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Melora Hardin, 55, stars in the new Hulu psychological thriller Clock as the doctor in charge of a clinical trial to “fix” a woman’s biological clock to make her desire motherhood. She’s also reprising her role as Trudy Monk in Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, due to stream this year. And she’s been directing a very personal four-part docuseries, Thunder, Hunter, and Me, about helping her friend heal from childhood trauma. A lifelong artist, Hardin created collages while working on the documentary, which have been transformed into wallpaper, Storyboards by Melora Hardin.
What drew you to take on the physician role in Clock?
When they sent me the script to read, I was very taken with how it felt a little bit like a feminist statement in a way to be talking about having children, making children or not making children based on this pressure from society or from family or from peers. I thought, Wow, that’s a really interesting conversation that I have not seen on television or in film. It was a fresh take on it. When I met [writer/director] Alexis Jacknow who is smart and creative, I also just was like, Wow, she really has a real voice, and I want to be part of that. The doctor is an important part of that conversation because she thinks she’s doing something good for women. I don’t think she is malicious in her program.
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Can you give us an update on the Monk reunion?
We're going to start filming that [this month]. I’m so excited. I love Tony Shalhoub. I love [director] Randy Zisk. I love all the people that are part of it. We’re all going to get to come together and get to have fun again. They’re all excellent professionals but also excellent people — very down-to-earth and very real and just having a good time. We’re going to shoot in Toronto for about five weeks. It’s the first since we wrapped the series. That’s exciting to come back.
Speaking of reunions, any chance you will be revising your role as Jan Levinson on The Office?
I have nothing to do with that. I would show up if they wanted me to. Greg Daniels [show writer and producer] is a friend of mine, and I’m always saying to him, “So Greg, what are we doing?” He hasn’t told me anything.
What shows did you love to watch as a kid?
Little House on the Prairie, and I was on that twice, when I was 12 and then again when I was 15. I played two different characters. Matthew Labyorteaux is still one of my best friends. He played Albert on that. He’s actually my youngest daughter’s godfather. That’s how close we are.
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