ABC/Andrew EcclesWendi McLendon-Covey, who stars as mom Beverly on ABC’s The Goldbergs (Wednesdays), was ecstatic to get back to work on Season 8 after missing her TV family while production shut down due to COVID-19. “We can’t hug each other like we usually do,” she says. “That was hard not seeing everybody for so many months and then not be able to give them a big hug and a smooch when you see them again.”
How would the Goldbergs have fared if a pandemic had occurred in 1980-something? “I know that Bev would’ve been thrilled that her kids had to stay home,” McLendon-Covey says. “But would Beverly have worn a mask all the time? I don’t know. But I think she would’ve browbeat her nail person and favorite salon into opening just for her.”
McLendon-Covey opened up for this month’s “5 Questions”:
1. What’s been your strangest or most interesting fan encounter?
I have a little fan who just turned 4 years old, and his mom sends me videos of him. He makes me laugh so hard. Every time something happens in the house, he wants to tell Beverly. They got a new vacuum cleaner, and he wanted mom to make a video of him showing off the vacuum cleaner. He made his own orange juice and he wanted to mail some of his freshly squeezed orange juice to Beverly on Goldberg Street. Adorable.
2. Can you tell us about a time you were starstruck?
Hayley Orrantia, my TV daughter, she and I got to present an award at the CMA Awards with Olivia Newton-John. I used to want to be Olivia Newton-John for most of my life. So I got very, very starstruck about her.
3. What’s a movie that you can watch over and over again?
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or All That Jazz.
4. What’s your favorite sports team?
I don’t have one. I am not into sports at all, but my husband watches the Los Angeles Lakers quite a lot.
5. What’s a job you had before acting?
I worked at Knott’s Berry Farm when I was in high school. I worked at a hotel near Disneyland. I worked at a jewelry store for a long time selling bridal sets and engagement rings. And I worked at Cal State Long Beach in the social work department.
