But in Hollywood, Fran Drescher has long held a more powerful role as president of the actors and artists union, Sag-Aftra.
Drescher, 65, made headlines this week when he announced the union, which stands for Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and represents more than 160,000 artists who will participate. Join the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on strike.
“Shame on them,” she said of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the likes of Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. very moment.”
But how exactly did the New York native go from sitcom star to union president?
The Nanny was an instant success, running from 1993 to 1999 and featuring Drescher as a door-to-door cosmetics salesman who is hired as a nanny for the three children of Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy).
Known for his comedic abilities, unique voice, and recognizable laugh, by the time the show ended, Drescher had landed small roles on several popular shows including Law & Order and Entourage. She also had her own daytime show The Fran Drescher Tawk Show in 2010 but was canceled after three episodes.
The actress found success on the small screen the following year with the sitcom she made with her ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson, Happily Divorced, which ran until 2013.
Taking a break from Hollywood in 2014, Drescher returned to New York to star on Broadway as the evil stepmother in Cinderella.
Misdiagnosis of cancer causes activism
In her 2002 memoir Cancer Schmancer, the actress recounts her battle with cancer, which began with two years of symptoms and misdiagnosis by eight doctors. Finally diagnosed with uterine cancer, she underwent an emergency hysterectomy in 2000.
Her experiences led her to set up a cancer charity, named after her book, in 2007. “I wrote this book so that other people don’t go through what I did ,” she told HealthyWomen. “I quickly realized that my experience was actually quite common and happened often. It became clear that the book was not the end but just the beginning of what has become a life’s mission .”
In addition to leading the charity, Drescher was appointed special envoy for public diplomacy on women’s health issues by the George W Bush administration in September 2008, with a mandate to raise awareness on Global. She later revealed that she had considered running for New York senator when Hillary Clinton left office in 2009.
