By Christina Radish

Elizabeth Reaser at the CBS, CW and Showtime Party held at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, Calif. on July 18, 2008.

Nominated for an Emmy Award and a SAG Award for her performance as Ava/Rebecca on Grey’s Anatomy, 33-year-old Michigan native Elizabeth Reaser, one of the stars of the upcoming vampire film Twilight, spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine about playing Bella Bloom.

MediaBlvd Magazine> What made you want to play this character?

Elizabeth Reaser> What I love about Bella is her unapologetic search to fall in love. What’s amazing to me about that is I feel like, in this day and age, if you’re a woman and you’re successful and you’re strong, you’re not supposed to want a man and you’re supposed to just be cool being alone all the time. I don’t feel that way. I want to be with someone. And so, what I love about the show is that it’s completely unapologetic in that quest to find love and connection.

MediaBlvd> How much of yourself do you see in Bella?

Elizabeth> I get to bring a lot of myself to it, just in that we’re both the same age and we’re both women. I try to make it believable, so I can definitely relate. I’m a total buffoon when it comes to love and relationships, so that is very much me.

MediaBlvd> Have you ever gone to a psychic, or would you?

Elizabeth> I don’t want to, but they made me go for a press thing. It was really interesting and really scary because of the power of suggestion. She was really good and right about a lot of things, and then it gets your curiosity going. I really can relate to Bella’s story, in that sense, because, as soon as they say something, if it’s true or they predict something, you’re like, “Oh, no!” And then, you’re like, “Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy?” It’s scary! I’m way too vulnerable for that.

MediaBlvd> So, you’re not about to go to one again?

Elizabeth> Never again, no. I can’t deal with it.

MediaBlvd> Do you have any ex stories that you’ve suggesting to the writers?

Elizabeth> I don’t want to give those guys any credit.

MediaBlvd> How many exes does Bella have?

Elizabeth> I don’t know. I think quite a few. She’s 33. She’s been around for awhile. I don’t know what always qualifies as an ex. It could be some kid from kindergarten that she went out with for three days.

MediaBlvd> That guy Elliott (Mark Deklin) keeps popping up, throughout the pilot. Do you think he could really be the one?

Elizabeth> It’s a possibility because he is an ex and he is going to be in my life. We have joint custody of the dog, so he’ll be around. That’s a complicated relationship that Bella isn’t over at all.

MediaBlvd> Is there any chance that Augie (Adam Rothenberg) could be the one?

Elizabeth> I think that’s a complicated relationship. They have insane chemistry. It’s tricky. He’s her best friend, but they obviously love and adore each other, and have some sort of chemistry. And, maybe they have some history that was never acted upon. I think there’s something going on there.                

MediaBlvd> Are you hoping that Bella ends up with one of those guys?

Elizabeth> I want them to write as many scenes as possible with me and Adam Rothenberg because he’s an old friend of mine from New York, and I just adore him. He’s a great actor. Anything they can do to get me together with Adam Rothenberg, I’d just be thrilled.

MediaBlvd> Have you ever Googled an ex?

Elizabeth> Every day. No, I’m kidding. It depends on how spiritually strong I’m feeling, on any given day, but of course. It’s always a disaster, though. It’s like, “Why did I do that?” As long as it’s in the confines of your office or living room, you’re not in stalker territory.

MediaBlvd> Have you ever been contacted by an ex?

Elizabeth> Oh, yeah. When I started to get out there with Grey’s Anatomy, I got a few phone calls, but they were very sweet and really nice. I actually pretty much adore all my exes. I like to try to stay friends with them, if I can.

MediaBlvd> Have you dated any of them again?

Elizabeth> I have, but not in a long time. I’ve tried.

MediaBlvd> Was it a bad idea? Were you sorry you did it?

Elizabeth> No, I’m never really sorry. I’ve been really lucky.

MediaBlvd> Are you in a relationship now?

Elizabeth> I’d rather not comment. Anyone that I could potentially date would be someone who would be very confident and not worry about my past relationships.

MediaBlvd> Would you date an actor?

Elizabeth> I have dated an actor or two. I’ve tried not to, but I don’t want to be racist against actors.                                      

MediaBlvd> Is it hard to date in L.A.?

Elizabeth> Oh, yeah! It’s hard to date everywhere. You get a little older and, hopefully, you get a clearer idea of who you want to be with. It’s hard. I’m no spring chicken. It’s tough out there.

MediaBlvd> What qualities do you look for in a guy?

Elizabeth> I would say humor and kindness.

MediaBlvd> Anything physical?

Elizabeth> No. I don’t have a type. I’ve never really had a type. They span all different genres.

MediaBlvd> Do you think Bella has a type?

Elizabeth> She may have a type that will recur. I don’t know. I think they’ll all be very different. That’s part of the fun of it.

MediaBlvd> What future adventures are coming up for Bella?

Elizabeth> It’s really fun. I can’t believe that I’m getting to do this, every week! TV is so good to women. I’m not solving any crimes. I’m not treating anyone. I just get to fall in love and have fun with my friends. It’s really great!

MediaBlvd> Do you have a sister like Daphne (Rachel Boston)?

Elizabeth> I have two sisters, who are my best friends and the greatest things in the world.

MediaBlvd> So, you can relate to the sister relationship?

Elizabeth> Oh, yeah, absolutely! The best thing any parent can ever do is give their children siblings. My sisters have saved my life, time and time again.

MediaBlvd> Where do you fit in, chronologically?

Elizabeth> I’m in the middle, of course, desperate for attention.

MediaBlvd> Was it distracting at all to film at the beach, in such a beautiful location?

Elizabeth> It helped, actually. The locations really inform the scenes. It was just really fun and really beautiful. I couldn’t believe I was getting paid. It’s just bizarre.

MediaBlvd> Have you been told how things will turn out for Bella?

Elizabeth> No. They won’t tell me anything. I can’t plan ahead, which is fun.

MediaBlvd> When an actor becomes as closely identified to a character, as you have with your Grey’s Anatomy character, does it become a difficult thing to then go out and look for work, when you’re so closely tied to such a strong character on a popular show?

Elizabeth> Maybe I’ve just been really lucky, but I haven’t experienced that. I don’t feel that closely identified with her. I’ve been working for what feels like a long time, and that was a really special job in a long line of special jobs. I never perceived it like that.

MediaBlvd> When that role first came up, what did they present it to you as? How long did you think the role would last? Did you have any idea that that character was going to resonate and become so deep with viewers?

Elizabeth> No, I didn’t know. They wouldn’t tell me anything when I met for the role, except that I would be disfigured, which was exciting, especially when nobody knows you as an actress, and then you finally get to be on Grey’s Anatomy you’re disfigured. But, it was actually a really amazing role and it turned out to be incredible. I think it was supposed to be approximately seven episodes, and the great thing about Shonda and those writers is that they are informed by their own storylines. They start to write, and then the characters start to inform them, as to what they are writing, as they’re writing it. It was an interesting process, as an actor, because I never knew where it was going to go, and it just kept going. It was amazing!

MediaBlvd> What is the status of that character for this season?

Elizabeth> I don’t know. I know they didn’t kill her, so that’s good. You never know. But, hopefully, I’m not going to be available.  

MediaBlvd> Can you talk about your role in Twilight?

Elizabeth> Yes, I play Esme Cullen. She’s lovely. That was an amazing experience. I can’t wait to see it! I’m so excited. I play a vampire, but a nice vampire. I play a vegetarian vampire.

MediaBlvd> You play Edward’s mom, right?

Elizabeth> I do, yeah. She’s his adopted mother.

MediaBlvd> Are you really a vegetarian?

Elizabeth> Yeah. I’m a vegan in real life, so I was thrilled that the character was a vegetarian.

MediaBlvd> They’re expecting really big things for Twilight. How would you handle having a hit show and a hit movie, at the same time?

Elizabeth> I think I would handle it really well.

MediaBlvd> What is Against the Current?

Elizabeth> That’s a film I did with Joe Fiennes, Justin Kirk and Mary Tyler Moore. It’s a really fun, cool little film. It’s not really a comedy, but some of it is. It’s a little indie that we did, last September. Justin Kirk is one of my best friends, and this is the second movie I’ve done with him.

MediaBlvd> Was he your love interest in it?

Elizabeth> No, he’s more like my buddy, which is fun because he’s my best friend in real life. We got to have a really good time together.