When I met Jane Lynch in January 2010, “Glee” was in the middle of its first season, but FOX already renewed it for two more. Lynch, best known at that time for roles in Christopher Guest movies like “Best in Show” and “For You Consideration”, was thrilled to be a part of the Ryan Murphy music series.
However, when I asked her what she’d like to do in the future, she said, “I have kind of been sitting back letting things come to me. I’m an older woman now. I’m tired. I’ve been ambitious and hungry for about 35 years, and I need a little break.”
And yet, in the decade since we met, Jane Lynch has been EVERYWHERE. Her latest gig: hosting NBC’s revival of “Weakest Link”. It premieres next Tuesday September 29th at 8pm, as the lead into the first Presidential debate.
Lynch has been an NBC game show host staple since 2013, emceeing around 75 episodes of “Hollywood Game Night”. She even won two consecutive Emmys for Host of a Reality Competition Program.
Since “Glee” launched, Lynch has also vocally appeared in “Shrek Forever After”, “Rio”, “Wreck-It Ralph”, sequel “Ralph Breaks the Internet”, “Escape From Planet Earth” and “UglyDolls”, as well as on TV shows “Phineas and Ferb”, “Big Hero 6: The Series”, “The Loud House”, “Goldie and Bear”, “Middle School Moguls”, “American Dad!” and “The Adventures of Puss in Boots”.
On the live-action side: film roles in “Paul”, “The Three Stooges” and “Mascots” and TV appearances on “iCarly”, “Space Force”, “Two and a Half Men”, “Criminal Minds”, “The Good Fight” and even a starring role on short-lived CBS comedy “Angel From Hell”. Lynch also won an Emmy for short-form series “Dropping the Soap” and another Emmy last year for her recurring role on the Amazon Prime Video hit “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”.
Lynch, now 60, doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. We’ll see how America responds to her “Weakest Link”. I’m a big Anne Robinson fan, so Lynch has a lot to live-up to, but I’m confident she’ll pull it off!