Instead, the go-her-own-way heroine of the TBS sitcom "My Boys" is just respecting her druthers. For P.J., the dependable joys of weekly poker games, pub-hopping, sports as a hobby and career (she covers the Cubs for the Chicago Sun-Times) and abundant, sassy banter soundly trump the pitfalls of dating. No wonder she prefers fraternal ties (and not just figuratively: One of the guys is her older brother) to sorting out a love life's mysteries. Meanwhile, her boys endorse her membership. She's the one girl they can be themselves around. "My Boys" is a shrewd, funny look at what the genders have in common and can learn from each other when they let their guard down. The single-camera comedy sports a fine cast, but the heart of the show is Jordana Spiro. As P.J., she is deliciously authentic, irresistible and the season's happiest discovery ... at least, for those who haven't had the pleasure. Of course, other viewers may remember Spiro from "The Huntress," a USA drama where she played the teenage daughter who teamed up with her widowed mom as bounty hunters. She also has had guest shots on such series as "CSI: NY," "Cold Case" and "JAG." And those who saw the 2005 romantic comedy "Must Love Dogs" were charmed by Spiro in a tiny but indelible performance as John Cusack's ditzy date. She has much more to work with now as P.J., who happens to be someone with whom she shares several qualities: the beaming smile; the plummy voice never far from a chuckle; and an eager curiosity. But there are also distinct differences. "P.J. could probably drink me under the table," says Spiro. "Not that I don't enjoy a few libations every once in awhile. But she would slam me down. "And prior to 'My Boys,' I had never gotten too involved in the world of sports: The first baseball game I went to, I asked what time the show started." Not that she wasn't interested before, she hastens to add. It just wasn't something she was raised with. Spiro grew up in Manhattan, the middle of five kids whose parents were art dealers. They encouraged her interest in acting with one caveat: that she never forgets it's a business. So she has made it her business to use acting as a path for exploration.
"I'm one of those people who's interested in everything and has a difficult time choosing, so I wanted a career that was project-oriented, where I could learn a whole new set of things, and then move on and learn another set of things."
After high school, she moved to Los Angeles and soon landed a guest shot on Marie Osmond's short-lived ABC sitcom, "Maybe This Time," where immediately she learned a useful lesson.
"The director pulled me aside at one point and said, 'Right now you're this way, and I'd like you to be that way.' Then the producer pulled me aside and said, 'Could you do it more this way and less that way?' They were completely in conflict!
"So I decided to just do it the same as before, and they both loved it."
Now, as P.J., she has a whole new set of skills to master.
"I've had to really hunker down and learn a lot about sports," says Spiro. Then she recounts an introductory chat with "My Boys" creator Betsy Thomas, who offered her tips on preparing for the role.
"She said, 'You need to learn how to play poker, you need to start watching as much baseball as you can, and you need to come out and drink with us.' I said, 'This is the best job I've ever had in my life! If we can also fit in saving the world, I'm gold!' "
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