TCA press tour: Anthony Weiner scandal gives new life to ‘Good Wife’

The revived scandal surrounding New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner and his sexual tweets to women has given an unexpected relevance to CBS’ “The Good Wife.”

The hit drama revolves around a wife and mother who boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and reenters the workforce after her husband’s very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail.

“I feel guilty that it’s the gift that keeps on giving,” said “Good Wife” star Julianna Margulies. “We’re going into our fifth year, and it feels like something new.”

But Margulies said she also saw painful parallels between her fictional character, Alicia Florrick, and Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, as she awkwardly stood by her husband during a news conference last week.

VIDEO: Summer 2013 TV preview

“My initial thought was that she had the same look I tried to capture in the pilot,” Margulies said, recalling a scene in which Alicia stands next to her husband, Peter (Chris Noth), at a news conference about his downfall. “She had a soulless look. Her body language was empty.”

Added the actress: “She was on automatic pilot.... I felt complete compassion and empathy for her.”

Season 5 of the show will revolve largely around a group of attorneys, including Alicia, who are conspiring to leave the firm, and the tensions that erupt. Executive producer Robert King said, “It’s civil war.”

It will also deal with Peter’s election to the governor’s seat and how he is tempted by the women around him, adding fresh tension to his marriage to Alicia.

In the recent Emmy Award nominations, Margulies was absent from the lead actress in a drama category. She has been nominated three times for the CBS series and won the award in 2011.

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