By Kenn Gold

Just before the return of Battlestar Galactica for it’s fourth and final season, star Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) sat down for an in-depth interview with MediaBlvd and other press to discuss her character, and the return of Starbuck and BSG.  During season three, her character died.  But in the finale, she made a remarkable return from the dead, claiming to have been to Earth.  The action in Season 4 picks up from that cliff hanger.

Question>  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?

Katee Sackhoff>  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. I don’t know. I think I’ve fought everybody. I think 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.

Question> For the audiences that were reluctant to accept Starbuck as a woman, what do you think helped turn that around to make people accept it?

Katee>  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, it’d be hard to figure out when that probably happened but,  probably after the first season. That cliffhanger at the very end that probably got all the fans hooked.

Question>  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?

Katee>  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,  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,  I wish I knew what they were thinking and I know - that would be a question for Lana Kim, she’s on the line.

Question>  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?

Katee>  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,  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,  wait until 20. But,  I guess, in Ron’s mind he had a bigger cliffhanger and I guess,  to have a bigger cliffhanger than Starbuck coming back from the dead is,  only Battlestar Galactica could pull that off. So,  I don’t know. I mean, would definitely have told the main cast from the very beginning,  having to deal with all of that with the crew and the cast and  it was really - it’s not something that I’d like to do again. That’s for sure.

Question>  What do you feel like the impact of the show has had maybe on the SciFi genre?

Katee>  Well Battlestar Galactica did for SciFi was,  they treated it like a reality,  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,  could move it along and most science fiction shows rely way too much on the,  the bells and whistles. So I think that it kind of opened doors in science fiction to realize that,  regardless if it's - science fiction is just a setting. It’s not a show,  it’s a setting. It’s where something takes place, 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.

Question>  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?

Katee>  Well I think the reason the four actors were upset about being Cylons is that I think,  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 get the wool pulled over your eyes for four years and then lo and behold,  your character’s something completely different. So that’s, you know - but I would be completely indifferent. I think,  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.

Question>  Could you talk a little bit about how this season we’re going to handle the marriage between Starbuck and Anders?

Katee>  If I knew, I would tell you. I have no idea. 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. 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,  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.

Question>  After playing Starbuck for four seasons, have you picked up any of her hard core habits? Or her love of poker or anything?

Katee>  No, I still have never played a game of poker.  I still don’t smoke cigars. I haven’t picked up anything from her I don’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, people as well, apologize before they say things for fear,  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,  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.

Question>  As far as the fan base of the show goes,  are you surprised by the number of fans that the show has gotten or have you gotten any really surprising fan mail from someone that you wouldn’t expect to like the show?

Katee>  No, not really. I think the most interesting thing is when I get mail from high school friends or their parents or something and they're like, hi, Katee just wanted to say hi, we still live in the same house, 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.

Question>  When you saw the script for Razor at the end where the 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?

Katee>  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, 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. It could mean so many different things.

Question>  My question is 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?

Katee>  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.

Question>  And your best experience or memory.

Katee>   The cast and the crew. I have made so many friends on the show, 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, 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 spoke to Richard Dreyfuss or Marcia Gay Harden, you know. I did a show with them for years so, it's,  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 friendships. 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 was17. And so I’m proud of that and I’m proud that we’ll be friends forever or for a long time at least.

Question>  When you and the cast are sitting around, do you ever theorize on who the final Cylon is going to be?  

Katee>  I think that 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, 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 they maybe should shoot like five different endings. And whichever character doesn’t get killed they should just make that the final Cylon.  It’ll be like,  some random character from the first season that had one line. It's fine, 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.

Question>  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?

Katee>  What he said was that what would end up happening is that you would have to focus on  one or two characters and  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 what we’ve been able to do for so long,  it really does take away. I mean, I don’t,  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,  what to do. I think he’s right,  plus at the same time,  as a performer when I even actually am done with the show, I’m done with the show. I -  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, talk to me in five years if I haven’t worked. We'll see. But as of right now I have no desire to do it - to do a movie.

Question>  Very well, thank you. Just a quick question. I wanted to find out -- throughout your work on Galactica what maybe have you learned most as an actor would you say from your time on the show?

Katee>  I don’t 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.

Katee>   what I learned from Marcia Gay Harden and Richard Dreyfuss and Peter O'Toole when I was working with them. I mean that was,  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…

Question>  How will the Admiral react to Starbuck’s return?

Katee>  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.  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.

Question>  Do you guys follow the online buzz and what the fans are talking about with the show?

Katee>  No, Aaron Douglas does. I don't think anyone else does.  I’ve learned a long time ago that you can’t hang out on the Web site or 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 so which I find very interesting.

Question>  Can you give us some more teasers as to what we’re going to see in this final season.

 Katee>  Well I think if Battlestar’s any indication at all in the last six I think that,  everyone’s going to be very shocked for sure. I think that what is 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.  I said to Ron Moore from the very beginning please don’t wrap everyone up in a pretty little box and put a bow on it. And he would never do that because that’s not real, 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 make it not pretty, which is hopefully what will happen.

Question>  In terms of the cast’s recent appearance on David Letterman, how did that come about and how did you feel about that?

Katee>  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.

Question>  Do you think anything could ever work out between Kara and Lee?

Katee>  I don’t 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,  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,  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, 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 who she is; 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.

Question>  You were brilliant in Bionic Woman and are brilliant in Galactica.  Now that David Eick is talking about a TV version of Children of Men, would you be interested in that?

Katee>   Everything that David Eick interests me. He is fantastic at what he does. He has a vision and he’s always successful at that vision, whether or not other people have a hand in the pot. And I’ve always said that 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 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.  I’d follow that man to the end of the earth.