Melanie Griffith Shakes Her Groove Thing on TV

The Actress Dishes About 'Viva Laughlin' and the Secrets to a Hollywood Marriage

Oct. 15 -- In the premiere episode of the new CBS series 'Viva Laughlin' Melanie Griffith gets a chance to belt out the Blondie tune 'One Way or Another' while seducing one of Laughlin's sexy casino owner. By the end of the hour, her vixen character is suddenly widowed and everyone is a suspect. What kind of show has musical numbers, murder mysteries and gambling?

AOL TV's Angel Cohn caught up with the bubbly Oscar nominee (and blissful wife to Antonio Banderas) to find out the scoop on this unusual new series as well as find out her secrets to a long lasting Hollywood marriage.

How are you explaining this crazy concept to people?
I haven't had to yet. Do I have to explain it to you? It is an hour show, but it is a drama/comedy/musical all put together.

And you are the blonde bombshell.
I guess so! My name says it all, Bunny Baxter.

You are technically a recurring guest star, how many episodes are you doing?
I've done four episodes already. I think it is cool. The whole thing has been fun, but doing the songs has been really fun. It is kitsch in a way. I just think it is a good ride, like watching it, every week is something new. I'm also learning that it takes a while to get a show going. That's why so many die so quickly because they are not getting a chance.

They are all popular songs too, so they are kinda catchy.
Yeah. All of them are like that. Everybody knows the songs. (Guest star and producer) Hugh Jackman is amazing. I got to do one song with him that was so much fun. That won't be until episode seven.

Are you happy to be using your singing talent?
I wouldn't say that I really have a talent for singing, but I can act it.

But you've done Broadway.
Yeah, but I wouldn't say I'm a great singer. That was never my forte. I took a class about singing on stage and (was) taught that you don't have to have a great voice to tell the story of a song. Granted, it was a long time ago that I did that, but I've tried to apply that concept to doing this. I try to tell the story of the song and what I'm saying with it.

Can you tell us any upcoming songs that we should watch for?
I can't.

Oh, are they a big surprise?
No, I just can't remember. One was Steppenwolf ... I'm so into learning the lyrics that I forget to learn the names of the songs. We did a great one with strippers ... well they are actually hookers ... the dance numbers just keep getting bigger and better. I hope it does well!

The show looks like it is fun to work on. Is that the case?
It is really fun to work on and I love my character, she's just so out there. There is nothing holding Bunny back.

Very interesting wardrobe choices as well.
(We have an) amazing wardrobe designer. We pick '50s and kind of off-kilter things for Bunny. I've never been to Laughlin, but I've heard that there are not a lot of clothing stores there. I think there is Wal-Mart and that's it.



Are you familiar with the British show, 'Viva Blackpool', that your show is based on?
No. I haven't seen it. I actually should see it, but I haven't gotten around to it. I've heard it was great!

What was it about this show that drew you in?
The first script and the whole idea of it. It is mysterious and a good whodunit thing. Also, the singing and dancing and how do you incorporate that into a scene? How do you go from talking into dance and song? It was a big challenge for me and that was what drew me to it.

Were you worried about taking on a regular series show?
Taking this one on, definitely. This was really my first TV show. I did a sitcom before (the short-lived 'Twins'), but it wasn't anything like this.

I've heard the schedule is a little demanding.
(Giggles) It is a little crazy. My part isn't [so bad]. I work three or four days a week at the most. It goes really fast. It is not like movies, which I'm a little more used to. Everyone in the cast is so fun and the stories are great. Hopefully it will go, I don't know how the audience will take it but I guess we'll see.

The guys aren't so hard to look at. That must be nice.
(Laughs) All of them are not hard to look at. They are all pretty gorgeous.

Do you know who's behind the murder of Bunny's husband that's set up in the first episode?
I keep trying to get it out of them, but they won't tell me. I don't know if anybody knows. I just keep asking them to please not let it to be me. (Not knowing) is sort of fun too, it just makes a little difficult to know how to play stuff.

Will we get to see you doing more Broadway?
I hope so! I'm dying to go back there. My little one is in fifth grade and she loves her school, which goes to sixth grade so maybe after that. I know (my husband) Antonio wants to do some more theater, it is just a whole other kind of life.

Would you and your husband want to do a show together?
We've said no to that. We like being married.

A lot of Hollywood marriages don't last, what is your secret?
I don't know. We love each other. We don't work together! We did do a movie together. When we met, we made one and then he produced and directed one, but he's got a lot of stuff on his plate and it is kind of nice to come home and talk about something different. If we were going to work together, we'd be talking about the same thing over and over.

Anything else going on? I know you do a lot of charity work.
Not really that I can say. I'm sort of involved in AA, but I can't talk about it because it is anonymous ... so forget I said anything. Mostly I have my children. My daughter is a senior in high school right now. (Younger daughter) Stella's in fifth grade. She's so smart and cool and sweet. My son is in New York studying music, so we're all over the place. I have enough to do, really.

Go to our James Tupper Interview >>