[IMG:L]When it comes to Lost, no one keeps us guessing more than Dr. Juliet Burke. She saved Kate and Sawyer, brain washed Jack, and put a hit out on Ben. She might be one of the Others, but her real motives are anybody’s guess. Even Elizabeth Mitchell, who portrays the fertility doctor, couldn’t tell us if she’s good or evil. Here’s what Hollywood.com did find out …
Hollywood.com: Did you know Juliet’s back story? Were you surprised?
Elizabeth Mitchell: I didn’t know it but I wasn’t surprised. I’ve always had a theory about excessively weak people or weak doves or anything that is under the radar. I’ve always felt that they can usually be the most lethal. So the fact that she started out very meek and she kind of had this man addiction, that’s not surprising to me.
HW: What’s your theory about the Others and the compound?
EM: You know, I don’t really have one. I mean, I do and I don’t because I was a fan of the show before I was on it … I loved the fact that the Others turned out to be this kind of intelligent, articulate group of people rather than a bunch of half dressed savages. I thought that was really fascinating. So there’s all that idea that it might be some sort of a nirvana. If you read any ‘60s books, there’s all those ecotopia books. Those utopian societies which I love and possibly that’s it. I really don’t know.
HW: For the most part you only work with a limited number of the cast, who would you like to see Juliet get involved with?
EM: I was just thinking the other night who I would like to work with. And I was thinking, Juliet and Sayid would be a really interesting match-up. Don’t you think?
HW: Why’s that?
EM: Because he was a torturer, obviously. And Juliet seems to be very good at a particular kind of brand of psychological warfare. So I would be kind of interested to see them work with each other … I think he’s kind of hot. We’ll see.
HW: Have you been following the buzz about your character online?
EM: No, I went online once or twice, and the first time, they were like, “Oh my God, I hate her. I can’t believe she’s doing it.” And the second time they were like, “No, no, she sucks.” So I was like, “You know, I don’t think I’m gonna go online any more. I think maybe I’ll just stay away from that.”
HW: What’s the craziest thing you’ve heard?
EM: I still think it’s that I’m an alien, or a robot. I don’t know what kind of remark that is about my acting.
HW: Now that everyone is back on the main island, will your character remain central?
EM: I have no idea. I think that’s really up to them. I think that they like the character but at the same time, you could die at any minute so you never know. I mean, I believe they’ve invested a lot of time in building up the character so it might be interesting to see where she goes, but then again it might be really interesting to build her up and see her die, I don’t know.
[IMG:R]HW: Did you get sick of that creepy set where the Others were holding Jack?
EM: I guess so. It was creepy because it was supposed to be underwater, so it was a little bit dingy but kind of great at the same time … what I will miss is just being one on one with another actor. And then also one on two obviously when it was Michael [Emerson] because the three of us, it was almost like being on stage. We were able to really work off of each other and I thought you don’t usually get that in a TV show. So to me, I will miss that part of it, yes, but I certainly am not going to have a hard time being out in the sunshine. It’s going to be nice.
HW: What do you enjoy about playing Juliet?
EM: I really like her stillness. And I like how strong she is. She’s pretty handy with a gun, too. Me, myself, I really hate `em. But – but I have to say, I learned `em inside and out, and that was nice.
HW: When the fans recognize you, what do they ask you?
EM: “Are you good or bad?” And I get this from women a lot … that they trust me, but now they’re kind of embarrassed to trust me. And men – men feel totally differently.
HW: How do you answer them when they say, “Are you good or bad?”
EM: I say that bad people always think they’re good. Sometimes good people never know they’re good … I think Juliet has an objective. I think she’s reaching her objective. I think sometimes we’ll do anything for the people that we love. And I think that if you view her character in that way, she’s a little bit more understandable.
HW: She seems so nice.
EM: Oh, thank you. But you know, she did what she set out to do which was break Jack. So yes, she’s nice but look what she did to him. She kept at him so that’s not particularly nice. Nor is it very friendly to take a friendship and twist it so that the other person cries … if you take any good person and give them an ultimate objective that they have to fulfill, they’re willing to do almost anything. What we might do for our children, what we might do to save a parent or save our loved one, we’re willing to do almost anything so that to me is Juliet.
HW: Are you a Jack girl, or a Sawyer girl?
EM: Jack.
HW: Do you keep wondering when your characters are going to kiss?
EM: You know, I don’t necessarily feel that way, but I am captivated by the way that [Matthew Fox] plays Jack … the first thing people said is, “He’s really hot” …[but] the first week, he blew my socks off. I thought he was phenomenal. I mean, he literally just captivated me with the way he worked and with his intensity. And I know nothing about him personally. But just for the work, I thought he was phenomenal.
HW: Are you a Jack girl because you’ve been working with Matthew?
EM: No, I was a Jack girl before. I like your good guys … the bad guy thing; I did it in my 20s.
HW: What did the cast do to welcome you or did they haze you?
EM: They did not remotely haze me. Evangeline [Lilly] sat down next to me and said lovely things and was incredibly kind. And they couldn’t have been more supportive.
HW: Have you fallen in love with Hawaii?
EM: No, I’m a city girl. And I like cold weather … I mean, look at me. I’m like a vampire. I mean, honestly, how pale can you get? I live in Seattle, actually … I have 65 on all the time but I have to say, there’s something about that beautiful sun and the sand and it’s amazing. I have taken to it.
HW: What is your favorite thing to do there?
EM: Well, I have a one-and-a-half-year-old, a little boy and he’s as pale as I am, so right about 30 minutes before sunset when the sun’s kind of dipped, we go to the beach and we just dig holes. I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s one of the happiest times I’ve ever had.
HW: And you’ve learned to be careful when you drive home, right?
EM: I don’t drink, really. If I drink a glass of wine I’m like, “Whoo-hoo!”
–Reporting by Scott Huver and Fred Topel
