Fran Drescher opens up about battle with uterine cancer
Fox411: 'The Nanny' actress hopes to inspire people to get involved in their own personal health after being misdiagnosed and treated for another condition she didn't have
Fran Drescher revealed she’s closer than ever to her former husband, Peter Marc Jacobson.
“He came out as gay,” the 61-year-old told Fox News. “So he’s officially my gay ex-husband. We met when we were 15. We created ‘The Nanny.’ That became my baby. We were excellent writing and producing partners. And we’re now the best of friends. My parents still view him as a son.”
Jacobson confessed to Drescher he was gay two years after their 21-year marriage ended in 1999, but he had revealed he might be bisexual some years into their union, People magazine reported.
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Drescher told the outlet Jacobson denying his true sexuality made him “angry and controlling,” causing her to leave him at the height of “The Nanny.”
Fran Drescher and then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson during the height of her "Nanny" fame. (Photo by Magma Agency/WireImage)
“Honestly, he did not want the marriage to end,” she explained. “I needed it to end. I needed to find myself outside of the marriage and he needed to find himself outside of the marriage. He was mad at me for a while.”
However, a shocking diagnosis reunited the pair. While Drescher was wrapping up the final season of her widely successful sitcom in 1999, she was secretly trying to find out what was wrong with her. It wouldn’t be until 2000 when Drescher found out she had uterine cancer.
“When I got cancer, one of the silver linings was that the minute he was told, he burst into tears and all of his anger melted away,” Drescher recalled. “All that was left was the love. And from that point forward, we started to rebuild our friendship.”
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Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson attend Happily Divorced' photocall as part of MIPCOM 2011 at Hotel Majestic on Oct. 3, 2011, in Cannes, France. (Photo by Tony Barson/Getty Images)
Drescher has been cancer free since 2000 and is currently the president of the Cancer Schmancer Movement, an organization dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of early detection and prevention. In 2011, Drescher returned to television with “Happily Divorced,” which was based on her marriage to Jacobson.
Jacobson and Drescher recreated the Sherman Oaks, Calif., cottage they once called home for the series. At the time, she described revisiting “the good old days” as “bittersweet.”
“We put on a new show and reinvented it,” said Drescher.
The series came to an in 2013, but the love and admiration the duo shared endured.
“We’re family,” said Dresher. “That’s what it is. And we love each other. And everyone has the right to live an authentic life.”
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Drescher is still recognized for playing the flashy girl from Flushing in “The Nanny,” which aired from 1993 until 1999. However, her beloved character Fran Fine won’t be coming back anytime soon.
After rumors insisted Drescher was eager to launch a reboot, she told Fox News in April of this year that the hit CBS show isn’t being revamped as a new TV series.
Fran Drescher stops by the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival Los Angeles Reception at Nespresso Boutique & Cafe on March 20, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
“It’s not happening now,” said Drescher. “We’re doing some things that are kind of ‘Nanny’-related, but not a TV reboot. It’s going to be very funny and I think the fans are going to be very happy about it. I’m not allowed to tip it just yet, but we are doing something with that, and I can’t do that and a reboot.”
“The Nanny,” which catapulted Drescher to fame, explored how a cosmetics saleswoman fired from her job and dumped by her boyfriend, becomes the nanny to the three children of a rich English widower living in New York City. And as time passes, the two fall for each other.
Drescher stressed that while she didn’t initially pursue the possibility of a reboot, she hasn’t ruled out the idea altogether. She explained that if “The Nanny" were to ever get redone, she would want the show to offer something completely different for today’s audiences.
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“It’s never really been something that I’ve aggressively chased because [‘The Nanny’] is such a classic and it was done so well that unless it’s really right, I’d rather do new things and keep moving forward than looking back,” she explained. “In my head, I had thought, well down the road, maybe we can update the show and get Cardi B to play the nanny and get an Obama type to play Mr. Sheffield. And I could be Cardi B’s mother. I could play Sylvia. It would be the new ‘Nanny.’ The updated ‘Nanny.’”
“That’s what’s been in the back of my mind, if and when it ever comes to fruition,” added Drescher.
Drescher has previously campaigned to get rapper Cardi B, 26, to play the role in a possible reboot. And if she had it her way, former president Obama would also make an appearance.
“Wouldn’t that be cool?” said Drescher. “You know, he’s pretty funny. I don’t think he would ever do it but there are plenty of actors out there that could be unimaginably sexy, distinguished and everything Mr. Sheffield was in the original. Let’s get [the show] a little more updated.”
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At the time, Drescher was also starring in “Safe Spaces,” which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. The film explores how a professor spends a week reconnecting with his family while defending his reputation over controversial behavior at his college. It stars Justin Long and Dresher plays his mother.
“I was drawn to the fact that this is a small story about a family,” said Dresher. “A Jewish family in New York. It felt very comfortable. I liked the cast and it seemed like there was an opportunity to create something meaningful. It wasn’t trying to be ‘Star Wars’ on a shoestring budget. The writer was inspired by his own family, so there was a lot of authenticity to his writing and storytelling.”
Drescher also shared she quickly bonded with her co-star Long, 40, while on set.
“He’s a doll,” she gushed. “I’m going to do his podcast when I’m in New York. We enjoyed each other. He’s really a very sweet guy and very talented. I like him in everything he does but I think he’s very good at this, too. It’s a challenging role and I think he captured it really well.”
Drescher revealed that whether she’s in front of the camera or behind it as writer, producer or director, she’s always finding new ways to be inspired as a performer.
“I love what I do,” said Drescher. “I’m interested in a lot of diverse things in terms of expressing my creativity… I’m now starting to do stand-up comedy. I’m on a special on Showtime right now called ‘Funny Women of a Certain Age.' It makes life exciting for me and so enjoyable. I’m just blessed.”
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