An intense drama that follows Sarah Connor (Lena Headey, 300) and her teenage son John (Thomas Dekker, Heroes) as they find themselves alone in a very dangerous, complicated world, the Fox television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles picks up after the end of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Fugitives from the law, they are confronted with the reality that still more enemies from the future, and the present, could attack at any moment.
While Sarah Connor stops running and goes on the offensive against an ever-evolving technological enemy bent on destroying her life, and perhaps the world, her 15-year-old son John knows that he may be the future savior of mankind, but is not yet ready to take on the mantle of leadership that he’s told is his destiny. John also finds himself inextricably drawn to Cameron (Summer Glau, Firefly), an enigmatic and otherworldly student at his high school, who soon proves to be much more than his confidante.
Co-stars Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker and Summer Glau spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine about the exciting new reinvention of the Terminator franchise.
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Lena Headey at the San Diego Comic Convention held at the Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. on July 28, 2007.
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LENA HEADEY (as Sarah Connor)
Lena Headey most recently starred in the box office smash hit 300, opposite Gerard Butler, about the real-life battle of Thermopylae, in which King Leonidas (Butler) and 300 Spartan warriors fought the massive Persian army, leading to Greece uniting and giving rise to democracy. With roles in such upcoming projects as the psychological horror film The Broken, in which she stars as a woman whose life is thrown into turmoil when she sees her exact double on the streets of London, and The Red Baron, in which she plays the nurse that the most feared and celebrated pilot of the German air force in World Ward I falls in love with, Headey next wants to try her hand at directing.
MediaBlvd Magazine> How have you dealt with all of the attention paid to you in the last year?
Lena Headey> You can keep it under control. I keep my head down and I live my life because that keeps me sane and very happy. This is my job, and I deal with it in a logical way.
MediaBlvd> When you did 300, did you think it would be so different, or did you just think of it as another film?
Lena> 300 was a strange one because it’s this incredible piece of film, and it’s very bold. I met Zack Snyder (the director) and he was this incredible ball of energy, and you get very caught up in being around him. I’m very lucky to do what I do, so I think I should say yes and just see what happens.
MediaBlvd> Are you a fan of American television?
Lena> I think American television is fantastic. In Britain, we literally get everything seven years later. You just do it so well -- the comedy and these hour-long dramas. I think it’s very impressive.
MediaBlvd> So, was coming to America always part of your game plan then?
Lena> No. I just think this is a great opportunity. Josh Friedman is a very smart, funny, clever writer, and the opportunity to work with someone long-term, and develop and be a part of something’s evolution, is a great feeling.
MediaBlvd> Why go to television when you already have a film career?
Lena> Because the production value of television, especially in this country, is very high. And, in terms of being a 33-year-old woman who chooses to act, I really think there’s no greater role right now. It encompasses every emotional story you’re going to find in a life. You’re talking about a single mom who’s bringing up her son, who just happens to be the leader of the free world, in the future. It’s just very exciting to me. I don’t really draw a line between television and movies. It’s a role. It doesn’t matter what medium it is.
MediaBlvd> Considering how well 300 did at the box office, are you prepared for the onslaught of American television?
Lena> Just in terms of working, I enjoy what I do. I see it as my job, and I get a real kick out of doing it. It’s an instinctive thing for me. Going from one genre to another is just like opening another door. And, in terms of the onslaught, bring it on.
MediaBlvd> Were you a fan of the Terminator franchise? Had you seen all the films, or did you watch them once you got the role?
Lena> I saw the first one years ago. I remember watching it and being terrified. And then, when we were going to shoot the pilot for this, I didn’t want to sit and watch everything because these guys have such knowledge of it all. I wanted to take Sarah and make her my own. There are so many big issues in the films, emotionally, as well as the sci-fi and fantasy stuff, which is really exciting. The concept of being hunted by an unstoppable enemy is terrifying. As a kid, I used to dream about the world ending, and that would scare me. I remember seeing the first film and just feeling like that was it. When it was out, to see that glimpse into the future was the most amazing visual thing you’d seen. The concept of the show includes what we’ve taken it from, along with what we’re going to bring to it. It’s a good mix.
MediaBlvd> Did you study Linda Hamilton’s performance at all?
Lena> No, I didn’t. I watched what she had done and I think it’s brilliant, but what I’ve taken from her is the heart that she so obviously shows. There’s a real humanity in her, in terms of being in this science fiction world. There’s such an earth about her, and that’s what I’m going to continue.
MediaBlvd> Does it feel like you’re part of something bigger, having the Terminator franchise behind you, or do you just take it like it’s another show?
Lena> It’s a strange thing, obviously, because Terminator has got such a huge fan base that everyone’s going to draw a comparison. Clearly, it’s been born from that, but it’s a very different thing we’re doing, in terms of the new faces. Hopefully, we’re going to do a beautiful job that everyone’s going to finally fall in love with, after they stop hating us.
MediaBlvd> How do you get your mind around the fact that you are Sarah Connor now?
Lena> I know she’s held in high esteem, and she’s this iconic character, which is brilliant. I just think it’s a challenge. I’m going to step up and just take it, full on. Linda Hamilton was absolutely super and she’s held very dear to people, but I’m coming in now and it’s a different stage for the Terminator. Hopefully, people are going to enjoy what I bring to the character.
MediaBlvd> In the second film, Sarah learned to relate to the Terminators. What’s her feeling on the good machines in the series?
Lena> I don’t know if she particularly trusts any human being, let alone machines. So, I think there’s a long way for her to go, to learn to embrace and understand what they have to tell her.
MediaBlvd> How have you found playing a mother?
Lena> I’m so blessed in having Thomas Dekker as my son because he’s such a great actor and we’ll definitely be friends. The thought of spending a very long time with someone is always scary to me because it’s weird.
MediaBlvd> To play mother and son, did you do anything to get to know each other better, and build that relationship on screen?
Lena> We watched a lot of Tales from the Crypt. I feel very blessed to have Thomas as my son, and I say that truthfully. That’s not bullshit.
MediaBlvd> Will Sarah and John be friends?
Lena> I think they’ll get to that point. It might take awhile for that, though. It’s interesting for her. She’s thrown into it. It wasn’t a romantic choice for her to go and have a son. This just happened to her. And, I think she’s coming to terms with the fact that she’s got a teenage boy in her life and, also, that she has to save him from dying so that she can save the world. It’s a big deal.
MediaBlvd> You filmed the pilot in New Mexico. Are you filming the series there as well?
Lena> I said, “I’m not moving from London to Albuquerque.” New Mexico is kind of cool, but you wouldn’t want to stay for too long. That open space would drive you crazy. While we were filming in New Mexico, there was snow, and then we had Hawaiian weather. We were like, “What is going on?”
MediaBlvd> How have you prepared for this role, physically? Do you do exercises every day?
Lena> I train with a great woman in L.A. I didn’t want to walk in with these huge arms. That would be very obvious. She has to have somewhere to go. I train with her and we do lots of weights. And, I’ve started Bikram Yoga, so I can be lean. I don’t want to be this bulky character. Strength comes from way inside, anyway. Ultimately, it would be very predictable if we both walk in with guns and biceps that make us look like we’ve been taking steroids for 20 years. So, we start off as this dysfunctional family, who are living and surviving in a normal 24/7. And then, everything’s going to move and grow.
MediaBlvd> Will this be the biggest amount of action that you’ve done yourself? Are you looking forward to that?
Lena> I think so. I enjoy the physicality of a role like this. I get a kick out of it. But, there’s also a balance. It’s emotionally very exciting and, hopefully, I’m going to get to do good fighting.
MediaBlvd> Have you done any gun training for the series?
Lena> Yes. I did a bit of gun training. I have a strange feeling surrounding guns. I grew up in a country where they’re not around. But, it’s part of the character.
MediaBlvd> What is green screen acting like? Is it difficult for you?
Lena> It’s almost liberating. But, in the same sense, it’s frustrating because you have to use your imagination and trust people that tell you there’s a giant eagle coming to steal your necklace.
MediaBlvd> Did you get hurt doing any of the stunts in the pilot?
Lena> I did. I smashed my hands, every day. By the end, I couldn’t even hold a cup of tea. When I’m doing stunts, my brain switches off and I go into another place.
MediaBlvd> How far ahead have you thought about the arc of Sarah Connor?
Lena> I haven’t really. All I know, through the whole story, is that she’s a strong single mother.
It’s exciting. They’ve told us a few pieces. It’s going to keep up and get better from what we had in the pilot. Everything’s slightly edgy.
MediaBlvd> Does a project with this subject matter scare you at all, in regard to the future?
Lena> Computers scare me, so I’m already at a loss. I seem to break everything technical in my life. It raises issues, obviously, about where we’re going and the possibility of predators.
MediaBlvd> Is it hard for you to do the American accent?
Lena> I’ve got quite a good ear for sounds. If you’re surrounded by people that have that accent, there’s something slightly natural about it. But, I also have a great guy who helps me finesse everything.
MediaBlvd> You have all of this excitement with the show, but you also just recently got married. How exciting was that?
Lena> That was very exciting and very fun. Everything is beginning at once for me.
MediaBlvd> Where was the wedding?
Lena> Well, my husband is Irish, so we got married in Northern Ireland, on the coast. He’s Northern Irish and I have a leg of me that’s Irish, so I was let in.
MediaBlvd> Did you even have time for a honeymoon?
Lena> We grabbed a honeymoon, and then we moved to Los Angeles.
MediaBlvd> Are you still adding to your tattoo collection?
Lena> I’ve put that on hold for awhile. Being in make-up is far too boring. I have six of them. They’re just personal moments in my life. Acting is not my life, it’s my job, and my life is my life, so they can deal with it.
MediaBlvd> Did you get one when you got married?
Lena> I did. It’s my last name, or my new surname.
MediaBlvd> How are you finding living in America?
Lena> Life, for me, is a journey. I truly believe that you should experience anything that’s offered. It’s just a different place, that’s all.
MediaBlvd> Were you cast in Los Angeles, or were you in England when you were cast?
Lena> I did readings in England and then I was called over here, so I came in for two days and read, and then went home. And then, they said I got the role.
MediaBlvd> Are you making the move permanent?
Lena> Yes. I’m here until February, anyway.
MediaBlvd> What do you do for fun?
Lena> I get tattoos. Well, I’m a Brit, so I enjoy a pint. I don’t know. I just hang out. In London, I would hang out with all my friends. Here, it’s me and my husband and my dog.
MediaBlvd> What do you and your husband enjoy doing?
Lena> I love the cinema. I find it incredibly therapeutic. And, I write. Since we’ve landed, it’s been getting ourselves established and organized here, which is so hard.
MediaBlvd> Do you go see your own movies?
Lena> I go to screenings and take friends. I wouldn’t just go in and see the movie. That’s weird.
MediaBlvd> Can you really remove yourself from it and just see it as a character?
Lena> I can remove myself. If I’ve made a film that I actually think is great, I’ll watch it on DVD, if someone wants to see it. It’s not like I think, “Oh, I can’t watch myself.” Come on. It’s not brain surgery. Being an actor is enjoyable. It’s hard, only in terms of having to leave people that you love and go somewhere else to make something. As much as I say it’s my job, it does envelop you.
MediaBlvd> What’s your big ambition?
Lena> I’m hoping to direct my first feature next year. That’s something I want to do. My friend wrote it. It’s a very British, very gritty, low budget film called Retribution. It’s about judgement and carrying out that judgement on society, if you think someone’s done wrong. But, it’s in the hands of three very young, unstable people.
MediaBlvd> Would you be starring in it also?
Lena> No. I would just like to be behind the camera. I think acting is the best schooling you can have to learn about directing. It wasn’t my initial thought. I was like, “I’m an actress.” And then, four years ago, I thought, “I really want to direct.”
MediaBlvd> Will you be directing any of the Sarah Connor episodes?
Lena> I hope that’s a possibility, yeah.
MediaBlvd> Have you directed before?
Lena> No. But, I feel very confident that I’ll be able to do that. I’ve had 16 years of schooling.
THOMAS DEKKER (as John Connor)
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Thomas Dekker at the San Diego Comic Convention held at the Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. on July 28, 2007.
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Thomas Dekker is on his way to becoming one of the hottest young actors in Hollywood. Born in Nevada to a theater actress/concert pianist mother, and an opera singer/painter/theater actor father, Dekker relocated to Los Angeles when he was 5 years old, and was cast to sing for a national television commercial. The 20-year-old went on to secure acting roles in both film and television projects, landed a record deal at the age of 14, and most recently played cheerleader Claire Bennet’s best friend Zach on the hit television series Heroes.
MediaBlvd Magazine> What made you want to get involved with this project, so many years after the movies were released?
Thomas Dekker> A lot of people have asked why I wanted to do this, and I believe that the story is actually more relevant now than it was in the late ‘80's and early ‘90's. Our lives are now run by machines, more and more, every single day. What I really fell in love with was when Josh and David talked to me about what this is really about, as well as the relationship between Sarah and John. It’s really about the line that is being blurred between humans and machines. That’s one of the things that they’re incorporating really well into the show. Some of the machines are more human than the people. The show is making an interesting political and humanitarian statement now.
MediaBlvd> Will the series be as physical for you as what we saw in the films?
Thomas> We have to have somewhere to go. But, don’t worry, we’ll be kicking ass, by the end. I didn’t get to kick any ass in the pilot, but I’ll be kicking some ass. I’m determined.
MediaBlvd> What are you doing to workout and stay in shape for this?
Thomas> I had a training programming for about three weeks. That’s it. I got this show very last minute, and now that the show is going to be happening, I have a trainer. Both Lena and I agreed that, when the show starts, we wanted to make sure that the characters were not so sure that they’re going to be on the defensive yet. And, as the show progresses, they’re going to realize that they have to be -- John particularly. I’m hoping that, by the end of the season, he will be pumped.
MediaBlvd> What are you doing with the trainer?
Thomas> So far, it’s been a lot of weight training. And, I’m a vegetarian, so we have to do a lot of protein supplements, and that kind of thing. Fortunately, I don’t have too much body fat right now, so there’s not much cardio. It’s mostly pumping the weights.
MediaBlvd> Have you gotten any hints into what’s going to happen with your character?
Thomas> With most of these shows, you get the script two days before. One of the things that separates the Terminator films from other sci-fi and action films, and why it’s actually a good idea for television, is that they were also really focused on the humanity of the people, and the emotions of Sarah and John, and the non-emotions of the Terminators, as a contrast. Mostly, what we’ve talked about is where these characters are going. Josh is really keeping the future secret. We just know that our characters are really going to develop. You’re going to see what it takes for Sarah to be a mother, and for John to deal with this promise of fate.
MediaBlvd> What do you hope they’ll let your character do?
Thomas> I really hope that he’ll get to really display his full range of emotions, as the show goes on. This character has so many places that he can go. He can be angry. He can become closed off. The artistic part of it was much more exciting to me than a lot of the other things I had going on. I’m hoping that he can really just open up emotionally and kick some ass.
MediaBlvd> Can you relate to the pressure that this kid is facing, to some degree?
Thomas> Absolutely. When I first met with David Nutter and Josh Friedman, after my initial audition, I told them that I spent my whole childhood moving around all the time. I’ve lived in Canada, New York, London, Paris and Germany.
MediaBlvd> Why is that?
Thomas> My parents were just really big travelers. They could find work anywhere. My father is Dutch and my mother is Welsh, so I’m actually half British. I have a British passport and everything. The thing that I really connected with the most was how much John has had to move around. I think that it really affects your ability to keep your head down and blend in, within your surroundings, which is a pressure in and of itself. And, David really liked that I had that in my background. That helps with my acting. My acting has totally been shaped by that, still to this day. I’m also a writer and a director.
MediaBlvd> What have you written and directed?
Thomas> I have two films. One is a feature and one is a short. I’m doing the film festival circuit with the short right now. I did a lot of observation while I was growing up with my parents, who were very liberal with my childhood. They really educated me in a lot of things very young, and I’m very grateful for it.
MediaBlvd> Were you always home schooled?
Thomas> I went to school for the first three grades, but then because of acting, and the fact that I had a TV show, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, for three years, from nine to 12, I was home schooled.
I was the little son with the glasses. It was a long time ago.
MediaBlvd> Do you feel like you missed out anything by starting acting at the age of 5?
Thomas> Not at all. I’m sure that there are people who would feel that way, but for me I couldn’t imagine living any other way. I was always an awkward kid. I never fit in and didn’t really have any friends until I was about 15. It wasn’t because I was an actor. I just didn’t know how to relate.
MediaBlvd> What was your reaction when you found out that you got this part?
Thomas> The funny thing was that it was such a long process. I auditioned for this nine times. They auditioned hundreds and hundreds of people for this part, and I went in over and over. Understandably so, because it’s a huge role to give to someone. David gave me a little personal call, and I had been wanting to know so badly by that point.
MediaBlvd> Were your final auditions with Lena?
Thomas> Lena was cast before me. We never met until we got to Albuquerque, New Mexico to film the pilot. I walked in and I was like, “Are you my mom?”
MediaBlvd> What was it like to film the pilot on location in New Mexico?
Thomas> When you’re stuck in Albuquerque for a month, in the snow, in January, you have to find something to do. It was so dry there that, on the second day of work, I woke up and my hands had inflated. That had never happened to me before. It was something from the water retention that happens, apparently. I woke up and my hands were literally huge, and I couldn’t bend them. New Mexico was crazy, but we had a great time. We went to Whole Foods a lot.
MediaBlvd> Do you want to stay away from watching Eddie Furlong’s performance in T2?
Thomas> I think we’re all really interested in maintaining the heart of the series while recreating it at the same time. It’s a very difficult balance. In those moments, where John’s guard is down, he’s very fiery and makes decisions very rapidly. And, I’m trying to incorporate the fact that he’s hiding. He wasn’t hiding before. He’s got a lot more angst and repression of fears.
MediaBlvd> When you’re out on location, what do you do off set? Do you hang out with your co-stars?
Thomas> I’ve never bonded much with the actors that I’ve worked with. I’m a solitary guy. I like my little hotel room. But, Lena and I have literally become best friends. In my entire life, I’ve never enjoyed working with someone as much as her. We seem more like brother and sister than mother and son. We get along really well.
MediaBlvd> Have you gotten any injuries during filming?
Thomas> Oh, yeah. I’ve gotten injured very badly, with all the stuff we’re doing. They have a stuntman, but it’s such an intense show, and we were all very committed to do a lot of the stunts ourselves.
MediaBlvd> Since you and Lena are not really far enough apart in age to play mother and son, does one of you have to be made to look older while the other is made to look younger?
Thomas> Lena’s a real babe in person, and they ugly her up for the show. We definitely did a lot of things with both our looks to try to make me look as young as possible. I’m not that much older than the character is supposed to be, so it’s not like I’m covering up some ridiculous age span. I think the age difference seems believable.
MediaBlvd> Does it feel like you’re part of something bigger, having the Terminator franchise behind you? Or, do you just take it like it’s another show?
Thomas> I think we all just try to do the best we can, as actors. It’s not really up to us. We take it very seriously. We do feel it’s something new, but we know our roots.
MediaBlvd> Does it put less pressure on you that your character is somewhat less iconic in the movies than Lena’s character is?
Thomas> I grew up really hooked on these films. They were my favorite films when I was younger, so it’s very ironic that I’m getting to do this. For the younger generation, and for myself, John was equally as important as Sarah was. A lot of the people that I hear from really care about John. He was played very well in the movies. I felt I really knew that character. So, what I’m trying to do is show that John’s life is constantly evolving. His life in the series has evolved a lot from where it was in the films. In the beginning of T2, he’s able to keep his head up and he’s carefree. He’s had to close down a lot more since then. He’s having to wake up to the fact that this won’t got away, and he has to really step up to the plate. So, I’m trying to incorporate the main characteristics and emotional core of what was there in the films, while adjusting it to the current time and place that we’re seeing in the series. He’s a little quieter and a little more pensive.
MediaBlvd> There was some controversy over your departure from Heroes, as a result of your character being gay. Can you address that?
Thomas> Controversy is such a nice, fancy, dramatic term that sounds good. It was something that definitely got blown out of proportion, as far as what actually happened with the character. The character was something, from day one, that we had set out to make ambiguous, in every possible way. We felt that every character in the series was so clear in who they were that it was nice to have side characters that were a little more open. You didn’t know where his relationship with Claire was going. And, me not appearing on the show anymore has nothing to do with the character. I loved played Zach, and it was an interesting evolution that took place, but it was something that was only supposed to be in the pilot episode. There was never an arc planned for him. That happened by accident. I was hired per episode. But then, I auditioned for The Sarah Connor Chronicles at the last minute, and it was the role of a lifetime. It was the chance to really sink my teeth into a part that was just so close to my heart, and work with these amazing people. I have a feeling Heroes will be just fine without me.
MediaBlvd> So, you were actively seeking other roles while you were on the show?
Thomas> Yeah. I was not a regular on Heroes. I was hired as a guest star in the pilot. The fact that the character took on such attention was really just a nice gift and a plus. I was never under contract, and it was never something, as far as I was aware, that was intended to remain on the show. I was surprised every week that they called. So, when something like this came along, I had to take the opportunity.
MediaBlvd> Are you still playing music?
Thomas> Yes.
MediaBlvd> Do you have a band?
Thomas> No. I’m a soloist, and I actually just finished mastering my second album. The first should be on iTunes by the end of the year, and it’s just been a long experience, since I’m my own producer and I own everything.
MediaBlvd> What kind of sound is it?
Thomas> I’ve been told, by people who’ve listened to the first album, that it’s almost like a combination of Nine Inch Nails and Bjork. So, it’s a got an orchestral/industrial vibe.
MediaBlvd> Can you talk about your role in From Within (out in 2008) and what that film is about?
Thomas> I play a character named Aidan, and it’s a psychological horror thriller directed by Phedon Papamichael, who’s a very famous cinematographer. He did Walk The Line, Identity and Sideways. It has a great cast. Elizabeth Rice, Rumer Willis, Jarred Harris, Bruce Weber and Adam Goldberg are also in it.
SUMMER GLAU (as Cameron Phillips)
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Summer Glau at the San Diego Comic Convention held at the Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. on July 28, 2007.
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Best known for her role as River Tam in Joss Whedon’s Firefly series, as well as the feature film Serenity, 26-year-old Summer Glau began her career as a ballet dancer and later studied acting. With guest appearances on such shows as Angel, CSI, Cold Case, The 4400 and The Unit, the San Antonio, Texas native has also starred in the TV movies Mammoth and The Initiation of Sarah.
MediaBlvd Magazine> Had you seen the Terminator films?
Summer Glau> My dad was so embarrassed that I hadn’t seen them yet, so he loaned me all three and we watched them, back to back. I think it actually helped me. Linda Hamilton was big and tough. People talk about her muscles and about how strong she was, but she was so human, lovable and vulnerable. I was amazed by that. And, I really cared about her and about John. It is a story about a mother and a son. It’s not just about robots and blowing things up and killing people. It was a real story.
MediaBlvd> How does it feel to be part of this big legacy? Is there pressure, or are you just excited to be a part of it?
Summer> I feel intimidated by saying that we’re part of a legacy. I feel like we need to earn it. It’s huge and I’m honored. I never thought I would get cast in this role. I’m shocked to be here. But, I’m excited and I’m ready to give it 100%. It’s going to honor the films, but it’s a TV series, so it’s going to be different. I just hope that people will open their hearts to it and give it a chance.
MediaBlvd> How does your character fit into the story?
Summer> I’m fortunate, in that I’m a new character. I’m not reprising any character. That’s nice. Although, I think we have a killer cast. Lena and Thomas are fantastic. My character is sent back from the future by John, to protect him in high school, which I think is so cool. So, I get to go to high school, even though I never did in real life. I was home schooled. It’s going to be fun for me. They new Terminators are not about being bigger than life and coming into a room and being a presence, like Arnold, who I adore and admire. Our new Terminators are going to come in and be subtle. You’re not going to know who the next Terminator is. It could be an old lady.
MediaBlvd> Do you think about the possibility that your character can become the popular focal point of the show?
Summer> I’ve never been in a cast this small. I’m used to being with an ensemble, and being part of a team. It’s been a challenge for me to be around the cast every day, and be more responsible for the outcome of the show and, on top of that, being a Terminator and being compared to an icon like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Every day, I come to work and I’m not quite sure how it’s going to go, but I know that I have to play my part and I appreciate it every day. I just want to see how it goes. Josh Friedman has some amazing ideas for Cameron. Not only is she going to be hardcore and doing action scenes every week, because this is going to be a high action show, but on top of that, she’s also going to be a teenager. She’s going to go to school and do normal teenage girl things, and that’s something we haven’t seen from a Terminator so far.
MediaBlvd> Do you have any idea what your character arc will be?
Summer> We try to bribe Josh and trick him into telling us stuff. The one thing that I know, because of the scene that I auditioned with in my test for the network, goes back to my past, when I first met John. I have a really dark past, so I’m hoping that we’ll do some flashbacks and flash-forwards. I think that’s going to keep the audience guessing.
MediaBlvd> In what ways is she the most human Terminator yet?
Summer> When I first read the sides to audition for Cameron, there were two scenes. To be honest, I was very intimidated. I didn’t know how to play this character. I’ve played very vulnerable characters so far. It’s kind of what I do. So, playing a girl that can’t truly feel anything was very intimidating for me. It was hard to find a way to make the scene interesting. I worked with Josh a lot on it. And then, for the final test, he wrote a third scene where I had to cry. I was so confused by it, and then I realized that he’s really going to take this far. She can mimic the most subtle human emotions.
MediaBlvd> But, she doesn’t actually feel?
Summer> She doesn’t actually feel, but I think she’s as close to understanding what emotion is, as can be possible.
MediaBlvd> Is it hard to play someone who is faking emotions?
Summer> It’s very complicated. I have to pick every scene apart. I want people to relate to her and care about her, and be interested in what’s behind why she does what she does, and her relationship with John and Sarah. There’s an appreciation that Cameron has for John that I found so touching. John rescues her, and I think she feels this worship for him that I find really interesting.
MediaBlvd> What do you think about the symbolism of a teenage girl Terminator, and how that might come across to audiences?
Summer> I didn’t think I had a chance at being cast in this role. I looked at myself, and I’ve seen Kristanna Loken in person. She’s statuesque and she has that icy beauty. I thought, “I don’t even want to go on this audition. I’m going to get in the room and I’m going to be embarrassed.” But, she infiltrates, and that’s what Terminators are going to be like now. They hide. They’re not that super-human person. Every week, people are going to be watching the show to see which one the Terminator is. It’s always going to be a shock when you learn who the machine is.
MediaBlvd> How do you feel about playing a strong teenage girl with superpowers?
Summer> I called Joss Whedon when I got the role because I wanted his input. I love any opportunity for a young girl to be empowered. We can’t get enough of that, in this day and age. There’s still a lot of oppression for girls in Hollywood. There are a lot of roles that are still degrading for girls. I’ve turned down a lot of things because I want to play roles like this, where girls are celebrated and they’re empowered. It’s inspiring.
MediaBlvd> Because you’re playing a character that isn’t human, are there things that you do with your performance to allow for that, or do you not think about that aspect of her?
Summer> I do think about it. When I first read the script, I was concerned because I’ve never played a character like this. I usually play very vulnerable, very emotional characters. So, when I first went in, I had an idea of how I wanted to do it, and I talked to Josh quite a bit about it. I’m trying to make it very subtle that she’s not human. I want her to seem human, 90% of the time, but be missing these little human traits. I’m trying to build it in layers. I’m excited. It’s a challenge, but it’s fun.
MediaBlvd> The best known Terminator is Arnold Schwarzenegger, but there’s also Robert Patrick’s and Kristanna Loken’s versions. Are you taking anything from any of those performances, or is your Terminator a normal person who breaks into extreme violence?
Summer> I adore Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I don’t know if I’m going to be much like him. I have spoken to Josh a lot about how he wanted my Terminator to be, and I think we’re going to make my Terminator the most advanced model so far, in her human traits. That’s what I’m striving for.
MediaBlvd> Is it harder to play this type of character?
Summer> I was just so excited to play this kind of character because she’s like River, in that she’s isolated and different from the other characters, in how she relates and communicates. But, she’s very strong, and she can’t genuinely feel emotion. River was just a jumble of emotions. I was really excited that Josh gave me the opportunity to try this role. I want people to be able to relate to her and, in some way, see themselves in her, just like I try to do with all my characters. I’m really excited about it.
MediaBlvd> What is it about you that gets you cast as a sci-fi girl with superpowers?
Summer> I’ve only played one role where I was just a normal girl, so it’s better than I could ever have imagined. When I came to L.A., I wanted to do these romantic period pieces. I wanted to be Jane Eyre. And then, I got out there and they gave me a revolver, and here I am.
MediaBlvd> Now that John knows who Cameron is, will he continue to have a crush on her?
Summer> I don’t know. There was one scene that they cut out of the original cut of the pilot, and they’re putting it back in. It’s a really important scene between the two of us, where he talks about how I can’t care about him because I’m a robot and I’m just doing my job, and there’s just a hint of something between us that makes it seem as if there’s something more coming from Cameron than it just being a job.
MediaBlvd> Are you going to get to do a lot of action?
Summer> Absolutely. I did some in the pilot and it was really fun. I’ve done a lot of action. In Serenity, I had a lot of martial arts. This is very different. She’s a machine. She uses brute force. She no longer uses finesse, balance and flexibility. It’s all about grabbing stuff and throwing it. I’ve had gun training, which I love. I’ve got a scar on my face from the gun training. One of the shells popped back and burned my face, and David Nutter even let it show in the pilot. I was really proud of my battle wound. I’m really enjoying that part of it. And, I think we have a killer stunt crew.
MediaBlvd> How has your ballet training helped you with your acting?
Summer> I think it’s helped me, in my discipline, and my ability to come to set and know that I have to be warmed up and know my choreography, and that, when I go home, I have to go to the gym. That’s definitely helped me, with all the work I’ve done so far, as an actress.
MediaBlvd> Do you keep it up, to help you with your action scenes?
Summer> Absolutely. I still go to class. I still dance all the time.
MediaBlvd> What are all those big fight scenes like for you?
Summer> That’s tough. I feel that, in the pilot, the way that they have done the fight scenes, I’m comfortable with it. I don’t feel that it’s gratuitous, and I don’t feel offended by it at all.
MediaBlvd> Are you going to do much training to bulk up?
Summer> I’m going to stay like I am. I want to look as normal as possible. I’m supposed to hide in school.
MediaBlvd> Are you in all the episodes?
Summer> I’m supposed to be in all the episodes. We’ll see how it turns out. We’re a small cast, so there’s not a lot of workload to spread around. I really hope that, over time, we’re going to collect people. It’s going to be fun.
MediaBlvd> What types of roles do you turn down?
Summer> I’ve turned down a lot of roles that I feel are not portraying women in a light that I would like to see. I can’t change the way people write and produce, but I can turn down roles that I feel are not encouraging to young girls. That’s just my way of contributing. I’m not a writer. But, I love opportunities like this, to play girls that I think can inspire.
MediaBlvd> Do you have any information about the next Firefly project?
Summer> I wish I did. Joss is really busy right now, writing another film, so I don’t know when we’d have a chance to do it again. But, I know that all of us would come back and do anything having to do with Firefly. We’re like a family. I know that they’re writing a comic, but that’s all for right now.
