The Mystery Behind Jennifer Marlowe from WKRP in Cincinnati Unraveled by Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson shares insights on her role in 'Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas' and her iconic character in 'WKRP in Cincinnati' in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly Discover where Jennifer Marlowe might be now Don't miss out!
Loni Anderson George Rose/Getty Images
Loni Anderson rose to fame for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the show WKRP in Cincinnati, and decades later, she still admires the groundbreaking character. Speaking exclusively to We, the now 78-year-old actress reflected on the role that brought her three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy Award nominations. "She was the most intelligent person in the room. She was fluent in seven languages and looked after everyone as if she were their mother," Anderson shared. "Yet, she was also a stunning woman, which made her character so intriguing."
Anderson believes that Jennifer, the sitcom's receptionist known for her beauty and intelligence, was a source of inspiration for future generations. "Young women, in particular, saw that you can be both attractive and the most intelligent person in the room," she says. "It was a fantastic thing."
As for where the character would be today, Anderson imagines that "she's running the show somewhere. She's definitely a CEO, because she really ran the station."
Next for Anderson is the upcoming Lifetime's Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas, where she will co-star with iconic actresses Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Donna Mills, and Nicollette Sheriden. The film revolves around soap opera divas reuniting for a holiday special.
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Anderson was immediately drawn to the project, stating "When it was presented to me, [I said], 'First of all, I want to be with these ladies' and the script was so adorable — these five divas, what a great idea!" She enjoyed working with the women and describes it as more play than work, with "some laughs in the makeup and hair department". The group also had a great time reminiscing about the past.
"We reminisced about the past, and Linda recounted the chaos in her life during the 'Who shot J.R.?' phenomenon related to the Dallas star," she reminisces. "We uncovered behind-the-scenes happenings from that time period when keeping a secret meant holding onto it tightly until the end."
Naturally, the women also traded beauty tips: "It's impossible not to be curious about Donna - How do you manage to look so effortlessly youthful? What's the secret? I know you have good genes, but it's truly mesmerizing!"
Looking back on her career, Anderson knows what she hopes her legacy will be: “I hope that I’ll be remembered for changing the whole look of a young woman with a career.”
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"My granddaughters are like, 'What? Was it ever any different?' Yes, it was," she adds. "My daughter's generation felt that they were able to do anything and still be cute – and my granddaughter's generation doesn't even think a thing of it."
Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas premieres on Lifetime Saturday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET.
