EXCLUSIVE: Interview With The Gorgeous CHARISMA CARPENTER

At this past Dallas Comic Con (Jan. 30, 2010), I was lucky enough to snag a few minutes with the gorgeous actress, Charisma Carpenter. Carpenter is most known for her role as Cordelia Chase in Joss Whedon’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”. She has guest starred on other television series, including “Veronica Mars”, “Charmed”, and most recently “Legend of the Seeker”. Carpenter’s next film is action-star packed, “The Expendables” with Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, and more. She plays Lacy, the girlfriend of Jason Statham’s character. Here’s the transcription of our conversation.

SciFiMafia: Are you a big sci-fi/fantasy fan?

Carpenter: I’ve become one, for my son’s sake.

SciFiMafia: [laughs] What is he into?

Carpenter: I’m trying to get him into this and be a fan-boy, but to no avail so far. I’ve collected most everyone’s autograph hoping that he’d have appreciation for it, but it’s kinda lost on him still. He’s young.

SciFiMafia: He’s… seven?

Carpenter: Yes, he’s gonna be.

SFM: Well, he’ll grow into it I’m sure.

Carpenter: I hope so. I hope he appreciates it. You know, he has Adam West’s signature, Sean Astin,… I have everybody … like so many!

SFM: He’s surrounded. It’ll be like osmosis!

Carpenter: I hope so! If I were to put [them] all on a wall, his wall would be covered with signed photographs.

SFM: How awesome! I can’t think of a better way to grow up.

Carpenter: None of me though.

SFM: Awww. Don’t say that!

Carpenter: Yeah, it’s true!

SFM: Well, you’ve had quite a few notable roles in the sci-fi/fantasy genre what do you find in these characters that is a good fit for you? How do you choose these roles?

Carpenter: You know, I don’t think anyone anticipated Buffy to be a scifi … or for it to appeal … it’s not like space travel, like your typical Trekkie stuff. But I guess if it’s supernatural in some way or a special ability I guess it appeals. I didn’t intentionally seek it out, but I think it has opened my eyes personally to be involved with scifi. I think the fans are awesome and loyal and good and if there’s more to do with scifi stuff, then I’m certainly more inclined to look at it than not look at it. I mean, it would be a bigger influence on me.

SFM: What kind of role would you want if you had your pick of all the roles no matter what genre?

Carpenter: To be honest with you, I’m a mom and I would love to just do half hour sitcoms and do movies that are good with well-written women characters.

SFM: Would you gravitate more towards children as an audience because you’re a mom?

Carpenter: No, I mean it would be great to do voice-overs of an animated series and I had auditioned for that stuff a lot, but whatever works!

SFM: That sounds like so much fun- to be an animated character.

Carpenter: [Agrees]

SFM: Do you prefer working on TV or movies?

Carpenter: I’m familiar with TV and I like the pace of TV, but I don’t have a lot of experience with movies yet. I have a really big feature [The Expendables] coming out and I think it’s real exciting. I’m terrified of seeing me on that big screen.

SFM: Oh, you’re going to look beautiful!

Carpenter: Well, maybe, I don’t know! It’s scary. The screen is so big and you can see everything. Like Sylvester Stallone was teaching me that you can’t move your eye-line a lot… it’s just things that on TV you don’t have to consider.

SFM: It’s a different scale that you have to get used to…

Carpenter: You have to be in your face, … every fly-away, … It’s so… [sighs] more outwardly conscientious than I’m used to.

SFM: Speaking of “The Expendables”, do you get to kick ass in this film?

Carpenter: Noooo… [slightly annoyed/ disappointed]

SFM: Argh! I was SO hoping to see you toting a big gun or something!

Carpenter: No, I’m on a motorcycle though!

SFM: Well, who was the awesomest to work with on “The Expendables”. It’s like an A-list of action stars.

Carpenter: Stallone. It was very surreal to be working with him.

SFM: Changing subjects real quick, how is working with Joss Whedon as opposed to other directors? Like, is his creative process significantly different?

Carpenter: I don’t know what his process is. I love it when he directs though because even though I had seven years of doing Cordelia, if he came to direct an episode, usually he probably wrote it, but he’d also has another take on it- like a thought about it that might put a twist on how you might say something or the intention behind what you’re saying. He’d put something in my ear and I’d go “Oh my God, I didn’t even think of that.” And he’ll keep doing it until you get it right which I really love. And he takes the time. He’s a good director because he’s actor-driven, into performance, and he really cares about stories. So, to get the writer and the creator to direct is optimum.

SFM: Lastly, I’m a costumer and seeing all the wonderful roles that you’ve had, what was your favorite costume?

Carpenter: [with no hesitation at all] The Mord Sith from “Legend of the Seeker”.

SFM: It looks uncomfortable, but you looked fabulous!

Carpenter: It was painful, but it was amazing craftsmanship. Amazing craftsmanship.

SFM: Did they have to sew you into that?

Carpenter: It’s all custom-[made]. Like I had seams from the top of my arch to around my heel… like stuff you never even have to think about. They were all from “Lord of the Rings”, the seamstress and stuff. It was a factory. It was amazing.

SFM: “Legend of the Seeker” is filmed in New Zealand, right?

Carpenter: Yeah, it was awesome!

SFM: I’m totally envious that you got to go there!

Carpenter: Yeah, it’s a great benefit of being an actress.

Let me just say how wonderful it was to meet Charisma in person. She’s cordial and very approachable. Thank you again, Charisma, for your time at Dallas Comic Con!

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SYFY ORIGINAL MOVIE HOUSE OF BONES, STARRING CHARISMA CARPENTER, LIFTS CHANNEL TO #1 IN PRIME AMONG ADULTS 25-54 ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

New York, NY — January 20, 2010 — The Syfy Original Movie premiere of House of Bones (starring Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Charisma Carpenter and Stargate SG-1’s Corin Nemec), investigated 1.8 million total viewers, more than 1.0 million Adults 25-54 and 893K Adults 18-49 during its premiere on Saturday, January 16, from 9-11PM (ET/PT).

This performance powered Syfy to #1 for prime versus all basic cable entertainment networks in Adults 25-54.

Compared to the most recent Saturday original movie premiere, Annihilation Earth, on December 12, 2009, House of Bones soared 68% among Adults 18-49 and 34% among Adults 25-54.

House of Bones was produced by Kenneth M. Badish, Dr. Wilfried Ackerman and Griff Furst. Directed by Jeffery Lando. Screenplay by Anthony Ferrante and Gerald J. Frasco. Executive producers: Kenneth M. Badish, Ewerhard Ed Engels, and Roman Viaris.

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Don’t forget that House of Bones premieres tonight at 9pm on Syfy!

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Seeker’s sexy season 2 with ‘T’Pol’ and ‘Cordelia’!

Remember those skin-tight Mord’Sith outfits? Well, Carpenter’s more than looking the part. “She plays a Mord’Sith, who clashes with Cara and ultimately with Richard,” said Biller. BTW, you’ll want to check out the knock-down drag-out fight between Carpenter and a naked Cara.

Legend of the Seeker Stars Spill on the New Season’s Supersexy Love Triangle

Legend of the Seeker premieres this weekend in syndication. The season premiere features Buffy and Angel alum Charisma Carpenter as a twisted Mord Sith named Triana. (FYI, Craig revealed to us that he’s a huge Buffy fan who totally geeked out when he meet C.C.: “I didn’t let it slip when I first met her, trying to be real cool, you know, and then 10 minutes went by and I was like, by the way, ‘Biggest Buffy fan ever, tell me everything.’ “

Legend of the Seeker Stars Explain Charisma Carpenter’s Female Kiss

Legend of the Seekers‘ two-hour season premiere event (Saturday, Nov. 7, check local listings) is fast approaching, and stars Bridget Regan and Craig Horner stopped by TVGuide.com to tell us all where the action picks up. Pretty much the entire underworld has its sights set on Richard and Kahlan after a tear was created between the worlds of the living and the dead. “It’s hell on earth — literally,” Horner says. Regan and Horner also dish on Charisma Carpenter’s (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) guest gig as a high ranking Mord’Sith who shares a same-sex smooch. “It’s a pretty sexy season,” says Regan.

EXCL: Charisma Carpenter is Doomed in Psychosis Poster

Shock Till You Drop has your exclusive first look at the one-sheet and trailer for Psychosis, writer-director Reg Traviss’ film which went into production at the beginning of the year under another title: Vivid.

Star Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) shares the screen with Ricci Harnett and Sean Chapman (Hellraiser). And yes, that’s The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins you see making an appearance.

Carpenter plays Susan, a writer hoping for a fresh start after a nervous breakdown. She relocates with her new husband to a beautiful English mansion. But once there she begins seeing visions of a horrible massacre that happened 15 years earlier. Desperate to prove she isn’t losing her mind, Susan must uncover the secrets behind the massacre or risk becoming a victim herself.

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Disney-ABC Domestic Television has partnered with iTunes to promote the second-season premiere of its syndicated series “Legend of the Seeker.”

Starting Friday, moviegoers will be presented with one of three collectible 3D “Seeker” cards when they purchase a ticket at one of 1,300 participating movie theaters nationwide through Nov. 6.

The 1 million people who receive the card will be given the opportunity to watch “Seeker’s” second-season premiere episode on the iTunes Store before its Nov. 7 debut. Each card contains a code to be redeemed on iTunes, giving fans an exclusive free download of the episode.

In addition, beginning Nov. 9, second-season episodes of “Seeker” will be available on the iTunes Store for $1.99 per episode for standard-definition and $2.99 per episode for high-definition. Each original episode will become available for purchase and download the Monday after its initial weekend broadcast premiere.

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UPDATED: I’ve added eleven more MQ photos.

Footage of Charisma filming can be seen in a behind the scenes video about the character of Cara.

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Also, don’t forget that Charisma will be appearing at the Hollywood Collectors & Celebrities Show this weekend.

Check Out the First Official Photo of Charisma Carpenter on Legend of the Seeker!

Charisma Carpenter looks pretty good in skintight leather, doesn’t she? The former Buffy and Angel star appears on the Nov. 7 season premiere of the syndicated cult hit Legend of the Seeker, and we’ve got the exclusive first promo still!

Carpenter plays Triana, one of the feisty Mord-Sith warrior women who regularly make Richard Cypher’s life miserable—when they’re not trying to sex him up, that is.

Look for season two to go heavy on the superhot sci-fi ladies. In addition to Carpenter, Tabrett Bethell joins the cast as Mord-Sith, sister-friend Cara, a new regular character with designs on the Seeker, and Aimee Teegarden (Friday Night Lights) guest stars as a Confessor who gets between Richard and Kahlan (Bridget Regan)

Will you give Seeker a shot just to see Charisma in action again? (If you have never seen the show and want to study up, we have a handy, dandy introductory guide you can read.)

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