Fran Drescher, the beloved star of the 1990s hit The Nanny, is making it clear that fans should not expect her to return to sitcom acting anytime soon. The 68-year-old actress recently opened up about her career during an appearance on Ted Danson’s podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name, and her message was direct: traditional sitcoms are likely behind her.
While Drescher will forever be remembered as Fran Fine, the flashy Queens-born nanny who stole the hearts of millions (and the wealthy Sheffield family), she explained that the reality of filming sitcoms today no longer fits her life or her creative needs. Her comments come at a time when she is experiencing a major career resurgence, thanks to her role in the Oscar-nominated film Marty Supreme and a new generation discovering The Nanny on streaming platforms.
Why Fran Drescher Is Moving Away From Sitcom Acting
During the podcast conversation with Ted Danson, who understands the grind of television comedy after his years on Cheers, Drescher did not hold back about her feelings regarding the sitcom format.
“Well, I don’t see myself doing another sitcom,” she stated plainly . Danson agreed with her, noting that the “three-camera live” format requires immense energy and commitment.
For Drescher, the main issue comes down to the daily routine of soundstage filming. She described the experience of walking into work when it was still dark outside and leaving after the sun had already set, feeling like she had lost an entire day to the studio.
“It was pretty dark when I entered the stage, and it was dark when I left it. I just lost the whole day,” she recalled . This schedule led her to ask herself a serious question: “Is this how I would have wanted to spend the day if it turned out to be the last day of my life? And it wasn’t” .
The Last Sitcom That Left Her Unfulfilled
Although Drescher did not name the specific show during the interview, her last regular sitcom role was in the 2020 NBC series Indebted. Created by Dan Levy, the show featured Drescher as Debbie Klein, the mother of Adam Pally’s character. The series followed young parents whose lives get turned upside down when his financially struggling parents move in .
Indebted lasted only one season before NBC cancelled it, but the show’s short run gave Drescher a clear perspective on what she wants from her work. She explained that on this project, she was simply an actress playing a role rather than having creative control.
“The last one that I did wasn’t my show. I played the mom in it, and I really didn’t… I loved the people, but I didn’t enjoy the experience that much because we were shooting it over the winter months,” she shared .
The experience felt limiting compared to her days on The Nanny, where she served as both star and co-creator.
“I think just playing the mom in it, it just wasn’t enough for me. And I felt like I could’ve been doing other things during my day,” she added .
The One Condition That Would Bring Her Back to TV
Despite her strong feelings about stepping away from sitcom acting, Drescher left the door slightly open for a television return under very specific circumstances. She would consider coming back if she could wear multiple hats on a project, much like she did during The Nanny days.
“Maybe when I’m writing and executive-producing, directing, all of those hats that I wore in my own shows, maybe it would be more stimulating and, you know, gratifying,” she explained .
This distinction matters to Drescher. On The Nanny, she was not just the face of the show. She co-created the series with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson and had significant input into the writing, production, and overall direction. That level of involvement made the long hours worthwhile.
Without that creative investment, she now sees purely acting in someone else’s sitcom as unfulfilling labor rather than rewarding work.
A Career Resurgence With ‘Marty Supreme’
Drescher’s comments about stepping away from sitcoms arrive as she enjoys renewed attention for her film work. She currently appears in the A24 film Marty Supreme, starring opposite Timothée Chalamet, who plays the title role . In the movie, Drescher portrays Chalamet’s mother, a role that required her to dress down and appear without her signature glamorous makeup.
The film has become A24’s highest-grossing worldwide release, overtaking Everything Everywhere All at Once with $147 million at the global box office . For Drescher, landing the role came through her friendship with director Josh Safdie, who kept in touch with her during the SAG-AFTRA strike negotiations when she served as union president .
“I was delighted to be cast as his mom,” Drescher said of working with Chalamet. “He’s very nice and very talented, so I’m thrilled for him and all of his success” .
The Nanny’s Lasting Legacy and New Fans
While Drescher may be finished with sitcom acting, The Nanny continues to find new audiences more than 25 years after it ended its original six-season run on CBS. She told People magazine that she feels blessed by the show’s enduring popularity.
“People are still obsessed with that show… They’re mad for it!” she said .
Drescher has a theory about why millennials and Gen Z viewers have embraced the series through streaming.
“A lot of the millennials were kids when they first watched it. Then they grew up, and are realizing how great it was on levels they didn’t recognize when they were younger,” she explained. “The clothes, the jokes, the gay humor, the sexual tension, all of that kind of went over their heads” .
Young stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Rosalía have also helped keep Fran Fine’s fashion legacy alive by recreating her iconic outfits, introducing the character’s style to an entirely new generation .
Life Beyond the Soundstage
Since The Nanny ended, Drescher has built a varied career that includes voice work (she played the Fairy Godmother in the Shrek films), authoring books, and most notably, her leadership role as president of SAG-AFTRA. During the 2023 actors’ strike, she negotiated against major studios and streaming platforms, winning better pay and protections against AI for union members .
Her successor, newly elected SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin, recently praised Drescher’s conflict resolution skills, calling them the “secret sauce” that helped the union succeed during tense negotiations .
When reflecting on her career and the constant underestimation she has faced, Drescher remains philosophical but proud. Whether people focused on her Queens accent or assumed she was just the “pretty girl with the funny voice,” she has consistently proven doubters wrong.
“They thought, ‘Oh yeah, the Nanny, we’ll wipe the floor with her in two minutes,’” she recalled of the studio executives during strike negotiations. “But they never saw me coming!” .
What This Means for Fans of The Nanny
For viewers who grew up loving Fran Fine and hoping for a sitcom comeback or perhaps a The Nanny reboot featuring Drescher, her recent statements may disappoint. However, she remains active in entertainment through film projects and continues to embrace her connection with fans who approach her daily.
She also stays close with her former castmates. In September 2025, Charles Shaughnessy, who played Maxwell Sheffield on The Nanny, shared a cast reunion photo on Instagram with the caption, “Getting the band back together….?! A great night out with Susan and The Nanny gang!!” .
Drescher also recently mourned the loss of Steve Posner, an actor and director from The Nanny who served as a mentor to her and others on the show. In her Instagram tribute, she reminded followers, “Life is very ephemeral. Don’t take a moment for granted. Not one moment!” .
That philosophy seems to guide her current career choices. At 68, Drescher values time and creative fulfillment over the grind of soundstage schedules. While she will always be Fran Fine to millions of viewers, the woman behind the character is choosing roles and projects that truly matter to her.
Whether she ever returns to television in a creative capacity remains to be seen. For now, Drescher is enjoying her “play time,” celebrating her resurgence, and proving that some stars only get brighter with age.
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