Katherine LaNasa – Satisfaction

Q) With the premiere of “Satisfaction,” Did you enjoy the instant fan feedback you received through social media?

A) I really like live tweeting with fans. I’m interested in the fan interaction aspect of Twitter more than anything else. I feel like it’s sort of what I’m supposed to do now, in terms of staying in touch and being out there. 

Q) How did you become a part of  the show?

A) I actually was supposed to do a movie and not the pilot, but I was five months pregnant and the director on the film I was going to shoot hadn’t relayed the news to the producers involved on the film. Once the producers found out, they fired me before I went to work. I was already in Los Angeles when my agents called me with the bad news about the movie, but then I was given the script for “Satisfaction” and immediately connect with it; I really felt that I had an original way to play the character of Adrianna. I played it a little differently than what I think would have been the “obvious” way, which was just what had been written on the page. So, I put myself on tape in my bathroom using my iPad and next thing I know, I had the job! Fortunately, once the producers on “Satisfaction” knew that I was pregnant, they still decided to stick with me, which was really a blessing and I didn’t expect to get a job five months pregnant.

Q) What was it about the show that really made you want to balance pregnancy while acting?

A) First of all, I need to work. So, it was appealing just based on that. I had gone in for a couple of other projects last summer right after I had gotten pregnant and it looked like I was going to get them, but one thing or another happened and I didn’t get the job. So, I thought, if no one hired me then I was going to be pregnant, have the baby and then it will be over a year before I work again. It worked out that I was over six months pregnant when I stopped working and then went back to work when she was a little under two months old. It was the total opposite of what I feared! It was really healthy for me to work, to be honest with you. I think if I hadn’t worked I wouldn’t have stayed in as good of shape, I really kept fit in a healthy way.

Q) Was there anything about your role as Adriana that you added that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) I had a feeling that my take on it was really original. Sean [Jablonski] said that when he saw my take he just knew that was it. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, I just mean that was the match that was meant to be. I had a feeling when I did it, when I laid it down on tape. I called my agent and said, “Make sure this gets through. I’m sending you this thing and I think it’s pretty good. I think this might be something special.” I think there was a little bit more arch and it was a very dominating character. I just thought it would be really interesting to play her as an old, cool girl like Kate Moss or somebody that was really hip. I was married to Dennis Hopper when I was in my twenties and I just thought this was the kind of chick who was like that. There were these girls back in New York when I was hanging out with him that were in their forties and had dated a famous artist or musician when they were in their twenties. They were sort of opportunistic and able to move through life jumping from one scenario to the next and they were able to capitalize on it. they had a business, sold art or were a high end realtor and they were able to work these social relationships very well. I guess I had this kind of feeling about it, that she was one of those types of girls and I thought it would be an interesting way to play her. Being married to Dennis, I got to be in those worlds where not a lot of people get to be in. I felt like I had a lot of information to bring to this character, like a true worldly woman, because of these experiences I had when I was so young.

Q) What can you tease is in store this season for Adrianna and thematically for the show?

A) I can tease that I get really involved in everybody’s lives. I get all up in everybody’s business. Thematically, one thing I can say is I was really surprised when we get to episode 105 it felt like the show broke open. I think the first few episodes for my character I felt like they were laying ground and plot pots. I realized there is a lot of complexity, not only to the characters, but to the show itself. I think it is a really original show. I don’t think there is anything like it. When I read the scripts, I couldn’t believe we’re making a show about what we’re making a show about and how complicated it is. I think it continues to be really complex. It’s not a repetitive show. In some ways I feel it is sort of a weird mid-life crisis of this main character Neil (Matt Passmore) and I think the male escort and sexuality – even though that seems to be the theme is really almost a vehicle with which to tell this guy’s journey of trying to find himself. I just think it is really interesting that they are able to mix that in and also able to make it a really fun, juicy nighttime soap time. They are able to have existential ideas and mix that in with a soap that is racy.

Q) We have seen a number of your characters are love-to-hate roles. What is it about these types of roles that draws you to them?

A) I think I play them better than anybody else! I think I am really good at playing those parts. I don’t know. I think Adrianna is more love-to-love her because she is so fun. This character gets f’d up! This is a wild character! This is probably more wild than Sophia on “Deception.” She was pretty devious, but this character is a trip! I think that certain experiences in my childhood make me hyper-vigilant that because of that I pick up on a lot of cues on “bad people.” I’m able to mimic them in a way that is commentary. So, I think I am making social commentary when I play certain bad characters. I kind of enjoy being able to bring to life all the subconscious information that I have. I don’t know that I have the information until I get the opportunity. It’s kind of like a chemical reaction. I read the thing and then stuff comes out of my subconscious that matches up with the material. I find it really, really creative and fun to come up with these people. It is interesting the more I build the character the more that I know what is truthful for them like she would never wear her hair like that or never wear an outfit like that. Certain things become evident and those choices aren’t made out the character, but evolve over time. As opposed to what I like or don’t like.

Q) What do you think it is about the show that has already captured the viewers and made it a guilty pleasure program?

A) I think part of it is probably fantasy and in our own lives for the most part we have to do the right thing unless we want to live completely insane lives. We need to do the right thing and make the right choices. A lot of times the things I do aren’t the thing I want to do. They become the things I want to do because I want to have a sane life. Really, they are just the right thing to do. I am sure that plenty of people sleep with people outside of the relationship because it is the right thing to do. You know what I mean? They have an affair or they would like to. I think there is a little bit of that fantasy element to it and we get to play out the drama to this fictional medium.

Q) Is there anything else you want to share with fans about this season of “Satisfaction” or say to them about their support?

A) We will definitely get to see some stuff with Adriana and most of the other main players. As you can imagine, that gets pretty dramatic. She gets twisted up with a lot of the characters so it creates a lot of nail biting.