The Safe House - Expositions

Vartan Ho note: This page features excerpts from Kristin's weekly columns and spoiler chats. It was put up in an effort to compile cast quotes and to archive her Alias related reports. Also note that she was previously known as "Wanda".

The following may contain spoilers for upcoming episodes!

December 19, 2003

That, my faithful tubers, is why sometimes in our weekly chats, I will continue to use that phrase you hate to hear: It's just too good to spoil.

Such is the case with a few "soilers" (they're that good) coming up on Alias. When asked at the Lord of the Rings premiere what's ahead for her character, Melissa George (Lauren Reed), said coyly, "I don't know. I can only tell you that you have to watch the one that's coming up in two episodes. You're not going to believe it. I mean, I can't believe it. I was shocked."

Though George has faced the same challenge of knowing very little about her character, she actually reveled in the mystery--something we could learn a thing or two about. "I think [not knowing] makes the show better...Michael Vartan and I kept trying to guess. We were always joking, 'Maybe Lauren's really a man!' And we would come up with storylines that were really weird. JJ Abrams would just shake his head and say, 'Uh-huh, yeah. You just wait.'"

October 31, 2003

Alias

The Mystery: Why does Mrs. Vaughn (Melissa George) have an accent? Her father is a U.S. Senator from Virginia.
The Answer: From creator-executive producer JJ Abrams: "Lauren Vaughn was born in the U.S. but was raised in London. Her father was working in the embassy in England, and that's why they were there." That's all JJ is spilling for now, but there's much more to know about Lauren's background.

October 27, 2003

From turbogrape: Is it just me, or has Bradley Cooper gotten hotter now that he's not on Alias regularly?
And how. Could be the tan. Here's what he told me about his experience getting a spray tan for his "metrosexual" role on Friday's Miss Match: "I went to this place called Copper Tan in the ghetto," Bradley said. "It was the most horrific experience. I can't hold my breath in that thing. Not only is it toxic, [but] my toenails are still brown. I can't get it off. I tried to be all cool, like, 'I'm just doing this for a job.' And the woman there was like, 'Are you an actor? Because with a tan, I bet you could get some work.' "

From larrypigtails: Love him! Did Bradley say anything else about Alias?
I asked him when he found out he wasn't coming back as a regular this season. "I did not know until the summertime," he replied. "We talked about what Will's role would be with him and Francie and, you know, he was working at a restaurant. Do you know what I mean? It was like, what is going on? I didn't know how to play him anymore. Basically, I think they were trying to change it up this year. I think they thought, 'Let's get rid of Will and Francie.' "

From reba47: Anything else from Bradley Cooper?
Just this response when I told him I thought it was unrealistic that he survived: "Actually, if Francie didn't stab me in the stomach, it's possible. I mean, I was fine the last time I was stabbed with a kitchen knife, which was about a foot-and-a-half long. Did you see the size of it? That butcher knife! I love how I suddenly wasn't strong enough, at six-foot-two and a buck-85, to wield her away from me."

August 11, 2003

From luv_girlcl: There are a few rumors going around: One says Sark and Vaughn may be siblings; and the other says something happens between Syd and Sark in episode two. Can you confirm or deny any of this?
You aren't going to like his answer, but I did ask David Anders (yum) whether he and Syd might be sibs, and he just laughed and said, "Well now, that's a very interesting theory." Though I hardly doubt it's the first time he's heard it! More from Davey-baby in this week's column...

From copssister: Any Marshall scoop? You know I love my geeks!
You know I love them more! Okay, here is something that was big enough for Kevin Weisman to go off-topic about: I asked if Amanda Foreman was going to be returning, and here was his reply: "Yes, she was on a few episodes and is coming back as a recurring character. I don't know if I should tell you but there is a very special secret, a surprise having to do with Marshall. There are some major surprises, but finally Marshall has one, too." Guesses?

July 28, 2003

From Susan: Just remember you heard it here first: I think Sydney had a baby. When she woke up, she looked at some kind of scar on her abdomen--think C-section. What if she was inseminated and gave birth to some evil child?
Hmmm...interesting. Many of you have been asking about that scar. To be honest, I thought it simply marked the passage of time, indicating that the scar was a healed wound from her battle with Francie and that it had been that long since the fight. While I was talking to Kevin Weisman (Marshall) at the ABC party, someone asked him if we learn why she has the scars, and he said "No, not in the first episode...but eventually." So, maybe you are on to something, loveydove!

From bebegirl: Anything else from Kevin about Alias?
He said this of the first episode of the season: "The first script, every character has kind of evolved to another place. It's two years later, and a lot has happened. Sydney starts to put some things together in her mind, but nothing is clear. She doesn't know where she's been for two years."

From lucka2k: What's up with Vaughn's wife? Any news on who was cast?
She must have been cast by now (they've already started production), but I haven't heard so much as a peep. Whoever it is, she's an 11th-hour decision, because according to Kevin a week ago, "We will meet Vaughn's wife, but she hasn't been cast yet. They're frantically trying to find her. They're seeing a lot of different people."

From Lex: Any news on how Spy Daddy has been coping with Sydney's "death" over the past two years?
Seems to me that Spy Daddy was hit hard. When I asked Kevin, in general, what are some of the changes we'll see, he mentioned Jack first: "Victor's character has undergone quite a change. At some point, they thought she had died. They had assumed she was dead for a long period of time, when she made that phone call at the end of last year."

July 21, 2003

From pigglywiggly666: Surely, when you tackled Grunberg at the TCAs, you got more than "It's gonna be a mindblower." Dish it, dahlink.
Piggly, I like the way you work it. Here's some more:

"We're not changing everything, but there will be shocking changes. Things are so cloudy for Sydney. Two years have passed, and she has no idea what's happened to her...It's weird. On our show, a lot of times the writers and JJ write themselves into a corner that I don't know how they'll get out of. But they have it all planned out, which makes it so interesting and unpredictable. This reveal is so huge, I don't know how Sydney will deal with it. Jennifer has some incredible stuff to deal with as an actor. She's always had it tough with the languages, has to look beautiful and kick ass. But now she'll have really interesting emotional things."

Also from Greg: "I'm the only guy who sort of doesn't change. The only thing I've done in the two years is lose a few pounds. All of the other characters have gone through major changes, good and bad. The stakes are a lot higher. This script is so exciting--it launches the third season, and I think it is going to pay off in a huge way."

And (how ya like me now?): "I get to enter in a big way in the first episode. It's like, 'Weiss enters guns a-blazing.' When you read that, it's just like cowboys and Indians. So much fun. I always feel like it looks like comedy when I'm doing it. Ken Olin always tells me to be more tough. But I think I bring a humanity that other characters don't."

July 18, 2003

I Scream, You Scream... Just when you thought the wait for new eps of Alias couldn't get any worse...whammo! Greg Grunberg (now a series regular--hurrah!) had to go and tell me this at ABC's party Tuesday night: "I got the first script yesterday, and I absolutely freaked out. At the end of the first episode, there is something revealed to Sydney and to us that is so shocking my wife, Elizabeth, screamed when I told her. This reveal is so huge I don't know how Sydney will deal with it."

That makes two of us, honey-child.

Greg (who dropped 25 pounds over the hiatus) also revealed that at the advent of the third season almost every major character--including Daddy Bristow--has gone through a life change (many of which were a result of thinking Sydney was dead) and that we see plenty of his character, Weiss. "I'm in almost every scene in the first episode," he said excitedly. "I'm not kidding. JJ Abrams said this episode could be called 'Weiss.' "

Also much loved and in attendance at the press fete were David Anders (Sark) and Kevin Weisman (Marshall), who revealed some surprising A-list casting. After Anders said they are looking for a "David Bowie-like villain," Weisman chimed in that David Bowie himself (!!) could land the role. "I know David has expressed interest in doing the show," Weisman said. "But they're trying to work it out. He's a very busy man--he's a rock star!" And oh, how he would rock.

Now more good news, followed by (prepare yourself) the rip-your-heart-out bad. "I heard Merrin Dungey will be coming back for a few episodes," Grunberg said. "Hopefully a bunch of episodes, but Bradley Cooper has some great opportunities coming at him, so I don't know. We're all saying 'Damn him!' because we love him so much."

Hear that? It's the sound of my heart breaking.

June 20, 2003

Mother of a Comeback? For those of you still reeling from the news that Penny Johnson Jerald won't be a regular on 24, here's something encouraging on another TV fave: Lena Olin of Alias.

At the premiere of Hollywood Homicide (in which she stars opposite Harrison Ford, in case you hadn't heard), Lena had this to say about her chances of returning to Alias: "I think so. I'm not sure. I hope it could work out. We just have to see about the schedules and such, but I think so."

And from where this tuber was standing, her smile said it all.

As for the ever-present puzzle of whether Irina is good or evil, Lena would only say, "I think she has good intentions when she does all these things. [Laughs.] But that's just what I think."

Spoken like a true woman of mystery.

March 14, 2003

Messing with Alias? If you're an Alias fan, you've probably heard the rumor that Debra Messing is set to guest star. Not one to take any kind of Alias possibility lightly, I went straight to the man who'd know: exec producer JJ Abrams. I also threw in a few extra Q's for good measure, as we can always use a good spy fix. Chickity check it...

One rumor going around is that Lena Olin is leaving the show. Another is that Debra Messing is guest starring as a relative of Vaughn's. What's the what?
You have to watch to see what happens with Lena. As for Debra Messing, I'm a fan, but her name has never come up in terms of her appearing on the show.

Now that Sydney and Vaughn have hit a snag, should we expect another man in her life?
There is another man: Jack. Oh, that's not what you meant. Watch and see...

Where did the idea for Evil Francie come from? And say the "Vaughn's a clone" rumor is false.
The idea came from hating Francie and wanting to do something interesting with her. As for any of the other characters being doubles, the answer is no.

How do you feel about your time slot? What about being paired with Dragnet?
We've been doing well--relatively speaking--Sundays at 9 p.m., so that's fine for now. However, I wouldn't mind getting a good lead-in next year.

What's coming up? Are finale plans in place?
We're mapping out that story now. And the first episode of next year is gonna open with a huge shock. We're giddy like idiots over here.

February 21, 2003

First You Say It, Then You Do It: Such was the case for Michael Vartan of Alias, who admitted he was a little nervous when he found out about the massive changes in store for the Super Bowl episode, including his character, Vaughn, finally hooking up with Sydney (Jennifer Garner).

"JJ Abrams told us about 10 days before, and part of me thought, Oh f--k," Vartan said. "But on the same token, it's about time. Jennifer and I joked about this all the time that after a while, we just didn't buy the fact that these characters wouldn't hook up when they meet at all these clandestine places...unless he's gay. So, it was necessary for it to happen."

Still, Vartan, who was in attendance at Sunday's Hair and Makeup Awards (where Alias won two awards--yippee!), hinted it won't be smooth sailing for Sydney and him. "There are a lot of issues there. Her mother killed my father. There are a lot of skeletons to come out of the closet. We already shot our first argument...so it should be good stuff."

As long as it ends with makeup sex, I'm there.

January 3, 2003

Thanks to Jennie.

A TV Death Watch

For many of you, this early renewal has raised questions about other shows hanging in the balance. So, before we dig in to scoop on Everwood and 7th Heaven, let's take a peek at how likely it is that your beloved on-the-fence series will make it to next season.

Endangered Series Forecast...

Alias: Finally, some good news! Though the ratings aren't exactly where they should be, ABC clearly has big faith in our favorite femme fatale--not only did they give her the coveted post-Super Bowl spot, the alphabet peeps also are moving The Practice to Mondays and using Alias to anchor its new series Dragnet. Bottom line: TV Guide would never put James Belushi on the cover in a blue rubber dress.

Chances of Making It to Next Season: 85%

...

I've seen the ep and can tell you this: You don't want to miss it. Partly because it's one of the best yet but mainly because you'd miss the debut of Mike Erwin as Colin, a dreamy dude who's destined to be the next WB heartthrob. (Let me tell you, no one makes a hospital bed more delicious...okay, aside from Michael Vartan.)

� E! Online

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