>Mary Tyler Moore

"You will see an all new Mary in this movie," says Mary Tyler Moore of her role as Sante Kimes, a con woman in the TV biopic Like Mother, Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes (May 20 at 9 p.m. on CBS). "I wear very low-cut dresses and the type of undergarments Julia Roberts wore in Erin Brockovich." Seeing her as a scantily clad sociopath, who along with son Kenny (Gabriel Olds) killed Manhattan socialite Irene Silverman, may be a bit of a shocker to diehard fans of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but the veteran sitcom star pursued this part. "I called CBS and said 'I want to play the role,' " says Moore, 64. "Which is something I never do." So she took preparation very seriously, spending time at Rikers Island prison where Kimes was housed and researching the case and the psychology of sociopaths. "This stuff fascinates me," says Moore. "It makes you wonder about people you know." And although she never met Kimes or her son, each sentenced to over 100 years for the 1998 murder, Moore thinks Kimes will approve of the portrayal. "I am very proud of this. I think Sante might be pleased that I've given her a fair shake as a human being." So who would she cast in her own biopic? "Julia Roberts," Moore says. "I mean, she's got that mouth, among other wonderful things."