Mary McCormack stars in USA’s summer series, In Plain Sight, as smart, smart mouthed and very sexy U.S. Marshal, Mary Shannon.  Assigned to the federal witness protection program, Mary must aid the reluctant victims who have had their lives upended by either what they have done, or what they have seen, and find themselves starting new lives and new identities.  This is a job that is part baby sitter, part law enforcement, and sometimes involves being a new best friend.  Along with her partner, Marshal Marshall Mann (Fred Weller), Mary investigates murders, buys groceries, and helps the folk in the witness protection program get through their days, sometimes even buying porn so a witness can choose her new breasts that she has been promised as part of her deal for testifying against her former boss. 

Her lover (Christian de la Fuente) doesn’t know exactly what her job is and is left hanging often as Mary runs off to live her secret life on the job.  Coupled with the family drama of a returning sister with her own hang-ups (Nichole Hiltz) and a mother who can see that the sister does know wrong (Lesley Ann Warren), the show is full of family drama against the backdrop of Mary’s secret occupation.

Mary recently spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine and other press outlets about her character and the series which premiered on June 1, 2008.

Question> How did you come into the part?  Did you audition like normal?  And why did you decide that you wanted to do this part?

Mary> You know I was looking for a show to do and I was reading just lots of scripts and I just picked it up and it was in a stack of scripts and I read it.  I remember just laughing out loud a bunch of times, which I rarely do, even with really funny scripts – just because I don’t know when I’m reading you know you almost sort of clock a joke in your head more than you laugh out loud.  And this one, I just remember actually sitting in my living room just laughing.  And I just called my agent and said I really, really want to go in and meet on this one and who are they after?  And do I have a chance?  And you know just expressing a bunch of interest.  And so then I went and met with Paul and David and they didn’t ask me to read actually.  I was willing to read, but they didn’t ask me to read.  We just sat and talked for a long time.  And then, yes, they offered it to me after that.

Question> What has been the most challenging part of your role?

Mary McCormack> Well, the role is such a nice fit for me.  Honestly, I think the most challenging part of this job was just how much I’m in it.  I’ve never really experienced that kind of workload before.  You know it’s challenging and fulfilling, it’s sort of you know one of those things, be careful what you wish for.  It’s such a great part and it’s – you know you see her at work and you see her at home.  The sort of challenge for me was I went to Albuquerque with an eight-week old and was working sort of 13 to 19-hour days and for me that was the most challenging part was just staying afloat.

Question> From the pilot, I think you mentioned at one point that Mary was from New Jersey.  Do you know much about your character background; how she ended up in New Mexico or was it basically that’s where the job was at the time?

Mary> Yes, that’s what we talked about – David and I.  The trick of TV, of course, is that you can make a bunch of that stuff up and you know it all might change one day when the writer decides to write something else, you know because with television things get revealed slowly.  That’s something a lot of actors hate about the medium, but I kind of like it.  But you know we just discussed that, yes, with the Marshal Service it’s usually a matter of placement and that her relationship to Albuquerque and sort of the southwest is that she went there under protest.  And so her energy is so different than the mellow, you know sort of relaxed place she’s been put in.

Question> Can you talk a little bit about what’s coming up in the show for your character?

Mary> Well, you know, her relationship with Raphael gets investigated a little bit more, you know where they stand and what they have and all that.  And Raphael sort of spends more and more time with my sister, which complicates things.  And let’s see what else, you know each week there’s a different witness story, so you get that every week.  In terms of my sister and my mother, they continue sort of down their road of destruction.  And, yes, I mean I don’t know how much I can tell without giving it away.  I don’t know what I’m allowed to tell.  Brandi has – you know you see her use the drugs, in the pilot you see her sniff some sort of illicit drug and that storyline also continues.  So they wreak some havoc, as I think everyone can sort of see is coming.  Oh, I think I’m not giving anything away. 

Question> The other women in the family have a much looser concern about law and order than Mary.  How do you think that she got involved in law enforcement with a background like that?  And what are Lesley Ann and Nikki like to work with?

Mary> Well, I love working with both of them.  I mean I think it’s so interesting.  I mean to me, you know I had a mother, my mother was always, and I think I can say this without hurting her feelings, my mother was always late and is often late, and I’m always 15 minutes early to everything.  So I think we’ve all experienced sort of becoming who we are as a reaction to what we come from.  And I think Mary Shannon sort of raised herself and had to look after herself from day one and probably is really, really - I think in my mind this is how I explained it – is really, really frustrated and really, really angry about not having a mother who was into the law and into structure and rules and all that.  So she went as far as you could go with that and keeps everybody in line, and keeps a to-do-list on her you know dashboard.  And all of that is sort of a reaction to what she comes from, I think.  As far as working with those two ladies – I love it.  They’re both great.  Lesley Ann is one of my all-time favorite actresses and she’s never done a television show, so to get her to do this is really a coup. 

Question> What’s your favorite part about working on the show?

Mary> Well, I think my favorite part about working on the show is I love team sports.  I love the crew a lot.  I love hanging out with the crew.  I mean I usually stay on set.  I love the other actors on this show.  Fred Weller has become one of my best friends.  All of them – Paul Ben-Victor – and they’re all great.  I just love hanging out with a group of people.  So I’m in the right job for that.  In terms of this show versus all my other television experience or film experience, I love this part a lot.  Like this part to me feels like David wrote it for me.  And he didn’t, which is just weird.  I mean it honestly feels like if I could have dreamt up a role that I would be comfortable in and enjoy doing, this would be it.  And it’s a nice fit. Like I think she’s cool.  I want to hang out with her.

Question> In the pilot, I found the interaction with the Native American community really interesting.  Is that thing pretty much continued throughout most episodes or does it just come in here and there?

Mary> Here and there.

Question> Most of the USA shows have a 13-episode format.  Is this what In Plain Sight will be?

Mary> This one we shot – yes, we shot 13 this season.  It’s already shot.  And the first two were combined for the pilot.  So we have 11 episodes left to air.  And then if we get invited back, which I hope we do, I don’t know how many we’ll do – probably the same or-  sometimes in the second season of cable shows they do a few more.  I don't know.

Question> What do you think it is about this show that will draw in viewers?

Mary> Well, I hope it’s the writing – you know the sense of humor, the fact that the characters are a little bit off-beat.  I mean yes, I think that.  I hope it’s the writing.  I mean when I read the script, I laughed out loud a few times, which is rare.  And things that I thought were going to happen didn’t happen.  I hope it’s that.  I hope people want to laugh and sort of follow an interesting-  I mean also it’s interesting that I think each week you get a little bit of both kind of shows.  You know you get a procedural because each week you get a new story about a witness and how they ended up hiding in Albuquerque.

Question> What has been your favorite scene to film so far, if you can tell us about it?

Mary> It’s an episode that Fred and I sort of get in a standoff.  We end up in an abandoned bar in a sort of gun standoff.  And so I shot the scene with Fred where I think he might die and he thinks I might die, and I think it’s a really beautifully written scene.

Question>  Your character is really very brilliant professionally and yet her personal life is kind of screwed up, and I’ve noticed that in some other roles that you’ve played in in the past too.  Why is that?

Mary> Well, I think it’s probably something we see a lot, right.  I mean with successful people they focus their energy on their work and you know unfortunately some things like marriages or relationships and other things slide a little bit.  Usually it’s people hiding themselves, right, they’re hiding from something they don’t want to look at and so they hide in their work.  I think that happens a lot.  So I love that David sort of has her hiding as well.  She’s hiding from her own fear of intimacy and she’s hiding from her own anger at her mother and she’s hiding from all that stuff, so she just focuses on work you know.  I think it’s sort of a beautiful backdrop that she hides people for a living and she’s sort of hiding as well.

Question> What has been your most memorable moment you’ve had from filming this show?

Mary> You know when I shot that scene with the Native American in the bathroom where I throw the soap at his groin.  I was so sick when we shot that scene that I was throwing up between takes in a bucket.  That’s memorable.  So when I see that – actually I had some sort of stomach bug that I’d gotten from my baby and I was so ill, but we had to shoot it that night because we were losing that location.  And I actually would just like say a line, throw up, say a line, throw the soap, throw up.  You know it was unbelievable.  I was honestly just barely getting through it.

Question> Are there  any guest stars we should be looking forward to this season?

Mary> Yes, Dave Foley is great in - I don’t know what number it is, but it’s called “A Trojan Horse.”  I think it might be four.  Dave Foley is excellent in that.  And we pick up Sherry Stringfield – is really good.  And oh, gosh, Wendell Pierce – he is my favorite of the whole season.  He was phenomenal.  I mean Wendell Pierce is like a brilliant actor and it was a huge coup get him.  He had worked with the director of that episode before.  So I think he came really for him and he loved the writing and the role.  But he’s amazing in it.  I mean he’s just really moving.  I don’t know what number his is.  It’s called “Iris Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”

Question> Do you have any dream guest star that you’d like to see on the show?

Mary> Oh, my gosh.  That’s a big question.  Of course there are so many.  I want to drag everyone I love down there.  No, I’d have to think about that because that’s big.  I’ve got to like think, you’ve got to call me back for that.

Question> Would you ever be interested in writing or directing for the shows if they gave you the opportunity?

Mary> I don’t feel like I really want to direct.  My husband is a director and I see what the job – I really know that job well.  And I certainly love to watch directors work.  I don’t feel decisive enough to direct.  Writing interests me more, but neither so much.  I really think I have my hands full with the acting.

Question> The show is filmed in Albuquerque, which is sort of off of the normal New York, LA, Canada radar for most shows.  What’s it like working there and how do you feel that the city sort of contributes to the flavor of the show?

Mary> Well, I mean I liked working there.  Albuquerque is sort of a great city actually.  I mean it’s interesting because when people think of New Mexico they would always say oh, you’re in New Mexico.  Oh, it’s gorgeous and Santa Fe is beautiful.  And I was like I know, but we’re going to Albuquerque.  And no one really knows having – people certainly – lots of people know Albuquerque, but it’s not what they talk about when they talk about New Mexico.  But we actually really enjoyed it.  I mean for me I like it more than this other city.  It feels more like a city actually.  I mean it has a university and so therefore it’s more – I don't know – more interesting.  You know it’s diverse and there’s a lot going on culturally.  It’s bigger and less touristy and it feels like a real place – like people really live there.  And I don't know we enjoyed a lot.  I think in terms of what it contributes to the show – just New Mexico in general really contributes to our show.  There’s nothing else on TV like that - you know with the big sky and sort of that landscape, which is really like another planet.  There’s no one else shooting there right now.  So it’s really special and it looks like you could get lost there.  You know it looks like a place you might go to start over.

Question> I know you said you’re doing the play, but do you have any other shows or projects that are coming up soon for us to look forward to?

Mary> You know I don’t right now.  I have this.  I mean this I went from shooting In Plain Sight in Albuquerque to having Christmas and then right into rehearsing the play.  And now I’ll be doing the play all summer.  So hopefully we’ll be going back to Albuquerque right after the play.  I mean that’s my – I’m knocking on wood as I say that.  There I just knocked. 

Question> It seems that Marshall ends up being Mary’s confidante for the most part since they can actually talk about what’s going on in her work life at least.  Does Mary have anyone she would actually consider a friend in New Mexico is she is too busy with her work and family?

Mary> Yes, no, we don’t see any evidence of that yet.  I mean we’ll see what David does.  I don't think she’s a very friendly person.  You know I don't think that’s a strength.  And in fact in episode four, there’s a line between Fred’s character and mine where he says, “You know you’re my best friend.”  And she says “You’re my only friend.”  So, yes, I think that’s it.  I mean I don’t think she has really any friends.

Question> Can you tell us besides when you were sick another funny moment that happened either while filming or just hanging out on the set?

Mary> Let’s see, let’s see.  Golly, I wish I’d thought of that ahead of time.  I’m going to waste everybody’s time by sitting here thinking.  Oh, I know I can tell you about Fred.  I constantly teased Fred because he’s so vain and he wears – between takes he puts in retainers sometimes.  And he says they’re not retainers, they’re Invisalign - very defensive about that.  And then he also carries – oh, my gosh, he’s going to kill me for this – he also carries in his suit pocket – he carries – sometimes he carries a little mirror so he can check his hair.  So I give him a lot of heat for that because I always say he’s the chick and I’m the guy.

Question> When you’re acting, do you ever get to offer your input or advice or change things?

Mary> You know I mean I certainly do.  David Maples who created the show is really collaborative, which I love.  I’m so grateful for that because not everyone is that way.  And yes, if I find like if I think there’s something that just feels funny or whatever and I mention it to him, he’ll look at it again and either change it or explain what he was thinking.  And we just sort of – you know yes, he’s very collaborative.  So I feel grateful for that.  In television the directors are pretty collaborative.  It’s really the show creator who is the most protective generally and they’re – but David is lovely.  David has a really wonderful outlook.  It’s the best idea wins you know, which I think it makes for better product.

Question> How gratifying was it for you as an actress to know that they thought so much about you that they were willing to push things back while you had your baby?

Mary> Oh, amazing.  I mean amazing that John Wells did that for me because he certainly didn’t have to.  And then yes, that USA network – I mean I shot the pilot and then we were going to go back in the fall and then they said well, maybe the spring and by then I’d gotten pregnant.  They waited a whole year – over a year to shoot.  And I thought you know yes, a huge compliment.  And this time I said, Flip, if I’m going to have any more babies, I’m calling you first, which my husband yelled at me for.  “Maybe call me first.  And then we’ll call USA.”

Question> What got you started in acting?

Mary> The group in New Jersey and I saw Broadway plays first.  It was like what we got to go to for my birthday or a class trip.  You know so I think living near the city was probably the biggest influence.  Yes, seeing Broadway plays.