“You’re a director.”
Those three words changed Mary Lou Belli’s life.
“And what I love about directing TV is every week you move on to a new puzzle.”
Mary Lou Belli at the Emmy Awards in 2022.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Belli got her start as a TV director in 1988 with a season 3 episode ofCharles in Charge.
It was a very supportive atmosphere.
It’s no longer the case, thank God, but at the time that was unheard of.
‘Charles in Charge’; ‘Major Dad’.Everett Collection (2)
And were they all good?
All of us are still working in the industry and we’re still friends.
A secondCharles in Chargeepisode and an installment ofMajor Dadfollowed.
‘Sister Sister; ‘USA High’; Wizards of Waverly Place’.Walt Disney Television via Getty Images; Everett Collection; Craig Sjodin/Disney Channel via Getty Images
(Her work in the genre continued through 2010 with an episode ofWizards of Waverly Place.)
[USA Highco-creator]Peter Engelhad brought me in to coach, and they eventually thought I should direct.
And I remember Peter saying, “You’re going to knock this out of the park.”
D.L. Hughley.Everett Collection
If I had a film school, it was Peter Engel.
I love working with teens, that’s why I wrote an acting book specifically about it.
I still keep up with some of that [USA High] cast."
‘Eve’; ‘Girlfriends’.Everett Collection (2)
AsOne Worldwinded down, Belli was tapped by one of her acting coach clients,D.L.
Hughley, to direct on his new sitcom,The Hughleys, in 2001.
We would finish a taping on Friday night, and very often D.L.
‘NCIS: New Orleans’; ‘True Lies’; ‘Black Lightning’.Skip Bolen/CBS via Getty Images; Jace Downs/CBS via Getty Images; Bob Mahoney/The CW
Going through a political campaign year with D.L.
What a lovely, lovely, lovely cast.
That was one of the first shows I was on where the cast was a family.
J. Bernard Calloway and Patricia Williams on ‘The Ms Pat Show’.BET+
I was older than them, so I sort of became their mom.
The hardest part about directingEvewas getting control of the set, because they loved each other so much.
God forbid we put all six of them in the scene together.
I mean, it was a good time.
And I’d go, “Okay.
I mean, it would work.
It wouldn’t take any longer.
It’d look better.
But your show, your choice.”
I love that sitcom world, but at a certain point, you want to grow and do more.
I’d never had a techno crane on set.
I didn’t know lenses, the lighting.
I love doing whodunits.
And with the action shows there’s always such opportunity to pull from other familiar projects.
We’d honestly do that a lot onNCIS: New Orleans.
“This is aBourne Identityepisode.”
I had to do it in three parts because I was exploding so many things.
There were 18 rounds from an automatic weapon.
I want to see your reaction to her dying."
And I went, “Oh my God, that’s brilliant.”
I’ve now asked for him on two other shows.He’s fabulous, fabulous.
And also, on my set, best idea wins.
After a decade away from comedy, Belli was approached about directing a new comedy,Ms.
This is as groundbreaking."
So I was just so honored they wanted me.
It’s such an honor to get to tell part of her story.
I’m big on advocacy.
People gave to me, and now it’s my turn to listen.
I’m okay for the rest of my life.
I have done nearly everything, not that there aren’t bucket lists.
But, other than that, does my IMDb page need another episode?
That would be heaven.
