At the 64th Monte Carlo Television Festival, American actress Judith Light shared an intense and heartfelt interview, immediately highlighting the importance of journalists: “You are my voice in the world. Without you, I could be performing in my bathroom and no one would ever know. You’re part of the family, truly.” With her signature mix of wit and depth, she recalled the impact of Transparent, emphasizing its continued relevance: “When it premiered, we were right in the middle of the debate on trans issues. Today, with everything happening to that community, it’s perhaps even more essential. It’s always important to remind people that people are people, no matter their experience. Kindness and generosity toward others are essential.” Speaking about her role as jury president at the festival, Light expressed a profound sense of honor: “I feel incredibly honored. Alan and I had been talking about this for years, and we finally found the time to make it happen. Being jury president at this historical moment feels even more significant: the world is divided, yet art unites us as an international community. Curiosity, which for me is the foundation of creativity, drives us to tell stories that help us understand ourselves and others better.”

Reflecting on her career, Light stressed the inseparability of life and work: “Life comes before career. Every role changes me, transforms me, makes me see new things about myself and about the world.” A powerful example is her long-running role as Angela in Who’s the Boss?, which continues to resonate: “So many young women have told me that because of that character they understood they could pursue a role in the workplace. Once, a woman at the airport told me she founded her own company because of Angela. And for boys, it was important to see a man free to be himself, a father and a homemaker, without being demeaned. That’s the kind of impact that matters.”

Judith Light also spoke of her continuing, though occasional, contact with Alyssa Milano, Tony Danza, and Danny Pintauro, her co-stars from the show, and she reflected on her long-standing commitment to social causes: “I don’t consider myself an activist, but rather an advocate, an ally. We must support each other. I learned a lot from experiences like Project Angel Food in Los Angeles, where my husband and I prepared meals for people with AIDS. That’s where I understood what it means to give and to serve. That’s what we are meant to be.”

On storytelling trends, she noted how television mirrors societal changes: “I see stories involving artificial intelligence, climate, adolescence, and also a growing interest in historical dramas. Series like A Small Light, about the woman who helped Anne Frank, or We Were the Lucky Ones, allow us to learn histories we don’t always study in school. TV has enormous educational value.” Yet she also acknowledged the challenges in the industry: “Shows like Julia, about Julia Child, which was so charming and vital, get cancelled despite their value. Trends change, but the need for storytelling remains.”

Finally, Light addressed her projects in the horror genre, such as American Horror Story and the upcoming season of The Terror: “I don’t really see these as horror, not in the conventional sense. For me, they’re about the characters and their inner connections. With the Billy Crystal project, for example, it was about souls linked across centuries, a meditation on reincarnation. In The Terror, it’s about how characters deal with external fears and also the ones they carry within. I choose a role when I feel it has something to teach me about myself.”

📷: Bestimage