Leverage Day 2 - The Girls: Gina Bellman and Beth Reisgraf
Beth is wearing pants and knee high boots today. I am glad we're not in another supershort skirt. I was nervous for her yesterday. They both look fabulous, of course.
How are you liking the convention?
Gina's a bit overwhelmed. This is her first convention. Beth loves it.
The scariest thing is that the fans know more than we (Gina) do. We shed the script after we're done because we have to learn the next one.
Gina: I've been in this business 20 years. There are two moments that stand out in terms of reading scripts. It was first reading the script for Coupling... which she loved so much she carried it with her over Christmas. and that's how she felt about reading the script for Leverage. Auditioning from afar is a big deal and takes a lot of effort but she really loved the script and wanted to do it.
Beth: At first, Nate was female and they wanted me for it. *adorable grin* They do a bunch of rounds before I got there. I dod a couple rounds with them and then we did the testing for network. The description for Parker was so random and contradicotry and I just went in and played and had fun. John said what'ever you're doing right now, just trust it. Do that.
I waited for John and he came out and I grabbed his shirt and I was like "I can really do this, I promise, let me just try again" and he was like "shh, shh, shh, if I wanted something different I'd have told you."
Gina: I don't think I'll have as good an entrance as I did in the pilot. It's difficult to act badly and I was having problems with my visa and my first scene was that entrance of acting badly and it was intimidating and there were American actors and an academy award winner and I was like, can I just do it well first?
I think the crisis Sophie had is going to really weave well into the show and she's really going to be confident this year. The storyline they created [to cover the pregnancy] is going to have amazing payoffs this season.
When you play a character like this especially over a period of time, you expect things. So when they gave sophie a boyfriend I was like Whaaaaat?
Beth: [giggles, micmicking] "Whaaaaaaat?" [quietly] That's amazing.
Gina: I don't think she was very serious about him. (the boyfriend)
How much input do you get in crafting your characters?
Beth: Yeah, I basically write my own scenes. [straightfaced] No, it's fun because they're so nonsequitor and random. the stuff with Hardison and Aldis,(who is lurking off to the side with the TNT behind the scenes film crew) I know John said I was his favorite, by the way.
Aldis: Whatever. [Blusters a bit]
Beth: I'll show you in the van later.
Aldis: That's my exit...
Beth: I like the throughline of letting Parker do more roleplaying and it was challening for me because I felt like it was a bit soon for her to make that jump and I had to find a way to do that without Sophie guiding her.
Team Hardison or Team McSweeten?
Beth: You mean McSweety. McCutie. No, team Hardison, of course.
Gina: The dog tags was a collaboration with Nadine, the costume designer. They worked with a local designer Cari and created a signature piece that Sophie wears when she's being Sophie.
Question about "Insatiable" - it never saw the light of day unfortunately. Beth doesn't even have a copy of it she doesn't think.
Are you afraid of heights?
Beth: Not anymore... No, I went skydiving when I was 19 and everyone should do that it's the most freeing experience of my life and you feel like you can do anything after that.
How is Sophie moving into the Den Mother role?
Gina: I think she became more maternal last year and it may hace just been the hormones but this year I think everyone's gorrown up. I think Parker's definitely grown up and gottehm more maturity (Beth: sexuality) And Aldis had now grown up and become a man.He was twenty when we started the show.
What repercussions will come from the S2 finale?
Gina: I think there will be a lot of play. And Sophie's not just going to fall into Nate's arms, he's going to have to work and she's going to make him work for that.
Beth: No one on the team likes being messed with and Nate pulled one over on us. At the end of the day, Parker's used to being on her own and you can only push her so far before fuck you. Right now they're all very eye on the prize but it might come up. Right now it's like "noted". But if they keep pushing, she's not going to like that.
Do you want to do more fighting?
Beth: Yeah, I love that.
Gina: I have a fight rehearsal tomorrow. I'm scared but I told Christian (and the fight coordinator but, you know, Christian) and he's going to help her work on the scene. Christian is really generous and he'll always come in and help you out and work with you on it.
Do you and Aldis crack up?
Beth: Yeah, I'm /always/ telling Aldis how to be funny >.>
Gina: Aldis is really good at keeping it together. Beth can't keep it together and if Christian sees Beth go, then we're lost for about an hour. But it's really Nate that always starts the mischief. And Aldis and I are like 'come on, guys'
Beth: And then Tim will poke you...NOT LIKE THAT!
What's your moment that you came up with?
Beth: the sniffing. It was random and awesome and it made sense to me and Parker's like a baby or an animal. They use their senses. Maggie's the only other female than Sophie that Parker interacts with so she was learning her.
Gina: I did this tiny tiny thing...it was the pony tail. So I thought it might be fun for the audience to see Sophie getting into character and getting ready. So I did the scene walking and talking and putting the hair piece in.
Do you have anything that you're cursed ito todo?
Beth: They tell us do it once straight then they let us play and it's really great.
Gina: There was this funny thing in S1 and John said...or we imagined he said and he told us that he enjoyed our adlibs. So we went way over on that trying to get the button. Actors love to compete for the button
Beth: Tim stole my button on the poking thing [poking Eliot during Top Hat] and then it happened again the other night with the coffee thing!
Favorite thing on the show?
Beth: Prefers jumping off buildings to air ducts
Gina: The snow bunny was fun too and it was 130 degrees in the valley that day.
Do you see yourselve or your characters as role models?
Gina: I'll answer if for Beth... (Beth: I can answer for my own self thankyouverymuch) I don't want to encourage [crime] but they both are strong and they don't take shit and they enjoy their power as women.
Beth: The thing I love about Parker is that she's not perfect and she's not the whole normal thing. She's not the typical girl. She does have vulnerabilities but it was great to have a character that was a little messed up and real and a goof ball and I don't have to be perfect little package. I come from a big family. There is this big pressure to be this type of girl [perfect girl next door type] and I don't agree with that and I think if Parker can inspire people to be themselves then I love that. [She's very passionate about this. It's really amazing to see.]
Gina: I think it's great because they're strong women with three guys who treat them with respect.
Gina thinks that the impact of Beth lbeing like her sister impacts Sophie and Parker.
John keeps the character voices consistent. The episode writers take care of the plot.
Gina: Opting out was never an option for any of us. (after having the baby) It was great having the support.
[Jonathan Frakes just crashed the panel. Pandemonium.]
Frakes: My two favorite actresses on Leverage. Christian is my third.
Which genre of show would you want them to be on?
Beth: [instantly] I want to do a vampire show. (good or bad vamp?) Little of both.
Gina: I don't know.
Since Moffat is directing who, will you be on Who?
Gina: He's not returning my calls.... No, there's not a word Steven would write that I wouldn't be up for. I'd like to be a Companion or a baddie. I did send him a text that he did ignore but I'll send him another text.
Where yoou prepared for longer American seasons/runs of shows?
Gina: Yeah, ask my husband about that... they live half a year in England and half in the US.
What's been your favorite part of the weekend?
Beth: It's been humbling. Signing yesterday was amazing because we got to see you and meet you and it made me feel happy that you guys care.
Gina: I met a lady yesterday whose son is in the military and he's the one who suggested that she come here. It really touched me.
[And now Tim Hutton is crashing. Boys! He just wandered through though.]
What do you really enjoy or hate about filming in Portland?
Gina: I love it here. We drive ourselves to work and it was a pain in LA and it's just so small and easy to get around
Bather: The only thing I don't like is that I'm away from my family.
Favorite episodes:
Beth: Bank Shot is one of my favorites.
Gina: Yeah, Bank Shot is up there. The structure was fun. I loved tthe First and Second David Jobs. I love the scene where they were all in the museum and Nate was waiting in the car because he knew they'd all be there.
Beth: I love Parker so much, she's just this precious little thing with this tough shell and finding the balance is really fun for me.
Gina: Sophie's a criminal but she's got a very keen sense of justice.
How are you liking the convention?
Gina's a bit overwhelmed. This is her first convention. Beth loves it.
The scariest thing is that the fans know more than we (Gina) do. We shed the script after we're done because we have to learn the next one.
Gina: I've been in this business 20 years. There are two moments that stand out in terms of reading scripts. It was first reading the script for Coupling... which she loved so much she carried it with her over Christmas. and that's how she felt about reading the script for Leverage. Auditioning from afar is a big deal and takes a lot of effort but she really loved the script and wanted to do it.
Beth: At first, Nate was female and they wanted me for it. *adorable grin* They do a bunch of rounds before I got there. I dod a couple rounds with them and then we did the testing for network. The description for Parker was so random and contradicotry and I just went in and played and had fun. John said what'ever you're doing right now, just trust it. Do that.
I waited for John and he came out and I grabbed his shirt and I was like "I can really do this, I promise, let me just try again" and he was like "shh, shh, shh, if I wanted something different I'd have told you."
Gina: I don't think I'll have as good an entrance as I did in the pilot. It's difficult to act badly and I was having problems with my visa and my first scene was that entrance of acting badly and it was intimidating and there were American actors and an academy award winner and I was like, can I just do it well first?
I think the crisis Sophie had is going to really weave well into the show and she's really going to be confident this year. The storyline they created [to cover the pregnancy] is going to have amazing payoffs this season.
When you play a character like this especially over a period of time, you expect things. So when they gave sophie a boyfriend I was like Whaaaaat?
Beth: [giggles, micmicking] "Whaaaaaaat?" [quietly] That's amazing.
Gina: I don't think she was very serious about him. (the boyfriend)
How much input do you get in crafting your characters?
Beth: Yeah, I basically write my own scenes. [straightfaced] No, it's fun because they're so nonsequitor and random. the stuff with Hardison and Aldis,(who is lurking off to the side with the TNT behind the scenes film crew) I know John said I was his favorite, by the way.
Aldis: Whatever. [Blusters a bit]
Beth: I'll show you in the van later.
Aldis: That's my exit...
Beth: I like the throughline of letting Parker do more roleplaying and it was challening for me because I felt like it was a bit soon for her to make that jump and I had to find a way to do that without Sophie guiding her.
Team Hardison or Team McSweeten?
Beth: You mean McSweety. McCutie. No, team Hardison, of course.
Gina: The dog tags was a collaboration with Nadine, the costume designer. They worked with a local designer Cari and created a signature piece that Sophie wears when she's being Sophie.
Question about "Insatiable" - it never saw the light of day unfortunately. Beth doesn't even have a copy of it she doesn't think.
Are you afraid of heights?
Beth: Not anymore... No, I went skydiving when I was 19 and everyone should do that it's the most freeing experience of my life and you feel like you can do anything after that.
How is Sophie moving into the Den Mother role?
Gina: I think she became more maternal last year and it may hace just been the hormones but this year I think everyone's gorrown up. I think Parker's definitely grown up and gottehm more maturity (Beth: sexuality) And Aldis had now grown up and become a man.He was twenty when we started the show.
What repercussions will come from the S2 finale?
Gina: I think there will be a lot of play. And Sophie's not just going to fall into Nate's arms, he's going to have to work and she's going to make him work for that.
Beth: No one on the team likes being messed with and Nate pulled one over on us. At the end of the day, Parker's used to being on her own and you can only push her so far before fuck you. Right now they're all very eye on the prize but it might come up. Right now it's like "noted". But if they keep pushing, she's not going to like that.
Do you want to do more fighting?
Beth: Yeah, I love that.
Gina: I have a fight rehearsal tomorrow. I'm scared but I told Christian (and the fight coordinator but, you know, Christian) and he's going to help her work on the scene. Christian is really generous and he'll always come in and help you out and work with you on it.
Do you and Aldis crack up?
Beth: Yeah, I'm /always/ telling Aldis how to be funny >.>
Gina: Aldis is really good at keeping it together. Beth can't keep it together and if Christian sees Beth go, then we're lost for about an hour. But it's really Nate that always starts the mischief. And Aldis and I are like 'come on, guys'
Beth: And then Tim will poke you...NOT LIKE THAT!
What's your moment that you came up with?
Beth: the sniffing. It was random and awesome and it made sense to me and Parker's like a baby or an animal. They use their senses. Maggie's the only other female than Sophie that Parker interacts with so she was learning her.
Gina: I did this tiny tiny thing...it was the pony tail. So I thought it might be fun for the audience to see Sophie getting into character and getting ready. So I did the scene walking and talking and putting the hair piece in.
Do you have anything that you're cursed ito todo?
Beth: They tell us do it once straight then they let us play and it's really great.
Gina: There was this funny thing in S1 and John said...or we imagined he said and he told us that he enjoyed our adlibs. So we went way over on that trying to get the button. Actors love to compete for the button
Beth: Tim stole my button on the poking thing [poking Eliot during Top Hat] and then it happened again the other night with the coffee thing!
Favorite thing on the show?
Beth: Prefers jumping off buildings to air ducts
Gina: The snow bunny was fun too and it was 130 degrees in the valley that day.
Do you see yourselve or your characters as role models?
Gina: I'll answer if for Beth... (Beth: I can answer for my own self thankyouverymuch) I don't want to encourage [crime] but they both are strong and they don't take shit and they enjoy their power as women.
Beth: The thing I love about Parker is that she's not perfect and she's not the whole normal thing. She's not the typical girl. She does have vulnerabilities but it was great to have a character that was a little messed up and real and a goof ball and I don't have to be perfect little package. I come from a big family. There is this big pressure to be this type of girl [perfect girl next door type] and I don't agree with that and I think if Parker can inspire people to be themselves then I love that. [She's very passionate about this. It's really amazing to see.]
Gina: I think it's great because they're strong women with three guys who treat them with respect.
Gina thinks that the impact of Beth lbeing like her sister impacts Sophie and Parker.
John keeps the character voices consistent. The episode writers take care of the plot.
Gina: Opting out was never an option for any of us. (after having the baby) It was great having the support.
[Jonathan Frakes just crashed the panel. Pandemonium.]
Frakes: My two favorite actresses on Leverage. Christian is my third.
Which genre of show would you want them to be on?
Beth: [instantly] I want to do a vampire show. (good or bad vamp?) Little of both.
Gina: I don't know.
Since Moffat is directing who, will you be on Who?
Gina: He's not returning my calls.... No, there's not a word Steven would write that I wouldn't be up for. I'd like to be a Companion or a baddie. I did send him a text that he did ignore but I'll send him another text.
Where yoou prepared for longer American seasons/runs of shows?
Gina: Yeah, ask my husband about that... they live half a year in England and half in the US.
What's been your favorite part of the weekend?
Beth: It's been humbling. Signing yesterday was amazing because we got to see you and meet you and it made me feel happy that you guys care.
Gina: I met a lady yesterday whose son is in the military and he's the one who suggested that she come here. It really touched me.
[And now Tim Hutton is crashing. Boys! He just wandered through though.]
What do you really enjoy or hate about filming in Portland?
Gina: I love it here. We drive ourselves to work and it was a pain in LA and it's just so small and easy to get around
Bather: The only thing I don't like is that I'm away from my family.
Favorite episodes:
Beth: Bank Shot is one of my favorites.
Gina: Yeah, Bank Shot is up there. The structure was fun. I loved tthe First and Second David Jobs. I love the scene where they were all in the museum and Nate was waiting in the car because he knew they'd all be there.
Beth: I love Parker so much, she's just this precious little thing with this tough shell and finding the balance is really fun for me.
Gina: Sophie's a criminal but she's got a very keen sense of justice.