88 episodes of "Alias?" That’s amazing. And new viewers find it every year. Some people are just catching onto it in the fourth year.
Exactly. I think that one of the real appeals of the show is, you know, the cast. You look at people like Victor Garber and Ron Rifkin, these incredible actors from Broadway. And Jennifer, obviously. And it’s set in a very sleek and sexy kind of spy atmosphere. And then you’ve got all these great stunts. But you also have characters that I think are well-rounded and the scenes between them are interesting. And you know, obviously we take artistic license because it’s not at all the way the CIA operates. If it was, we’d all be dead (laughing).
I like to compare it to it’s almost like a James Bond comic book in a way. It’s just fun. If you’re a freak and you want to get into who is chasing who and whose father’s niece’s uncle’s and nephew’s is… All that craziness, you can. Or you can just watch it as an hour of television. But I think the main appeal of the show, especially in the first couple of seasons, was it was such an amazing female role. Such a great strong role for a woman. There weren’t many out there at the time and I think it sort of just blew up because of that.
Romance-wise, do you see them ultimately getting back together?
Well, they were together once. Again, the writers are pretty good at sensing the pulse of what the fans want. Not that they necessarily write for the fans, but ultimately they do because they’re the people who watch. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to happen. They don’t really tell us. I don’t ask them.
Would you personally like to see them get back together?
I think it’s more fun to play the forbidden fruit. I can’t believe I just said that (laughing). It’s sexier and it’s more fun. If they get together then great because they’ve done it before. If they don’t… I mean obviously I think those two characters are either going to be on their way to getting together or getting together. That’s kind of their destiny - it seems to be. But they’re very good at switching things around on “Alias.” As soon as you get comfortable with something then boom, they just turn the tables.
They pull the rug out from under you.
Exactly.
What’s your favorite episode?
I still love the pilot. That initial episode was, I think, one of the best hours of television I’ve ever seen. …The pilot was so great and she was so amazing in it, it really was something new. I’d never really seen a show like that before. I was only in it for 10 lines at the end – which is probably why it was so good. No, I think the pilot was my favorite. We were all so excited to be part of it and we all just had such high hopes for it and we loved it. Four years later we’re still plugging away, which is awesome. Your first is always that one unforgettable kind of feeling and it was so damn good.
Do you want to address the Jennifer Garner pregnancy rumor?
No. Only because it is a rumor.
Does it sour you on doing interviews when all you’re asked about is rumors?
No, not me. I honestly couldn’t care less what people say about me, especially in this business that is based on being judged and rejected. You try and live your life as normally as possible and if someone invents a rumor that I have two vaginas, so be it. There’s nothing I can do about it.
Now that’d be an interesting rumor.
I give you permission to start that today!
Thank you, thank you.
Not one but two.
If “Alias” were to end soon, would you consider doing a TV series again?
Sure. I’ve learned in this business especially never to say never. I would rather do movies because I’m very lazy and the hours are much easier. But you know, at the end of the day it really comes down to the quality of what you’re doing. Especially these days television has gotten so good. I mean, some of the best acting and best work is being done on television. Shows like “The West Wing” and “24.” It’s amazing. They’re better than most movies. And it doesn’t have that stigma anymore of, “Oh, that’s a TV actor. We can’t put him in a movie.” So that certainly helped the cross over. Yeah, I mean, I’m talking to you right now because I’m on the TV show and I would certainly consider it again if it was the right part.
