Mary McCormack

[On if it was difficult ending The West Wing]
Mary McCormack: For that amount of time it was difficult but for the rest of the cast and the crew it was like a lifetime. I felt lucky to be there even for as short a time as I was there. The fans were amazing and it was just nice to be on a show that people were watching and talking about. It was a great role and I worked with Allison Janney mostly who's now one of my best friends so it was a great experience.

[On her character ftom Traffic]
Mary McCormack: It's interesting that throughout the show, many characters say, 'I'm just the middle man.' Through our apathy we are all middle men — every time you hire someone to cut your lawn who you don't pay benefits to, you are a middle man. We are all sort of responsible. I thought the show did a really amazing job in pointing out how we are all complicit.

[On getting the part in the play Amahl and the Night Visitors]
Mary McCormack: I was twelve but looked like an eight-year-old boy. As luck would have it, none of the boys in town could sing, so I got the part and wore a hat.

[Explaining what a slammer girl is]
Mary McCormack: I'd wear cutoff shorts and a bra--well, a halter top, but like a bra, with the midriff showing, you know? And I'd wear a holster with tequila on one side and 7Up on the other, and I'd wear a bandoleer with shot glasses, and I'd walk around the bar and go up to a guy.