More: TV Land’s new show, The Exes premieres tonight, November 30, 2011. Tell us about your character.
Kristen Johnston: I play a divorce attorney named Holly who was about to move across the hall from her current apartment into a much larger one when she discovered her fiancé was cheating on her. Anyway, I wind up letting three of my former male clients live there. Once they move in, we all begin to try and figure out life.

More: Is Holly bitter?
KJ: No, but she is lonely. Although Holly’s life has not quite turned out the way she wanted it to, she is still an optimist—while being closed off as a means of protecting herself.

More: Do you and Holly share any similarities?
KJ: There are.

More: Such as?
KJ: I spent my thirties working a lot on 3rd Rock from the Sun in Los Angeles. When that show ended I came back to New York and discovered that all of my friends were married with kids. In that sense I am like Holly, because I too feel I missed the marriage boat; I missed the traditional notion that you get married and have a few kids.

More: Did you ever want to get married?
KJ: I wanted the wedding dress, but in a way I still get that when I go to the Emmy Awards. It’s like having a wedding day. Now, would I like a life partner? Absolutely!

More: What about motherhood? Do you want to be a mom?
KJ: When I was younger I pictured myself as an actress with one child.

More: What about now?
KJ: I will adopt for sure. I love kids and I am great with them. I mean, I am the type who can sit on the floor and play Barbie for hours.

More: Do you feel because you focused so much on your career there was a trade-off?
KJ: In every choice I make, I refuse to look at the negative. Have I let go of certain dreams for others? Absolutely! You have to. Now that I am older I am OK with it. I can say to myself, “OK, you didn’t get that but you have this instead.”

More: You got a lot of attention back in 2008 for losing over 60 pounds.
KJ: Yes. I saw those pictures, and that would get my attention, too. I was at a hospital in London for two months because of that.

More: What happened?
KJ: I had a major stomach ulcer—which I never knew I had—burst.

More: You had an ulcer burst?
KJ: Yes. I almost died because it got infected.

More: Were there any repercussions from this incident?
KJ: It robbed me of the feeling of being hungry. Now, I make myself eat three meals a day so that I eat. It’s strange, but I just don’t crave it the way I used to.

More: That's quite the diet.
KJ: I am still thin, but not like what you once saw. I make sure I eat and I now lead a healthier lifestyle.

More: Do the doctors know what caused this to happen?
KJ: Yes, which you will read about in my book, “Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster,” which is due out in March 2012.

More: From actress to author.
KJ: Yes. I am writing a book of very moving essays, which will touch upon a very dark period of my life.

More: Have there been any disappointments?
KJ: I thought I would have a biological child. This is not in the cards, which is OK, because the universe is saying, "Think of a different route."