Hollywood, Netflix’s new Ryan Murphy limited series, is big on wish-fulfillment. It imagines an alternate history of the Golden Age of Tinseltown, one in which women, people of color, and queer people have much more agency than they did in reality. It goes super literal with said fulfillment by setting much of the action at a gas station that doubles as an escort service. But perhaps the biggest wish Hollywood readily grants is getting Broadway royalty Patti Lupone delivering razor-sharp dialogue in killer fashion on screens everywhere. Who among us isn’t wishing for that?

As Avis, the Tony-winner goes from would-be star bruised by the industry’s cruel standards to the de facto head of a studio. And who better than Patti Lupone to be barking out orders from behind a giant desk? From her imminently quotable opinions on politics and impromptu quarantine home tours—which she describes as “spontaneous combustion”—to lighting up stage and screen, Lupone never fails to give us everything we want. She talks to ELLE.com about her new series, sensuality, and sending you (yes, you) a check.

Avis is unapologetic about claiming what she wants. Did you have a lot of input into how her character was built?

None.

So Ryan Murphy called you like, you’re going to play this amazing, very sexually liberated character, and you were sold.

Why not? You know what I mean? I was so thrilled when Ryan said there’ll be sex scenes and I went, “Finally.” Women get cast as mothers or grandmothers at my age. Oh no, we’ve still got sexual desire. We’re still desirable. Why not? So I’m so thrilled. There was a sex scene, I’m sorry to say, that was cut out that I had with Dylan [McDermott]. It was very exciting!