Interview with Elizabeth Mitchell

April_Rose · Interview with Elizabeth Mitchell

From : Crave Online

Crave Online: When they move back to the island, will you remain as central as you have been in the Others’ compound?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I have no idea. I think that’s really up to them. I think that they like the character but at the same time, you could die at any minute so you never know. I mean, I believe they’ve invested a lot of time in building up the character so it might be interesting to see where she goes, but then again it might be really interesting to build her up and see her die, I don't know.

Crave Online: But you have shot five more episodes at least?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Oh yeah, I have. And there’s more to come that no one has seen.

Crave Online: Have you made it to the other island yet?

Elizabeth Mitchell: No, not yet. Not really. I can’t say exactly but I’m not necessarily on the other side, no. I haven’t worked with the other guys yet. No. I’m really excited. I kind of feel like Juliet and Sayid might be a really interesting kind of combo.

Crave Online: How creepy is that set?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Yeah, it’s creepy. They built it specifically but it was creepy because it was supposed to be underwater, so it was a little bit dingy but a little bit kind of great at the same time. But I think it was really fun and what I will miss is just being one on one with another actor. And then also one on two obviously when it was Michael because the three of us, it was almost like being on stage. We were able to really work off of each other and I thought you don’t usually get that in a TV show. So to me, I will miss that part of it, yes, but I certainly am not going to have a hard time being out in the sunshine. It’s going to be nice.

Crave Online: When will we see Juliet’s flashback?

Elizabeth Mitchell: First episode back. So that’s the fourth I guess or the seventh? It’s interesting in its own way, simple because it’s concise. But at the same time, there’s a lot that’s fleshed out there and if you are interested in the character of Juliet, it’s a nice one to watch because you see so much more.

Crave Online: How is your flashback tied into the theme of the episode?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Well, I think they’re giving you an insight into what’s happening and they further develop what happens at the end of the episode which is something we’ve been waiting to happen. So that’s how they kind of mixed it in there. I can’t really say anything more than that because I don’t want to give anything away if anyone hasn’t seen it, but I do believe they further it. I believe what happens to Juliet and what her experience is then kind of feeds into what she’s doing and why she’s doing it, a little bit why she’s doing it.

Crave Online: Will you have any more big action like the flooding?

Elizabeth Mitchell: There’s a little bit of action in that first episode but nothing crazy like that. Although I imagine something’s to come. It kind of has to. Something has to give. I always love those moments in Lost where everything’s peaceful and quiet because you know something’s going to happen. So to me, that’s the joy. The more still and happy my character gets, the more I know the next day is going to be the worst thing ever and I love that. It’s great. You never can take it for granted.

Crave Online: Are you on for the run of the series?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I don't know. They can kill me any time they want. But I supposedly am.

Crave Online: You have to stay around if they’re going to explore Jack and Juliet’s relationship.

Elizabeth Mitchell: You know what; they can do whatever they want. We could explore it for a few episodes and then I could die. You never know. I just don’t even really think about it to be honest with you. It’s been so much fun truly because it’s such a great group of people. I’ve had a good time.

Crave Online: Do you see Juliet as a good person or a bad person?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I said the other night and I probably should repeat myself because it’s exactly how I feel, is that I think that even when you’re bad, you still think you’re good. I’ve always believed that even the worst people in the world, they think they’re doing it for the right reasons. So I don't know really except that I believe firmly that she believes she’s behaving the way she should. And I believe she has an objective that might make her behavior seem one way or the other.

Crave Online: Are there any qualities in her that you relate to personally?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I like her drive. And I enjoy her stillness and her calmness. I have both of those. But as far as the fact that she seems to be haunted, I’m not particularly haunted. But I do enjoy the fact that she is. I think that’s nice.

Crave Online: She seems so nice.

Elizabeth Mitchell: Oh, thank you. But you know, she did what she set out to do which was break Jack. So yes, she’s nice but look what she did to him. She kept at him so that’s not particularly nice. Nor is it very friendly to take a friendship and twist it so that the other person cries. That’s not to me very nice. However, there was obviously a reason behind it. I mean, if you take any good person and give them an ultimate objective that they have to fulfill, they’re willing to do almost anything. What we might do for our children, what we might do to save a parent or save our loved one, we’re willing to do almost anything so that to me is Juliet.

Crave Online: Do you think they really want to kill Ben?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I think that the time she asked to kill Ben, she probably wanted to kill Ben. I don't know if she still does. I believe that. I could be wrong. It seems to me that a lot of times, they really do tell the truth on the show and just because it’s so far out there, you don’t quite believe it. Like the time Evangeline, how Kate did it, what she did. The network called, they’re like, “No, no what did she really do? What was it?” So I think it’s up forward.

Crave Online: What’s your theory about the Others and the compound?

Elizabeth Mitchell: You know, I don’t really have one. I mean, I do and I don’t because I was a fan of the show before I was on it. But yeah, I really was. But I loved the fact that the Others turned out to be this kind of intelligent, articulate group of people rather than a bunch of half dressed savages. I thought that was really fascinating. So there’s all that idea that it might be some sort of a nirvana. If you read any ‘60s books, there’s all those ecotopia books. Those utopian societies which I love and possibly that’s it. I really don’t know. Sorry.

Crave Online: How do you like Hawaii?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I love Hawaii. And I had no idea that I would because as you can see, I’m as pale as you could possibly be. I have 65 on all the time but I have to say, there’s something about that beautiful sun and the sand and it’s amazing. I have taken to it.

Crave Online: What’s your favorite thing to do there when you’re off?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Well, I have a one and a half year old, a little boy and he’s as pale as I am, so right about 30 minutes before sunset when the sun’s kind of dipped, we go to the beach and we just dig holes. I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s one of the happiest times I’ve ever had.

Crave Online: Some Lost actors go weeks and weeks without working. Are you looking forward to that?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Oh, I’ve had that time. I wasn’t in the last three, so I had an entire month off. Then there was Christmas so I had a month and a half off. And did I enjoy it? Of course I did. It was lovely to spend time with my little boy but it was really fun to come back to work too. You have so much fun at work that it was almost like being away. But I think that everyone who hadn’t gotten a chance to work, then they got a chance to rest. So that was kind of nice. Then you meet everyone, they’re like, “Ugh,” but it’s good, it’d fun.

Crave Online: Would you continue living there after the show ends?

Elizabeth Mitchell: It’s not necessarily home to me because I’m more of a city girl. There’s just things I like about being in a city. You know how Oprah always has those pages you turn to, the places you want to do if you’re going to meditate or think of something happy? That would definitely be my place. I would go to it.

Crave Online: Are you recognized more now?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Yes, I am and it’s really funny because I go around the world with no makeup on and on the show I wear no makeup so people are like, “Hey look, it’s Juliet.” Except I have really curly hair.

Crave Online: If you’re a mom, how do you stay in shape?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I lift my baby. I swear to you. He weighs now 25 pounds. Not very long after having him, I started on the show and then I just started dropping weight like a crazy person because I dropped back to what I was before I was pregnant.

Crave Online: Do you think having a kid why you come across as nurturing?

Elizabeth Mitchell: No, I’ve always kind of been that way I think. And I really thought the character was that way. It was really very much in the way they wrote it. It just happened to be that I don't think anyone else thought that was the way they wrote it. They’re very good about how cleverly they’ve written the character, and how much they’ve described who she is. It’s very certainly easy to go there and do. That’s an ice thing. You don’t usually get a lot. But yeah, I do think she’s very nurturing in her own way. A little scary, but good.

Crave Online: How tall are you?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I’m only 5’ 8 ½” My sister’s 6’ 1” and my mom’s six feet, dad’s 6’2” and my other sister’s 5’11”. I was always the one like this. I swear I’ve been walking in heels since I was like eight. I’m like, “I am as tall as everybody.”

Crave Online: Actors are short, so do you run into problems with casting?

Elizabeth Mitchell: I’m in my bare feet most of the time until I met Matthew. Matthew literally I can put my heels on and he’s still a little taller, so that’s nice. He’s a big guy. He’s one of the only actors I’ve ever seen who’s a big guy besides my husband. He’s 6’1”. Of course there’s times I don’t fit at all. A lot of your heavyweights are very small. But then a lot of your guys don’t care. I know when I started with Tim Allen’s just a little bit taller. He couldn’t care less. He thought I was great. But there’s a lot of tall actor guys who don’t get it either. Sometimes the camera really loves a shorter body. That’s just the way that it is. Sometimes if you’re tall, you look a little stringy. But in person it’s nice.

Crave Online: Was it scary joining the cast after two years?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Well, I don't know so much that it was scary as much as it’s just I’m a really respectful person, so to come over into a situation that everyone else made for themselves is hard, feels a little wrong to me. But it’s so fun.

Crave Online: How did you come to the show?

Elizabeth Mitchell: Oh my Gosh, I auditioned and auditioned and auditioned. Jeff Pinkner who is one of the writers and directors on this show was one of my directors on The Beast. He remembered me from that and suggested me to Damon and all those other guys. And Jack Bender also worked with me on The Lyons’ Den, which also didn’t go so well but he remembered e from that. And also suggested me so I had those two guys kind of pulling for me which was really nice. And they brought me in and we just kind of gelled. It was good.