Jessica Walter On Archer, Arrested Development, and the Lost Classic Dinosaurs

I read that you're reuniting with George Segal for a TV Land pilot?

Yes! We just did a pilot. I was a guest, but hopefully we'll come back. I play his wife who leaves him.

How was that, being back on set with him?

You know, I did a movie with him 45 years ago [Bye Bye Braverman]. [Chuckles] How scary is that? I said when I saw him, at the table read just a couple weeks ago, I said, "George, you have to stop following me around like this." We had worked together on Just Shoot Me and I played his ex-wife, the one he always talked about who was the mother of Laura San Giacomo's character. My husband [Ron Leibman, Kaz, Garden State] has worked with him a few times. And [George] is just a wonderful, giving actor.

I can't wait to see it.

Me too. I have no idea when -- they're testing it now somewhere but I really feel like it will sell. I probably shouldn't say that and jinx it, but I think it's great.

Before working on Bye Bye Braverman, one of your first big roles was on the soap opera Love of Life. I'm curious what your thoughts are about the state of soap operas today. They've been the jumping off points for so many great careers and in the past year, two soaps have been canceled.

Well, I just think it's awful. I also think, because I'm sort of long in the tooth to remember when you would do an episode of not a soap, but another television series in the late '60s and '70s. There were 39 episodes a year rather than 13 -- and maybe if you're really lucky, 22. This whole thing of reality programming, slowly taking over for everything -- I guess the Jay Leno Show didn't work so they'll have to go back to using us poor old actors. It has put a lot of people out of work, so I think it's terrible.

It is. Now do you mind if we talk about Lucille Bluth for a moment and Arrested Development?

No, not at all.

There have been so many rumors this year about how far along Mitch Hurwitz is with the script. Have you seen a page of it yet?

No. About a year and a half ago, everybody in the cast was called, including me, and we were asked if everyone would be involved in the movie. And we said yes and now we're waiting for a script. Who knows, I hear that it's definitely happening but we're not sure when. Now I did read somewhere that somebody said it was happening this year so hopefully it'll happen before Michael Cera is a grandfather.

So you haven't gotten any updates about what Lucille Bluth might be up to three years later?

I know nothing. I don't even know if it's written but we're actors, so we're always the last to know. Supposedly, they're working on it but I hope that Lucille is victorious in whatever she attempts. [Laughs] I'm not sure what they have in mind for her. Would I have ever thought that Lucille would adopt a Korean orphan? No. All of the stuff was so far out. The writers were wonderful.

Do you talk to anyone from the cast still?

I've talked to Tony Hale occasionally and...you know, in the last few months, that's about it. Everybody's so busy, thank goodness.

Indeed, and the fan base is growing.

They're the best, especially in New York City. Out of the woodwork, somebody comes up and says "Oh my god, I love the show." People on the street, on the subway, on the buses. Supposedly we weren't getting good ratings. On the other hand, though, who are all these people that have seen it and love it? Now, the IFC channel is running episodes without commercials. They're running two episodes of Arrested every Sunday and I think they repeat them throughout the week so the show is still going. Go figure.

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