Fran Drescher Says This Guest Star On ‘The Nanny’ Surprised Her

The Hollywood star Fran Drescher became a household name playing Fran Fine on the sitcom “The Nanny” from 1993 until 1999. During that time, Drescher acted on screen with a variety of guest stars, but there are some that stick out in her mind all these years later. 

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One Hollywood Legend Surprised Drescher The Most

“Everybody was always very nice,” Drescher, 64, told Fox News. “But Elizabeth Taylor was really warm, very generous. She sat on the couch on the set and whoever wanted to stand behind her and take a picture with her could. And the set photographer did for both the cast and crew. She was very welcoming of everybody.”

“But the funny thing is if you wanted a picture, you had to pay for the touch-up,” she added with a laugh. “Renee Taylor, who played Sylvia Fine, the nanny’s mother, on the show, said, ‘I’ll pay that, but make sure you give me whatever Liz is getting!’”

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Drescher Remembers Another Guest

Drescher also recalled when the legendary “Rocketman” himself Elton John appeared on the show. 

“It took us a long time to get Elton John, but we got him in the end,” Drescher remembered. “We were told that he enjoyed red roses in his dressing room, so we filled his dressing room with red roses. It was just covered. He was really flattered. And it was a wonderful episode. But we were honestly grateful to have any of these stars on the show.

“And it was a lot of fun to come up with ideas because we could write whatever we want,” she added. “[The character] Mr. Sheffield was in show business, so it made perfect sense for us to come up with names. And it was easy to do. We could make up whatever we wanted. It was never the main thrust of the story. These stars would always kick something off that made it complicated for Fran, and she would always get in trouble with Mr. Sheffield.”

Drescher Proud Of ‘The Nanny’

Over twenty years after it went off the air, Drescher is still very proud of “The Nanny.”

“I think it’s important that I keep pushing forward the idea that we each have to be the change we want in this world,” she said. “And I’m very proud of ‘The Nanny.’ It’s the gift that keeps on giving. And it has certainly withstood the test of time. 

“It’s frankly never been off the air in almost 30 years,” she continued. “So people keep rediscovering it. It’s been embraced on TikTok, and it started streaming on HBO Max. I think I’ve stayed very relevant. I have a young audience. But I’m also fearless when it comes to talking about things that matter.”

‘I’m Very Lucky’

While Drescher has faced struggles in her life that include being raped at gunpoint in the 1980s and battling uterine cancer in 2000, she’s happy with where she is these days. 

“I’ve come out on the other side — for the better,” she concluded. “You have to play the hand that you’ve been dealt with using grace, elegance, and courage. I’ve been very fortunate and blessed in my life. I started with very humble beginnings. My dad worked two jobs when I was very young. It’s been an incredible ride with some very low lows … but I learned very significant life lessons that carry me on. I’m very lucky.”

“The Nanny” is a show that will never be forgotten, and it will keep making fans laugh for many years to come. God bless Drescher for taking us all on this walk down memory lane to remember one of the best shows on television!