Jeanne Tripplehorn and I had a nice chat this week at the Chateau Marmont and recalled a telephone interview we had done a few summers earlier for a magazine piece I was writing on the "Big Love" star.

"I had so much caffeine that day," she said a bit apologetically. "I think I was talking a mile a minute."

She was a great interview as I remember it had recently debuted in the hit HBO series on which she plays one of Bill Paxton's three wives in this drama about a family that practices a type of polygamy. Jeanne burst onto the scene in the first half of the 90s in a succession of high-profile movies: "Basic Instinct," "The Firm" and "Waterworld."

She went on to other films ("Mickey Blue Eyes," "Sliding Doors"), took some time off to raise her son and is now back in a big way as Barb Henrickson, Paxton's "1st wife." Ginnifer Goodwin and Chloe Sevigny play the other wives.

"I am all across-the-board happy with this job because I love going to work and I love working with Ginny and Chloe. We stay in touch. I think it shows and I think people pick that up. I don't think we could do it if we didn't relate to each other and have great chemistry and a great rapport."

The show was due to begin filming its third season soon but the writers strike has postponed production.

"I knew there was no way were were going to be able to get around the strike," she said. "A lot of shows were stockpiling scripts but we just couldn't do that. They are writing literally until right before we step in front of the camera. Changes are being. I think that's what makes it so palpable and tense because as actors, it keeps us on our toes."

Jeanne recently completed her role as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in the film version of "Grey Gardens" about the former first lady's aunt and first cousin who lived together in a 28-room mansion in squalor
and almost total isolation.

"["Big Love"] is opening me up to more roles and more opportunities," she said. "But I'm completely satiated creatively working on 'Big Love.' If I didn't do anything else the rest of the year, I'm more than happy."