Laura Benanti

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/opinion/laura-benanti.html

Version 0 of 1.

Laura Benanti is a Tony Award-winning actress and singer who most recently appeared in the Broadway revival of “She Loves Me.” She has also had many roles on television, including stints on “Law and Order,” “Nashville” and now “Supergirl.”

READING Normally I’m reading whatever I’m researching for a role. I can’t read that much fiction because it starts to blur into the worlds I’m creating. That’s why my recent vacation felt so luxurious because I was able to read so many books. “The Vacationers” was a really satisfying beach read and I’m still plugging away at Gabriel García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” which is definitely more dense, but I appreciate the rich writing.

I also read “Bringing Up Bébé” by Pamela Druckerman because I’m expecting my first baby in February. One thing I took from the book was the “pause.” In America, parents jump immediately to a child who is fussing. But in France they pause. It’s not like they ignore children and smoke cigarettes and eat baguettes but they pause first to figure out what they may be fussing about and give them time to sort it out themselves.

LISTENING While on vacation, I was listening to the sound of the ocean and my husband snoring, which are two of the happiest sounds I know. But I’ve also been listening to Elizabeth and the Catapult. Her harmonies are incredible, and she plays multiple instruments. I think her lyrics are brilliant. I hate to use the word “underrated” because people use that on me, too, and I’m like, “Oh, that hurts my feelings.” But I don’t understand why she’s not über famous.

WATCHING My husband and I watch John Oliver religiously. I just think he should be required viewing for anyone who is going to vote. He’s a brilliant satirist and he is an investigative journalist. It’s hilarious, yes, but what he’s doing is a public service. I’m also obsessed with the Hulu series “Difficult People,” which is a little insider-y because it’s about show business, but it’s really funny. And “Casual,” also on Hulu, which is set in L.A. and the characters are all messed up in the way you can only be in L.A.

FOLLOWING I mostly follow comedians on Twitter. Comedians like Josh Gondelman, who is actually a writer for John Oliver. He is hilarious and has an album out now called “Physical Whisper.” I also follow Rob Delaney, who is also very funny. He became famous on Twitter first and now writes and stars in the British sitcom “Catastrophe.”

EATING Hands down, pizza is my favorite food. Babbalucci’s pizza in Harlem has been my go-to as of late. I am of Italian descent and there’s pizza my dad calls “white man’s pizza,” which is garbage, like thick dough with ketchup. And then there’s authentic pizza which is thin crust baked in a brick oven or, even better, a coal oven with homemade sauce, fresh cheese, fresh ingredients. That’s what you get at Babbalucci’s. Heaven.