With its series finale having just aired this past weekend, the American political drama, Madam Secretary, is bringing its show to a close. Six seasons, a total of 120 episodes and nearly five years later, former Secretary of State (now President), Elizabeth McCord, played by Téa Leoni, has become a fan-favorite for many late-night TV watchers.
From her ability to make sound decisions that affect not only her country but the entire world to her undying dedication to her children, Elizabeth McCord has proved, over the course of six seasons, why it’s so easy to admire her - but not even the most die-hard Madam Secretary fans know these 10 surprising things about the fearless leader of the free world.
Madam Secretary was never supposed to be realistic, just hopeful
Created by Barbara Hall, along with help from Lori McCreary and Morgan Freeman, Madam Secretary is a show that was never meant to be realistic. Many TV critics who look at the show as a political drama forget that what it truly is, is a political drama.
However, the only way it seems unrealistic is that Elizabeth McCord drives her team and her country to achieving the biggest hopes and dreams about a peace that one could only dream of. Téa Leoni who plays McCord has said that, at most, her character accomplishes a lot. Her successes “should be celebrated and not feared and not manipulated and not played down.” While it may not be realistic, that alone is hopeful.
Leoni says Elizabeth’s legacy is…
When asked about what exactly Elizabeth McCord’s legacy as the most powerful leader in the world would be, Téa Leoni states that “Elizabeth is bringing back the beauty of compromise.” After playing the role of McCord for nearly six years, Leoni knows that perfection doesn’t come with being a politician, and that’s absolutely fine with her.
Fans of the show know that McCord always takes a holistic and compassionate approach to making her decisions, and she knows that she’s not always going to be able to fulfill everyone’s wishes at the same time. But making a smaller sacrifice for the greater good is something she’s always stood for and always will.
The show has actually helped shape Leoni’s view of politics
Something most fans of the show may not realize is that while Leoni is simply playing a character, she truly takes some of the decisions that Elizabeth makes to heart and considers them strongly. After all, it would make her acting job harder if she didn’t.
The way she does this that she many times believes in her character and her character’s beliefs. Before doing the show, Leoni says she wasn’t involved much in politics, but after drawing from influential female politicians like “Secretary [Madeleine] Albright and a bit of Secretary [Hillary] Clinton […],” she has allowed her work as an actor on this show open her mind to the world of real-life politics. “I would say that I am definitely more political than I ever was.”
She never met with Hilary Clinton before filming
When Hilary Clinton served as United States Secretary of State under the Obama administration, she gave her “What difference does it make?” speech before a Senate committee in testimony about the Sept. 11 terror attacks on US buildings in Libya. Show creator, Lori McCreary, revealed that it was these remarks that inspired to her to create a show centered around the political endeavors of a female in a high-ranking position.
Though Leoni never had a chance to meet with Clinton before they started filming for the show, Clinton did guest star on an episode of the show, giving advice to Elizabeth in a time of crisis.
“She liked eating popcorn at really weird times”
One of the greatest things about Madam Secretary is that not only does it focus on the process of how decisions are made in the White House, but it also brings humanity to the screen. From Elizabeth looking out for her kids to still being able to spend quality time with her husband, Henry, perhaps the greatest thing about this show is that it’s always remained human.
From humor to hugs, the show has always shown that Elizabeth is someone who can excel at her job and still find ways to enjoy her life. In a joke to her husband, she even says for the writing on her epitaph to say, “She liked eating popcorn at really weird times.”
Leoni mirrors McCord’s giving heart in real life
Most people don’t know this about Leoni, but she has her own ways of seeking out change in the world! Leoni has been a UNICEF Ambassador since 2001 and a National Board Member of the UNICEF USA since 2006. Fighting for children in need of food, medical care, and shelter all over the world, Leoni dedicates a lot of her time to the organization.
UNICEF follows Leoni’s roots to way back, as her grandmother even co-founded the UNICEF USA organization in 1947. When asked about what she’ll do after the show, Leoni says, “When people say, ‘Where are you going next?’ it won’t be Disneyland, it’ll be the UNICEF board.” Who said the work couldn’t go beyond the screen?
Leoni is hoping her show becomes more than just a show
If you’re not caught up with the show, this next sentence is going to be a huge spoiler: Madam Secretary is a show that’s dealing with something that the US has not yet seen - their first female president, and Season 6 has explored Elizabeth’s ups and downs of being the first in very real ways.
Leoni calls it a “real think-outside-the-box experience. We don’t have a precedent for that sadly in the U.S. We will soon enough. I think in a lot of ways the trick is to not make this a show about grievances.” If anything, all Leoni is hoping for after the end of her series run is that these last ten episodes inspire people.
She’ll miss her cast and crew!
After almost six years of being a TV family together, Leoni has revealed that she’s become incredibly close with her castmates! From her on-screen children - Stevie (Wallis Currie-Woods), Alison (Katherine Herzer), and Jason (Evan Roe) to her loyal staff, Jay (Sebastian Arcelus), Blake (Erich Bergen), and Mike (Kevin Rahm), Leoni has truly felt at home.
The thing she’ll miss the most about the show? “The McCord kitchen! For five years I spent more time there than in the Leoni kitchen!” she shares. Despite the end of the show, she promises that they’ll all still get together at Christmas.
Leoni and Daly are actually together
After the show’s creator, Barbara Hall, revealed that current-day politics aren’t the inspiration behind Season 6’s last 10 episodes, but rather moving life stories, we learn in this last season that despite the fact that Elizabeth has become President of the United States, it hasn’t taken a toll on marriage with her husband, Henry (Tim Daly), as the show might have previously hinted at.
In fact, one of the most interesting things to come out of the show might be Leoni and Daly’s real-life relationship. Hall laughs when being credited for bringing the two together. “They are the most perfect couple, but I don’t know if I take credit for it, though!”
Madam Secretary has already inspired future politicians everywhere
Madam Secretary is a show that was never afraid to get political, but perhaps one of the most important things about the show is putting a strong woman like Elizabeth in a place where she’s able to navigate and work her way to the top. Different from other political dramas like the 90s series The West Wing or the dark, House of Cards, Madam Secretary is inspiring future politicians today.
From young girls who are watching Leoni or a character like Stevie, who is devoted to public service just like her parents, to aspiring politicians who are getting to escape in the dramatized world of politics, Madam Secretary has been one of the most influential shows of this decade.
