FRASIER'S JANE LEEVES WITH HUSBAND MARSHALL AT THEIR ROMANTIC CLIFFTOP HIDEAWAY IN MALIBUAs soon a
As soon as the work week ends, British actress Jane Leeves and her husband Marshall Coben slip way to their clifftop cottage perched above a near-deserted patch of Malibu coastline.
"Who needs TV when you've got this?" says Jane, pointing to dolphins frolicking in the Pacific below. Here her husband - a true Californian as much as he is a besuited TV executive - pursues his beloved surfing. The couple swim, kayak and relax by an enchanting outdoor fireplace.
It's an idyllic scene at which Daphne Moon, Jane's earthy character on TV's Frasier could only marvel. But it's thanks to Daphne - the live-in physical therapist from Manchester employed by pompous sibling psychiatrists Frasier and Niles Crane for their father Martin - that Jane is sitting so pretty.
She is sitting pretty in other ways, too. Not only has her role in Frasier earned her a nomination in the upcoming Emmy Awards, she and her best friend Peri Gilpin, who plays Frasier's radio show producer Roz, have recently started a production company called Bristol Cities. What's more, despite once being sure that love would elude her, she is coming up to two years of wedded bliss.
Warm and open, Jane seems completely unaffected by her massive success. She was always ambitious though. Raised in East Grinstead in Sussex, she attended stage school but her dreams of a ballet career were spoilt by an ankle injury. "But I always had acting in the back of my mind," she says.
She modelled, did TV variety shows and worked with Benny Hill until answering the call of Hollywood in the mid-eighties. She struggled until landing a two year stint in the forgettable TV series Throb but made a far bigger impact on the hit US series Murphy Brown and in a classic episode of Seinfeld.
Then came Frasier, which has become like a second family to her. Now in its sixth year, the series even brought her and Marshall together at its 1995 Christmas party.
Today, Jane, Marshall and cat Matilda commute between the Malibu beach house and a luxury ranch house with high-beamed ceilings and an English cottage flavour. "It has a huge master bedroom, sunken tub, pool and Jacuzzi," says Jane. "But it's still homey." And perfect for guests, Jane's parents, who've just left after a 12 week stay, will return in September for the Emmy Awards, and she has four nieces who love visiting. Long before Jane made her mark in Hollywood, a gypsy in Scarborough told her she'd be a big star. "We'll see if he's right, eventually," she chuckles. All the signs are favourable.
Jane, have you always known you had a talent for comedy?
"Not really. My brother and I used to make everybody laugh at the dinner table - which is where all comedians start out - but that was my only experience. But I don't see myself as a comedian - I'm just an actor."
How did the move to acting in the States come about?
"I used to model and everybody kept suggesting that I go to America. The seed was planted when I was 17 or 18. Then, while doing milk commercial in Paris, I met an American dancer whose mother rented out rooms in Brentwood, California. I let my apartment in London go and sold everything. I literally had $1,000 and got on a plane with my suitcase. The day after I arrived, I joined my first acting class. We had great people like Jim Carrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Winona Ryder, Molly Ringwald. It was very inspirational, there were no rules."
Why acting? No one else in your family was in showbusiness.
"I think you're born this way. At five I wrote that I wanted to be an actor before I knew what it was. And America represented an opportunity. I didn't go to RADA - I'm told all I missed was the swordfighting! - but I think it's a little tougher in England to break through. I think I was born American. I always had that, "Yes, you can do it!" spirit.
Was it a struggle at first?
"Yes. I was a professional babysitter and I packed those hideous nail gems people used to wear on their nails for a few dollars an hour. If people had food for scenes in acting class, I'd say, "I'll clean that up," so I could eat it. I did the whole struggling actor thing. It was horrible for two years but I met some wonderful people who became great friends. I shared a flat with three girls and we'd buy the cheapest junk we could and make beansprout salads that nobody but us would eat. All character-building."
But then came great roles like Frasier. Did you sense it would be a hit?
"I knew all the elements were there. It was a fantastically written show and the chemistry between the characters was amazing -from the first time we all sat down together it was like we'd known each other for years -but that doesn't guarantee success."
Whose idea was it that Niles lust after Daphne?
"David Hyde Pierce and I suggested it might be funny as Daphne's so earthy, the opposite to Niles and his wife Maris. I said, "I have this vision of Daphne under the sink fixing the plumbing and Niles standing with a martini, enthralled." The first time we tried it, everyone went, "Yes! We love that!" The little bits like him sniffing her hair come from us. We sit for hours dreaming it up. He says my hair smells like lavender and apricots -mostly it smells like cigarettes, I'm sure! David and I treasure playing that relationship. I think we've still got a year's worth of painting there."
Do all the cast get on well?
"Amazingly well. The whole thing is a real testament to Kelsey. If it wasn't for him it wouldn't be that kind of atmosphere. Although he's the head of the show he never makes us feel like that. He always tries to push us into the spotlight. He's smart, sensitive, funny and caring."
Several years ago, Kelsey went into rehab for substance abuse. Did you ever feel his personal problems might derail Frasier?
"Not really because he never brought that to work. Now it's so nice to see him happily married and being able to enjoy his success."
He's had a difficult life. His father was murdered when he was 13, his sister was also murdered and two half-brothers died in a scuba accident.
"I guess when you've had such a tragic life as he has, you have a sense of guilt about all that success. But the show never suffered. We were behind him, we wanted him to get help. He had to do it for himself and he did. His emotions are right there on his sleeve. He's so vulnerable and people attack him left, right and centre. We're all very protective of him."
You've had your own problems. Going into your second year on Frasier, your doctor found an ominous lump in your neck.
"I had a tumour on the thyroid but it was benign. They removed it and took most of my thyroid with it. It was a bit of a scare -but the most scary thing was the scar!"
It sounds like Frasier is a second family to you.
"I've never known a situation like it. We even go on holiday together. Kelsey, Peri and I, plus families, went to Hawaii for Christmas and New Year. We adore each other's company. I think basically we all have the same values and morals. Nobody's on a star trip. They're all decent, kind, generous people. You go through so much together you do form a bond."
And you met Marshall at a Frasier christmas party. Before you met him is it true you had sworn off dating ?
"I didn't swear off it , it swore off me ! I'd given up so much to be here and am so career minded that it wasn't a priority. But I'd reached the point were I was thinking about adopting because I really wanted a child. I told John Mahoney and he said "Wait. I bet within two years you're married." Then I met Marshall.
"Peri and our writers all said they watched us fall in love at a party. We talked for hours - I didn't leave until 2 am - but he didn't ask me out. I knwe he was interested but it was a high pressyre situation for him."
"Two days later he came to the set and an executive dragged him over because he was so scared. He asked me if I'd like a drink sometime and I said "I'm leaving for england tomorrow," He said "What about tonight ?" I said "great". We talked until 3 am. While I was in England he called me every day. The first day I got back we went on a date and that was it."
Marshall , was it love at first sight for you ?
"I would never have presumed Jane would be interested in me . I'm a suit - actors don't usually mix with guys like me ! I thought she was gorgeous and funny and charming. Talking at the party I kept thinking , "She's going to bail on me any second." The next day , my friend said "So did you get her number ?" I said "Of course not !" she was untouchable perfection.
"By the time I asked her out , so many people had twisted my arm and warned jane I was coming , it was like a high - school thing. But I knew she'd say yes."
Jane , what attracted you to Marshall ?
"he's so true to who he is . There's a serenity anout him that may be to do with growing up in Malibu. He's kind , funny , gentle and a real man. He's had a great calming effect on me."
Soon you were living together.
"We said "Let's not get married , lets live together." That lasted about two weeks. I was filming in Seattle doing a movie and I called him and he got on a plane. I knew I wanted to be with him forever because when he left I was destroyed."
"I'd told him " You know I'm going to marry you , don't you ?" He was like " Honey , please , you're spoiling it ! I've got to propose to you. Let me surprise you!" I said All right , but you do want to don't you ?" He said "What do you think ? Of course I do" So i started planning the wedding before he actually proposed."
"In June we went to Big Sur and after dinner one night he produced a big fake diamond ring and asked me to marry him. I kept saying " Ask me again ! Now go down on your knees. Now do it over there !"
You married in a villiage in Kent.
"I really really wanted my dad to walk me down the aisle. Marshall had been married before in a huge wedding and we didn't want that. We had about 35 guests. I didn't invite the cast - it's so far away I thought it was an imposition - but they asked if they could come and I said "Oh my god yes!" Kelsey and John couldn't make it but Peri did and David read. It was magical. Marshalls family spent Christmas with my family."
Do you want to start your own family ?
"I want us to have our nice romantic time first. We can't stand to be seperated so lets enjoy it while we can. I'm in my mid thirties now so that clock is ticking. But I always look at Candice Bergen. She had he first baby at 40."