On Friday, I had the opportunity to take part in a teleconference with Starbuck, herself – Katee Sackhoff, of the Peabody Award-winning Battlestar Galactica. She talked about her reaction to the mind-bending prophecy that Starbuck was a harbinger of doom; which is tougher – love scenes, or fight scenes; who she thinks Starbuck should wind up with [if indeed she wainds up with anyone…]; how she’d like the series to end for Starbuck, and much more.
Battlestar Galactica returns to the Sci Fi Channel Friday at 10/9C.
Note: There were some reception problems, so there will be an occasional word or phrase missing [replaced with the word unintelligible].
Starbucks gets all kinds of action on the show. Which is tougher for you, a fight scene or a love scene? And is there anybody left among the cast that you really want to have one or the other with?
You’ve got to start out with a good one too. I’m sitting across the table from my boyfriend right now. I would say that the sex scenes are a lot harder than I think anything that I’ve ever had to do on the show. Because it’s not natural, it’s just odd, it’s very odd. It makes you kind of feel cheap. Like you’re being paid to or being allowed to in a sense cheat on your significant other. It’s very weird. It – so that definitely is weird. But the fight scenes are really easy and they come pretty naturally for me to be honest. But, so no I can’t – I mean, who would I want to fight on the show? Still thinking about not wanting to do the other thing with. I don’t know. I think I’ve fought everybody. I think, you know, I can’t think of anyone. I haven’t fought Sharon so I’ll go ahead and say that. I think that a fight between Eddie and I would be pretty interesting.
How cool and gratifying has it been that you won over those fans who were first skeptical and negative and on a larger scale how cool and gratifying has it been that this show, this version gained so many fans in general?
It is completely gratifying in a sense. I think for the full, you know, the full reason that it’s nice to have people identify with the character that you’re playing and appreciate the work you’re doing. I don’t think I went into this trying to win over the old fans because I think that you can’t ever please everyone… and I didn’t want to focus on people that were all ready in a sense, you know, spewing negative energy at me. So I just kind of, you know, did what I did and it’s nice to know that they’ve, you know, some of them have been converted but, you know, and I guess it is a little gratifying to know that, you know…
For all the people who said I couldn’t – you know, that it wouldn’t work with a woman. It’s kind of nice to know that it did work for sure.
When did you start realizing that people that – audiences that were reluctant to accept Starbuck as a woman, what of the character do you think helped turn that around to make people accept Starbuck as a woman?
I think what – honestly what made people accept Starbuck as a woman was that she was just such a interesting character. You know I think once people put their guard down as far as the preconceived notions of what the show was supposed to be and just allowed it to be really good science fiction, I think that’s also probably the same time when people accepted Starbuck for being a woman was when they stopped thinking of the old show. Which is, I don’t know, you know, it’d be hard to figure out when that probably happened but, you know, probably after the first season. That cliffhanger at the very end that probably got all the fans hooked.
What should we make of the positioning in that terrific Last Supper picture of the BSG cast? For instance, you’re with Anders and Lee is alone, Six is in the Messiah’s position. Are there any hints there you can tell us about?
No. You know it’s interesting that everyone thinks that there’s something hidden in that Last Supper photo like if you look hard enough you can find there’s hidden messages in it. To be honest I think we would have had to have been in on it to create a hidden message and we were all just there having a photo shoot. So, I don’t, I mean, it is interesting the way people are standing for sure, I mean, you know, the plastic sheath with Anders is interesting but – so I don’t know. And the fact that they made Tricia the messiah is pretty interesting too. But, you know, I wish I knew what they were thinking and I know – that would be a question for Lana Kim, she’s on the line.
I wanted to ask about (unintelligible) flashback to last season when Starbuck was temporarily killed off. It seemed like after that happened it was sort of confusingly handled in terms of your interviews, you know, hinting whether or not you were actually gone and the show’s reaction to it. Looking back do you sort of wish it would have been handled a little bit better and not mentioned it at all. Is there anything you would have played differently?
I’m trying to figure out what, like as far as…
In terms of the spoilers I guess more than anything else. It seemed like, it seemed like when Starbuck was killed, people were already expecting her to return already, it doesn’t seem like there was an element of surprise for various reasons. Do you think in a way it could have been handled better both either in the show in terms of the post show handling?
I don’t know. I mean, I know that you can only keep a secret a secret for so long. I know that as soon as I showed back up at work, it was going to be on the internet but back up at work and also, you know, I mean, I do think they should have left me out until the very end. I think bringing Starbuck back in episode 16 kind of like, what the hell was that, you know. Why not, you know, wait until 20. But, you know, I guess, in Ron’s mind he had a bigger cliffhanger and I guess, you know, to have a bigger cliffhanger than Starbuck coming back from the dead is, you know, only Battlestar Galactica could pull that off. So, you know, I don’t know. I mean, would definitely have told the main cast from the very beginning, you know, having to deal with all of that with the crew and the cast and you know, it was really – it’s not something that I’d like to do again. That’s for sure.
I wanted to talk to you about how you’re feeling now that the show is ending and how the rest of the cast is feeling.
Well, I can’t speak for the rest of the cast so I don’t know how they’re feeling. As far as how I’m feeling, like, it’s interesting. Like, you know, there’s a side to me that actually, you know, the selfish side of you that wants to go on and, you know, play different roles so there’s an excitement, that kind of, I think brewing for everyone in a sense, you know, we kind of, you know, get to go off and play these new characters or, you know, hopefully and, you know, that’s why you became an actor is to, you know, to not play the same character for ten years.
So it’s kind of nice, I think that it is sad just because I don’t think – the work environment on Battlestar Galactica is absolutely amazing and I don’t think it’s something that comes along a lot and, you know, I’ve done so many canceled television shows I can tell you that it’s not normal to enjoy going to work and to enjoy the people you work with. So I know that that – chances are I’m never going to find that again so that’s sad as well. But you know as far as moving on with the show, I don’t think that’s really – I’m really going to feel the pain of it until the very end.
What do you feel like the impact of the show has had maybe on the SciFi genre for the channel?
Well Battlestar Galactica did for SciFi was, you know, they treated it like a reality, you know, that what was so interesting about our show is that we never relied on the science fiction of the show to drive the show. We relied on the drama and the human condition and those really important questions. That’s what we depended on for the show and because the show, you know, could move it along and most science fiction shows rely way too much on the, you know, the bells and whistles. So I think that it kind of opened doors in science fiction to realize that, you know, regardless if it’s – science fiction is just a setting. It’s not a show, you know, it’s a setting. It’s where something takes place, it’s not, it should never have been what the show is. And I think that finally for the first time what the show has probably done is that it proved that that could be done.
Did you know that Starbuck would become such a popular and kind of an iconic character when you signed up to do this?
Oh of course. I didn’t even know the show, you know, would become as iconic as it is. It’s become – it’s taken on a life of its own and become something completely different than what I ever thought it would. I thought is was just going to be a paycheck. And so no, I didn’t know Starbucks would ever, you know, become what she’s become. I think that, you know, so many things had to come together to make that a reality. You know, I think that the writing was perfect and the way that, you know, they wrote Starbuck was perfect and so, you know, a lot of things had to – all the planets had to align to get this to be perfect. So, I don’t know. A very interesting question, yeah.
At the end of last season a couple of the actors playing the final five Cylons weren’t too happy at least initially to find out that they were Cylons. But if Starbuck turns out to be a Cylon or an agent of the Cylons, will you be pleased or displeased or indifferent?
Well I think the reason the four actors were upset about being Cylons is that I think, you know, you play for years making choices as a character and then to realize all those choices you made would have been different had you known. It’s interesting, it’s kind of like, you know, you get the wool pulled over your eyes for four years and then lo and behold, you know, your character’s something completely different. So that’s, you know – but I would be completely indifferent. I think, you know, I have love for this character and I think we all do as far as everyone for their character on the show, but I – they were pretty angry. I still think Michael Hogan hasn’t come to terms with it. I don’t think he’s ready to accept it yet. So…
I’ve got to say you really blew me away on Bionic Woman and I think you’re great on Galactica. How did you juggle these two great characters at the same time and what do you like about these sort of, you know, action heavy sci-fi roles?
I always had to remind myself of who I was, because I think that the two characters were so different but could have been played so similar. I always had to make sure that I knew where I was and let go of the other story line, even if I was working on both shows in the same day. So for that, you know, Starbuck comes so easily to me now that even the lines and the dialogue, I don’t even memorize the dialogue anymore. I show up to work, I (unintelligible) to the writers but now they know my way of speaking so well, or so much, that Starbucks dialogue is just so easy to memorize, and it’s – that’s the writing. But Bionic Woman, I always had to talk myself into it and make sure I was where I was supposed to be. And as far as the strong characters are concerned, I, you know, I have this deep affinity for these characters. They – I think that I’ve reluctantly turned into the go-to tough girl in this business and I’m ready to do a job that requires no blood and guts and ghosts or anything. So, a nice little romantic comedy with James Mcevoy would be fantastic.
Could you talk a little bit about how this season we’re going to handle the marriage between Starbuck and Anders?
If I knew, I would tell you. I have no idea. You know, we are at episode 14 right now in shooting – in our shooting schedule and I am no closer to being able to have any questions answered from last season than I am now. So – or, you know, then than I am now.
It’s not really being played up then?
You know I think that – without giving too much away here, I think that there are more important issues being dealt with right now on the show for these characters than what Starbuck is and how her marriage is. There’s a lot of really heavy things happening right now and I think that her marriage to Anders is the least of her concerns. But at the same time it would be interesting to ask those questions, you know, because we don’t identify this thing as a person. Is her marriage even legal? I don’t know. You’re asked all those questions that everyone would probably want answered and probably would never get an answer unless I did one of the webcasts. (Unintelligible) questions but yeah.
But as far as me handling it, if it ever gets broached, I, you know, I think Starbuck is starting to feel compassion for the things she hates the most, I think, because she as everyone on the show is starting to realize and these are the major questions of, you know, humanity and what the show, you know, has always kind of asked, is that if you found out tomorrow that, you know, your best friend or your mother or something was a Cylon, you know, say it that way, would it make your experiences that you had with that person or thing less important to you?
No, it’s the same emotion, the same feelings, the same thing that you had experiences with. They’re just different than you always thought they were, it doesn’t mean that it is less, it’s just different. And I think that that’s, you know, something that they’re starting to remember. And as far as Starbuck coming back (unintelligible) family or my boyfriend died, I would do anything to have them back. So, you know, I mean, do people care any more what you are as long as you’re there? That’s an interesting question, so…
Your boss, Ronald D. Moore, is directing I think his first episode now or just recently and have you worked with him and how was that?
I’ve got to say he’s the first director I’ve ever worked with that after every take he says thank you. And I noticed that because it’s not something – I think what the crew does, what an actor does, at times can be overlooked because it’s what we’re supposed to do and to have someone thank you after every take is very interesting. I found that, you know, after a take I stood a little taller, I was a little happier and I was like wow, that must have been really good. Even though I didn’t ask him because God forbid, he said no I was just saying thank you, but that was shit Katee. You’re going to have to go again. So he was a great director. Granted I only had one scene with him but one thing that I noticed that I’ve never had happen before and it goes to – speak to his character as a person. He’s a fantastic man.
I know that your character is one of the more rebellious, impulsive characters on the show. After, you know, playing Starbuck for four seasons, have you picked up any of her, you know, hard core habits or anything like that? Or her love of poker or anything?
No, I still have never played a game of poker. I still don’t smoke cigars. It’s – you know, I haven’t picked up anything from her I don’t think. You know, I mean, if I was to say that I picked up something it would be that, you know – I can’t think. I think that her strength and her conviction is something she believes in is pretty interesting.
I would like to be able to emulate that. And then just her belief in what she has to say is really impressive. I think so many times women in general, but, you know, people as well, apologize before they say things for fear, you know, like we give a disclaimer, like this is going to sound stupid or – and I know there’s women do that all the time, like forgive me for asking this question but like the question doesn’t have any merit, well every question does. And I think that that’s something that I’ve learned from Starbuck is that, you know, there really is and my mother used to say that as a teacher, like no question is stupid, there are no stupid questions, there’s only stupid answers. That’s what my mom used to always say so – so that’s something that I hope to take from Starbucks.
And as far as the fan base of the show goes, you know, are you surprised by the number of fans that the show has gotten or have you gotten any, you know, really surprising fan mail from someone that you wouldn’t expect to like the show?
No, not really. I think the most interesting thing is when I get mail from high school or their parents or something and they’re like, hi, Katee just wanted to say hi, we still live in the same house, you know, come on by. That’s interesting when a friend of mine doesn’t know how to get a hold of me and sends my mail to my publicist. I’m like, what are you doing, just call my parents, you idiot.
I’m wondering if you could speak a little bit about Starbuck’s sort of mental state going into season four and what finding Earth really means to her?
She’s very fragile, you know, she’s extremely lost. We’ve never seen Starbuck so alone and so lost. And she’s a little distressed, not only because of the way that people are treating her but because of the questions that her coming back has raised in her own mind. And as far as – what was the second part of the question?
Just what finding Earth and the sort of mission that she’s on.
Right. I think it’s her revolution. I think it’s her end. I think that she’s putting so much weight and so much weight on this one thing, this one task that she believes that is her destiny that I think she wouldn’t let anything stand in her way, anything, which I think when that is the case, you’ve got a very scary person on your hands when they’re unwilling – completely unwilling to sacrifice everything to accomplish something. That’s scary. So I think that we’re going to see a lot from her this season that isn’t – kind of like a shell of her former self, at the same time a lot of her doing things that you don’t necessarily don’t agree with. So…
And have the producers told you what exactly happened to Starbuck during her supposedly dead time?
No, we’re on episode 14 and I’ve read 15 and nope. I don’t think we’ll figure that out until the last second.
What I’d like to know is when you saw the script for Razor at the end where the Cylon Hybrid makes the prophecy that Starbuck is a harbinger of doom, what was your initial reaction and as the season has progressed, how has that reaction changed? Either strengthened, lessened or whatever?
I think that when I read that very end I went of course she is. Like, what else could happen to Starbuck, I’m like, come on, you know, lay it all on me. The worst possible thing and there you have it, fantastic, she’s going to kill everybody, great. I think that that is something that has been carried through the entire season so far. As far as whether or not anyone knows, you’re going to have to wait and find out on what it really means, you know. It could mean so many different things.
What is the best memory or experience that you’re going to take with you from your time on Battlestar and then also what one physical thing or prop or piece of the set would you take with you if you could to remember the show?
That’s easy. I’m getting in my flight suit with my helmet and my gun belt and driving home. I’m going to bronze that f-ing thing, I swear to God. I’m going to bronze it and put it in my bathtub so every time someone comes over and showers, they have to stand next to that flight suit. It was hell for so many years that it’s only appropriate that I get to take it with me. Granted I have to drive over a border so maybe I’ll put the guns in the trunk and write prop on them. But shop at the American Government, that’d be great. I think that – and the beginning part of that question?
Your best experience or memory.
You know, the cast and the crew. I have made so many friends on the show, you know, I mean, Steve McNutt our VP has been like my dad for five years and constantly telling me to be safe when I’m with Michael, constantly. So I think that, you know, and then also the friendships that you form that are through the show but you are able to maintain outside of the show. That’s really important because when you do a show you have these grand plans of staying in touch with these people and nine times out of ten it never happens.
You know I haven’t spoken to Richard Dreyfuss or Marcia Gay Harden, you know. I did a show with them for years so, it’s, you know, you never do. Unless you find a common ground outside of the show, those friendships don’t last. And so I think that what I’m really proud of is my friendship with (unintelligible). I’m very proud of that, it’s my first adult friendship I guess, like the first friendship I’ve developed as an adult that hasn’t been a friend since I was, you know, 17. And so I’m proud of that and I’m proud that we’ll be friends forever or for a long time at least. So…
When you and the cast are sitting around, do you ever theorize on who the final Cylon is going to be and also will we find out before the end of this first run of episodes?
I think that, you know, we’ve been told who it is. I personally don’t believe it. I think that that’s something that’s going to be kept to the very end, you know, and I don’t think that it would be smart to tell people because inevitably things always get out on the web and to have to have to keep that secret for a year, I think Chris maybe should shoot maybe like five different endings. And whichever character doesn’t get (death) they should just make that the final Cylon. You know, it’ll be like, you know, some random character from the first season that had one line. It’s fine, you know, that’s who it’ll be. No, so… I don’t know. We do talk about it sometimes but as far as who it is, I don’t think any of us will know for sure until we see it on television.
Okay, so it won’t be in the first run then?
No. I don’t think so. I haven’t seen the episodes though and I don’t pre-read scripts so I couldn’t tell you. I personally don’t know who it is, no.
How do you think your character’s journey or as well as the other characters’ journey of this drama parallels to the reality that people live that everyday and what things might people learn from watching it?
I mean that’s hard for me – in general or how her military life is…
How she’s progressed throughout the whole entire saga.
I don’t know, you know. People always ask me this question how she’s evolved and she has. I think that she’s finally someone you can depend on and I don’t think she was before. But I think what keeps her going — and if this is what people can take from her — is her desire to love and her desire to have people love her keeps her going. You know, her relationships with Adama and Lee has really kept, has really kept – probably kept her alive and I think that that’s something that’s very important. You know, I think that that’s extremely important. You know, I’ve talked to a lot of soldiers who say that, you know, what keeps them going is that they get to come home. So, you know, it’s that go to speak to any relationship that, you know, we’re happiest and most willing to accommodate I guess life and all its ups and downs when we have love in our lives.
Ron Moore has said that he’s not interested in doing a Battlestar feature film. Do you think you could change his mind and if so would you be interested in doing that film?
No, I wouldn’t want to change his mind. I think he’s right.
You know, he said it best at the (PCA), I don’t know if you were there but or got that but what he said was that what would end up happening is that you would have to focus on, you know, one or two characters and, you know, what’s so brilliant is that it’s been a four-year movie and the time to tell these stories about each person individually and really have you become invested in those characters and to do a two hour movie or a one and a half hour movie I think takes away from that what we’ve been able to do for so long, you know, it really does take away. I mean, I don’t, you know, how do you pick which two characters and when you pick those two characters are you going to flip off the other 17 main characters on the show, like how do you define, you know, what to do.
I think he’s right, you know, plus at the same time, you know, as a performer — excuse me, sorry, sorry, I’m downstairs in the lobby here — I think that, you know, I don’t know, plus like whatever I was going to say is that when I even actually am done with the show, I’m done with the show. I – you know, as much as I love the job or don’t love the job the last thing I want to do is come back and do it again, when I’ve already done it. Granted, you know, talk to me in five years if I haven’t worked. We’ll see. But, you know, as of right now I have no desire to do it – to do a movie.
Just think of sort of the tail end of season three it seems as though Starbuck was sort of moving more towards being a spiritual figure instead of, you know, a more action oriented figure. You were having visions, you were kind of, you know, having a more spiritual experience. How does that affect how you play the character and do you think that that’s something that’s going to be developed in the new season?
It doesn’t affect how I play the character to be honest. She’s always been religious and it’s not that she’s changed, it’s that she’s opened up her eyes and allowed something else to come into her life, you know, she’s the same person. It’s just another aspect of who she is, but she’s the same person. It really hasn’t changed the way I play her at all.
If you were in total control of how your character ended up toward the end of this last season, what would you have your character – how would you have your character go out if you don’t know…
Die.
You’d like to have her die? How would you like to have her die?
I don’t know. Maybe something will blow up again on the ship. I don’t know. I just, I don’t that there is anyway to end it with her being happy. You know, what I do wish for her is peace, you know, in whatever form that comes in I’ll be happy with it. But that’s what I want. I want for her to finally have a sense of calm in her life. That would be very interesting and whether it comes with death or, you know, some kind of transcendence of some sort, whatever happens that’s what I want for her.
Throughout your work on Galactica what maybe have you learned most as an actor would you say from your time on the show?
I don’t know, you know, I think every day is a learning experience. Every day you learn something new and I don’t really think I’ll know the gravity of that until I’ve stepped away and taken on another job and I’ll do something that will just come naturally and I’ll go oh wow, I learned that on Battlestar.
You know, what I learned from Marcia Gay Harden and Richard Dreyfuss and Peter O’Toole when I was working with them. I mean that was, you know, an amazing work environment when I did the show with them and I don’t think I realized what I had learned from them until years later. So I think that’s kind of what it’s going to be so…
I know that, you know, the Admiral has basis for like a father figure for Starbuck for a very long time and I wondered, you know, in the previews that we’ve seen, the official previews that have been released, you know it seems like the Admiral really doesn’t know what to believe of Starbuck upon her return and is initially very skeptical. How does that, from someone like him, affect Starbuck and her mental state?
I think that’s the worst thing that could ever happen, you know. Here’s the person that she – depending on his attitude towards her — I’m trying to figure out how to say this — she gets her validation and she gets everything from him. You know, he kind of sets the mood and the tone for how she feels about herself and to have that person doubt you is I think the worst thing that could happen to her. Because as far as she’s concerned, regardless of what she is, she’s the same person she was when she left. And I think the worst thing is she wants his trust so…
So, with no Bionic Woman, what’s next for you? Are you looking for another action role?
Oh, God. I don’t know what’s next. That’s the joy of it. Yeah, you know, do I want to play a character just like, you know, Sarah Corvus or Starbuck? No. You know, I’ve already done it. I’m, you know, looking for things that are complete opposite from those two characters. Whether or not if people give me the opportunity to do that, you know, I don’t know but what’s interesting is five years ago I couldn’t get anyone to think I was, you know, tough and now I can’t get anyone to think of me as the way they did five years ago.
I was recently on a call for The Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and it was funny because it seemed like the Executive Producer and the cast, they were all like extensively following like what the online activity surrounding the show. Is that kind of the same thing with like Battlestar? Do you guys like kind of like follow the online kind of buzz and what the fans are talking about with the show?
No, Aaron Douglas does. I don’t think anyone else does. You know, I’ve learned a long time ago that you can’t hang out on the Web site or, you know, on the Web because you will inevitably need a hundred positive remarks to make one bad remark disappear. So it’s a never ending cycle of reading about yourself and it never goes away. It’s horrible. So I tend to just not pay attention to it anymore and occasionally my mom will call me and go you’ve got to read this… which I find very interesting.
Of all the Battlestar Galactica cast, who is it you most enjoy acting against? Do you have a particular favorite?
I love working with James and Trisha for sure. The two of them are so much fun so. James because you never know what he’s going to do.
What surprised you the most about Starbuck’s evolution throughout the last three seasons?
What surprised me the most, huh. I think what’s surprised me the most is – wow, I don’t know. That people consistently depend on her shocks the crap out of me. You know, that has always been very interesting to me is that people still ask her to like go save the world, like that. It’s constantly interesting for me so, that I think for sure.
In what ways can we expect her character to evolve this season?
Well, you know, I think that she will hopefully have a resolution of some sort. I think that that’s something we can finally depend on in a sense or, you know, that’s something she might actually finally get. But at the same time, I, you know, really have no idea. I would love for her — and I said this earlier — that, you know, I would love for her to find peace. And I think that if there’s any justice in the world that she will actually have that because she’s been through so much hell.
I think it’s only fair that she get a little peace toward the end.
I wanted to ask you if you could just give us some more teasers as to what we’re going to see in this final season.
Well I think if Battlestar’s any indication at all, in the last six – four – I think that, you know, everyone’s going to be very shocked for sure. I think that there is probably going to ruffle a few feathers very well and I don’t think that there’s any way to make everyone happy. You know, I’ve always – I said to Ron Moore from the very beginning please don’t wrap everyone up in a pretty little box, put a bow on it and say (unintelligible) and he would never do that because that’s not real, you know, and Battlestar has always been based on reality and so I think that he will give it an ending that is fitting of that, of Battlestar. And, you know, make it not pretty, which is hopefully what will happen.
In terms of the cast’s recent appearance on David Letterman, how did that come about and how did you feel about that?
Well, Lana Kim was the one that I think probably made that happen so that’s a tribute to her and her masterful skills at publicity. And I think with Letterman, I think my only concern was God dammit! The first time I’m on late night television and they’re going to make me wear my wardrobe. And I think Tricia… they just said wardrobe and Tricia and I kept thinking well what if we switched wardrobes? They didn’t say your own wardrobe. I thought that would have been pretty funny if I squeezed into a little red dress. So…
Is was there any aspect or experience or recurring theme of growing up in Scappoose [Washington] or around that area that in any way prepared you for playing Starbuck or really helped you in form your portrayal of Starbuck?
Wow, you know, I think the only thing that prepared me for this role, I don’t really know, but as far as – I’ve never thought about it that way. But as far as growing up in St. Helens and in and around that area and then ultimately high school in Portland, was that I spent all my time outdoors as a child. I was constantly running around with my brother and playing cops and robbers and like, you know, we grew up in a place and a time when your parents said be back by dinner and they let you go and, you know, you didn’t have to worry about your kids. You came back at dinnertime and it was fine and I think there was a freedom and a vulnerability and a sense of security that I had growing up.
I was very sheltered and so I think that I’m very naive. I think that I got all of that from growing up in St. Helens and I think that, you know, I moved to Los Angeles and I was like a fish out of water. I’m like, who are you people? So that, but also, you know, there’s a lot of stereotypes from growing up in a small town — which obviously I did — that I think directly relate to Starbuck. You know, I think, you know, she needed to get out and she became the best at something to get out of her home environment, to get out of the town, so to speak, that she was raised in and education was never in the fore – you know, in her forethought. She just kind of went okay, I’m going to be the best fighter pilot and that will get me out.
And I think that that was my thing growing up where I grew up was that I don’t care what I’ll have to do, I’m going to get out. So, you know, ultimately that’s how I became an actor was just wanting desperately to get out so that’s for sure.
I spoke to you before season three and at the time I had asked you what you thought about Lee and Kara’s relationship but it went through a lot of changes in season three. So I’m curious what you think about them now is this something that could ever work out or are they in a bad cycle of repeating mistakes?
I don’t know. You know, I don’t think that Lee and Kara will ever be happy together. I don’t think that – I don’t think they’re meant to be together, you know. I think that they’re meant to be best friends, they’re meant to push each other, they’re meant to have those arguments that drive you, you know, that’s the purpose that I feel that they serve in each other’s lives. I don’t think that they were ever meant to love each other. So, you know, with that being said, I don’t think they’ll ever end up together, I never did really, you know.
I think I said earlier, I think it was in an interview yesterday, where I said if anyone is fitting for her and if there’s anyone that she would actually allow herself to be happy with and be with, it’d probably be Leoben, you know. Anders is too weak for her emotionally. Lee is too much of a boy scout. He makes her feel guilty for her anger and her – who she is, you know, her faults. He makes her feel guilty just by being who he is. And so if there was any person that she could let her guard down with and be happy with, probably Leoben.
The show is far too mature in theme for little girls. But as far as big girls go, what do you think your character gives them?
You know, I think when this first started, I was 22 and I think Starbuck was comparable in age, maybe a couple years older than me. She was supposed to be 35 and then they cast me which was (a shame). But what I think it gave us a glimpse of was a young woman who didn’t depend on anyone and knew what her purpose was. And I think we don’t see that. You know, through the years we’ve learned that she’s got this vulnerability and she’s screwed up and she’s…
And you think she was a young woman who people could depend on?
No. No, I think that she was so concerned with herself and escape in a sense, that she never – she – I think people depended on her just because she was so good at what she did, not because they actually trusted her. But I think that’s how she’s changed and progressed and grown as a person and as a soldier. And I think that now, she’s probably one of the most dependable people on the show.
So, but I think that is what it did, it gave us a glimpse into someone who, you know, I’ve never really seen a strong female character on a show and whenever I did – especially a young one, and whenever I did they always needed a man to hold their hand and I think that that’s what’s interesting about this show is that everyone is equally vulnerable and equally needs help. There is no man, woman, you know, there’s no bias on our show and I think that’s, you know, maybe not what Starbuck has done for women but what the show has done for women.
The nature of Starbuck’s return is a big mystery this season. We don’t know if she’s the original, a clone, a Cylon or some figment of Lee’s imagination, so from an acting perspective, have you made an internal choice to play Starbuck as one of those possibilities?
No, I think it’s a strong enough internal choice, you know, to play the fear, to play that she’s lost and I think if I play that, I think that it leaves the door open to question what she is. So, you know, I think our show is all about playing the reality of something, you know and how do you play the reality of knowing that you are something when you don’t really know what you are? You play the question, you play the uncertainty so…
I’m still shocked about [your earlier comment about] Starbuck winding up with Leoben but okay. Talking about reality, how is Michael? Michael really had a bad accident right before you came back to work right?
Yeah.
How’s he doing?
He’s fantastic, you know, you’d never know that he got hurt and bounced back, you know. And as far as, you know, what happened to him and to what extent he was hurt, I don’t know if that is something I should talk about. All I can say is that, you know, you have moments in life when you realize how important people are to you and, you know, I think that I definitely had one of those moments with Michael and I realized, you know, how important not only him but how important his fiancé (Sondra) is to us, you know, and he’s one of my – he’s a really close friend of mine and, you know, thank God he’s okay. And of course he’s okay, he’s such a strong son of a bitch. Anyone else would have been hurt even more, but he bounced back. I think the next day he was fine.
Okay, final question then. You were so brilliant as Sarah Corvus of course you’re brilliant as Starbucks, David Eick of course is talking about making a TV version of the brilliant Children of Men, would that interest you or would you still rather do a romantic comedy.
Should I even know what the Brilliant Children of Men is?
It was a movie made by one of the Spanish directors and it was a science fiction movie people not being able to bear children.
Oh, really. So it’s kind of like that movie, what was that movie that just came out – oh, Children of Men.
Oh, okay, I loved that. How women stopped being able to bear children.
David Eick is working on a version of that. I was just wondering if that would interest you at all?
You know, everything that David Eick interests me – does interest me. He is fantastic at what he does. He has a vision and you know, he’s always successful at that vision, whether or not other people have a hand in the pot. And you know, I’ve always said that, you know, the main problem with Bionic Woman, is that if you get too many cooks in the kitchen, too many hands in the pot, no one can agree on what they’re trying to make.
So you have a stew that’s full of shit and, you know, whether or not David is given the freedom to do what he’s done with Battlestar is a complete different story. You know I think that you’d have to be on a cable network, I don’t know if you can get that from network television. No, I’d follow that man to the end of the earth.
Thank you so much, this has been a wonderful, wonderful interview.
Thank you. I’m going to go snowboard at Whistler now.