Jodi Lyn O’Keefe – Hit The Floor

By starrymag | July 31, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I’m on the Board of Directors of a company called Heretic Parfum. It’s one of the only 100% all-natural fragrance brands.

Q) What keeps challenging about you about your role on “Hit the Floor?”

A) The new cast. It’s having a whole new family. It’s having some returning members and all of these fresh faces. So, it’s a whole lot of new energy. Also, it’s picking up after two years being away from the show, so it’s taken us a little bit to get our feet under us again. I have to tell you that when we all get back together we’re so happy.

Q) How do you get into character?

A) You know what? It’s just fun. It’s everything that I wouldn’t do. [laughs] So, basically, I ignore my instincts. I wish I was Lionel. She just does and says whatever she feels at any given moment. It’s liberating.

Q) How do you continue to add such depth and layers to Lionel year after year?

A) It all comes from James [LaRosa]. He writes for us and gives us great backstory. He constantly surprises us. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to give me for the next week and then we go from there.

Q) There is such a great connection amongst the cast. Does the cast spend much time together off set?

A) Yeah, we really do. [laughs I think that’s really part of it. We have our live tweet whenever we air the show. This year it’s Tuesday nights so all of us get together and have dinner. We all maintain a relationship outside of the show. Those girls, I just adore them so much that I try to see them as often as I can. And the crew…our crew becomes our family as well.

Q) With this new season, were you looking forward to sharing some more or any scenes with someone in particular?

A) Yes, I didn’t get a chance to work with Kyndall this year and I’d really love to. She’s just a little bright light and so lovely to be around. I did get to work with Teyana [Taylor], which was amazing. I can’t take my eyes off of her. She’s just mesmerizing to watch everything she does. Kyndalll is on my list though. I get a scene with her next.

Q) Have you taken away any skills from watching the dancing on set?

A) You know what I’ve learned from this is that I cannot do what these women do. [laughs] I wish I could, but they are extraordinary. I think her strengths lie elsewhere and I don’t think it’s with dancing. With these leads, I don’t think I could keep up.

Q) Talk about working with TV legends Dean Cain and Kimberly Elise.

A) You come to set and…Dean was like the father to all of us for a while. It was really cute. He was just really looking out for everybody all the time, which was really sweet. There hasn’t been a single person I didn’t love working with. Don [Stark], who played Oscar, just going toe to toe with him last season was so great. It was such a blast and so much fun because I’ve spent my whole life on TV and film and it was just really great to get to work in a scene with these people. And I just adored Kimberly Elise. She was wonderful. She just shows up and she’s just good every single time.

Q) Is there a chance at love for Lionel this season?

A) I think so. I think there is a chance for everybody, so I’m going to hope for Lionel. Maybe we can melt some of that icy exterior as the year goes on.

Q) Speaking of her icy demeanor, how do you leave her behind at the end of filming?

A) I come home to three of the cutest dogs in the entire world. Everything changes as soon as I walk into the door. It’s what I’m doing next and taking care of these fur babies. I’m the least icy person that you’ll ever meet so it’s pretty easy to shed that. It seems to be the role I play often.

Q) You do take on a lot of dramatic, intense characters. What draws you to these roles?

A) Except for Jo on “The Vampire Diaries.” I finally got to be the good guys for once. That was a relief, actually. [laughs] I’m really drawn to all characters. I just love what I do, and it happens to be these are the ones I get hired for. I haven’t been picking and choosing them that way. I’ll tell you when the role on “Prison Break” came up I did a backflip. I couldn’t wait to be the new bad guy on “Prison Break.” I was so happy and excited to do it because I was such a fan of the show. So, that one I went in thinking, “I would give anything to do this,” and then it happened.

Q) What does it mean to you to have mostly a female cast at the forefront?

A) Are you kidding me? It’s so refreshing. It’s like the loveliest thing. You go to work and are surrounded by women every day. Especially in an industry where I’ve mostly been surrounded by men it’s just lovely. I don’t think I have enough words describe how wonderful it is and how incredible our executive producer and creator is for putting all of this together and making it a show centered around women.

Q) Do you have a path that you would like to see Lionel take in the future?

A) I think Lionel is on her path. I’m really enjoying single Lionel and unmarried Lionel. So, I’d like to keep her this way for a little while. It’s a little naughtier and fun.

Q) What do you think it is about “Hit The Floor” that continues to make it such a fan favorite?

A) It’s from a woman’s perspective, most of it. That’s what’s cool. We have a full team of women writers and it’s really about the world of basketball through the eyes of the dancers and they are all women. I just think people have been really connecting to that. It’s a soap. It’s a really sexy soap late at night. It’s great. It’s everyone’s guilty pleasure and I’m so happy to be in it.

Q) You have been a part of a number of iconic projects. Which stand out for you?

A) Oh my gosh! The list is kind of endless. “Prison Break” is right at the top. Everything about that…It was so far outside of my personality. I’m not a killer, obviously. It was still physically challenging, and I loved everything about it. This character I’m playing right now is definitely right up there at the top of my list because it’s just so much fun. She’s so fun! She’s an owner, no matter what. She’s either owning a team, a sports network or something. She is a boss in her own mind and that’s just so fun every day.

Q) With the amount of remakes happening these days, would you be interested in seeing She’s All That revamped?

A) This is like the fifteenth time I’ve been asked this. Wholeheartedly yes, but as long as I get to be a teacher.

Q) What advice would you offer upcoming actors and actresses?

A) Have patience. There are going to be so many more no’s than yes’s. It’s the story of my life. You have to learn to shake it off every single day. And if you really love it then you have to keep your head down and keep moving.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you from the bottom, bottom of my heart. The fans are the reason the show came back. They were hell bent at having us back and they let their voices be heard. To VH1, the amount of letters, fan mail and requests for the show was overwhelming. It was so great to have that happen. It feels like what you’re doing is something people love and maybe changes their day a little bit. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And to the fans who have always bene my fans, this is who we’re making tv shows and movies for – you. So, when you love it it makes us feel great.