When it comes to her characters, Ali Larter doesn’t like to read ahead and she doesn’t go digging for spoilers. That would explain why the Heroes star was surprised to learn her character Niki Sanders possessed a hidden altar ego named Jessica. “I was immediately over taken with insecurity,” says the New Jersey native, who admits the thought of playing multiple personalities “frightened” her at first. It’s been double trouble for the actress ever since.
With a seven week hiatus on the horizon, Hollywood.com gives you your Heroes fix as we visit with the superhero vixen to find out more about her challenging role.
HW: What do the fans want to know when they recognize you out and about?
Ali Larter: They want to know hints. I’ve been really lucky to have also worked in a lot of genre movies which leads right into this, and so the people who have been supporting me for years are behind the show, and that’s really fun.
HW: Did the challenge of multiple personalities draw you to the part?
AL: I didn’t know signing on, and for me, I definitely tried not to read ahead of my character or try to find out things. I like to discover things at the same time that she does. So when I read a script that’s what I’m finding out.
HW: Are you prepared for a third persona?
AL: Oh, no! I hope not. It’d be all Sybil! I think that we have our hands full right now.
HW: Do you prefer playing one personality over the other?
AL: I prefer Niki. I mean, she wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s so vulnerable and so filled with emotion.
HW: Who do you think has the hardest role?
AL: I don’t think that you can compare them. I think that everyone is challenged during different episodes. I think that’s what’s great about the show; different people kind of take the brunt in different episodes.
HW: If you could have a superpower, which one would it be?
AL: I honestly wouldn’t want one. I have to say that life is pretty beautiful as is. I think that it’s fun to watch. I think that there are those days where you’d like to be invisible. There are those days where you’d love to be able to hear people’s thoughts. I guess I would want Milo’s [Ventimiglia] and be able to decide when I had them and when I didn’t.
HW: How well was your character’s power explained to you when you started?
AL: It wasn’t. I mean, there was something going on because she was losing time in the pilot, but what it was right away was a complicated woman and her being a single mother and her working on the Internet like that and what had happened to her in her life to make her go that way. I think that the show is so amazing with that back story and it really justifies why she does the things that she does. I mean, the super power aspect to it wasn’t what drew me to it. It was really the drama.
HW: Can’t the writers just kill you off if they don’t like your character?
AL: This is true. I mean, I don’t know how it’s going to end up working, but all of the actors—and we’ve spoken—as long as we’re wanted and people want us on the show we’ll be there and when that kind of takes a different direction or storylines dry up we’re all kind of happy to then go on our ways.
HW: This is a demanding role physically. How do you deal with that?
AL: I played sports my whole life and am very athletic and so for me I love that stuff. I did hear that they’re going to put me into some martial arts training possibly and so that to me is exciting. I mean, if I’m going to do it I want to look damn good while I’m doing it… I haven’t had any injuries other than running in high heels for three days. That’s as hard as it gets for me.
HW: What about the bedroom scenes? Do they make you nervous?
AL: Well, I have a little glass of wine beforehand. Of course, yeah. I get into the gym, but that’s also fun for me to. I love playing a sexy character.
HW: Has your mom inspired your role as a mother on the show?
AL: Well, my sister, actually, is who I take it from the most. She has a one-and-a-half and a five-year-old—my two nephews. So, for me, it’s just watching her and there are always kids around our family. So for me I think it’s a natural instinct for women. [Noah Gray-Cabey]’s such an exceptional little actor that sometimes you just have a bond with people. Some people you like and some you don’t and I’ve been really lucky that he and I have had a really strong connection from the moment that we met.
HW: And what does your mother think about this role?
AL: She’s just so excited. My dad is like, “Come on, a lingerie scene again?!”
—Reporting by Scott Huver
