What To Know
- Stockard Channing is considering retirement from acting after more than five decades in the industry.
- She is currently directing a stage production at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
- Despite her uncertainty about future acting roles, Channing will reprise one of her most iconic roles.
After iconic roles such as Betty Rizzo in Grease, First Lady Abbey Bartlet on The West Wing, and Aunt Frances Owens in Practical Magic, it appears Stockard Channing may be looking toward retirement rather than her next big role.
In a recent interview with The Times, the actress got candid about where she stands in her career, while also sharing some unfiltered thoughts on politics, how Hollywood has perceived her over the years, and whether another role could tempt her back to the screen.
While Channing hasn’t officially announced her retirement, she doesn’t exactly sound like someone anxiously waiting for the phone to ring. After more than five decades on stage and screen, the actress seems perfectly comfortable with the possibility that her next chapter may not involve acting at all.
Speaking to current projects, Channing stated that she is now working behind the scenes instead of in front of audiences, as she helms a stage production for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. “I am directing Krapp’s Last Tape in Edinburgh this year — with my good friend David Westhead,” said the actress. “But I’m not sure I’ll do anything after that. Acting is like everything in life; you never know what’s going to happen.”
Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection
Enjoying the slower pace a lifetime of brilliant acting has provided, Channing explained how she fills her time. “In the evening I cook or make a salad. Pottering is my meditation; moving things from that pile to that pile. I may read and fall asleep around 11. If I can’t sleep, it’s probably just my subconscious clearing out stuff. Do I ever feel anxious? Sure, but that’s the price you pay for getting rid of the garbage.”
That comfort with a quieter life extends beyond her career. Channing also opened up about living alone and the loss of her longtime partner, Daniel Gillham.
“I’ve lived alone since I lost Daniel and I’m happy being a recluse,” said Channing. “I was married four times before Daniel, and they all represent epochs of me. I grew up in the ’60s, reacting to that repressed notion of marriage and sexuality from the ’50s — kinda like Rizzo.”
But before she decides whether to give up the spotlight for good, fans will see Channing reprise her role as Aunt Frances in Practical Magic 2, set to be released in September 2026.