All About... Patricia Heaton

This two-time Emmy Award winner is best known for playing Ray Ramano’s wife on the nine seasons of “Everybody Loves Raymond” and supermom on ABC’s new hit sitcom “The Middle.” Not only does Heaton play a mother figure on television, but also in everyday life to her four sons; Samuel David, John Basil, Joseph Charles and Daniel Patrick. Her memoir, “Motherhood and Hollywood: How to Get a Job Like Mine,” was published in 2002.
 

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?

Hopefully it will be sending my four sons out into the world as loving, caring, God-fearing human beings. 

What do you do with your free time?

I spend my free time filling it with more stuff to do. I’m trying to learn how to relax, but it’s not in my nature.

What is your beauty philosophy?

If at all possible, avoid gravity.

How do you balance your career and family?

I put family first. I’ve been fortunate that my work schedule seems to fit very well with my family obligations, so I have not had to sacrifice too much on either end.

What was it like to be part of “Everybody Loves Raymond?” 

“Everybody Loves Raymond” was my fourth sitcom, but the first to become a hit. It was a joy to go to work each day; every script was better than the last. I learned what good writing was, and learned how to work while simultaneously birthing children.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I’ve always been performing in one way or another since I could walk and talk. I did plays with friends in the neighborhood, community theater and high school theater. I didn’t have the courage to pursue it as a career until my junior year in college.

Did you ever imagine that your theater degree would eventually earn you two Emmys? 

I never imagined winning Emmys, or even being on a TV show. It was all pretty much flying by the seat of my pants.

What do you like most about your current show “The Middle?”

I am fortunate that “The Middle” shares with “Everybody Loves Raymond” a wonderful writing staff who constantly hand in terrific scripts. Because it is shot in single-camera format, I have had to learn a new way of working (ELR was multi-camera in front of an audience) and I feel I have honed a whole new set of skills as an actor. Not only are the scripts wonderful, so is the cast. It is, once again, a pleasure to go into work everyday.

Why do you think events like “Tapestry: A Day for You” are important?

I think it’s important for women to get together to celebrate, commiserate, have fun and build a sense of community. I go away with five of my closest friends every year for a few days, and we always look forward to it and treasure the time we have to catch up and rest up.

What is it like to be the mother of four boys? 

I love being the mother of boys. They are fun and funny, and emotionally uncomplicated. They all have a good sense of humor, and we all like action movies, so it’s worked out well!

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Watching true crime shows and HGTV!

What is one thing you wish every woman would internalize about beauty? 

I think that when a woman is confident, happy and fulfilled, she appears beautiful to those she meets.