Did Alanis Morissette Star in Showtimes Weeds? Who Was She?

May 2024 ยท 3 minute read

SPOILER ALERT: Minor Plot Details For Weeds Follow.

Alanis Morissette is not only an acclaimed singer but is also an excellent actress. She has worked on many projects, from theaters and TV series to films and documentaries. 

Arguably, one of the best projects Morissette has worked on is Weeds. The show is a dark comedy-drama that aired from August 8, 2005, to September 16, 2012, on Showtime. 

As the name of the show suggests, Weeds revolves around a single mother, Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), who sells marijuana to support her children after the death of her husband.

Morissette played the role of obstetrician Dr. Audra Kitson for eight episodes spread across the fifth and sixth seasons.  

Alanis Morissette. (Source: Instagram)

Alanis Morissette in 'Weeds' 

The announcement about the singer being in Weeds was made back in 2009. It was made after the cliffhanger season four finale, which showed Botwin's pregnancy.

She got pregnant by Esteban (Demian Bichir), the mayor of Tijuana. Now that Botwin was pregnant, she needed an obstetrician. 

Therefore, Morissette signed on to that role. It was reported that she would guest star as Dr. Kitson for at least seven episodes in the fifth season. 

Alongside being a doctor for Botwin, Morissette's character would also be a love interest for Andy (Justin Kirk), Botwin's brother-in-law. 

IGN reported the singer was the second biggest casting for Weeds.

Alanis Morissette on Alter Ego. (Source: Instagram)

The first one was Jennifer Jason Leigh, who played the role of Botwin's sister.

Morrissette returned as a guest star for the sixth season of the show and reprised her character as the obstetrician. 

How Alanis Morissette Starred in 'Weeds' 

Before Morissette starred in the show, she was already a huge fan of it. She gushed about the series and how she got to star in it in a 2009 interview with The Star.  

The singer watched the show "pretty religiously" when she was on her tour. She watched it at the back of her bus while going through "a cleanse."

She confessed that since she was changing her lifestyle through cleansing, the show helped her go through it. As a result, she was drawn into the show and loved it. 

Alanis Morissette in a recording studio. (Source: Instagram)

Soon, she set a meeting with Jenji Kohan, the creator of the series, and revealed to him that she wanted to be a part of it.

She told him she wanted to play the role of a compassionate woman who would be supportive towards Botwin. 

At that time in the series, Botwin was going through pregnancy, and Morissette's maternal instincts kicked in.

Therefore, she wanted to represent a character that would be warm and supportive of Botwin. 

This is not the first time the singer took the first step to be a part of the show. She did the same with Curb Your Enthusiasm and Sex in the City. 

Coming back to Weeds, Morissette said that she was oriented on the spot on the set. Therefore, there was a gynecologist who guided her about how things work. 

The real-life doctor taught her how to be a fake one on-screen from the start since the singer's first scene was Botwin's gynecological exam.

It was awkward since she had never done it before. However, with the help of the gynecologist, Morissette performed phenomenally. 

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