Patricia Heaton, 66, Finds Her (Musical) Voice

Have you joined the music scene now that you’ve moved to Nashville?

I am starting to be part of the music scene! I’m starting to write some songs with some writers. So that’s been just recently, within the last week. So somebody just suggested it to me, and it had kind of crossed my mind. And this person put me in touch with some writers, and it’s been really fun. And I want to say successful — of having done one song so far that everybody seems to love. So, we’ll see.

Can you sing, too?

I’m a singer, but I haven’t done it in a really long time. But I’m really just writing to see what kind of songs I can come up with, with writing partners.

I was going to ask you if you’re going to write another book, but wow, you’re writing music!

Well, I’m sort of at that point in life where the kids are out of the house. I don’t have a regular series yet. So there’s space in my life to explore new artistic and creative ventures. I’ve definitely started to learn how to work with musicians, singer/songwriters.

Who’s your favorite singer-songwriter?

Well, I’m so old, I go back to people like Joni Mitchell, who’s a very singular type of voice and singular type of song. I love all those. But my boys keeps me very in touch with what’s current, and I like to explore that. I’ve always loved music. … It’s sort of like you’re in Nashville, and you want to take advantage of the wonderful, generous, creative, talented people that are there.

What about Oklahoma, where you were filming this movie — did you get to explore there?

Yeah, I [have shot] three different movies there. At first, when I saw Oklahoma, it was just sort of flat. … But as you work there, you get to find your favorite little coffee shop and your little diner and who makes the best biscuits, and you learn the history of places. …. One point I was filming in Bartlesville, where they filmed Killers of the Flower Moon, in Indian nations. And they shot August: Osage County there, the Tracy Letts play that was turned into a movie. And you just discover all these wonderful parks and get to know people, and it becomes like a second home. It’s really lovely. That’s another great thing about working in this industry is getting to explore different places around the country, even around the world.

Patricia Heaton stars in “The Unbreakable Boy,” in theaters Feb. 21.

Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection

The main character in The Unbreakable Boy actually teaches his parents just as much as they taught him. What did your sons teach you?

When I started having boys in Los Angeles, I noticed all these parents were saying, “Well, my daughter’s going to this school, but my son is more of this type of student, so we’re sending him to a different school.” I just thought, I’m sorry, all my kids are going to go to the same school and it’s going to be the closest one — this precious kind of thing of “My daughter’s special so she has to do this, my son’s special in this way…” I thought it was pretentious. And then one of my sons was struggling and the school wasn’t able to accommodate the way he learns. And suddenly I became a convert, and I was like, Oh, we need different schools for different ways of learning because people learn differently. That’s what my sons have taught me: everybody learns differently.

In our last chat, you told me you were looking forward to being a grandmother. Still waiting?

Still waiting. There’s some serious girlfriends in the picture, on the scene. This Christmas, one of my sons was talking about engagement rings. So we’re getting there!

What do you look forward to in being a grandmother?I think to be able to enjoy a baby unencumbered by other things in your life. I had one every two years … and so you’re trying to juggle all their schedules and your schedule, and sometimes it’s difficult to feel like you’re 100 percent present. It will be really nice to be able to just sit with a baby and not be thinking about having to learn lines or having to be on call on set at 6 a.m. and that kind of thing. So the attraction as a grandparent is you get to enjoy your grandchildren unencumbered by other responsibilities.

Are you still in touch with your former costars?

Peter Boyle, left, Doris Roberts, Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton in “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection

Oh yeah, I try — I’m the one that always tries to keep in touch with everybody and bring people together because I love the families that are created, whether it’s on Raymond or The Middle or Carol’s Second Act. I enjoy those relationships. That’s one of the joys of being in this industry, and I’ve been fortunate to work with just really kind, talented, grateful people, and so those are the kind of people you want to stay in touch with.

It sounds to me like you would be open to another series?

Oh yes, I love [TV]. I love comedy. It’s a lot of fun. I like to make people laugh. So I’m definitely developing a few things and just always open to the possibility of joining a great cast.

So no retiring in your future?

I don’t know the purpose. If you love your work, then why would you want to retire from it?