I admit it, Brent -- I love the woman. Shame that she's so young, though. On Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 11:29 PM, brent wodehouse < [email protected]> wrote:
> > > > http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Entering+extreme+universe/3385109/story.html > > Entering the extreme-fan universe > > By Kat Angus, Postmedia News August 11, 2010 > > There's a sense of nervousness that comes before interviewing an actor > whose work you admire. What if he/she turns out to be boring? Or rude? Or > he/she suddenly starts swearing and declares the interview over? > > Such were my fears about talking to Warehouse 13 star Allison Scagliotti. > It wasn't that I actually expected her to start spouting profanities, but > I didn't want anything to tarnish my affection for her work or Warehouse > 13 itself. Not only has the sci-fi series quickly proven itself one of the > most downright enjoyable shows on television (Secret Service agents > investigating mystical artifacts with magic powers? Count me in!), but > Scagliotti stands out as one of the most charming members of the cast. > > As Claudia, the show's resident hacker with the caustic wit, Scagliotti > carries herself with a swagger and sense of sardonicism that most adults > can only dream of -- and I was terrified that, in real life, she'd turn > the conversation into a meditation on honing her craft. > > Luckily, my fears were entirely unfounded. Not only is 19-year-old > Scagliotti every bit as delightful as Claudia, she's not afraid to admit > she's just as nerdy as her TV character. > > "I'm a geek, myself," Scagliotti says. "I just bring my own interpretation > of what that means to Claudia. I bring my sarcasm, I bring my desire to > fit in and my own insecurities to her. Claudia's a little goofier than I > am, but it's fun. It's fun to don a different-coloured hair streak every > week and be her." > > And, Scagliotti claims, she knew she was destined to play Claudia from the > moment she first read the script. > > "I was rehearsing for the audition with my friend, Nolan Gerard Funk -- > doesn't his name make your pants want to get up and dance? -- and he > looked up at me and said, 'You are this girl,'" she remembers. "He said, > 'If you don't get this part, I don't know what that means for the career > we have chosen, because this is so you and nobody else should have it.' > So, thank God I got the part!" > > (As luck would have it, Funk was later cast on Warehouse 13's second > season, playing -- of course -- Claudia's love interest.) > > I'm far from the only one to jump on the Scagliotti fangirl train. The > actress quickly became a fan favourite when she joined Warehouse 13 part > way through Season 1, when Claudia hacked into the warehouse in an attempt > to rescue her brother, Joshua, from an inter-dimensional limbo. (Isn't > that always the way?) After Joshua was saved, he went off to Switzerland > to continue his scientific research, and Claudia remained at the > warehouse, living her own life for the first time -- and giving Scagliotti > plenty of juicy material for Warehouse 13's second season. > > "She's coping with having no real romantic experience or any past or even > a job that she can really talk about," Scagliotti says of Claudia. "Not > only is her job top secret, but the last 12 years of her life were devoted > to saving her brother from an inter-dimensional space. That's not exactly > light conversation." > > Warehouse 13 viewers love and identify with Claudia's sarcastic, outspoken > nature. To many, she's an incredibly cool personification of their own > geekiness. It wasn't long before Scagliotti became aware of her tremendous > popularity among the show's fans. > > "I had no idea they would love Claudia so much. This is my first foray > into the extreme-fan universe, and it's overwhelming in the best possible > way," she says. "I get this outpouring of love from people who watch the > episode and just eat it up. > > "I love that I can be this liaison to the fanboys and fangirls everywhere. > I mean, what a great opportunity I have to connect with the people who > make our show possible." > > So it wasn't a surprise when the Warehouse 13 producers partnered up with > another beloved science-fiction series, Eureka, for a special crossover > event -- and that they chose Scagliotti as their ambassador. For one > episode this season, Eureka's Neil Grayston (Fargo) brought his character > to visit Warehouse 13 (the episode will air Aug. 20), and Scagliotti > returned the favour with a guest spot of her own (which will air when > Space begins airing Eureka's fourth season this fall). > > Although the two shows have very different approaches to their crazy > shenanigans -- Warehouse 13 is based in magic, whereas everything on > Eureka has a scientific explanation -- Scagliotti insists the crossover > couldn't make more sense. > > "I think it's totally plausible that these two facilities could exist in > the same universe. A top-secret town populated by geniuses and a > top-secret warehouse in the middle of nowhere that houses powerful and > mysterious artifacts -- they're equally weird," she argues. > > "The crossover was so easy to do because -- I've decided to hijack this > metaphor -- it was like packing a bag and visiting family members. The > cast of Eureka is amazing; they're hilarious and really nice and everyone > made me feel incredibly welcome. We did the same for Neil when he was on > Warehouse 13." > > Warehouse 13 airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on Citytv. > > © Copyright (c) dose.ca > > > -- "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
