Kearran Giovanni talks about “Major Crimes”

Major Crimes Kearran Giovanni

Kearran Giovanni plays ambitious undercover police detective/military veteran Amy Sykes on the critically acclaimed TNT drama Major Crimes. This spin-off of the series “The Closer” started off it’s 3rd season with the premiere on June 9. It continues to draw an average audience of nearly 7 million viewers. It ranks as one of basic cable’s “Top 10” series of the year.

The stunning Kearran joins Eclipse Magazine to tell us more about the show.

Major-Crimes promo poster

Kearran is a talented actress, both on the stage and on tv. TV credits include playing Dr. Vivian Wright on “One Life To Live” and guest starring as Miranda Bishop on “Beauty and the Beast”. Her theater career includes the national tour of “The Lion King” along with roles in “Sweet Charity” starring Christina Applegate, “Catch Me If You Can”, “Anything Goes”, and Hugh Jackman’s one-man hit show “Hugh Jackman: Back On Broadway”.

Congratulations on “Major Crime’s” 3rd season! It is a good show. This is great for all the fans of “The Closure”. They still get the essence of the show they loved.

Absolutely. I remember when “Sex And The City” ended and I thought I lost all my best friends. I can only imagine that for the people who watch “The Closer”, you feel like you are going to lose all your best friends, and then, wait! They are coming back! Here we are! We’ve been very lucky. Everyone has stayed tuned in and still enjoying the show.

Can you summarize what “Major Crimes” is about?

It is a cop show about LAPD. It follows the most horrendous crimes of the LAPD but it also follows the really exciting lives of all of us. It is an ensemble show where you get to know what the cops go home to every single day. You get the best of both worlds. You get to see them tie up the loose ends of figuring out the crime and following along with that story. You also get a little glimpse into all of our lives every episode or every other episode, which is always nice. It keeps you tuning in to see what’s going on. Who’s going to get together? Who’s dating? That’s Major Crimes.

Can you tell us more about your character Detective Amy Sykes?

Yes. She is an military undercover cop joining the major crimes unit first season. She has her sights set on moving up the ranks quickly. She is a rule following, gun toting, tough girl. This season hopefully you get to see a little of her backstory. She’s that smart tough cookie. She shows she needs to be there. She is worth being there with all the boys. It’s like having your brothers all around you all day long! (laughing) They take good care of me.

It must be great to be playing a strong, female character in a male dominated field.

Yes. You had Kyra, who was super strong. You now have Mary, and you have me. We definitely don’t have any weak women on the show. It’s nice to be on the plane and there are these 13 year old girls who say, “I love your show!”, and I say, “Really? So A), it’s great that they watch the show. And B) Why?” And they always say it’s nice to have a role model that you can look up to that’s not a whiny, troublemaking girl. And it’s nice to have women on the show that pretty much get along. We respect each other on the show and we complement each other. It’s always nice for younger women to see.

It is nice to see role models for women. We need to see that. Speaking of strong women, you did sniper training for this role. Was that a challenge?

I trained with an ex-Navy Seal, Mark Semos. He’s fantastic. I grew up shooting. We grew up in a farm. It was like going back into my childhood. We had our own outdoor kitchen. We ate every part of the deer or rabbit. I haven’t been hunting in years. Growing up, I did that a lot. I shot my first deer at eight. So I’ve never been scared of that. It just reminded me of my childhood.

Are you originally from Texas?

Yes, I came from Texas/Louisiana. I moved from Louisiana when I was 8. I grew up in Texas. I’m a country girl. I grew up in a farm that is still there. A lot of large meals (laughing)

It must have been a change when you moved to New York then, before you moved to LA.

I went to college in Ohio, but I went to New York when I was 13. I used to do dance competitions and I trained at summer programs. I’ve been going back and forth for years, so for me it’s my home. The first time I stepped off the plane, I connected with it. I always said I’d move there, and I did. I moved there, met my husband, and had kids. I love New York. I go back as much as I can. LA is really nice and easy and warm. I can’t complain. Both are wonderful. I can’t complain. And I have a great job!

You did Broadway and a lot of musicals. Did you have any favorite musical roles?

I loved the show with Hugh Jackman. It was a one man show. I was the lady on the show with him. It was so much fun. It was like a rock concert with a bunch of 40 to 60 year old women. It was like they were 18 years old. I had one woman take off her wig and throw it onto the stage. It was hysterical.

I loved doing “Sweet Charity”. I was super young doing a lead on Broadway. I had a wonderful time. I got to sing great music and work with awesome people. I played Christina Applegate’s best friend in the show.

I love them all for different reasons. They all speak to me in a different way. Those two definitely stand out.

Did you and your husband meet during one of the shows?

I swore off actors after college! (laughing) My husband is not an actor. He is in finance. We met in New York and we’ve been together ever since our first date.

And you have two daughters?

Yes, two daughters who just turned 6 and 4.

If your daughter wanted to be an actress, what advice would you give them?

That’s tough. At this age, I would probably steer them away from it. I don’t mind little shows here or there. But formally going into acting, I wouldn’t do it just yet. I fell into it so much later in the game and everything turned out fine. We’ll focus on other things for a while and see. It’s a hard business. Percentage wise, probably not a good idea now (laughing)

You support a lot of charities. And there was a Major Crimes cookbook?

Yes, all the proceeds go to G.W. Bailey’s (Major Crimes’s Lt. Louie Provenza) charity. Sunshine Kids Foundation helps improve the lives of children with cancer. It gives them opportunities they would never have. It is not there to treat their cancer but simply help them enjoy their lives as children. It is a pretty amazing charity we all support. We have a pirate party every year. We dress up as pirates outside the lot. The lighting guy turns our lot into a pirate ship. There’s lighting effects and music. We auction off things that everyone has donated and we raise money for the charity that way. We do the Lupus Foundation. We do NoKill LA which is a no kill animal rescue in LA. Getting my children involved, they take something to Good Will. On Christmas, we pack up care bags to the shelters with toiletries. We are lucky we are in this position to be able to give back. We try as much as we can.

It is such a great thing giving back to the community. Major Crimes is not just about entertaining people but also giving back to the community through charity. And with you too supporting all these charities.

The more we can get it out there, the more we can make it, the more we can help.

Are there any things we can expect with the show in the upcoming episodes?

Amy will shed her walls this season and you will see a love interest. You will see her struggling to fit in with the guys and making sure she’s respected there. All the boys want to know her business. She tries to hide it as long as she can. We’ll see if she succeeds with all of her “older brothers”.

Kearran Giovanni headshot