Jane Lynch finds glee as the ‘Angel From Hell’

MAGGIE Lawson (left) and Lynch

She’s been around since the 1990s, but actress Jane Lynch started becoming truly popular only in 2009—thanks to the indelible villainess character Sue Sylvester, which she played in the hit comedy-musical series “Glee.” Lynch won awards for her portrayal, including a Golden Globe and an Emmy for supporting actress, in 2011.

Now playing the mysterious “guardian angel” Amy in the new comedy series “Angel From Hell,” Lynch compared the traits of both characters in a recent phone interview.

“Amy’s heart is open, and her love is completely available, while Sue Sylvester had a suit of armor around her heart,” the actress told the Inquirer. “Amy’s not afraid of being vulnerable, of looking silly. Sue looks very controlled—she wants people to be afraid of her. The quirk about Amy that I love so much is her love of life. She loves everybody and everything, but she especially loves Allison.”

Allison, a dermatologist played by Maggie Lawson, is protected by the odd but helpful Amy, she said: “When it comes to anyone threatening Allison, she, like Sue, will do her best to obliterate them!”

The show will air Fridays, 9 p.m., starting Feb. 5, on cable channel RTL CBS Entertainment. The considerably smaller cast is a welcome change, according to Lynch, now 55.

“There are four of us: Maggie, Kyle Bornheimer (as Allison’s brother), Kevin Pollak (as their dad) and myself. The stories revolve around us. We have some great guest stars, too, but it’s mainly about the four of us—and there’s only a couple of locations. You get to know us very well, and we’ve gotten to know each other, not just as characters, but as people. It’s lovely to have that. It was a happy accident of casting.”

Before “Glee,” the actress appeared in episodes of “The L Word,” “The X-Files,” “Caroline in the City” and “Veronica Mars.” Included in her filmography are roles in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Talladega Nights.” Her success in “Glee” was followed by parts in films like “Julie & Julia,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and “The Three Stooges.”

The biggest lessons she’s learned about acting and show biz, so far?

“For me, it has become such a joy that I don’t use the word ‘business,’ because it sounds cold and corporate—I even enjoy the business part of it. We’re going to pretend all day, and it’s fun—and I’m working with people who get that. Some days are very long, hard and slow, but we just keep playing. We all know how lucky we are!”