The campaign was launched when her publicists lined up key interviews in the print and electronic media while her fashion stylist was dispatched to New York in search of the perfect dress for the international telecast.
"My stylist handpicked 40 to 50 dresses to bring back and talked to all the designers," said the svelte actress, a brand-new mother at 30. "Eventually we chose to work with Badgley Mischka, who came with a one-of-a-kind, skintight dress with a long train that was hand-sewn in Italy before it was flown to India for hand-beading. Then it was flown to Los Angeles and hand delivered to me. Never worn again, I'm waiting for the right time to auction it off for charity."
A hairdresser and a makeup artist assembled at 11:30 a.m. and spent two hours applying practical magic before Pressly was poured into the delicate gown by her stylist and an assistant. Still, the limousine (with a broken air conditioner on a hot day) was a half-hour late due to heavy traffic, and tensions flared as she climbed into the back seat with her fiance, ace DJ Eric Cubiche.
"It was stressful, but I ended up getting there on time and everything worked out," she recalled, laughing. "It was a little overwhelming sitting there in the front row for the first time, along with all the other nominees. Not expecting a nomination in the first place, not winning didn't upset me by any means. As far as I'm concerned, the right person won. Megan Mullally created a classic character that will live on television forever; I voted for her myself."
And Pressly will be there again this year on The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards as a nominee in the same category, but Mullally will not as "Will & Grace" was canceled after eight grand seasons last year.
"I'm happy to be at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium now because it means it wasn't a fluke that I was nominated last year," she laughed. "And with Megan out of the picture, maybe I have a chance."
Regardless, the former gymnast and runway model from Kingston (population 23,000), N.C., will approach the glitz and glamour evening hosted by "American Idol's" Ryan Seacrest from a new perspective as the mother of 4-month-old Dezi James.
"I'm relaxing a little more than last year because being a mom comes first and I'm able to focus on the most important things," said the actress, whose dress designer this year remains a secret. "Last year, everything focused on me."
The nanosecond her son was born on May 11, 2007, Pressly knew that her life had changed - for the better - forever.
"I no longer ask myself why I work as much as I do, do I need a big home, etc.," she explained. "Now I have a purpose, which is to take care of that little guy because he needs you. The most amazing feeling the world is to feel needed - and knowing you'll never be alone."
But sometimes reality sucks, according to Pressly, soon heard in the animated feature "Horton Hears a Who."
"Going back to work broke me in half because I missed Dezi's smile. My kid has the greatest smile in the world and the best giggle you've ever heard. He's a great baby, which scares me in terms of having a second one. They say you'll have a devil and an angel. God knows Dezi is an angel."
A kid-friendly "My Name is Earl" set - which includes her large, pop-out dressing room/trailer - also works in Pressly's favor as it has ample room for a roomy nursery and plenty of space for a competent nanny. It also leaves time for her workouts, a passion developed during her 11 years as a competitive gymnast.
"I went from 115 pounds before I got pregnant to 156 pounds when I delivered my baby," she explained. "But I went back to the gym 10 days after Dezi was born, working with a personal trainer for two hours a day, five days a week," Pressly continued. "I lost that 41 pounds in 10 weeks through blood, sweat and tears, including cardio exercises, plus a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet."
The only thing that doesn't mesh in her relationship with Cubiche is time, according to Pressly.
"We're engaged and I have a beautiful ring on my finger, but right now we're working very hard, focused on our careers and the baby. And Eric's a good dad. When things slow down and even out, we'll start thinking about a wedding. Right now we have a marriage without the papers."
