About.com

Grace Park Interview on BSG's First and Second Seasons: Boomer Gets Ready to Rumble

Julia Houston

2005
 

According to About.com's Julia Houston, Grace Park sounds in a good mood over the phone. After all, she’s recently married, and (inspired by her sister’s wedding in Hawaii) had the ceremony in Mexico to keep things tropical and relaxed. She relates to Julia that many of her fellow Battlestar Galactica castmates were there to wish her well.

And what better wedding present could she have (well, besides a Villeroy and Bach china setting for 12) than a hit show?

The interview between Julia Houston and Grace Park now follows:

Julia: I’m guessing you’re pleased with the show’s reception.

Grace: It’s amazing, the response and feedback. I had no idea it was going to be that big and that good. My reaction’s been, “Wow, you noticed our little project?” It’s particularly gratifying, when you consider that we started out with so much negativity.

Julia: Yes, and not just against the remaking of the original version. I’ve gotten the inevitable emails from guys who complain that the men are weak and the women are all too strong on the show. How do you see the gender dynamic?

Grace: Well, the women are very strong, but I don’t think it’s just our show. If you look around, pretty much all the interesting stories on TV and movies are using female characters to explore huge areas of life and experience that they haven’t done before. Not too long ago, it seemed all the women we saw were wives and girlfriends, secondary character we didn’t really care about. Slowly but surely, we’re seeing change, and this show is are a part of that.

I have to say, though, I did tease [a writer] yesterday. I show up on set with this bandage on my face and all these bruises, and I ask him, ”What kind of women issues are you guys dealing with?”

But the male story lines aren’t about being weak. I think all the characters are flawed, whether they’re male or female. Apollo and the Commander are stagnated in their relationship. And look at Baltar. It’s not like the females are all martyrs. We’re just missing, I guess, that typical blazing male hero figure.

Julia: Well, some of us miss him, I suppose.

Grace: The characters who have survived to be developed on the show are all going to be strong. I think when a situation calls for a lot of strength, we quickly see that the weak and ill are going to be picked off. And, because the show is about survival, a part of you thinks they sort of deserve it.

Julia: And speaking of survival, how difficult are you finding it bringing to life not just one, but multiple versions of the same character?

Grace: You know, we’re on set last season, and Eddie [James Olmos] says to me, “I hate to say it to you, but your character is the hardest on the show.” And he’s right! I’m barely keeping my head above water. I’ve got Sharon on the ship, who’s trying to kill herself, and then her alter-ego is a Cylon, which we had to create as a separate personality. I had to figure out -- I still do -- how to integrate that into an experience the audience can buy into.

Julia: I’ll admit I thought Sharon might be one of those weak people who wasn’t going to make it.

Grace: I know, but I started to like my stuff more the last couple episodes. I like her strength, the way it’s finally coming out. There a scene where she’s shot her face and the Chief comes in to see her. It was such a different mood from earlier in the season. She seemed a lot more whole. When he came in the room, she was solid in dealing with him. I like bringing the strength to her. I like bringing a deeper sexuality -- that scene with the raider, for instance.

Julia: Oh man, that was creepy.

Grace: That was fun to play with. The unknown in Sharon. Things that no one would understand. A lot of us are driven by things we don’t understand. I think it’s fun to do that with Sharon, playing with that element of discovery, moving through it to action.

That singing I did in that scene wasn’t scripted. I just started doing humming a Korean lullaby with the raider.

Julia: Well, it worked. She seemed so peaceful, like getting in touch with her Cylon side relaxed her. I take it we’re going to see more of that Cylon side, now she’s shot Adama and all. What are the challenges you see ahead for your characters now you’re on Season Two?

Grace: Not to see herself as a victim is huge. She’s in danger of giving up, just imploding and feeling lost and abandoned. I mean, she’s been dealt the bad cards. So many of us, in life, it’s tempting to be victim. She can’t feel sorry for herself.

Last season, they would refer to the Sharons as “Good Sharon” and “Bad Sharon.” But it’s not that simple. They both have good and bad parts.

Julia: Well, if you had all the power, what would you most like to see happen to any of the Sharons? I mean, screw the show, just selfishly?

Grace: Hmm. That she would destroy everybody and everything. She would just obliterate the universe. She’s always struggling between bad and good, and she’s tired of it. I’d just have her go kamikaze.

Julia: Sounds like a little pent-up anger, there.

Grace: We shot a scene where I’m in the brig, and Tigh is trying to get in my face, and I’m all, “Just shoot me now, you pussy.” It was great.

Julia: I’ll be looking forward to seeing that. You know, I hear from the others it’s a great experience, making the show, but I also hear about torturous shoots. You have a horror story to share?

Grace: I have one word: rain. The rain towers are so bloody cold, and the suits are rubber, so you’re soaking wet and freezing your butt off.

Julia: Wow. And you’ve shot about half your scenes on the planet with rain.

Grace: Exactly. Helo caught hypothermia.

Julia: Apart from more rain, anything else seem daunting for the new season?

Grace: It’s going to be a long haul because it’s twenty episodes. I just want to keep it fresh and new. We had thirteen episodes for season one, and that was pretty long. People get messy, complacent. We’ve got to work hard to keep the energy up.

Julia: Anything we fans should look for when the next season starts?

Grace: Yeah. Watch out for the new Sharon!

As we try to figure that cryptic remark out, we will be anxiously awaiting Grace Park's return on Sci-Fi's Battlestar: Galactica, returning with all new episodes this July 2005.