#83. A Conversation with Alessandra Torresani


Jason Anders: So I was just sitting here trying to think of Caprica questions that no one else has asked you yet, because I don't want you to have to repeat yourself- have you reached the point of being sick of getting the same questions over and over again?

Alessandra Torresani: No, not at all! If people ask me the same questions over and over again then I can get the interview done really fast. (laughs)

JA: Well you did get to go see Pee Wee Herman as a result of your George Lopez interview...

AT: Yeah, do you love that? I'm actually here in my car with my dog, Pee Wee Herman, on my lap right now. I went to the show and unfortunately I couldn't meet him because it was his last performance. It was a whole ordeal, but it was the best show I'd ever seen. It was amazing.

I'm not gonna lie, you know what was even more amazing? I met Liza Minnelli two nights ago- she is my 'live or die' idol. She's a big fan of my show, which is awesome.

JA: How did you end up meeting her?

AT: At Perez Hilton's birthday party. She wasn't taking pictures with anyone, and I ran up to her like a stalker. I never cry with people, I'm not that girl- I started hysterically crying and my best friend was like, "okay, you need to pull it together right now." I was saying, "Liza, you're my idol. I would die for you. You don't understand, you're the reason I'm in this world." She was so embarrassed. She kept saying, "Oh darling!"... she loved it.

JA: Okay, so since your first job was doing interviews on the WB at the age of eight, let's talk about what kind of questions you would ask celebrities... maybe it will inspire some original questions here.

AT: All sorts of things. I remember when I did this one interview over Christmas time with John Waters- I was asking him what his favorite movies to shoot were, and I also told him that my favorite movie at that time was Serial Mom with Kathleen Turner. I think that he thought it was really strange that an eight year old had watched that movie.

JA: Well here's a few random questions, just give me the first answer that pops into your mind. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you want to be?

AT: Disneyland.

JA: Do you have any special skills or talents that no one knows about?

AT: Well everyone knows that I am a black belt in taekwondo, everyone knows that I'm a dancer, everyone knows that I like to sing. I love making crazy You Tube dance videos. Some of my fans know about that- I have one online called Call On Me. It's really funny.

JA: What's your favorite restaurant?

AT: Well I'm Italian, but I'm not gonna lie... I live for Red Lobster. I don't eat fish, though. I'm telling you, those Cheddar Bay Biscuits are heaven.

JA: And the Caesar salad!

AT: I've never had the Caesar salad- I get the buttered linguine. My best friend, Shawn, works at the Red Lobster in Inglewood.

JA: If you could live in any decade, which would you choose?

AT: Between the 1930s and '40s. That's my era. I just feel that old-school music, all the great band music. People were so glamorous. Every day that you woke up, you went out looking glamorous. I love that old Hollywood flare.

JA: How do you think it compares to being in Hollywood now?

AT: It's not glamorous anymore. It is in its own way, but it's not what it used to be. Glamour now is going out to a club with celebrities. That's not what it was. There used to be speakeasys, and people would wear gowns when they went out. It was great.

JA: What's your favorite color?

AT: Red.

JA: Do you like musicals?

AT: Who's my favorite person? Liza with a Z! My favorite musical of all time is Cabaret. I'm also really into Jersey Boys right now.

JA: Do you play any instruments?

AT: I used to play the violin, and then I was really big into piano... but I don't know how to play either of those anymore.

JA: Which three adjectives do you feel best describe you?

AT: Awkward, amazing, and fabulous. I feel like those are so boring and unoriginal.

JA: I like them! Do you feel younger or older than your current age?

AT: I feel like I'm a fifty year old woman. I always have. I feel way too old. Like an old Hollywood actress stuck in a twenty-two year old body. I would rather listen to Liza Minnelli sing than go to some hip new concert. I'd rather have Billie Holiday in the background than something new.

JA: If you could be the star of any movie in history, which role would you take on?

AT: I would do anything to be in Cabaret. It would be hard to do, but that's such a great role to me.

JA: Do you have a top three favorite movie list?

AT: No. (laughs) I love horror films, and one of my favorites of all time is Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses. Cabaret would be my favorite musical. One of my favorite new comedies is Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I love Aladdin, keeping it old-school Disney.

JA: Name three actors whose work you love.

AT: I love Kathleen Turner. I feel like we sound the same. I love Claire Danes, Kate Winslet, and Zoe Saldana. I think that Rachel McAdams is one of the best actresses out there right now. I love women who can play any era because they just have that old-school charm.

JA: What is the most recent movie you've seen that you felt was truly great?

AT: The Hurt Locker was fantastic. I also recently saw Greenberg.

JA: Do you have any weird habits?

AT: I feel like I do, but I can't think of any.

JA: Do you prefer hot or cold?

AT: Hot.

JA: What is the best gift you've ever received?

AT: I got a puppy in a basket one time, that was really cute. It was my first puppy. Honestly, the best Christmas gift I got was when Caprica got picked up.

I booked the show two weeks before my birthday, which was the best birthday gift ever, and then we shot it. We knew it got picked up around Christmas time. Ironically enough, I went to Disneyland for the Christmas spectacular bullsh*t that they have, and I've got my Jack Skellington earmuffs on (my best friends and I go to Disneyland like once a month)- I got a phone call while we were eating at my favorite mexican restaurant around 9:00PM. Everyone was drunk on margaritas, but I don't drink so I was just chilling. That's when I booked it and it got picked up, and that was the coolest thing in the world to me- I went to Disneyland, got some dope mexican food with my best friends, and I got picked up for Christmas.

JA: Have you gotten into Battlestar Galactica since you've started Caprica?

AT: I'm into it, I love it. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm kinda obsessed with Caprica. Everyone's story line is so unreal to me, it's amazing. The whole Esai and Tamara situation is so heartbreaking, I cry every time I watch it.

JA: Do you have a fondest memory so far of being on the set of Caprica?

AT: We have a bunch of sing-a-longs. I have a You Tube channel that I am about to premiere about how to make it in the business, I will post those videos that I recorded on my flip cam. It focuses on how to make a resume and getting an agent. I have a lot of fans asking me every day "how did you do it?" They think that I just suddenly made it, but I have been doing it since I was eight years old.

JA: What was your first car?

AT: It was a little BMW Convertible.

JA: Do you have any phobias?

AT: I hate bugs. I'm even scared of ladybugs. I've felt haunted by ghosts many times, which is pretty scary. I'm afraid of the dark, too.

JA: What do you do when you can't sleep?

AT: Well I don't sleep. I'm an insomniac, so on average I will go to bed at like 5:00AM. I read something the other day that said the average person sleeps 1/3 of their life, but I don't think I sleep a tenth of my life.

JA: Do you play chess?

AT: No, I don't.

JA: Do you collect anything?

AT: I used to be the largest collector on the West Coast of Beanie Babies. I think I had about 2500- I sold them on Ebay for a hundred bucks, after all that.

JA: Are you left or right-handed?

AT: Right-handed.

JA: We've talked about some of the music you love, what other records might you throw on to put you in a good mood?

AT: Frank Sinatra will always put me in a good mood. Any old-school musical will put me in a good mood. Hello Dolly is such a great musical, right? Or maybe 'Whole New World' from the Aladdin soundtrack.

JA: You really love Aladdin, don't you?

AT: Yes! That and The Little Mermaid.

JA: Have you ever stolen anything?

AT: No. I was always too scared. Anything I would ask for from my parents I would get, so there was never any reason to steal anything. I was a spoiled brat and got whatever I wanted.

JA: To wrap this up and return to the subject of Caprica, what is an average work day on the set filming like for you?

AT: Well I've got to pick up my Doubleshot Espresso over ice at Starbucks because I live for coffee. I get my large iced tea and go to the set. I would drive in and all the gate people knew me, so I would say hello to them. I would have my dog, Pee Wee Herman. It would usually be raining, so Pee Wee would be a wet dog. I would drop Pee Wee off at the trailer and go to hair & makeup, and hang out with my four gal pals in there. The longest I would be in there is about two hours. I'm not the most attractive without my makeup (laughs).

We would then rehearse a few times and then shoot all day long. Every time I would take a break, I would say, "oh I'm sorry- I've gotta go use the restroom", and then I would go and eat a donut. So I used the restroom a lot, which they thought was weird, but I actually just ate a lot of donuts. And then we would have a huge lunch where I would go back to my trailer and watch Mad Men or The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow- the best show that was ever on television... besides Caprica.

Then we would finish up the day, and I would go home and just relax. Hopefully catch some Degrassi: The Next Generation, read a book, video chat with friends, and call it a night. That would be at about 4:00AM, and then I would start again at 8:00AM.

JA: If you had to sum up your personality with just one word, which would you choose?

AT: Old soul.

Visit Alessandra's website here.

#82. A Conversation with Danielle Harris: Part II


Jason Anders: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you want to be?

Danielle Harris: I'd want to be in Bora Bora. I've been doing so many movies lately where I've been freezing my ass off. I've been doing night shoots and crying hysterically. I'd love to be relaxing in the water, have it smell amazing, be nice and sun tanned- and have a big, fabulous, double-shot cocktail... that just sounds heavenly to me. I also want to go to Thailand. I just need a vacation (laughs). Bora Bora is always a place I've wanted to go. It seems the most exotic.

JA: If you could take on any genre for your next acting role, is there one specifically you're interested in doing that maybe you haven't done before?

DH: I feel like a romantic comedy would be really fun, but I think I also might get really bored with it. When I do horror movies, they're so hard to do and there's so much work required that a romantic comedy might end up being lame. I haven't really read anything lately that I would really want to do. Directing is the next thing that I really want to do, maybe more so than even acting in something.
I'd love to bring my friends in on my next project- work with my girls. Because I've done so much genre work over the years, I've been able to work with the same people over and over again, and it becomes an extended family. It's great to show up to a set when you know almost everyone that is there. It's like going back to school after summer break, and how exciting it is to have your clique back.

JA: Name three directors whose work you admire.

DH: Quentin Tarantino is a friend of mine, and I would love to work with him. I just love the way that he thinks of women, he writes them to be so badass and makes them so sexy.

JA: I love how you can really tell with his films that the picture was made by someone who loves making movies.

DH: Yeah, he just has such a passion for it and is so smart, and just takes such chances with stuff. I think he was going to do a picture called Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! - if he ever made that movie I would love to do something like that. That would just make my day.
JA: Hopefully he reads this and will make that happen.

DH: I hope so! Quentin, if you're reading this... c'mon now! (laughs) Another director would be Judd Apatow. If I go to auditions for comedies, I don't usually do well. I don't really find myself to be incredibly funny, but when I have to do things that are broad, risky, and allow me to take chances- that's when I give myself the freedom to have more fun and play a bit more. Those are the ones that I usually do better on, and I think that his movies are more my sense of humor.

I'd actually love to work with George Clooney, too. There's my third answer. I would love to be directed by George Clooney.

JA: Do you remember your first car?

DH: It was a white 1992 Toyota Corolla, with a dark royal blue velvet-like interior. Before I totaled it, I curbed it so bad that I lost two of my hubcaps. I totaled it in route to practice Circus of the Stars, so I was on my way to Universal. That sounds so weird (laughs), totaling my car on the way to practice for the circus.

JA: Have you developed any phobias over your lifetime?

DH: Yes, I have a total fish phobia. I don't eat any seafood, I won't cook it, and if you're eating it and you stick your fork in my food then I won't finish my meal. I would also never go scuba diving. That would be the worst thing that could ever happen to me. I can't even audition for movies that would force me to go into the ocean, it's an issue for me. But I do love the ocean. I love the water- also pontoon boats, jet skis, and sailing. I love being out on the water, and I like swimming in it... but if I see a fish in the water, I have a heart attack.

JA: Is your fear limited to fish? Or is it sharks and stuff too?

DH: It's anything in the ocean, really. Obviously I will feel like an ass if I say that I'm just as scared of a grouper as I am a shark. I just don't like fish. I do like to go to aquariums. I'm just weird.

JA: Do you have any other phobias aside from fish?

DH: Aliens. I'm totally scared of aliens. If I'm home alone late at night watching television and something comes on about UFOs, I have to change the channel immediately. I will have nightmares.
JA: Do you truly believe in aliens?

DH: Yes. I believe that I've been visited, so that's where the fear comes from. People reading this are going to think that I am absolutely out of my mind. (laughs)

I was seventeen years old, and I woke up in the middle of the night to a loud buzzing noise- I opened my eyes and there was a gray alien standing next to me, about eye height if I am laying down in the bed... about three feet, maybe? It was doing this weird thing with its head going side to side. The covers were down to my knees and I couldn't pick them up because my body was totally paralyzed. I couldn't move. There was some force over me that made me unable to move any part of my body.

I always thought aliens were green, but when I looked it up online and did some research about other who people who believed they had been visited, a lot of them talked about this gray alien and the feeling of paralysis, as well as loud buzzing noises. I don't know why they chose to come visit me in Studio City when I was seventeen (laughs).
JA: Was the physical appearance the classic idea of an alien?

DH: It was totally the weird shaped head, the huge, almond-shaped black eyes, a very skinny neck, long skinny arms, long fingers, and wearing nothing. It looked like an alien to me.

JA: Do you believe in ghosts?

DH: I do believe in ghosts. I actually have two ghosts that are in my house. I don't really mind, which is kind of weird. It's because I think I know who they are.

One is the guy who I bought my house from- he's the only person who ever lived in this house, and he lived here since 1938. He didn't pass away in the house, but I feel like his spirit is here. There are specific things which that ghost does, and then there's another ghost. This ghost turns the light and fan on in my bedroom in the middle of the night. I'll be dead asleep at 4AM and suddenly the fan will be on high and the lights will be on. I don't want him to go away because I do feel kind of comfortable that he's making sure I'm okay.
And then I had my best friend, actor Jonathan Brandis, pass away about seven years ago. Ever since he passed away, every single house that I've lived in, my stereo will turn up to full blast. I will have my stereo on low, and it will all of the sudden just go as high as it can until I have to run in and shut it off. He might also stop the song in the middle. Maroon 5 is a group that always reminds me of him, because that's what he was listening to right about the time that he passed away. "Harder To Breathe" is a song that reminds me of him, so if I am talking about him in my house with someone or I have a mutual friend over, that song always seems to come on my iPod. I think he's here for sure. Especially since his personality was to turn up music as loud as it could be- he had a very big personality.

JA: How did you originally end up being friends with Jonathan Brandis?

DH: All of us kid actors just grew up together, kind of like your friends that you went to high school with. We all worked on the same lot together. At one point, my friend Jenna von Oÿ was on Blossom, Tatyana Ali was on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and I had another friend on Saved by the Bell- and they all worked at the same place. We all knew each other. I would say that my generation was after River Phoenix, before Lindsay Lohan. Those were all my friends that I grew up with.

We would never talk about acting, we would just hang out drinking Zimas and smoking cigarettes. We all dated each other, went to City Walk, and were just sort of our own little rat pack.
JA: As a kid I was totally obsessed with seaQuest DSV... I could not miss an episode. My friends never understood that about me.

DH: That was such a great show- he was so miserable when he was in Orlando, I was always like "come back to us!" I also grew up with my guys- like Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Lucas Haas, Johnny Whitworth, and Kevin Connolly. Those were the guys. Now they're all big stars, and other actors too that don't really work anymore.

JA: What were your favorite television shows to watch growing up?

DH: The Honeymooners is still my favorite show, second would probably be Three's Company, and The Golden Girls. Just all the shows that I grew up watching in my living room while eating a TV dinner after doing my homework. Shows like Taxi and Cheers. I can't really get into TV anymore.

JA: I was just about to ask if you had any shows you were currently addicted to.

DH: I don't watch a ton of television, but I do love Weeds. What I love is renting the DVD and watching all thirteen episodes in one night. Watching a half hour and then waiting a whole week for another episode just makes me crazy. I'm more about having it all at once.
JA: If you could star in the role of any television show in history, which role would you take on and why?

DH: That's a hard question. How great would it have been to be Janet on Three's Company? To have been able to work with John Ritter, that would have been amazing! Remember when they made that "movie of the week" about them around seven years ago? I auditioned for that.

JA: Did you ever get to meet John Ritter?

DH: I did not, but I have met Jason. I've actually been to their house and I was totally star-struck because he reminds me so much of his dad- their looks, voice, and mannerisms are so alike. He's so sweet and talented, and it's so much like looking at his dad when he was younger.

JA: Do you collect anything?

DH: You're stealing that question from me. I have this thing where I like to move a lot. My style keeps changing, and when I move into a different house I will usually sell everything and start over. I'm always buying new couches. I only take pieces with me that I love. My house is not cluttered. I'm actually in the process now of painting my house a different color inside just because I'm bored.

I do it myself too. I didn't grow up with a dad, so my mom and I did everything ourselves. We're very handy. There's not really anything that I collect- I always try new things, like I tried planting tomatoes and herbs... but I don't have a green thumb, so as soon as it dies I'm over it. There's was definitely a point where I said "I'm going to grow all of my own vegetables in my own garden." I love to cook.
JA: What's your favorite meal to cook?

DH: I'm Jewish, and I always loved to cook my grandma's food- like brisket. I'm not someone who's religious, but for me, religion is family. Kind of like being Italian- you get the entire family together and it's chaos, and it feels like home to me. So every time I cook a brisket, the smell of the meat in my house reminds me of being a little girl, so that's probably my favorite meal to cook.

JA: Do you feel younger or older than your current age?

DH: I have always felt older than my age, mainly because being a kid actor I felt I had to grow up really fast. I'm finding now that as I get older, I'm sort of regressing a little bit. I think it's because a lot of my friends are having kids now. I take my goddaughter to the park every day now because I want to go on the slide with her. I wanna go on the swings and play in the sand with her- all of the things that I didn't get to do. I think I Tweeted today- it's such a beautiful day in L.A. and I have this urge to just do cartwheels on my front lawn. I'm actually standing outside of my house right now on my front lawn because I like the way the grass feels on my feet, and my thirteen year old Labrador is laying here with me.

It's a good Friday. I'm about to go for a hike, come back home and get some frozen yogurt, and then I'm having girl's night at my house. We're all gonna hang out and gossip, drink wine, and be girls.
JA: What do you do when you can't sleep at night?

DH: I'm usually a pretty good sleeper. I don't really do anything, I just kind of lay there and think about stuff. I went to go see Christopher Cross the other night- I'm a huge fan of the singer/songwriters of the 70s. I'm the one that bought that 10-disc set on the Time Life ads. This week alone I've seen Tears for Fears, Christopher Cross, and I'm going to see Chicago on Monday. I was at a friend's house the other night who couldn't sleep and kept waking me up, and I just laid there for a good hour- I could not stop singing Christopher Cross songs in my head. It was on repeat... I was driving myself nuts.

I don't usually get up and out of bed to do anything, I just lay there and pray that I get to go back to sleep.

JA: That's awesome that you're going to see Chicago.

DH: I love them! I grew up with them- "Colour My World" was my parent's wedding song, and it's the only song I actually know how to play on the piano. I've seen them in concert probably seven times. I just love it. I was with one of my friends last night and had them on, she was jealous she's not able to go to the concert with me, so I was continuing to make her jealous by playing all of their songs as we were riding. Torturing her. (laughs)

JA: One of my first big interviews was with Bill Champlin, and all of my questions related to Chicago- and the first thing he said was "I don't want to talk about Chicago."

DH: Oh no! That's like me saying I don't want to talk about Halloween anymore.

JA: I've avoided Halloween questions so far (laughs).

DH: (laughs) But I'm sure at some point you will ask one! This is our second interview, so maybe we already covered that in our first one.
JA: What was your favorite Halloween costume growing up?

DH: My favorite costume was one that I put together myself when I was in my twenties. I was going through a rebellious stage. It was the year that Lil' Kim was at the Grammys and Diana Ross grabbed her boob. She wore that weird outfit, and I decided that I was going to be Lil' Kim that year. I had this costume made where my boob was sticking out, and I even took makeup and made my skin darker. I put on this blond wig, big Christian Dior glasses, and stiletto heels, lots of jewelry and fake nails. No one even knew it was me! None of my friends recognized me until the end of the night when I was dancing and all of my makeup was coming off. Probably the most risque and fun costume I ever put together.

I've been my fair share of hookers for Halloween. It's like the green card to be a whore for a lot of girls. You can dress like a skank and go out, and no one even thinks about it. I've definitely done that a few times, but this was pushing the envelope. When I get my website up, I'll find the pictures and post them.

JA: How far out are you from having your website up?

DH: It seems like I'm never going to get there. It's so much more work than I thought it was, just because I'm the only one really doing it. I'm not very savvy when it comes to computers, so I'm just trying to learn how to work everything before I get it up- I want everything on it to be amazing. I recently left my video camera and three of my memory cards on an airplane when I came back from New York in November, there were a lot of videos there that were lost that I was going to post. I need to get my ass in gear and get that up.
JA: Do you have any weird habits?

DH: I have a lot of weird habits. I have OCD about clutter or messy drawers. I am super clean and organized except when I am working- it's like a bomb goes off and my house will be a disaster. I like having my spices turned out, glasses have to be a certain way... I actually started an organizing business a few months ago where I go to people's houses and organize for them. My tag-line is "Clear the Clutter to Gain Clarity".

Did you see Up in the Air?

JA: I loved that movie.

DH: I loved it too- and I loved his analogy about the backpack. That's how I feel about life, having all this stuff just weighs you down and you can't be productive or live a happy and fulfilling life if you've got all this baggage. I mean that both emotionally and with stuff people accumulate. I think that if you could just clear your space out then your mind will be clear, and you can accomplish so much more.

JA: What's your favorite color?

DH: Gray. A lot of my clothes are gray, and I love turquoise.

JA: Do you have a favorite junk food?

DH: Aside from french fries? I love Swedish Fish. I love any kind of gummy... anything red. I love Sour Patch Kids. I just like candy.

JA: Do you play any instruments?

DH: No, unfortunately. I've tried to play guitar over the years. I just wish that I could play guitar, sing, and write music. I have a guitar that Jonathan Brandis bought me years and years ago for my birthday, and I love it. It's still sitting here. I can't get rid of it because he gave it to me, but I can't play it at all. I love when someone comes over and plays it for me- I love jam sessions. I could just sit there and listen all day.
JA: Do you have any songs that are currently stuck in your head?

DH: Aside from every Christopher Cross song? One song that's been in my head for years, and I don't know why, is "Total Eclipse of the Heart". Also Heart's "Alone". I've been singing "Alone" for probably six months, and I keep begging my friends to do an acoustic version of the song. I love chick music. I also love Air Supply. If I could have Air Supply play at my wedding, along with Lionel Richie, that would be amazing! I would have it in my back yard and take all the money that I would spend on the linens, flowers, and all that other crap that I think is ridiculous to spend money on and hire my own band, have all my friends there, and I would cook all the food myself... probably better than any caterer. That would be the ideal wedding for me. Maybe in Bora Bora.

JA: Do you remember the first album you were really excited to listen to?

DH: Yes, it was 2 Live Crew on vinyl. It was my downstairs neighbor who was seventeen and I was eleven, and I had her buy it for me. I played it on my pink record player.

JA: Do you like musicals?

DH: I love musicals- I really wanted to see Cats when it was playing at the Pantages. I saw A Chorus Line last year. Whenever I go back to New York City I will see Chicago .

JA: If you could live in any decade, which would you choose?

DH: There's something very sexy about the 1920s. When the women were women, but they still were empowered. Once you get into the 1950s the women were just the housewives. They were still classy- when I go eat with my grandmother I watch her and her friends eat. They're very put together, they have great nails and jewelry, their outfits and makeup are done. They also take their time and eat slower, and there's something classy and feminine about that which a lot of modern women don't do. Feminism kind of screwed it up for us. It ruined chivalry. We just had to make equal money, and we had to have equal careers... and then we bitch when the guy doesn't open the door for us. So I guess you can't have it all.

JA: What is your favorite virtue?

DH: Empathy.

JA: And finally, which three adjectives would you use to best describe your personality?

DH: I will do six- I will give you three that I don't like and three that I do like. The three that I don't like are anxiety ridden, controlling (usually with myself and not other people), and impatient. Those are three that I'm working on being better at, and the three that I like are loyal, honest, and feisty.

Read "A Conversation with Danielle Harris: Part I" here.

#81. A Conversation with Magda Apanowicz


Jason Anders: So is true that you first became interested in acting after your brother introduced you to Pulp Fiction?

Magda Apanowicz: Yeah, I was ten years old. I just remember watching it over and over again and being like, "I don't know what this is, but I wanna do that!" It was something about the performances- the depth, craziness, and something about it just made sense to me... even though I didn't know what it was. I didn't even know what acting was at the time. It's really strange. I feel like I grew up in a bubble- I just never knew that much about pop culture.

JA: It must be cool to be in a series with Eric Stoltz who was in Pulp Fiction.

MA: I know! I told Eric the story and that it's part of the reason I became an actor.

JA: Name three actors whose work you admire.

MA: I would have to say Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

JA: How much do you remember about the audition process for Caprica and being cast in your role?

MA: I was very hesitant about doing it because I get really nervous in auditions. I also had to get my wisdom teeth pulled in a couple of days. So I was dreading it but also thinking "I have to do this." So I went in and did the audition, and then a couple days later I had my wisdom teeth pulled. I got an infection and my whole face started to swell- for a month I couldn't talk or eat. They wanted to see me for a callback and I wasn't able to go. They had to trust the tape when they hired me, and I couldn't speak until about four days before we started filming the pilot.

JA: Take us through an average work day on the set of Caprica.

MA: Some days you'll come in and do one scene, other days you'll be there for an entire day. The crew works so hard because they are there every single day, and they work very long hours. I usually get there around 6:00AM, get into my trailer and have breakfast, then go and get my hair and makeup done, then get into wardrobe, get your mic, and do the blocking. To get ready for work, I always go to my trailer and put some kind of music on and dance spastically. It's just one of my morning rituals right before I have to do any kind of acting. It's a really boring process when you try to explain it, but it's fun! I love it.

JA: Were you a science fiction fan before you got involved in sci-fi television shows?

MA: Yeah- I don't think I realized it at the time, but every show I loved was sci-fi. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of my favorite shows, I've loved it since I was ten years old. Also Xena and Hercules. After watching these shows I would run around with a stick and pretend I was Buffy, or pretend I was Xena... I was such a lame kid.

I loved fantasy and sci-fi shows and movies. It's just such a fun way to escape. As humans, our imaginations are so great but our abilities are so limited, and I find that with these stories you can explore your imagination that much more.

JA: If you could star in any role on any television show in history, which role would you take on?

MA: The reason I would say Buffy the Vampire Slayer is because I admire all of the people who worked on that show. But I truly wouldn't want to play any of those characters because everyone did such an incredible job- I just wish I could have been part of it. I would never want to take the spot of the people who played on all these shows that I love.

JA: Do you remember your first real job?

MA: Yeah, it was called Jeremiah. I had just turned sixteen, and I remember that Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were the stars and Jason Priestley was guest starring. It felt like it was a 90210 reunion. I was a big fan of that show when I was a pre-teen, so it was really cool for me to meet these guys.

I was really sweet and very naive, and just didn't know anything about the industry. Luke was so nice and taught me a bunch. It was a really scary thing to be there at sixteen and not know what to do. I remember my character had to pick up a machine gun and start killing people... that was really cool. I also got to do a stunt strapped into the back of a truck, and I'm leaning out shooting at these guys while I am harnessed in. It was pretty crazy.

JA: Do you have any phobias?

MA: Yes. I am terrified of heights, freaked out by bugs, and also scared of the dark.

JA: Do you collect anything?

MA: Well scrapbooking is my hobby, and I think of it as collecting.

JA: What are three adjectives you would use to best describe yourself?

MA: Crazy, fun, and vulnerable.

JA: Do you have any special skills or talents that no one else knows about?

MA: Just my scrapbooking- no one knows about that, but I love it so much. I'm also a decent snowboarder.

JA: Where do you enjoy snowboarding?

MA: I live in Vancouver, British Columbia so I am close to Whistler. I love to ski in Whistler. My brother actually lives there.

JA: Do you feel younger or older than your current age?

MA: It varies. Sometimes it feels like I am fourteen just based on the things that I like and am interested in, and then other times I feel like I am in my thirties. I will sometimes just want to stay home and read, or watch my favorite show, and I'm just not as crazy. So sometimes I feel older and sometimes I feel younger.

JA: What's the best Christmas gift you've ever received?

MA: I would have to say the Harry Potter books when I was a kid. It sent me on this amazing path of reading the books which I loved so much, and I still to this day love that world.

JA: Do you have any nicknames?

MA: Magdatron, Mags, Magdariffic, Magdarooni, Magster, Hot Liquid Magma...

JA: I think that is my favorite one.

MA: People are always trying to come up with crazy ways to say my name, it's pretty fun.

JA: What is your fondest memory so far in filming Caprica?

MA: I would have to say riding the motorcycle. I got my license for the show, and I fell in love with riding motorcycles because of them. I think the first time I got on the bike for practice, I crashed into the camera truck. That was great. It was a really crappy bike and didn't have proper brakes, and it was also way too big for me.

JA: Finally, if you had to sum up your life so far with just one word, which one would you pick?

MA: Lucky.

"Talking 88MPH: A Conversation with Lea Thompson" By Jason Anders

Lea Thompson is an actress, director and producer known for her roles in some of the most iconic films of the eighties including Back to the Future (1985), Howard the Duck (1986), All the Right Moves (1983), Jaws 3-D (1983) and Some Kind of Wonderful (1987).  She also starred in her own television series, Caroline in the City (1995), which ran for four seasons on NBC. Today, she's proudly sporting a glowing flux capacitor pin and ready to answer some of my rapid-fire random questions. 

Jason Anders: What is the most bizarre question you've been asked so far?

Lea Thompson: Oh gosh, that's hard to say. Honestly, people ask mostly nice stuff. Sometimes if they get a little personal, that's bizarre.

JA: I heard you recently filmed a pilot?

LT: Yes! It's called Uncle Nigel and it was for TBS, it's about a good cop and a bad cop - the good cop is my brother and the bad cop is my son, and they're partners.

JA: Does it make you nervous when your car hits 88 mph?

LT: (laughs) Yes.
(Publicity photo for Back to the Future - 1985)
JA: Do you remember the first car that you had?

LT: Yes, a Gremlin that didn't work very well.

JA: How old were you when you got your first car?

LT: Sixteen, it was handed down.

JA: Do you have any phobias?

LT: Heights kinda freak me out.

JA: What was your first job?

LT: I was a ballet dancer.
JA: How old were you when you started, and do you still dance?

LT: I was ten, and I still dance.

JA: If you could star on any television show of the past, which role would you take on?

LT: One of the disposable girlfriends in the first Star Trek. I would do anything to kiss Captain Kirk.

JA: I'll be sure to send this to William Shatner. Do you make your bed in the morning?

LT: No.

JA: Do you play chess?

LT: Yes.

JA: Do you collect anything?

LT: Yeah, Roseville Pottery.
(Publicity photo for John Hughes' Some Kind of Wonderful - 1987)
JA: What do you do when you can't sleep?

LT: Write in my diary.

JA: What is the biggest purchase you made this year?

LT: My daughter's college tuition.

JA: What are three adjectives you would use to best describe your personality?

LT: Hard-working, family-oriented and animal lover.

JA: Do you have a favorite virtue?

LT: Humility.

JA: Do you have any weird habits?

LT: Making out with my bird.
(3-D glasses used for Jaws 3-D - 1983)
JA: What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?

LT: A Barbie® from my brother when I was a little girl.

JA: Do you prefer hot or cold?

LT: Hot.

JA: What are your three favorite movies of all time?

LT: Harold and Maude (1971), Back to the Future (1985), and Gone With the Wind (1939).

JA: Do you prefer to work in film, theater, or television?

LT: Television - there are better parts for women.
JA: Do you have any nicknames?

LT: Mini-Pork.

JA: Where did that come from?

LT: My sister (laughs).

JA: What was your fondest memory of filming JAWS 3-D?

LT: When I got on top of the three-tier pyramid of girls. It took about two weeks of training, but it was quite a feat.
(Publicity photo with Tom Cruise for All the Right Moves - 1983)
JA: Name three actors whose work you love.

LT: Meryl Streep, of course. Gene Hackman and Christopher Lloyd.

JA: If you had to sum up your life with just one word, which one would it be?

LT: Well that's really hard. It would have to be "Lucky."
(Jason Anders & Lea Thompson)
Follow Lea Thompson on Twitter at @LeaKThompson

#79. A Conversation with Christian Serratos


Actress Christian Serratos plays Rosita Espinosa on The Walking Dead, but before landing that role she discussed her life, career and what inspires her most with Fulle Circle.  She also talks about her work in Twilight as well as Ned's Declassified on Nickelodeon.

Jason Anders: So let's talk about how you became involved with the first Twilight film- what do you remember about the audition process?

Christian Serratos: Well I was actually living in Minden, Nevada working on my writing and music when I got a call for this movie called Twilight- at the time I had no idea what it was. I figured I should do my homework on it, so I read the books on the plane and fell in love. I didn't originally go out for Angela, I went out for Jessica. I put my hair up and glasses on and just lucked out because they booked me. I got to go up to Portland and meet everyone, and they had such a wonderful, cool cast. Everyone was really awesome.
JA: And what was it like working with the cast and crew during production?

CS: They were great- it was interesting meeting some of the people I had watched, and I had also always wanted to work with Catherine Hardwicke, so that was really neat. She's like that cool aunt that you can talk to about anything. The new film will be directed by Chris Weitz who is so much fun- he's so young at heart.

The only thing I can say about the new film is that it's amazing. I was in my hotel room and read the script again the day before I was going to start filming, and it was as if I was reading it for the first time. It's one of those screenplays that you can just read over and over again. The fans are going to be really excited to see it.
JA: You also have a lot going on in the world of music, tell me about your first single that you just recorded.

CS: Right now I am dabbling in a lot of different things. I get bored very easily so I have to keep myself entertained. I recorded a couple of songs, but I am looking forward to recording my own stuff. I've always had a passion for music.

JA: Who inspires you musically?

CS: I was listening to Fiona Apple in my aunt's backyard when I was seven- I think she is what did it for me. She just has the greatest lyrics I've ever heard. She is what made me want to do music.
JA: On the subject of inspirations, what made you originally want to get into acting?

CS: There was never a moment where I said "wow, that's what I want to do", I just sort of stumbled upon it. I started figure skating at three years old and just thought that's what I would do forever. I started dabbling in music just for fun, and then moved onto modeling ... I actually shied away from acting at first. My mom actually did some acting when she was my age. I never had a passion for it until I found myself in it and realized "oh shit, I'm acting!"- it was then that I fell in love with it.

JA: What are your fondest memories of being involved with Ned's Declassified, as well as the other shows you appeared on during that time?
CS: That was a big part of my life, and those guys are still my friends. Every day was like going to school for us- we would do homework, film, play... it was so much fun. We all started when we were around twelve or thirteen, and were around sixteen when we wrapped. We had game rooms with with X-Boxes, Playstations, and foosball tables which was awesome. The executive producer, Scott Fellows, was around every single day. That show was his baby.

The thing about Nickelodeon and Disney is that everyone knows each other- it wasn't like going to a new set to meet a bunch of new people, it was more like being able to call up your buddy and letting them know you're going to be on their show. It was like going to other classrooms, basically.

JA: What's on the horizon for you right now outside of Twilight?

CS: Outside of the saga I am just taking the time that I have to relax.
JA: What are your favorite movies of all time?

CS: The House of Yes with Parker Posey is probably my favorite movie- also Moulin Rouge and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I love Woody Allen.

JA: Do you have a fondest memory working in the industry so far?

CS: There's so many, it's hard to pick just one. This whole Twilight experience affected me the most just because it's been so massive- it's also the first feature I've done and has allowed to travel to places like England. It's opened up so many opportunities to meet so many people and visit so many places, as well as work with so many great directors and actors.

Follow Christian on Twitter: @CSerratos