Jennifer O'Dell/ Veronica
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Chat transcript 3/8/01
Jennifer: No, I haven't had the experience yet but I'm sure I will this year or next, the way the show is going.
Q: Can we expect to see you in any other projects soon, or is The Lost World the only way to see you?
Jen: You can see me on reruns of cable shows.
Q: Will the show be back for a third season?
Jen: I'm guessing it will be but I'm not quite sure yet. We won't know until a few weeks before we head back down there, it depends on the market; according to the ratings I'd put my money on going next year.
Q: Will Veronica ever find her parents?
Jen: I don't know, I'm not the writers. I'd say one of these days, I'd think she would.
Q: What attracted you to the show?
Jen: First of all to pay my rent and get a job, and of course shooting on location in Australia in the rainforest instead of in the studios.
Q: Do you do your own stunts?
Jen: I try to do all my own stunts anything and everything the producers will allow me to do.
Q: I have to tell you, you are the hottest babe out there besides Xena of course.
Jen: Don't you dare compare me to Xena!
Q: Do you have any sisters?
Jen: No, no sisters.
Q: Who's makeup takes the longest?
Jen: That'd be me, me or anyone else who has prosthetic pieces. I wear the least clothes, so I'm the longest. The first in and the last to leave.
Q: Jennifer, do you have sexy feet?
Jen: I've got the most beautiful feet in the entire world I swear it for some reason my Mom doesn't have feet like mine I take care of them, {and} I give them French manicures how sick is that.
Q: If the explorers found a way off would Veronica go with them, and if so how would she react to London?
Jen: If they found a way out, but only if they had a way back into the lost world.
Q: Describe what it was like appearing in a "Backstreet Boys" music video?
Jen: It was before they were huge it wasn't like I was star struck it was just a bunch of kids singing a new pop song. I heard that in my head for months but they were all very nice kids its nice to see hard working young people,, you know living out their dreams making themselves so big,, they're huge.
Q: Are you married?
Jen: No, not married, single.
Q: Are the critters on the show 100% CGI?
Jen: Not all of them sometimes we use puppets, sometimes the blue screen, sometimes the CGI, it depends on the creature. The T-rex and Raptors and huge dinosaurs are blue screens or locked off CGI shots.
Q: How difficult or easy is it to work in the Australian natural environment?
Jen: It's good on one hand because its such a beautiful environment I have a great work opportunity to work outside but because I'm not wearing much during the winter or in the rain its quite miserable its give and take, love and hate.
Q: Do you and Ned{David Orth} ever get together?
Jen:Everyonce in a while but its more brother/sisiter in the relationship.
Q: What exercise do you do while on the set?
Jen: Actually, I'm a certified spinning instructor, I spin an hour and a half before I even go to work.
Q: What is it like working with people from different parts of the world?
Jen: I'm very fortunate to have this experience to work with people from Australia. They're different type of actors in the sense that they have a different culture. Its a joy to work with them, every single one of our guest cast we've had is nice, {and} sweet there's no attitude they give 100% and enjoy their jobs they have a lot of fun on the show {and} they have lots of compliments to say. Our show works so well because of our great cast and that we all work so well together.
Q: Where are you originally from?
Jen: Los Angeles, born in Ridgecrest, CA, and raised in Hawaii until I was 8, I've been doing commercials since I was a kid.
Q: Have you done any modeling since "Maxim"?
Jen: I was in "FHM" {For Him Magazine} with Rachel Blakely {Marguerite Crux} who is the other woman in the show, that was last year in October I think. "In Style" magazine also, about how to keep in shape for the show.
Q: Did you ever play in any action movies or television shows before Lost World?
Jen: I never did any action no, not in television, this is the first that required stunts and fighting and that sort of thing.
Q: Can you tell us anything about Will Snow who plays Roxton?
Jen: He's a spunk rat, a great guy to work with lots of motivation, I have tons of scars and bruises from him.
Q: Are you having any appearances in N.Y.C. {New York City}?
Jen: Probably within the next month or two, New Line might be doing some pr with me not sure when though maybe in then next month or two.
Q: What is it like to work on a show like lost world?
Jen: Extremely tiring, fifteen hours a day Mon-Fri with a 10 hour turnaround. I do live in the lost world, I live, breath, and eat with my entire cast and crew, I see them more than you'd see your own partner, they wouldn't let me come home!
Q: What's you favorite episode?
Jen: I get that question a lot, each is so different from each other, but I do have {a} favorite moment, favorite scenes, {and} favorite guest star, but the thing I most enjoy in each, is the stunts. I was surprised, I never thought I'd ever do anything like that, and I was thrown into it, I can't imagine myself doing anything but stunts, especially with all the special effects that are available now.
Q: What do you think you would do if you encountered a T-rex in real life? Would you fight like Veronica?
Jen: Probably, I've got a lot of spunk in my soul, {and} lots of backbone, I think that's what it takes to make it in this business and I think Veronica is a lot like Jennifer O'Dell.
Q: Who is your favorite actor/actress you have never met and would like to if you could?
Jen: Thats another question I have a hard time answering, there are a lot that I like, but favorite? Most of the actors I do like are men like Johnney Depp, Brad Pitt, Kevin Kline, {and) Joaquim Phoenix. I adore Meg Ryan especially in a lot of comedy stuff she's done.
Q: Have you had any serious accidents during a stunt?
Jen:I've come off a horse twice, once last year {and} once this year. They throw us on these stunt horses and {ask us to} do what the stunt people do, and expect us to do the same thing without practice.
Q: I liked the episode with all the giant bees.
Jen: Yeah, me too. I'm sure you liked it when I was gooped up too.
Q: What is an average day like in The Lost World?
Jen: {It} starts at 3am, work out, get picked up at 4:30, breakfast on set at 6:00, makeup and wardrobe for 2 hours then about 3-10 scenes to do a day, 12 hours a day on set nonstop with a 45 minute lunch break.
Q: Does everyone do their own stunts on the show?
Jen: We all try to as much as we can, but if it's too dangerous we all know our own capabilities then we won't do something we shouldn't do, but I just love doing my own stunts its part of the thrill of my job, believe me the Stunt Coordinators love it they don't have to hire a stunt girl for me. The best compliment I ever got, the best gift, was from the Stunt Coordinator, I got an official stuntman's belt buckle with my name engraved on it.
Q: Have you ever thought of directing an episode of [TLW]?
Jen: I've thought of writing one. I don't know about directing though, its such hard work. I've learned more on set though than I could have ever learned in college about behind the camera stuff about how the directors handle the episodes. Some are good with emotions, {and} some are good with effect, they all shoot differently and I've seen how this all works.
Q: So if the crew of intrepid explorers can build all that great stuff, why can't they sew something more than a leather bikini?
Jen: The money shot.
Q: Did you enjoy acting in "Only in America"?
Jen: Yeah, I did, I enjoyed meeting the crew and cast. I was only on set for one day though. I don't even think I had a line.
Q: How does it feel to be the finest woman in the world?
Jen: Ahh, that's sweet, {but} you haven't seen me in the morning.
Q: Which outfit do you prefer last year's or this year's?
Jen: This year's. I designed the one this year actually.
Q: Are the costumes comfy to work in?
Jen: The one from the first year wasn't comfortable. Everytime they put me in the water it shrunk and rolled up in places, but this year it was much more comfortable. I was in much better shape and that made it a lot easier.
Q: Have you ever worn anything you didn't feel comfortable wearing?
Jen: The episode where we were in a castle and get inhabited by spirit[s] we had to wear this 17th century garb, this huge red dress, a girdle, and high heels, {and} my hair was all done up. It was the most uncomfortable thing I've worn in my whole life.
Q: What kind of music do you like to sing to, and are you planning ... any album in the future?
Jen: No, I used to sing when I was younger, but I'll leave the singing to my girlfriends, they're in the music industry.
Q: How do you like being a sex symbol for sci fi fans?
Jen: Oh gosh, I don't know, am I a sci fi chick? Whatever turns you on I guess.
Q: Are you involved at all with the New line auctions? I was curious if more items would be becoming available?
Jen: Yes there's plenty more available soon they're trying to auction off hats, scripts {and} maybe my warrior costume from the "Amazons" episode. They will constantly auction stuff off. My first loincloth sold for $700.00 last year, they'll probably try to auction this year's costume too. Anything for charity.
Q: Who would you consider to be your role model, if you have one?
Jen: A role model hummm that's a hard one
Q: When you go out in public, do a lot of people cling to you, and ask you questions and to take pictures with them, and if so, are you okay with it, or do you get mad sometimes because they won't leave you alone?
Jen: No, I haven't gotten that at all really. I'm in Australia for 8 months and the show's not even aired there. I did get recognized last year, but you know what, when people do come up it's flattering, those people are my fans, they support the show. I was a fan at one point of someone else's and it takes a lot of guts to go up and ask someone for a picture and autograph. As long as they're nice and polite I really don't mind. it's flattering.
Q: Will they auction you off?
Jen: Only in your dreams.
Q: When's your birthday?
Jen: November, 27 Sagittarius.
Q: Is it fun working with the animals?
Jen: We really don't work with any animals on the set. I'm really jealous of other shows, I'd really like to, I think they leave that all to the computer guys, though there are some animals they bring in I'm an animal lover at heart.
Q: Are you associated with any animal charities?
Jen: I do like to donate to animal charities through the RSCPA or the World Wildlife Foundation [WWF].
Q: How long are you committed to the show?
Jen: For however long the show is picked up for.
Q: What is your training routine?
Jen: I get up and spin first thing for about 45 min about 4-5 times a week then one day of weight training.
Q: What is spinning?
Jen: Go to http://spinning.com
Q: How are the Australian beaches?
Jen: They're the most beautiful beaches I've been to in my entire life.
Q: Has anyone come to you recently for any movie parts?
Jen: I've got a couple of scripts in my lap I'm reading right now, I hope to do a couple of movies while I'm on hiatus.
Q: Do you have a website?
Jen: Someone actually created one about me; ...a German guy. I don't have an official one though, not yet.
Q: What is the weirdest thing you have ever done?
Jen: Weirdest, probably in the second... episode of last year, {I} covered myself in goop and climbed into a flask of slime, {I} cover{ed} myself in it, {and} had mudfights with the costars, it was like Joan Collins in "Dynasty"
Q: Do you paintball?
Jen: Never tried it, but I'd love it, to put on some army fatigues and take out all my friends.
Q: Are there any shows you would like to make a guest start appearance on?
Jen: I'd love to do "Will and Grace"
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