Michelle Hurd – The Glades

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

A) I’ve been working on the fourth season of “The Glades.”

Q) What can you tease will be new this season on “The Glades” and with your character Colleen Manus?

A) This season on “The Glades” we build up Callie (Kiele Sanchez) and Jim’s (Matt Passmore) characters. Last season we left off with him proposing to her and she not answering. With Colleen, she is starting to care about the people that work for her more. She has a little more empathy for them. I like that because as actors we all get along so well and we all have a richer relationship. So, its kind of nice that it is being reflected in the characters. We work well now, like the characters themselves finish each other’s sentences so do the actors. It’s art imitating life!

Q) What continues to challenge you about the role?

A) It’s kind of a challenge because of the weather. We were shooting at a park recently because we have a rodeo scene coming up and then all of a sudden thunder started and a rainstorm came. We had to hide under tents for a few hours and then get back out there to grab the scenes before the light goes down. I think the biggest challenge with this show is the location, to get what we need to get while we are down here and deal with the fabulous Florida temperamental weather. As for Colleen, I don’t want her to be just this tough black lady. I want her to be a really intelligent, smart woman because she’s the boss in a very male dominated world. I felt like she didn’t need to butt heads with everyone because then she wouldn’t achieve what she wanted to achieve. I wanted her to deal with men in a more equal way. I think that’s the challenge to keep her not one note and not just barking orders. I wanted her empathetic, but still strong. She never uses anything, but her intelligence to get the job done. I really liked that.

Q) Was there anything about the role that wasn’t originally scripted for you that you added to the character?

A) I think the cool part of my whole getting the job was that we did the pilot called “Sugar Loaf.” In the pilot, I was this character called Robbie and she owned an oyster bar, which was going to be a location where the police hung out. When the series got picked up, which was just a few four or five months later, I got a call from my agent saying the producers really loved me, wanted to change my character and give me a contract role. They wanted to give me the part of the Captain, as opposed to an oyster bar owner. It’s one of those things where you sort of remind yourself there aren’t any small parts. The Robbie character was just going to be a recurring part and I said I’d go take it. I figured I’d go down to Florida and hang out for a couple of days to do this part. I was very respectful of the part though and committed to it. I did my character right and, luckily, the producers liked me and decided to change my character to the boss and make it a contract.

Q) Who are some guest stars we’ll be seeing this season?

A) We have Corbin Bernsen who is coming to play Jim’s father. Marilu Henner is coming to play his mom. We have Ed Asner and we just had Kevin Alejandro who is on True Blood. We have some great guest stars, but I hardly see them because I mostly work with Matt Passmore, Carlos Pena and Jordan Wall. Ed Asner is an icon though and he was just great!

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming “The Glades” this season?

A) I think what’s fun is that we get a lot of play time in between shots. We’re dealing with dead bodies and we have to keep the levity up, as it can get gruesome. So, we try to slip some of the levity in the scenes. So, there have been times when we joke around and Jim is always eating where there is a dead body. He does this thing where he is constantly offering Manus food over a dead body. I keep trying to find new ways to say “no” to him. I go out in the field with Jim often, which I really enjoy. I have to say, as the actor, I just really enjoy working with these actors. We have such a good time together. I can’t complain about this job. It’s just a fun job for me. Every day that I go to work I have a good time. It’s all good!

Q) What do you think it is about “The Glades” that makes it such a fan favorite program?

A) I think it might be that Matt Passmore does a great job and there is something really fun and likeable about him. He’s a flawed hero and we all love a flawed hero! I think that the fact that we all get along so well it comes across on screen. We are all having a good time so the audience is having a good time. I kind of joke with our castmates that our show feels like we’re the adult Scooby-Doo gang. It’s Scooby-Doo for the adults! We solve crimes, but it’s not really serious. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s never going to get morbid and there isn’t going to be a lot of blood. There are those moments though that you see where you kind of want go to “Rut-ro!” I think that’s what it is. I think it’s just a really enjoyable show where we’re having fun so the audience is having fun. It’s like a guilty pleasure! You turn it on because you know it is going to make you smile.

Q) Where can people go online to learn more about you and keep up with your current projects?

A) I’m quite terrible about that. My husband, Garret Dillahunt, who is on “Raising Hope,” is on Twitter. He’s been telling me I have to get myself set up on Twitter and I think I will do that this year. I think as soon as we start wrapping here I’ll get a Twitter because I don’t really publicize. I’m just one of those hungry actors. I’ve had a recurring role on “90210,” which ended this year and I was on “Blue Bloods.” I did “Golden Boy” and a Lifetime movie. So, I’m doing a lot of things, but I’m just very quiet about it because I just love acting. I love doing the art of it, but I do understand that social media is necessary. I will start tweeting, I promise!