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CLEVELAND, Ohio — It goes without saying that interview opportunities with actors are almost exclusively tied around publicizing film and television projects.
So the idea of promoting a television commercial seems odd and somewhat unprecedented for a reason.
However, we couldn’t pass up a chance to chat with Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Jane Lynch (“Best in Show,” “Glee”), who is currently the featured voice in Apple’s funny and thought-provoking creative spot promoting its Health app.
We recently caught up with Lynch to discuss the dangers associated with health data privacy and what other Apple apps we can maybe look forward to her promoting in the future.
So walk us through this: Presumably, you received a call from your agent about Apple wanting you for a Health app spot. What goes through your mind?
What went through my mind is, why are they asking me to audition? That was the first thing. The second thing was the character is so great. It’s kind of one of those people who trolls the internet, picks up little information about you and is in a waiting room telling everybody what their secret maladies are. Of course, the broader issue is oversharing on the internet. The more narrow issue is the Health app on your Apple device is completely protected — always has been and always will be.
Voicing a wise-cracking character didn’t make you feel typecast?
Yeah, you can typecast me all you want, I don’t care. I love doing it.
Are you someone who wears a smartwatch and gets asked repeatedly if you’re working out?
Every once in a while, I get a “You should stand up” (message)” so I muted those. No, I don’t get notifications but I’ve got all of my lab work on there. I use it for everything and it’s nice to know that it’s completely protected. It is an important thing. And we’re doing it as a cautionary tale in a very funny way but it’s a very serious issue. People kind of assume, I know I did, a certain amount of privacy that we just don’t have anymore. So we have to think about it because there are a lot of folks out there, like the character I play in this spot, who are willing to dive into the recesses of the internet and pluck things about you.
What have you learned about the dangers of health data privacy?
You hear all of the time about people’s private health facts being used against them. My mother is gone now but she got targeted several times because she was too trusting and willing. I think you don’t want people to stop being trusting but I do I have a 91-year-old aunt. You just get in there and make sure they’re protected. It’s up to us to protect the older generation.
Are you a Health app user?
Yeah, I love the sleep thing that breaks down for you how long you were in bed. It gives you a score for how long you were sleeping and what kind of sleep that was. I love the granular stuff.
So what sleep score are you aiming for?
I’d like to be in the 90s. I don’t always get it but boy you can feel the difference when you’re sleeping well and when you’re sleeping not well.
Now that you’ve become attached to an Apple app promotion, have you considered voicing others such as Wallet or Flashlight. The latter is my favorite, especially when looking at a menu in a restaurant.
(Laughs) That’s an interesting one and would be a funny angle.
Something else funny would be having one of your famous characters providing spoken directions for the Apple Maps app.
I think Sue Sylvester (the aggressive cheerleading coach from “Glee”) would be fantastic. She’d be insulting you the whole way — “Turn left, loser.”
At this point in your career, how are you picking projects? Are there any mountains left to climb?
I’m not climbing mountains. I don’t have an ounce of ambition past this moment. I really don’t, I never did. People would say you should have goals. They just never felt right. Also, it adds a lot of anxiety if you’re searching for a particular thing like a certain prize. I think you miss the journey.
Well, we’re guessing if you did literally climb a mountain, you’d be using your Health app.
Absolutely, obsessively checking it.
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