Many years before Ali Larter was one of the leads on the Paramount+ hit “Landman,” she had to make do with less than a minute of screentime.
Larter’s first TV break was a one-off part as a delivery woman in “The Ways and the Means,” an episode of “Suddenly Susan” Season 1 that aired in 1997. NBC developed that sitcom as a showcase for Brooke Shields, who played magazine columnist Susan Keane. However, Larter’s brief time on the series didn’t include any scenes with Shields.
Instead, Larter’s Maddie appeared opposite Susan’s friends and colleagues Todd Stites (David Strickland) and Luis Rivera (Néstor Carbonell). Throughout the episode, Todd attempted to demonstrate that Luis’ accent made him irresistible to women. To prove his point, Todd used a ridiculous and nearly incomprehensible accent to greet Maddie.
Despite her initial confusion, Maddie was charmed by Todd’s foreign persona, and she volunteered to show him around the city. However, Maddie didn’t stick around long enough to see Luis’ bewildered response to the entire scenario.
An on-the-set education
During an interview with SAG-AFTRA early in 2026, Ali Larter recalled how difficult it was to make her acting debut in “Suddenly Susan,” which was filmed in front of a live audience.
“It’s like a multi-camera [show] and you’re going out there [live],” said Larter, “And it was exciting and very scary. … I had to learn in live time. … I had studied with Howard Fine for a long time and I’ve worked with many different acting coaches in my life, but … I had to really … figure out what blocking was and understand my craft as I was actually being filmed.”
Larter also noted that her experience has reshaped the way she approaches auditions.
“There’s no prize for runner up,” related Larter. “You have to be the best. … That means when you’re doing your auditions, it’s the moment before and it’s the moment after. You’re living and breathing it. You have got to do the work and trust the process and then let it go. I’m such a deep believer in that. … I think early in my career, I tried to do things just so perfectly. What a waste of time that is. The beauty is in the mess and the mistakes and when things are free.”