By Christina Radish
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Sprague Grayden at the San Diego Comic Convention on July 23, 2006. |
In the new CBS television drama Jericho, about what happens when a nuclear mushroom cloud suddenly appears on the horizon, the residents of a small, peaceful Kansas town are propelled into chaos. Completely isolated and wondering if they’re the only Americans left alive, the fear of the unknown propels Jericho into social, psychological and physical mayhem when all communication and power is shut down.
Jake Green (Skeet Ulrich), prodigal son of the town’s mayor (Gerald McRaney), becomes a reluctant hero when a school bus crashes as a result of the explosion. On the bus is Heather Lisinski (Sprague Grayden), a pretty young schoolteacher who was returning with her students from a class trip when the glare of the explosion caused the terrible accident.
Playing such a sweet character is new to Manchester, Massachusetts native Sprague Grayden, who is known for taking on roles that are more quirky and off-beat. “I think Heather represents the innocence that we all have, and the safety that we all feel,” she tells MediaBlvd Magazine. “You’re going to really see her grow up. She’s the manifestation of that loss of innocence, and that’s really exciting to me because we’re going to watch her evolve and change a lot. She already starts out pretty strong, even though she’s the minister’s daughter, but I’m not really sure where she’s going to go.”
Having come off of such acclaimed projects as HBO’s Six Feet Under and Joan of Arcadia, Grayden is grateful that she has such strong writing to work with on Jericho. “One of the great things I’ve noticed is that, with every script, the words are definitely there. I’ve been so spoiled with great scripts that it’s really nice that it’s happening again. And, I’m a conspiracy, sci-fi geek. I love The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, Lost and all those kind of shows. The thing about Jericho, which is fantastic, is that you really do get answers to questions, in every episode. Every time I read it, I’m like, ‘Ooh, really?’ But, every time you get an answer, there’s another question. It’s jam-packed and the story just moves so quickly.”
{quote_top}The daughter of public school teacher parents, the Barnard graduate became a part of Jericho, as a result of the regular pilot season auditioning process. “I was really excited that there was an actual character out there that wasn’t a cop or a doctor, and who wasn’t 16. I was like, ‘Oh, this is awesome! I can actually play my age.’ Heather’s really cool ‘cause she’s got this science brain, so she becomes invaluable, in that way. She’s very quirky and funny. It’s fun to be funny. Also, I don’t really get to play sweet and innocent a lot. Most of the characters I play, it’s about their struggle and what they’re going through, and so, they become these larger than life characters. But, for Heather, it’s about what her students and her friends are going through, and I really admire people like that. I try to find people like that and have them in my life. I thought it would be good for me and good for my soul to play a character like that.”
Playing the second grade teacher who finds herself in a love triangle with Jake (Ulrich) and his high school sweetheart Emily (Ashley Scott) has been fun for Grayden because she loves the entire cast that she’s working with. “They’re awesome. We get along so well, it’s really bad. We’re going to be so sad, if we don’t get to keep working together. It’s phenomenal. We hang out and go to dinner when we’re not working. It’s insane. I really admire Lennie James, Gerald McRaney and Pamela Reed. I was really excited when they cast Shoshannah Stern. I think she’s rad, and she’s been incredible to get to know. She’s an amazing woman. And, everybody else is just cool.”
{quote_middle}Grayden admits to having had some hesitation, when it came to making a long-term commitment to play the same character, because a television series can stay on the air for a number of years. “Every time I start a show, I get concerned, but TV’s really been good to me. It’s been my bread and butter. I would like to eventually do film as well, but right now, for my age and the fact that I’m not cookie cutter, you can’t just throw me in as the lead female character, playing the romantic interest. I like to play weird, quirky, interesting characters and TV is the best medium for that, for women.”
The American Studies major, with a concentration in history, who started acting in commercials at the age of five, says that she thinks she’s attracted to characters that are a bit out of the ordinary because she considers herself to be an odd duck. “I collect Pez dispensers, I live in a crazy house that has gargoyles on it and, secretly, I’m a real big nerd. I’d rather stay home and play Scrabble than go to a Hollywood party, any day of the week. And, I love reading about history and watching the Discovery Channel. I’m a really big dork, and I don’t necessarily look like one. I look more like the little girl next door. So, I like playing these characters that aren’t what they appear to be. My characters are never what they seem. You can’t make a judgement on them until they really show their true colors, and I definitely feel that way about myself.”
With the current social and political climate in America, a show about the effects of a nuclear explosion can be quite chilling and disheartening. Living in New York at the time, and having experienced the effects of 9/11 firsthand, Grayden was attracted to the project because of the hope that develops when this small community bands together and takes care of each other.
“I do think this show may spark a conversation of, ‘This is a possibility and we need to be aware, and we need to really educate ourselves.’ I’m never a big fan of art that preaches and tells you what to think. I’m a big fan of art that starts conversation. It’s about encouraging the public to educate themselves. That’s all you can ask. People have to come to conclusions on their own.”
The very real possibility of a nuclear explosion is something that Grayden says that the cast has been talking about, since they started working on Jericho. “A couple cast members have said, ‘I’d run into the blast.’ But, I think I would definitely be a survivor. I would definitely strive to live. I love living, I love eating, I love loving and I love being alive. I would struggle to keep breathing.”
{quote_bottom}Although Grayden would, ideally, like to branch out into film, she has no desire to make the transition to director that so many other young actors make. “I do not want to direct at all. I’m interested in eventually producing, with a little group of friends. We’re starting to get to that age, and talk about it. I would love to do film, but at the same time, I want to do the right film. A couple have come along and there’s been scheduling conflicts. I’m just a working actress, so when I get a job, I’ve got to take it. I’m lucky enough that I get to be very picky in television, and so, when it comes to film, I would like to be picky with that too.”
