Tricia Helfer – Killer Woman

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

A) For the last four months I have been filming “Killer Women” for ABC.

Q) Please tell us the premise for “Killer Women” and about your character Molly Parker.

A) It’s based off an Argentinean show. It is a procedural show, but it is based on female killers. It kind of has a different angle on the classic cop procedural because it is focused on female killers and why they kill. Statistically, there are many more male killers. So, it’s an interesting take on female killers and why they do it. They run the gambit from serial killers, people who killed their child or whatever it may be. My character, Molly Parker, is a Texas Ranger. She is one of the very few women in the Rangers. She studied Female Psychology so she has kind of a good knack for being intuitive and figuring out the female psyche. Her cases not only deal with females, but the ones we are going to be taking a look at in the series tend to be women.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) I liked the uniqueness of it. There is kind of nothing like it on TV now. It’s a bit of a cop procedural, it’s a bit stylized, but there is also a lot of heart to it. It’s got familial relationships. It’s sort of Kill Bill meets “Justified.” I just really enjoyed reading the script and I loved the character of Molly from the get-go. When I was reading the pilot script, I just fell in love with Molly and I thought how much fun she was going to be to play and portray if I had that opportunity. I just wanted to play her and get into her cowboy boots and explore that character.

Q) What about the role challenges you?

A) It’s very challenging physically, but I love that. I’m a bit of a tomboy myself. So, it’s very fun. Obviously, I’m very different from Molly. I’m not a Texas Ranger. But she is someone I feel very close to in many ways. So, in one way what is challenging is not being myself because I’m being Molly, but there is so much of myself in many ways that are like Molly.

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

A) I think you always add things to a role. That’s what makes each character or the person playing a character unique. You make your own take on it. So, I don’t know specifically what I did. She is just who I envisioned her to be. I made her somebody who has a slight Southern accent. We didn’t want to do too much. We didn’t want to make her a caricature, but yet she grew up in Texas and lives in Texas. So, she should have a bit of a Texas accent. I made her someone who thinks quickly and is an active person. She walks quickly and drives quickly. She’s got a pep in her step. She walks with a purpose. It’s not like she is a risk taker, but she just has a pep and a zip that felt right for me to give her. She’s got a quirky side. She’s somebody that has a strong moral compass and isn’t afraid to look at things from other people’s point of view. She is a well rounded woman. I think quite often when we have strong female characters they tend to be very one note. It’s the bitchy attorney or the tomboy that is never feminine. Molly is well rounded like people are. She’s got a fun side, a quirky side and a serious side. I like that about her!

Q) One of the Executive Producers on “Killer Women” is Sofia Vergara. How hands on has she been with the show?

A) Sofia was a fan of the original Argentinean show and she thought it would do well to bring it over here to the states. She was very instrumental in bringing the format over and putting it together. She got the team together in terms of the producing team and getting it to ABC, where the pilot got greenlit. She was hugely instrumental in getting it started and off the ground. She’s rather busy filming her own TV show now so she wasn’t in Albuquerque where we were filming because you can’t be in two places at once.

Q) You get to reunite with your former “Battlestar Galactica” costar Michael Trucco. How was it reteaming with him?

A) It was fantastic working with him again! I’ve known Michael for many years now because of “Battlestar.” He and his wife are some of my best friends. When he was cast as my brother it was fantastic. It was nice that we already had that shorthand. We already had that comfort with each other and love and respect for each other as friends, which translates onto screen. We didn’t have to get to know each other. We didn’t have to create backstory. We already had our own personal shorthand as friends do and that helped a lot. He’s such a great guy that he’s so pleasant to work with, such a team player and he’s so good! It’s a lot of fun to work with him.

Q) You have played many strong female characters. How do you feel about being a role model for young female viewers?

A) Wow! I never thought of myself like that! I tend to play strong female characters, but that is not to say that I don’t play others or wouldn’t. I’m really happy with Molly and I think that the character could certainly be a role model for young women because she is someone who “takes the bull by the horns,” so to speak. She is very honest, trustworthy, loving, caring and doesn’t take no for an answer. The character is definitely a good role model for young women. So, being able to play that is a pleasure for me. I don’t know, myself, if I am. I certainly take that on. I feel quite comfortable in my own moral compass.

Q) You are a part of the social networking site Twitter. Are you looking forward to the instant feedback you’ll be receiving? Will you be live tweeting any of the episodes?

A) I definitely will be doing some live tweeting. I think Michael Trucco, Alex Fernandez and I will all be doing some live tweeting the first episode for sure and then as many episodes as we can. I do use Twitter, but I am kind of a tech idiot. I’m working on getting better. I will be live tweeting the premiere. I look forward to getting the questions, watching it and experiencing it. I haven’t seen the pilot. We reshot a couple scenes so I haven’t seen the new mixed together pilot. So, I’ll be tweeting along with the fans, which will be fun. You’ll have the good with the bad. You’ll have people saying unkind things as well as people saying great things. You just have to kind of go with the flow. It’s the way that it works with social media. You can’t put too much into the good because then you would have to believe in the bad. It will be a lot of fun to interact with the fans as we’re going along. I have never live tweeted before so it will be new for me!

Q) Is there anything else you would like to tease about “Killer Women?”

A) It’s a fun, unique show and it has something for everyone. There is a lot of action to it, but there is also a lot of heart to it, too. There are a lot of strong female characters and a lot of interesting stories. I think it is something that both men and women can enjoy. It is a little more procedural based the first few episodes and then as we get a little bit further into the season the relationship aspects start to delve into a little bit more into the other characters and relationship aspects. In the end, we’re dealing with a situation that Billy Parker is in. If the fans are looking for the relationship stuff, give it time. It’s getting there and giving hints in the beginning. It’s a fun show! It will be fun for people to watch.