Emmy Hopeful Cherry Jones Q & A

Established among the theater elite, Cherry Jones is quickly becoming the small screen's up-and-comer. Best known for originating the role of Sister Aloysius in John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt" in 2004, she was recently nominated for her first Emmy for her more recent role as President Allison Taylor on 24. Jones sits down with the New York Times to talk TV and that Emmy nod.

Initially hesitant to join the cast of 24 (she does not like violence), like most other Americans she was hooked after watching just a few episodes. Her inspiration for her character is Eleanor Roosevelt, whom she is also playing in the upcoming Amelia Earhart with Hillary Swank.

Despite her success and popularity on the hit show for two seasons, she admits to still feeling like an "impostor" merely "pretending to be a television actress" having been so long of the stage community. Not that she isn't enjoying the ride. The best part of working on television? "Getting to start over," which is a luxury not available to stage performers.

Will Jones be attending the Emmys? "Look, I'm a tourist. I'm a tourist in Hollywood and I want the full ride. So I went down to Neiman Marcus and I got myself a dress and I got myself a pair of shoes. The gals from the show are going to do my makeup. I'm going to go like Cinderella to the ball. Harry Winston is letting me borrow a pair of earrings; I'm just going to go do the whole magilla. I'm 52 years old and I'm probably not going to have many more opportunities like this. Renée Fleming let me borrow one of her tulle stoles to wear around my shoulders. So I really do feel like Cinderella. It's going to be fun."

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Cherry Jones has done extensive stage work, including her Tony-winning lead performances in Lincoln Center's 1995 production of The Heiress and John Patrick Shanley's play Doubt, a role which earned her the 2005 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play. The play opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre in March 2005. Other Broadway credits include Nora Ephron's play Imaginary Friends (with Swoosie Kurtz); Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika, the 2000 revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten, and Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good, for which she earned her first Tony nomination. She is considered to be one of the foremost theater actresses in the United States. She also narrated the audiobook adaptations of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series including, "Little House in the Big Woods", "Little House on the Prairie" , "Farmer Boy","On the Banks of Plum Creek" , "By the Shores of Silver Lake" , "The Long Winter" and "Little Town on the Prairie." In recent years, Jones has ventured into the film industry, in which she has played mostly supporting roles. Her screen credits include Cradle Will Rock, The Perfect Storm, Ocean's Twelve, Signs, and The Village. Jones is currently President Allison Taylor on the Fox series 24, a role for which she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Jones will reprise her role as President Allison Taylor during the 2010 season.