#Middlebury
Q: There is an actress on the TV show “The Mandalorian” who looks just like Mariska Hargitay from “Law & Order.” Are they related? – P.G.
A: You must be thinking of Gina Carano, who played Cara Dune on the first two seasons of the Star Wars series “The Mandalorian.” I never thought about it before, but you’re right, they do look like they could be sisters, or cousins, but there is no relation. Mariska Hargitay, who has played detective Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: SVU” for two decades, is actually the daughter of movie stars Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay. Mansfield tragically died in a car accident at age 34.
As for Carano, before her acting career took off, she was one of the most popular female MMA (mixed martial arts) fighters around. She was born in Texas to parents Dana Joy and Glenn Carano, who was the back-up quarterback to Roger Staubach on the Dallas Cowboys.
Q: I heard that “Night Court” is the latest classic TV show being revived as a new series. How are they going to do this since the show’s star, Harry Anderson, passed away? – F.P.
Melissa Rauch (Depositphotos photo)
A: It’s hard to imagine “Night Court” without Anderson in charge, but the modern version will have John Larroquette returning as Dan Fielding, the role that won him four consecutive Emmys. Carrying on Judge Harry T. Stone’s legacy will be his daughter, Abby Stone, played by Melissa Rauch. According to TVLine.com, Abby is “an unapologetic optimist,” and as a judge, “steps into her dad’s role presiding over the graveyard shift on a Manhattan arraignment court.”
The casting of Rauch shouldn’t be a surprise, as she was listed as an executive producer of the reboot back in December. At the time, Deadline.com stated that Rauch was a fan of the original series, but there were no plans for her to star in the sequel. However, she’s a strong comedic actress (she played Bernadette on “Big Bang Theory”), so to me she seems a natural choice to play Judge Stone’s offspring.
The original “Night Court” aired on NBC 1984 to 1992. The new series is not an automatic go, however. They’ll film the pilot episode, and then NBC will decide whether to add it to its lineup.
Q: Whatever happened to sitcom actress Jackée? I remember she had her own show for a while, but I haven’t seen her in anything in years. Is she still acting? – P.A.
A: Yes! Jackée Harry made her professional acting debut on the daytime soap “Another World” before becoming a household name a year later on the sitcom “227,” with Marla Gibbs. NBC then created the sitcom “Jackée,” but it was never picked up. She was part of many successful series following that disappointment, including “Sister, Sister,” “Everybody Hates Chris” and “The Paynes.” Now 64 years old, she isn’t stopping. In fact, her career has come full circle with a recurring role as Paulina on a daytime soap – NBC’s “Days of Our Lives.”
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.
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