Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

'William & Kate' Actress Has Sympathy for Kate Middleton/John Larroquette Worked Hard for Broadway Success

Camilla Luddington says she has a great deal of sympathy for Kate Middleton, Prince William of Wales' soon-to-be bride — whom the 27-year-old actress portrays in Lifetime's April 18 movie, "William & Kate."

"One day, she is a normal girl going to school, and the next, as soon as it's first discovered they're dating, she's being followed by paparazzi wherever she goes. She's constantly under scrutiny for what she wears and where she goes ... How she was wearing something sheer at a fashion show and everyone was questioning whether it was appropriate. People forget there is a real person there." (That student-designed sheer dress Middleton wore in a 2002 charity fashion show recently sold at auction for more than a quarter-million dollars, by the way.)

The Oxford-educated actress admits that playing Middleton, opposite Nico Evers-Swindell as the prince, was intimidating. She was just glad her real-life alter ego wasn't any more famous.

"I think it would have been very different had I been playing someone like Princess Diana. Of course, everyone loved her. My mother was always talking about her and their world. Whether you're a follower of the royals or not, living in England, you know about them. They're thrown into your face. The media is on them constantly," adds Luddington, who hails from the town of Crowthorne, just a short drive from Bucklebury where Middleton grew up — but has been living in Los Angeles for a while.

Luddington's credits range from guestings on episodic shows like "Big Time Rush" and "The Defenders" to her most recent film, the Hallmark Channel movie "Accidentally in Love." She says most of the projects for which she auditions demand an American accent. So she found making the Lifetime movie a welcome taste of home.

"I don't have many English friends out here. Most of my friends are American. So all of the sudden to be among all these Brits again was fun. We shot the movie so fast, it was important we get along well, and everyone was so supportive of each other, it helped. It was fun even though we were shooting 14-15 hour days from the start of production till we were done. Working at that pace, shooting so many pages a day, we really became a family."

Now Luddington is up for an independent feature that would take her back to England, an ironic turn of events for someone who moved to Hollywood and got used to speaking like an American.

"To be honest, I'm not really worried about work at the moment.

After putting heart and soul into a project like this, I'm just getting the chance to breathe."

AT THIS STAGE: John Larroquette has drawn admirable reviews for his performance as Daniel Radcliffe's philandering boss in the newly opened revival of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" — Larroquette's first try at Broadway. It's not surprising. The multiple Emmy-winning actor took his musical turn so seriously, he tells us he started training for it last November with "Eric Vetro, a phenomenal voice coach." Dance training followed.

"My body is used to a lot of physicality in comedy through the years," he notes. "The more I became comfortable with it, the more I was able to add my own touches and become aware of the character."

Larroquette has been having a ball with his stage stint — and he's become very much a fan of Radcliffe's work and work ethic — but that doesn't mean he's forsaking television. In fact, he and wife Elizabeth have been "noodling around" with developing a series themselves.

ON THE PERSONAL SIDE: Joan Benedict Steiger drew laughs from the crowd the other night when she received the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival Eternity Award — noting that if she wound up at heaven's gate and couldn't find a key, she could always say, "Wait a minute! I've got the Eternity Award!"

The actress of TV, stage and film was widowed by Rod Steiger in 2002. She lost her first husband, actor John Myhers, and her most recent man in life, actor Jeremy Slate, from cancer also. And yet she manages to keep a remarkably upbeat energy, which no doubt helps as a public speaker.

"I think your loved ones want you to get on with your life," she says, speaking of the bereavement process. "You have to have faith, and it's not easy. I've had my sleepless nights. Positive thinking is what gets you through. I believe we're all here for a purpose," adds the platinum-haired beauty, who is still a size 6 and who tap dances three times a week.

"I just feel like I'm always 15," she says. "I get up and have everything mapped out for my day."

Steiger recently completed a role in Universal's big-screen thriller "Dead Border."

"I can't tell you too much about it because it's kind of a mystery. It has to do with the government and forensics. There will be a sequel."

ANOTHER SIDE: When Daniel Stern isn't busy acting, directing or working on his cattle ranch near Porterville, Calif., the multi-talent can often be found in his studio, creating bronze sculptures. "I have a couple of commissions I'm working on," says Stern, whose completed works include "an eight-foot-tall guy in San Diego Harbor." Curious fans can check out his works at danielsternart.com. "I like to keep busy with my art stuff," he says.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2011 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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