Though she was a talented comedic actor, Doris Roberts was so much more than Marie Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond.

“No one thinks I can do dramatic work anymore,” said Roberts during an interview with the Associated Press. “I did 20 years on Broadway before I ever went out to California! I won an Emmy for playing a bag lady on St. Elsewhere! But once you get into a comedy bag, they pigeonhole you.”

The popular sitcom, which began in 1996, allowed Roberts an opportunity to show off her humorous side. Audiences adored her on screen, and her role led to several award nominations, including an Emmy win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

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“You don’t use different muscles playing comedy and playing drama,” said the actor. “You just make different choices…When I play Marie, I don’t use this voice…if I used my own voice for Marie, you wouldn’t laugh at her. You’d find her quite unpleasant.”

But while her character was the source of plenty of amusement, Roberts understood that her character needed to be grounded in reality in order to truly connect with an audience.

“I pride myself that the choices that I make for Marie are really based on love,” said the actor. “It comes out differently, but that’s what it’s based on.”

The three-dimensionality of the character was ultimately the fruit of Roberts’ labor as an actor.

“There’s nothing about me that feels old, acts old, thinks old - I’ve fought them all,” said Roberts. “I have the same passion for my work today that I did when I was 18 years old.”