Holland Taylor Hasn’t Heard from Nancy Pelosi OverOff-Broadway Play That 'Evokes' Former Speaker: 'She's Pretty Busy'

Mar. 15, 2025

Ana Villafañe; Holland Taylor.Photo:Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Bruce Glikas/WireImage

“It’s a very lively play,” Taylor, 81, tells PEOPLE. “By the time I got to page 30, I called my agent. I said, ‘Tell them I’m really interested in it. I’m happy to do this.’ And I was in rehearsal in a matter of weeks.”

Holland Taylor.Victoria Stevens

Victoria Stevens

As it happens,Nancy Pelosiwas the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House when she was elected in 2007 andAlexandria Ocasio-Cortezwas the youngest woman elected to Congress at age 29 in 2018.

“People say it’s about Nancy Pelosi and AOC [Ocasio-Cortez]. It’s just not about them as people,” Taylor explains. “It evokes them in order to show a dialogue between generations and points of view politically, and also to show how politics actually works. What is it? What does it mean if you’re a politician? What do you do? How are you playing out what you want to happen in society?”

Ana Villafane and Holland Taylor during curtain call at ‘N/A’.John Lamparski/Getty

John Lamparski/Getty

Taylor continues, “The younger character, like AOC, she’s just like 30. And the older character is like 80, like Nancy. And so, it’s not the vernacular. It’s not normal conversation. They’re always talking in terms of politics, policy, and political activity. And they have opposite sides often.”

She says “the N character” serves as a mentor of sorts to A, “who’s a challenger.”

“So, it is like AOC and Nancy in that regard. But it’s not a personal portrait,” Taylor explains.

So has Pelosi seen it? “I don’t know, no,” says Taylor. “She’s been pretty busy lately.”

“All I know is that I don’t want to know,” she says. “I never want to know if anybody’s out there because I’m afraid my mind will go to it, and I want to keep my mind on what I’m doing.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories

One admirer who is often in the audience? Taylor’s girlfriend, actressSarah Paulson.

“She comes to anything I do,” says Taylor. “She comes multiple times, which is so flattering. I don’t know how anybody can stand that. I know when I didAnn, I retired my own performance of Ann [Richards] in Pasadena a couple of seasons ago, she must have come to that thing seven times. It was amazing.”

She calls Paulson a “very specific admirer.” After watching a performance, “she’ll tell you things you did that were just so great,” says Taylor. “She’s definitely a wonderful fan.”

Tickets forN/Aare on sale atnatheplay.com.

For more on Holland Taylor, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.

source: people.com