ""Nevada Day Part I", she was asked for her opinion on gay marriage; she responded that the Bible
stated that homosexuality was a sin, but that it also said "judge not, lest ye be judged", concluding that "it's for smarter people than me to decide". The reporters only printed the first part of the statement, which caused a media circus, and agitated both gay rights activists and social conservatives.
In the series pilot, Hayes has recently ended a romantic relationship with Matt Albie
after they quarrelled over her appearance on The 700 Club
to promote her new album of spiritual music. Romantic tension between her and Matt is a principal story arc of the series. She also has a brief romance with film director Luke Scott, who offers the part of Anita Pallenberg
in a film about the early history of The Rolling Stones
, with the understanding that the schedule would be compatible with her primary TV job. This was not the first romantic relationship between Harriet and Luke, as flashbacks reveal that they were dating at the time of Matt's departure from Studio 60, back when Luke was a staff writer for the show.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the US television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
, played by Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson
-Career:She was a series regular on the cult television show American Gothic and the WB series Jack & Jill , playing the character "Elisa Cronkite"...
. The character is loosely based on actress Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
(who had dated Studio 60 creator Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
and starred in Sorkin's previous series, The West Wing);; there is an opinion that she is also at least partially based on former Saturday Night Live comedienne Victoria Jackson
Victoria Jackson
Victoria Jackson is an American comedian, actress, satirist and singer best known as a cast member of the NBC television sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1992....
.
Personal history
Hayes describes much of her personal history to Vanity FairVanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
journalist Martha O'Dell in "The Long Lead Story". Hayes was born in Brighton, Michigan
Brighton, Michigan
Brighton is a principal satellite city of Metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area...
to a father who worked in a paper processing plant and a mother who was a secretary in a doctor's office. She has six brothers, all older and none of them religious. It was her mother, a devout Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, who introduced Harriet —w ho uses her middle name because a Hannah Hayes was already on the rolls of the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
— to Christianity, taking her to church every Sunday. By the age of six, Harriet was able to quote entire passages of scripture.
Hayes claims to have become a comedian and a Christian at more or less the same time, at the age of 11: "My mother put me in church plays and one time I just went up on a line and to cover I went into a Judy Holliday
Judy Holliday
Judy Holliday was an American actress.Holliday began her career as part of a night-club act, before working in Broadway plays and musicals...
impression. There was stunned silence until the minister burst out laughing, and I looked and I saw the pride on my mother's face, and I told her I was ready to accept Christ and I was baptised."
Hayes got her Bachelor's degree in music at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
on an academic scholarship and was offered a scholarship for a Master's degree in music at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, but turned it down in order to pursue a career in comedy. She started at The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
in Chicago, where she swept up after shows, and later moved to L.A. where she interned with the Groundlings
The Groundlings
The Groundlings are an improvisational comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, California. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin to produce sketches and improvised scenes...
. It was there that she was discovered by Danny Tripp
Danny Tripp
Daniel Tripp is a fictional character on the US television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, played by Bradley Whitford.-Personal history:Danny Tripp was educated at Northwestern University...
, who got her an audition for Studio 60
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
.
Hayes states that, as a Christian, she has no problem with premarital sex - indeed, she has no problem having premarital sex. According to ""Nevada Day Part I", she was asked for her opinion on gay marriage; she responded that the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
stated that homosexuality was a sin, but that it also said "judge not, lest ye be judged", concluding that "it's for smarter people than me to decide". The reporters only printed the first part of the statement, which caused a media circus, and agitated both gay rights activists and social conservatives.
In the series pilot, Hayes has recently ended a romantic relationship with Matt Albie
Matt Albie
Matthew Albie is a fictional character on the U.S. TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, played by Matthew Perry.-Personal history:Matt began working at Studio 60 in 1997, but remained largely anonymous until 1999, when Harriet Hayes joined the cast...
after they quarrelled over her appearance on The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
to promote her new album of spiritual music. Romantic tension between her and Matt is a principal story arc of the series. She also has a brief romance with film director Luke Scott, who offers the part of Anita Pallenberg
Anita Pallenberg
Anita Pallenberg is an Italian-born actress, model, and fashion designer. She was the romantic partner of Rolling Stones multi-instrumentalist and guitarist Brian Jones and later the partner of the guitarist of the same band Keith Richards, from 1967 to 1979, by whom she has two surviving...
in a film about the early history of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, with the understanding that the schedule would be compatible with her primary TV job. This was not the first romantic relationship between Harriet and Luke, as flashbacks reveal that they were dating at the time of Matt's departure from Studio 60, back when Luke was a staff writer for the show.