Christine Woods May

Amy Hood: Let’s start at the beginning; you grew up here in Lake Forest.

Christine Woods: I was born in Huntington Beach and then I grew up in Lake Forest. I went to El Toro High School.

AH: Is that when you started acting?

CW: Well, I was always a singer and dancer when I was younger. Then I went to University of Arizona and I was a Musical Theater major there. I didn’t finish college because I came out here and got an agent. And then I just started auditioning for film and television. Something I never thought that I would do, but I love it.

AH: You did a lot of one-offs on big shows like CSI: Miami and House. So how did you go from these to getting your big gig on FlashForward?

CW: I just auditioned like I did for any other pilot and it was my first big break. It just clicked and I fell in love with the people who wrote and produced it. It was one of those fairytale meant-to-be kind of things.

AH: What attracted you to the character of Janice on FlashForward?

CW: There actually wasn’t a whole lot of her in the pilot. So the thing that mostly attracted me to the script in general was that it was unlike any pilot I’d ever read. I knew that no matter how big or how small the role was, I would be part of something really, really different.

AH: It is so different! It’s one of those things like Lost where viewers get really involved. It’s got that cult following.

CW: Oh yeah! And if that’s what we do, then we’ve done our job. I think that’s what is so cool about a mystery show. It talks a lot about fate and destiny, but then it’s also got that sci-fi element. There are so many different directions that you can make up in your head as to where the show will go next. That’s kind of the idea.

AH: Do you have your own theories?

CW: The cast is so huge and there are so many amazing characters. So when you’re reading the script, you’re reading the story, but you kind of get lost in your own character’s journey. So I definitely have speculation on what Janice is going to go through, but I’m usually wrong. I’m usually like, “Oh it’s definitely this.” And then I’ll get the script and it’s the complete opposite of what I had imagined.

AH: Seeing as the part was a lot smaller when you read for it, did they just like what you had done so much that they made the character more integral?

CW: That happened to a lot of different characters. Initially, I was supposed to be this computer nerd who dated the wrong guys. And then when I did the pilot, they were like, ‘We’re going to give you a gun and you’re going to be a lesbian…’ All this new stuff started happening. I’d like to think that it’s because I did a good job, but I think it’s just because the story was so good that they thought, “We need more of this.” Luckily I was there to fulfill that for them.

AH: What kind of research did you do for the part? Did you go to the shooting range? Start hanging out at gay bars?

CW: (Laughs) I definitely have a few gay friends, but I didn’t do a lot of research about that because the most important thing to Janice is her job. So I focused a lot on my FBI research. I’ve actually shot guns growing up so I knew a thing or two about that. And I studied pretty intensely in Taekwondo, which Janice does. I got to do a lot of physical preparation which was fun.

AH: What’s it like working with veterans like Joseph Fiennes and Jack Davenport and Dominic Monaghan?

CW: It’s amazing. I think I’m one of the only people who had to actually audition for their role (laughs). I think most of them were just offered to these famous people. So it was pretty intimidating early on. But then you have this moment where you say, “I can either be intimidated, or I can be a sponge and soak up all that these veterans have to offer me.” I learn something new everyday.

AH: So what’s it like on the set?

CW: It’s one of those things that when you do a show with such intense plot lines you have to keep a light atmosphere or else everybody would just be depressed. Jon Cho is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met and he always keeps it light on set. We have fun. If you don’t have fun, what’s the point?

AH: What can we expect from the rest of the season?

CW: There’s explosions, there’s gunfights, there’s intense relationship drama between Mark and Olivia, just a little bit of everything. It’s very satisfying for those who have watched

Visit the official FlashForward site

http://abc.go.com/shows/flash-forward

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AH: Dream director you’d like to work with?

CW: I love Ron Howard. That’s such a cliché answer, but I love all of his films.

AH: Your dream costar?

CW: I’m such a cliché - Meryl Streep! But there’s a reason why everybody loves her. She’s just magnificent.

AH: What do you do when you’re not on set?

CW: I sleep (laughs). When you’re working on a show like this, the hours are so intense that all you do is take naps and sleep and walk your dog – walking your dog is like the highlight of your month if you can take him on a nice long hike.

AH: Do you watch TV?

CW: I don’t really have time to. But I do love Glee! It’s the best show ever. I love Modern Family, and 30 Rock and The Office. That’s my comedy block.

AH: What about guilty pleasure TV like Dog the Bounty Hunter?

CW: Gossip Girl. Hands down.

AH: What’s on your iPod these days?

CW: I just got a new car with Sirius radio in it, so my whole brain has been opened up to the Big Band and 40’s stations.

AH: What do you miss most about O.C.?

CW: I miss the nice wide streets of Orange County. And I miss my green turn arrow. We don’t have those in L.A.

AH: Favorite O.C. Beach?

CW: San Clemente. Hands down.

AH: You’re leaving on a trip today and can only bring three things. What are they?

CW: My dog, Tigerlilly. My boyfriend, Jim…

AH: He made the cut?

CW: Yeah, he made the cut (laughs). And I would bring my Free City sweatpants. I live in them!

AH: A quote to live by?

CW: “Give ‘em you until it’s you they want.”

AH: One thing you’ve never told anyone else?

CW: I can barely swim. I grew up by the beach and I can barely tread water.

“The woods are lovely dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” - Robert Frost. Check out Will Stratton’s beautiful use of the prose in his song “Night Will Come.” You can find more music we love including great local bands on our Blip.fm account! [www.blip.fm/TheOCGazette]

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