Missy Peregrym – FBI

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) Have you been working on anything else outside of “FBI?”

A) That’d be a lovely thing to think about, but no.[laughs] This takes up the most time I’ve ever had on one project. So, I was very busy getting the rest of my life organized during the two months that we had off.

Q) Was there anything physically or mentally you did differently this season in order to get back into character?

A) Yeah, the thing that we’re trying to focus on is Maggie moving forward from last season and her husband’s death so that weight wasn’t on her the same way as it was last season. So, we’re pretty early on. We’re just filming episode seven, so we’ll see where that goes, but that’s the intention for the character this season. It’s to move on and move forward, which I was very happy about. It’s nice to play that and hopefully we’ll get to know more sides of her than just that trauma.

Q) Is there something she’s done then to move past it a little more or was it just time?

A) I think it’s time, but also the choice. Circumstances that will come out that will kind of invite that idea of why it’s time. Again, it’s pretty early and I don’t get to know everything that happens later. So, I have very limited information to give you in terms of that, just because we’re not such a character show. We’re very procedural so it always comes in very small increments.

Q) What are some themes or cases that are explored this season?

A) Well, for the first episode we dealt with a bombing that went off in OA’s (Zeeko Zaki) neighborhood when he was growing up. Dealing with anti-Muslim hate. So, this is the tricky part of the FBI. There are lots of variables in the stuff that we explore. We also explore how the FBI works to solve these cases, but they are all federal cases. That means they are all very big and they are all very similar in terms of what gets their attention. So, I would say this is more personal and I think we are doing more episodes where it is more personal to the person who is working on it just so we can reveal more character stuff. We have two new characters this season. We still have an SAC and that’s Alana De La Garza. She’s joining us this year and she’s really wonderful and it’s fun to watch her. Also, we have John Boyd who is playing Scola. He’s working with Kristen (Ebonee Noel). So, there are different dynamics this year, which is fun. I really like the structure of that.

Q) Bell and OA have a great partnership. Did you and Zeeko need to do a chemistry read or was it all there in the script?

A) Zeeko got cast before me and I was offered the role very last minute, actually. It wasn’t supposed to be last minute. I just didn’t read the script. [laughs] I didn’t want to do a procedural and they just kept coming back to me. I read it and then accepted the job. So, when I met him, it was about creating it and getting to know each other. Also, you really have to rely on the writing as well for their vision of what that partnership is going to be. Zeeko is hilarious! We’re actually so different, which actually makes it fun. We have such different personalities in real life. I’m like the older sister, essentially, slash mom depending on what we’re talking about. [laughs] It’s been fun. It’s really just trying to create that dynamic and sorting out where we stand with each other. And that’s just something that is going to happen anyway any time you’re in a new show. In the beginning seasons, it really takes time to develop that. We’re having fun with it, on our side.

Q) What do you do in order to shake off a long day of filming?

A) I had to learn how to do that. I didn’t realize how much I was taking on personally until I was in therapy, actually. Just because of “Rookie Blue” and Backcountry, I put my body through a lot of trauma physically because I’m in these spaces of dealing with situations and I didn’t realize how much I was taking home until I was all of a sudden kind of afraid of everything. It does affect me in the sense that I go into spaces and I’m constantly looking for the exits. I’m constantly looking at people to assess the situation to see if a dangerous thing is happening. It’s not great. I don’t think it’s terrible. As a woman that we quite naturally do that anyway. You are taught to do that. If you’re walking by yourself, it’s kind of instinctive to do it, but it’s definitely on another level. I think you just kind of have to be aware of it and kind of accept that this is the consequence of taking on this type of content. I was nervous to do this show for that very reason. I would love to do a comedy where I could just laugh a lot. [laughs] That’s a totally different thing. It’s not very fun to feel the pressure to be funny. I don’t thrive in that situation. I’m usually funny when I’m dramatic, not because I have to make a joke. SO, as much as I say that, I think it might stress me out more than my current situation.

Q) You have played so many incredible characters over the year that the roles you take on are pretty much the definition of a “strong female character.” What does that term mean to you?

A) It’s funny. I think it’s adapted over the years as I’ve grown and matured. What I really try to do and what is exciting for me to play is against having it all together. The older I get the more I’m making peace with my vulnerability, not having answers for everything and showing up even though I’m scared to death. I think it’s really important to show that. I think “strong female characters” always meant badass, just super independent. You don’t really need anybody. It’s a force to be reckoned with and I believe that every woman has that in it. Actually, part of our amazing strength is we are incredibly vulnerable and have the ability to relate to people on a deeper level quite naturally. The fact that we are sensitive and intuitive to things that make people feel uncomfortable is awesome to me. So, I would say being a strong woman or being a strong female character is representing your whole self and getting to be all of those things at different times. It’s not just one identity. One strong attribute. Actually, showing up when you don’t have everything together is pretty strong if you ask me.

Q) What is it you love about Maggie and really resonates with you?

A) She cares to do the right thing. She cares about people and she cares to do the right thing. I think that’s a huge driving force in my life and something I relate to with her character. And she’s not going to get pushed around. She is not going to be pushed around. She’ll be affected and she’ll be hurt or she can be very vulnerable, but at the same time she’ll call “bullshit” and I really like that.

Q) What do you think it is about the series “FBI” that has made it such a fan favorite show?

A) It’s always such a relief when something works. Thera re a lot of people working really hard to ensure that it continues to stay that way. I would just say, the one thing is that it’s a Dick Wolf show. When you tune into his genre you know what you are getting. It’s going to be a fast-paced show and people enjoy, particular with his show, that it is kind of wrapped up. You don’t have to watch a whole season to enjoy the hour of television. I think there is a real audience for that, if I was to guess.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive to the episodes as they air?

A) I have to say I’m pretty terrible with checking that stuff out. Social media started kind of in the middle of my career. I actually do well with putting my head down and working and kind of let go of how people are going to feel about it because I can’t really control that part. So, in terms of my work, I try not to listen to that. I just have to do what I feel is right in the moment. Some people will love it and some people will hate it. I kind of have to make peace with that in this artform. There is that part. On the other hand, I’ve really enjoyed hearing from people of amazing stories of how they have related to the character or excites me when people want to become an FBI agent because of this. I think this is such a badass job. Honestly. It’s so cool and when I talk to real agents about how they go about this, it’s so fascinating to me the different types of people that do this job. I think it’s really cool that it contributes to society by being a part of a job where you are sacrificing. It feels good when people relate to your characters and can see themselves in your character and it inspires them to do something within their own life. It’s pretty cool.

Q) Do you keep in touch with any of your former “Rookie Blue” costars?

A) Yeah! I’m close with a lot of them. We all still miss that show so much. We knew it was a very special show, just the way that we got along really well. We had so much fun making it. There are difficulties in every job, but there was so much love on that set for each other. So, it’s a bummer. I think we all kind of miss that we don’t see each other every day because everybody is everywhere now. So, we don’t live near each other. But we’ll definitely visit each other if we go to the cities that we’re in. I’ll see Greg [Smith] in a month. He’ll be here with his wife. It makes it exciting. It’s really nice to be able to have those kinds of bonds.

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

A) Thank you! Thank you for that support. It kind of still surprises me and I never really assume that it’s going to be there. I never take that for granted and I’m just very appreciative that I can continue doing my work and that there is that space to create. That really is because people are there for me. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the next season of “FBI.”