(When asked what aspects of, or ideas behind Standoff she enjoys) Rosemarie: In general, I’m just really always excited when I get a script and there's a lot of what I call “Matt and Emily” in there, because those are the fun scenes to play. Ron and I do have a fun time working off each other. The deeper it goes in that realm is always fun. A lot of shows have a big crisis – all the procedurals and the action shows, but the thing I really think could make our show different is if we really explore the relationship between the two of them.
(On what it's like to have a starring role on a TV series.) Rosemarie: It’s good. It’s good to feel used up at the end of the day – like you’re working hard. It’s hard sometimes to wear all the different hats, because you’re trying to keep on top of the writing and make sure that you feel like the writers are serving Emily. You’re trying to flesh her out. You want her to be a three-dimensional character.
From jaunted.com: This actress (Rosemarie DeWitt), who has an elegant nose that seems to have been spared the plastic surgeon’s knife, is an arresting beauty.
(On Ron Howard's reaction to her audition for Cinderella Man) Rosemarie: After I read for him, I think he literally said, “Oh. You’re good...” I think he was surprised. He thought I was a hair dresser and I was pretending I was an actor or something.
(On the difference between TV and theatre) Rosemarie: The main difference is you play out someone’s story every night in its entirety. When you watch an episode of Standoff, we shoot that over eight days or nine days. [In theatre] you play the whole thing every night. That’s great. That’s fun. You get the immediate reaction from the audience. That’s completely exhilarating and exciting. Then at the same time, if you have a huge funeral scene, you can’t lose your mind, because you have to do it again seven more times that week. On camera, you can sometimes go a little bit deeper. Although, TV is a fast medium. It’s sort of like paint by numbers rather than make a Monet. (laughs) We work super fast.
(On Matt and Emily's relationship) Rosemarie: A lot of our relationship unfolds as the crises unfold, so it will be interesting to see how deep we can go within it. There is so much meat there, though. I just think people are so afraid of each other. (laughs) It’s as scary to fall in love with somebody as it is – in a way, or metaphorically – as it is have somebody’s life in your hands. That’s what it feels like, falling in love. There is a lot of meat there, and a lot to mine, in terms of the relationship. If we fight for it.
(When asked if she was adapting to LA life) Rosemarie: (laughs) No. Not at all. It’s such culture shock. I never get used to it. I mean, I totally like it! I’m all about the hikes and nature and going down to the beach on the weekends. But there’s nothing like New York, you know? For me, anyway.
Entertainment Weekly: DeWitt is the find of the season. Sarcastic and smart, her Emily Lehman seems like a good woman to share a beer with.
(On her negotiation skills) Rosemarie: I am a professional crisis negotiator when I get off work every night. "No, he likes you! He does like you! And this is why: If he said this and you said that...." (laughs) You get good at it. At every job you take away some things from the character and bring them into your life, and you're usually pretty grateful for them.
(About getting a part in Cinderella Man) Rosemarie: Ron (Howard) met with me, but I think it was more as a courtesy — "I'll meet with her and maybe she'll share some personal anecdotes." And then I read a scene for him and he was like, "Oh, OK." (laughs) I guess he thought, "Oh, she is an actress."
(About learning to use a gun for Standoff) Rosemarie: I was terrified about it! We went to the range, and Ron was having so much fun, and I'm like, "This is not fun at all." I was shaking, I was so scared. Cut to a month later: I'm shooting my gun on the show, and I'm like, "Can we get another take? That was fun!"
(When asked what it feels like to work 14 hours a day) Rosemarie: I was not prepared for the lack of sleep. It's a different kind of pressure. And the hardest thing I find is to get the new script while shooting. There's so much pressure on the writers and it's hard to write good female characters.
(When asked what an actor should never do) Rosemarie: Take themselves too seriously.
(When asked to describe Ron Livingston in three words.) DeWitt: Oh god. One of them was going to be a curse, so I'm not going to use that. "Really cool guy."
Rosemarie was set to star in Commuters, alongside David Arquette, Christine Taylor and Jason Wiles. Commuters was a Paramount drama, set to be broadcast by CBS, about three couples whose daily commutes by train to New York exposed the truth of their relationships, however the show was turned over by the network and never made it to air.
Rosemarie DeWitt presented an award at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards with Ron Livingston and Spike Fersten.
Rosemarie DeWitt and Ron Livingston appeared in the same episode of Sex & The City but were never on screen together and did not meet until beginning Standoff.
Rosemarie played the role of Sara Wilson in the 2005 movie Cinderella Man which depicted the life of her grandfather, James J. Braddock.
Her nickname is "Rose."
Rosemarie is the granddaughter of legendary boxer, James J. Braddock.
Rosemarie DeWitt studied at The Actors Center in New York.
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