Laura Peterson

> "Fucked up kids have an excuse. Fucked up adults get therapy. Fucked up adults change their circumstances.” -- *Laura Peterson*, 2x06
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**Laura Peterson** is an award-winning journalist and former anchor of *Your Day America* (YDA) on NBN. She is a dark-haired lesbian in her 50s with an affinity for well-tailored suits, earthy international blouses, and all clothes black and pin-striped. She is always seen with several rings on her fingers and her two signature necklaces -- a small cross and a larger Egyptian black pendant necklace.

After being publicly outed as a lesbian in 1997, Laura was fired from YDA and had to rebuild her life and career as a person and journalist. She eventually became a war reporter/correspondent and went on curate the Emmy-winning *60 Minutes*-esque news program, *UBA 365,* for UBA.

Professionally, Laura is an astute investigative journalist with many awards, including Emmy's and a Pulitzer. She cares about the truth and integrity in journalism above all else.

Personally, Laura is calm and confident. A nearly unshakeable force in journalism. She has been romantically linked to several women, but she has a reputation for being somewhat of a player. She comes from a very well-educated, liberal New York family. Her mother was an absentee parent. When she came out to them, her family was not accepting. Unsurprisingly, Laura is a steady advocate for therapy. She owns a brownstone in New York and a ranch in Montana.

## History

### Pre-Show / Early Career

In the 1990s, Laura Peterson broke out as a news anchor on *Your Day America* (YDA) on NBN. She kept her sexuality a secret for professional reasons, but a small group of friends knew that she was a lesbian. A younger, sunnier Alex Levy joined that group. While Alex seemed fine with Laura's sexuality, not long after Alex found out, YDA found out and Laura was publicly outed as a lesbian in 1997. YDA fired her, though they were careful not to explicitly fire her for being gay. Laura lost everything, including Alex's friendship. Alex stopped communicating with Laura. In fact, Alex once saw Laura walking on Fifth Avenue, and Alex looked away and crossed the street so she wouldn't have to run into Laura.

After that, Laura rebuilt her life and career as a person and journalist. She eventually became a war reporter/correspondent and went on curate the Emmy-winning *60 Minutes*-esque news program, *UBA365,* for UBA (United Broadcast Association).

### Alex's Interview (February 2020)

Despite her uncomfortable history with Alex, in February 2020, Laura agreed to interview both Alex and Bradley Jackson for *UBA365.* Cory Ellison requested Laura do the interview as a friendly favor, ahead of Alex's return to *The Morning Show.*

Laura asked for two days to follow Alex Levy around, but Alex refused. She offered Laura only four hours for an interview. The rest of Laura's two days would be spent in Iowa, interviewing Bradley Jackson during the Iowa Caucus. Cory also took this opportunity to ask Laura to gently coach Bradley during their time together.

When Alex arrived late for the interview's taping, the two women posed for stilted promotional pictures before getting to work. Laura started with vetted questions about Alex's last day at *TMS* and what Alex would say to her younger self if she could. Laura then asked about the environment at UBA and if Alex felt that the problems had been fixed. Alex said they had. Laura asked about Hannah (the former TMS talent booker and one of Mitch's victims) without using her name, but Alex declined to answer since Hannah valued her privacy.

Laura then brought up Maggie Brener's book and referenced a portion that said that ageism and sexism were rampant at *The Morning Show*, which somewhat lined up with Alex's experiences. Finally, Laura asked the nature of Alex's relationship with Mitch. After taking a few telling moments, Alex said that Mitch was her best friend, but Mitch was a lot of things to a lot of people. She then told Laura that she didn't speak to Mitch anymore.

### Bradley's Interview and That Taxi Ride

Laura joined Bradley for the UBA private flight to Iowa for the Democratic Caucus. After Bradley wrapped up her reporting, the two began a walk and talk interview through the sunlit streets.

Laura asked Bradley about her career and how she came to *The Morning Show*. She said that one thing fascinated her about Bradley's journey that hadn't been touched on before -- how it must feel for Bradley to have this breakthrough. Surprised and appreciative, Bradley admitted that she grew up knowing many doors wouldn't be open for her, so she convinced herself that she didn't want it, then she found something she was really good at reporting, and doors opened for her. In the last month on TMS, Bradley realized that she didn't have the control over her destiny that she thought she did, so she had to learn how not to ruin things after working so hard to get where she was.

While they were talking, they had a charged moment, but Bradley dropped her coffee cup, breaking the tension. That evening, after everyone else left to go to bed, Laura admitted that Cory had asked her to look out for Bradley and give her some guidance, but said after spending time with Bradley, she didn't think Bradley needed her help. She then said that *The Morning Show* wasn't using Bradley in the right way. Laura asked about Bradley's relationship to Alex, but Bradley didn't answer.

The next day, Laura told Bradley she'd gotten everything she needed for the interview, but wanted to ask one more question off the record, just between them. She asked if Bradley really was vetted for the job. Instead of answering, Bradley pulled her in for a kiss. After a moment, she pulled back and apologized, but Laura returned her kiss.

### Bradley and Laura's Early Relationship (Feb - March 2020)

After filming Alex's first show back, Bradley went over to Laura's brownstone, and they had sex. Bradley denied both being in the closet and being a lesbian when Laura talked to her about it. When Bradley said she was going to go to Cory and demand the moderator job, Laura asked about their relationship and learned more of what happened after Alex's last show. She also told Bradley that UBA was talking about replacing Cory and advised that Bradley try to mend fences there, as having him and the network on her side would help her.

Bradley came back to Laura saying that worked and she understood why they couldn't have both her and Alex moderate the debate, saying they couldn't have two straight white women. Laura questioned her labeling herself straight, which led to a fight in which Laura said she wanted to resent Bradley for not coming out when it was safe for her to do so and would give her the edge she needed to get the moderator job while Laura herself had been previously fired for being gay. Bradley said she didn't feel comfortable using her identity that way, but Laura said she didn't have any trouble identifying herself as southern and suggested that being southern is why Bradley was so repressed. Bradley broke a nearby vase and insisted that she wasn't repressed. Laura told her to go find another woman's vases to break, and Bradley left.

Bradley later went back to Laura's with a three hundred dollar gift card and said all she knew about herself was that she's a pain in the ass. Laura went to go back inside, but Bradley pulled her into a hug, stopping her.

Since they were unable to spend Valentine's Day together, Laura scheduled an interview with Pete Buttigieg so she'd have an excuse to go to Vegas and spend time with Bradley. That evening, Bradley spent time in Laura's hotel room. Laura explained that the conflict between her and Alex started when Alex found out she was a lesbian and then YDA found out right afterward. She suspected Alex told them, but even if she hadn't, Alex wasn't among those who stood by her and supported her in the aftermath of her firing. Laura insisted that she'd moved on from Alex and people who bring chaos into her life. She joked that champagne would help with the chaos of life. Bradley returned that they had different relationships with alcohol (because of Bradley's family's history of addiction).

Then Cory texted Bradley, and Laura teased Bradley that Cory liked her. Bradley dismissed it, saying Cory didn't trust Bradley to follow instructions. Regardless, Laura excused herself and said she'd let Bradley text her boyfriend now. Cory needed Bradley's advice (about how to handle The Vault's story on Hannah) so they got on the phone. Unfortunately, before he could say what he needed, Laura called out to Bradley. Bradley panicked, Laura rushed away at knowing Cory had heard her, and Cory went on to ask Bradley if he should do whatever it took to bury the Hannah story. Bradley said yes.

### Laura's Return to *The Morning Show*

Back in New York, Alex called in sick to The Morning Show, forcing them to find a last-minute replacement. Cory called Laura to see if she'd do it. Laura was with Bradley when he called, and Bradley quietly indicated that Laura should do it, saying it would be fun. After agreeing, Laura got up to go to the station to prepare. Bradley asked if, since they both had to get up early the next morning, she could just spend the night. Laura said that she could and she could also leave some things at Laura's rather than dragging everything back and forth. Bradley went to pick up some things, but then texted Laura that she wouldn't be coming back that night as her brother, Hal, had popped up at the Archer Gray Hotel.

While she was at the station, Laura talked to Chip about Alex and told him about Alex's confrontation with Maggie, which Laura had heard about from Maggie. Chip tried to cover for Alex.

The next morning, Laura arrived at the studio and got ready for the show. The show started well, with them giving an update on the coronavirus and speaking with a doctor about heart health. However, during a break, Bradley's brother, Hal, sent her the link to an article on The Vault, which outed their relationship. Bradley immediately showed it to Laura. When Bradley left the set after struggling through the next segment, Laura asked Daniel to cover the next segment so she could talk to Bradley. She told Bradley they could choose to ignore the article and let it blow over without acknowledging it. When Bradley said she was most worried about her family's reaction because of how she was raised. Laura promised her that it would be okay. Laura returned to the set, promising to cover for Bradley for as long as she needed.

After the show, Laura called Bradley, who was still in her dressing room hours later, not wanting to go home and see her brother. Laura invited her over and said she was dealing with her own problems because of it. It stirred up a lot of feelings from the first time she was outed, which happened in a time when it could get you fired. Laura then told her that a messed up kid is stuck, but a messed up an adult has a responsibility to heal themselves. She then told Bradley to go home, deal with her brother, and she'd see her the next day.

The next morning, Laura was slow to come into work. When Bradley called her and wanted to see her, she said she needed to get into the right headspace before the show and it wasn't a good time. The air was tense during the show. On a commercial break, Mia called them all to gather and told them they'd received an unconfirmed report that Mitch had died, shocking everyone. She also asked them to keep doing what they were doing until the story could be confirmed.

At the next commercial, Bradley got word that her brother was at the studio and causing problems. Laura came out into the hallway, where he was yelling and airing their family's dirty laundry. When he got more aggressive, Laura called for security and they escorted Hal out.

Laura then went to Bradley's dressing room, where she comforted her and recommended therapy for Bradley to learn to cope with her childhood trauma. She also suggested it might be time to stop trying to help the members of her family that refused to help themselves. Bradley said she couldn't imagine leaving Hal behind.

Later, when Mitch's death had been confirmed, Laura handed the show over to Bradley so she could report it.

### Alex's Return and the Dawn of Covid

When Alex returned on the same day Bradley took off to take her brother to rehab, Laura filled in and hosted the show with Alex. Before they went on air, Laura checked with Alex to make sure she could be professional. The show went smoothly, including a hand washing demonstration.

After the show, Alex came to Laura and asked why happened between them and why they weren't friends anymore. Laura explained what happened from her point of view, including the appearance that Alex had gossiped about her, which led to her being outed. And then Alex just disappeared. After hearing Laura's side, Alex apologized for gossiping about her. Laura admitted that she gossiped about Alex, too.

After seeing Bradley interview Maggie, she told Bradley she was impressed by her, as, despite her personal feelings about and frustration with, Alex, she defended her in the interview and instead buried Maggie, who'd written the book that said all the things Bradley wanted said. Bradley said that Maggie wasn't being fair to Alex. Laura then said because of Covid and her heart condition, she was planning to go spend a few months at her ranch in Montana, for as long as it took for it to be over. She asked Bradley to consider coming to stay with her. Bradley reminded her that she's on TV five days a week. Laura asked Bradley to give that up for her, as she didn't like when her woman worked.

Stunned, Bradley asked if Laura meant what she said. Laura explained that she was joking, that she has a studio at the ranch that Bradley could work from. But Bradley clarified, "Am I your woman?" Laura smiled. Even though Bradley scared her a little, she did think, yes, Bradley was her something. The two celebrated this official relationship confirmation with a kiss. When a knock at Bradley's door interrupted it, Laura said she'd be waiting in the bedroom. Bradley went on to find out that Hal had returned the money for rehab and was out there in New York on his own.

### Laura and Bradley in Montana (March - Winter 2020)

*(**Note**: In the show, Bradley and Laura's time in Montana is covered in 3x05, which is a flashback episode.)*

TBD

## Relationships

### Romantic

After interviewing Bradley, while presumably heading home after the caucus in Iowa, Bradley kissed Laura to avoid answering her question of if she was vetted before becoming an anchor on The Morning Show. Bradley immediately apologized, but Laura kissed her back instead. Laura and Bradley began a relationship that lasted past the end of Season 2 despite the relationship being rocky as Bradley's way of handling her tumultuous family clashed with Laura's desire to avoid chaotic people and relationships. When Laura went to stay at her ranch in Montana during the pandemic, Bradley joined her and lived with her on the ranch for some time before the pair broke up and Bradley returned to NYC. They continue to run in the same circles at work however, despite Laura's move to YDA morning news, and this brings them back into contact.

### Familial

Laura has spoken about her relationship with family members briefly, mentioning her mother was an absentee parent and that she has had to cut ties with people in her family which she found to be difficult.

### Friendships

She is long-time friends with Maggie Brenner and is very close friends with her producer, Gordon, who it seems is the only person Laura confides in about her relationship with Bradley before they are outed.

## Career

She was an anchor at UBA News and had her own hour-long primetime show, UBA 365. After the pandemic she moved to YDA to resume anchoring morning news.

## Memorable Quotes

"People judging you is a bitch, but it doesn't kill you."

## References

1. ↑ From The Vault article outing Bradley and Laura's relationship in *The Morning Show* 2x06
2. ↑ https://deadline.com/2022/06/julianna-margulies-interview-the-morning-show-jennifer-aniston-1235046504/
3. ↑ The Morning Show, 2x05
4. ↑ Laura, 2x03
5. ↑ Laura, 2x03
6. ↑ Kill the Fatted Calf, 2x04
7. ↑ Ghosts, 2x05
8. ↑ A Private Person, 2x06
9. ↑ Confirmations, 2x08
10. ↑ Testimony, 2x09
11. ↑ Laura, 2x03