NeNe Leakes on Loving the Gay Community

(The Root) -- The love affair between Atlanta's most notorious housewife, NeNe Leakes, and TV's most prolific producer-writer, Ryan Murphy, continues this fall on NBC. Leakes, who plays Coach Roz Washington on Murphy's Glee, will swap her sweats for platform pumps in The New Normal, a show about a same-sex relationship in which she portrays a sassy personal assistant.

We caught up with Leakes on Tuesday at the Beverly Hilton hotel during the Television Critics Association press tour. (The event provides journalists with an opportunity to preview fall TV shows and chat with network stars.) Her hair matched her blouse, and per usual, she definitely overshadowed her cast mates onstage. And she had a lot to say about the show's gay theme, her boss and the many ways she feels rich in our video below.

"The coolest thing about Ryan is ... to have somebody to just really believe in you is awesome," Leakes said.

You can catch The New Normal on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET starting on Sept. 11.

Miki Turner is an award-winning photojournalist in Los Angeles.

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