'Political Animals': Ellen Burstyn on Playing Sigourney Weaver's Hard-Drinking Mother (Video)

One of the highlights of USA's buzzy new series Political Animals is watching Ellen Burstyn let loose -- and steal practically every scene -- as Sigourney Weaver's hard-drinking, foul-mouthed mother.

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"Sometimes it was kind of tough," the Oscar-winning actress said, laughing, in an interview with THR. "Because her language is a little rougher than mine usually is. So it took some effort but I finally agreed to it and ... enjoyed it."

Burstyn's character, Margaret Barrish, is a former Vegas showgirl with a colorful past who "drinks a lot and doesn't take any guff from anybody and speaks her mind and tells it like it is. And it's fun."

VIDEO: 'Political Animals' Star Sigourney Weaver on Channeling Hillary Clinton

Political Animals premieres Sunday for a six-episode run. The drama, created by Greg Berlanti, features Weaver as Elaine Barrish, a Hillary Clinton-esque Secretary of State with a philandering ex-president husband (Ciaran Hinds) who loses her own bid for the White House to a young Democratic upstart (Adrian Pasdar).

Margaret, none too happy about the situation, insists it's because voters didn't want to sleep with her daughter.

"Sigourney's very intense and powerful and intelligent and a deep woman and I think that comes across," said Burstyn, who previously delved into cinematic political territory as Barbara Bush in Oliver Stone's 2008 biopic W.

Asked whether a woman can become president some day, Burstyn responded: "Absolutely. I think Hillary could have become president in the last election and I think she will be president some day."

Watch THR's interview with Burstyn above.