Ally McBeal, Working Mom

In the late 90s, when Flockhart lived in this lush, urban hotel with her dog, Webster, her award-winning turn as Ally 8212; the mini-skirted, legal eagle singleton 8212; transformed her from an off-Broadway actress into a household name

Flockhart8217;s reluctance to engage with the media to dispel rumours or explain herself after 8220;Ally8221; went off the air made her a conveniently blank slate to be filled in with conjecture: She was just like Ally. She was self-centred and neurotic. She was difficult. Had anyone seen her eat? Was she wasting away?

If she was hoping that her reticence would play better when she re-emerged after a five-year absence 8212; as part of a notable ensemble that includes Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Patricia Wettig and Rob Lowe 8212; she was quickly dissuaded. Last summer, she appeared on a panel before the media to promote the new show. Flockhart did her best to answer the three softball questions lobbed her way, then sat blankly, shoulders drooped, staring into the audience, as the others played the game.

By the time the session was over, writers and bloggers from across the country were describing the 42-year-old actress as 8220;miserable,8221; 8220;depressed8221; and 8220;spaced-out.8221;

8220;I don8217;t know what people expect. I don8217;t know what people want me to do,8221; says Flockhart about the flak she received. Executive producer Ken Olin did feel badly that he had lured Flockhart away from her nest.8221;When you8217;re held up being iconic and you represent things 8212; people take shots at you. But it8217;s this character of Ally McBeal that is held up to represent something that she8217;s not.8221;

Said Brothers 038; Sisters creator Jon Robin Baitz, who has known her for more than a decade: 8220;I would describe her as a reluctant star, and I mean that sort of in the most magical way: a reluctant princess.8221;

Sally Field sees the vicious cycle in it all. She and Flockhart have grown close playing estranged mother and daughter. Their scenes together, whether they are fighting, making up or giggling like best friends, are among the most memorable of the series, which centers around five adult siblings, their newly widowed mother.

8220;Her personality is such, the press does what it does. And then the more things hurt her, the more she8217;s reluctant to come out and be there,8221; said Field

Landing Flockhart wasn8217;t easy. Olin and Baitz set out to persuade her to trust them. hey got lucky 8212; they called at a pivotal moment for her family.

Knowing that son Liam would be away for seven hours a day at kindergarten tempted her to meet with Olin and Baitz. 8220;I think her experience on Ally was exhausting. That much work and the dynamics of that show, it was like talking to someone who had post-traumatic stress syndrome. Every step of the way, she just kept insisting that she wanted to be in an ensemble show.8221;

Home is always the priority. 8220;I feel really fortunate that I8217;m able to make my own decisions about how much I8217;m going to work. I8217;m in a place in my life where I8217;m just really happy.8221; She pauses and deadpans: 8220;Not miserable. Happy.8221;

8212;LAT-WP / Maria Elena Fernandez