How's this for pressure: The fate of the world rests on your shoulders. In the new CBS sci-fi drama Threshold, that's the massive responsibility Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey faces as a scientist whose hypothetical contingency plan becomes reality when aliens invade. Carla Gugino, 34, best known for playing the mom in the Spy Kids films and a tough U.S. marshal in Karen Sisco, says she's up to the challenge. The Sarasota-born, California-raised former teen model, on her own since she was 15, has come a long way since her first movie, Troop Beverly Hills. She talks to us about her new role...
You've played a lot of strong women so far, not just in Spy Kids and Karen Sisco, but also on Spin City and Chicago Hope. Is that what drew you to play Molly?
It's very cool to play an empowered woman. This is someone who chooses worst-case scenarios as a profession. When the s**t hits the fan she's in her best form.
How are you in a crisis?
I'm pretty good. I'm not much of a screamer or a jumper and yet the people who really succeed in very high-stress scenarios are people who actually get excited by the challenge. The bigger the challenge, the more up for it they are. I have some elements of that but not to the extent she does.
How does Molly react to her big stresses, like creepy aliens?
She's a person who really cares about what she does. She's a very studious, private person who functions well in her environment, but is in a little over her head. She's really qualified but she's thrown into unknown territory, and that's very interesting to play as an actor.
She sounds kind of straight-laced and serious.
She's a little bohemian, she's a bit of a gypsy, bit of a loner. She and her dog spend six months in one city, six months in another city. She gets along with people but she's quite solitary and she gets thrown into something that is anything but. And of course there are sexual tension elements that come up. These are all interesting elements to play and deal with.
Do you have to be in shape for the stunts, or on any sort of special exercise regime to keep fit?
There doesn't seem to be much time for working out but I'm going to work it in ‑- I have to. I hike, I swim, I do yoga. I'll always be a curvy person. I love food and when I'm working I tend to eat better. I'm more decadent when I'm off. Dark chocolate soufflé cake is about as good as it gets for me. And a glass of red wine.
Ever worry about getting upstaged by the dog?
I love dogs. Monster, a.k.a. Black Wind, because of the gas problem he has that is really unfortunate, makes up for it in cuteness. Of course you always have the trainer behind you with the food.
Do you know how the mystery on Threshold will play out?
I may know a little more than other people but I don't know a lot and I kind of like that aspect. In a film you have a very defined piece of material so it's interesting to see it take shape as we go along. I'm sort of happy to be surprised.
You are not the only supernatural or sci-fi series on this fall. What do you think of the TV schedule being so filled with competition?
Everything comes in waves. I think there's room for several shows in a genre if they're all good. So many peculiar things are happening in our world that sci-fi is of interest because what seems completely farfetched feels kind of like it could happen at any moment. And people love to be scared. I love a good scare ‑- not a cheap scare but a good scare.
Were you burnt out on TV series after Karen Sisco was cancelled in 2003?
Karen Sisco was an amazing experience, and I'm so happy that I did it. But I was not looking to do a television show after that until I read this script. This is more of an ensemble and hopefully I'll have the luxury of a couple hours off!
You recently costarred in Sin City. Will there be a sequel, and do you have other movies coming up?
Sin City was a fascinating experience. I'd love to be involved with a sequel. I just finished a film called Rise with Lucy Liu and Michael Chiklis. I play a femme fatale named Eve, a member of a cult. I did a movie called Even Money with Kim Basinger and Danny DeVito. Basketball is an element of it as well as gambling and taking risks. I've done stage and film and TV and I'll probably continue to do that for the rest of my career wherever the really cool roles take me.
