Kristen Bell – Out of This World

By starrymag | January 7, 2014

Q) How do you feel about the show being compared to the iconic show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”?

 

A) I’m really flattered. Ithink that’s something that Rob intended for it to do, and it has, which isfabulous. I think that it’s definitely in that vein of that strong femaleheroine of both “Buffy”and “Alias.” Or, you know, I hope that we’re inthat category. The great thing about “Veronica” is that there’s much morereality involved, so for people watching there’s less to suspend. You know,she’s not fighting vampires. She’s just sort of fighting cruel kids in highschool.

 

Q) Does it bother you tobe labeled a cult hit?

 

A) Tobe totally honest, I think that’s the best way to start out of the gate. Weknew what we were going into, having it air on UPN. They’ve been phenomenallysupportive as a network and I think they’ve really done right by the show andmade some really great choices with it. It’s a cooler way to come in, like anunder the radar Indie film instead of a blockbuster that is advertisedeverywhere, and all of a sudden have a lot of people realize, “Hey, thisis a great show that I haven’t been watching? I’ll check it out!”

 

Q) Is there anysignificance to Veronica’s last name?

 

A) Rob [Thomas,creator of Veronica Mars] has said no, which I think is a little fishysometimes. There’s some freaky synchronicity. Like the last name of Lilly Kane,and Abel Koontz is in jail for killing her, so it’s a Kane and Abel thing. Andthen you have the Neptune and Mars, but he says it was all an accident, so I’vegotta’ believe him.

 

Q) We know the show hassuch great buzz about it, but viewer numbers aren’t there. Is the show going todo anything to try and nab numbers?

 

A) Thereis a huge push coming up this month. They’ve got a game plan for the spring asfar as acquiring more numbers and really having a big publicity tour. I thinkyou should see a lot more billboards and mall posters and stuff like that in afew weeks.

 

Q) Is Veronica a modernday Nancy Drew?

 

A) Ididn’t read all the Nancy Drew novels. I wish I did, now that I look back onit, because this is so like it.

 

Q) What has been your mostmemorable moment from filming the show?

 

A)Memorable sounds like a nice word, but I’m going to have to go the oppositeroute on this. My most memorable moment would have to be when it was about 4 inthe morning. We were on the last scene of the night. We were all waist deep inan ice-cold ocean, and I was having to dive in for that skinny-dipping scenethat happened at the end of “Wrath of Con,” because that will neverbe erased from my memory. It was so cold. But the shot ended up being really,really cool and once I saw it, it was worth it. But, like half our crew was inthe water and, for one little snippet, it’s just a gorgeous shot at the end ofthe episode. Throughout the episode you hear that Lilly keeps saying,” you’venever gone skinny-dipping, you don’t let loose” and all this stuff. So, at theend, sort of as a tribute that Veronica just jumps in.

 

Q) What is it like workingwith the cast of “Veronica Mars”?

 

A) Ricois probably by far my favorite, just because we have a lot of stuff togetherevery episode, more so than I do with any of the boys, but he is one of themost generous individuals I’ve ever met and has really like taken on the roleof father in my life. He’s super concerned for me about things and he’s justalways asking how I am and if I’m okay, and you know, you just feel likesomeone has that watchful eye on you of, like, comfort and security. He reallyhas that and we also get along really well. Our sense of humor is the same, sowe just laugh all day long on the set. I just think he’s a wonderful, wonderfulman. And the boys, we’re really lucky to have such a good group of peoplebecause they’re all fun. I mean, Percy is hysterical and Teddy’s the same way.Teddy is so sweet and Jason…I love watching Jason act because he’s so…he’s sucha good actor and there’s so much coming up for him in the series and I’vereally as an actor learned a lot from him because I’ve just been able to watchand he’s so intense. Francis is awesome and hysterical. I think we’re lucky,’cause there’s not a bad egg.

 

Q) What was it likeworking with Paris Hilton?

 

A) She was great. She’s so busy. I mean, she wrote a book and she has a CD and she haslike all this stuff going on. So, she was kind of like zoomed in and zoomed outand it was very fast. We didn’t get to spend a lot of time together like otherguest stars beause she only did a few scenes, but it was fun.

 

Q) Who do you look up toin the entertainment field?

 

A) Ilook up to actors that choose their projects wisely. I look up to a lot offemale comedians, like Catherine O’Hara, Toni Collette or Jennifer Coolidge.That whole Christopher Guest crew, I really adore, because I think that comedyis just so hard. So much harder than drama, good comedy is; like the GildaRadner’s and the Madeline Kahn’s. I really admire female comedians, because Ithink that it takes so much charisma and so much to grab an audience and keepthem involved and keep them respecting you when you’re a female and a comedian.I just think that’s the coolest thing to be.

 

Q) Where would you like tosee Veronica go as far as character situations?

 

A) Atthis point, everyone is so concerned about uncovering the murder that’sbasically where I’d like to see it go. Even when I get the script, it’s sodifficult for me to get the details straight as the actress. I don’t reallythink of what I want Veronica to do. I am more trying to keep everythingstraight. I have to go back and reread episodes to try and get everythingfigured out. The details are so many layers.

 

Q) What was it like makingyour first appearance on David Letterman?

 

A) Itwas great! It was a lot of fun. It was great to get the show out there and itwas a very very fun experience. Everyone who helped me get there, like all ofthe producers, were great about it. They calmed me down a lot and they are verynice. So, it was a very good experience.

 

Q) What can we expect tosee on the season to come about the murder of Lily Kane?

 

A) Thisissue will be dealt with either way. So, however the outcome comes out, it willbe dealt with. Let me leave it at that. It will definitely be addressed more.

 

Q) What is it like playinga teen when you are no longer one?

 

A) It’snot difficult. The late teens/early twenties years are all meshed togetheranyway. On film and TV, if you were really sit down and jot down character’sages it would be difficult to differentiate a young person from a teenager.I’ve always played teenagers because I’ve always looked a good deal youngerthan I am.

 

Q) Where were you when youfound out the show was picked up for a full season?

 

A) Iwas here in my apartment in San Diego. I was on my phone in San Diego.

 

Q) What would you like tosay to your fans and supporters?

 

A)Thank you! Thank you for supporting, watching, for giving me a chance to beginwith and for continuing to watch and getting the word out there. I know therehas been a lot of fans who have helped us word-of-mouth-wise and I appreciate it.