ALiAs_AgEnT_423
Cadet
I got this article from LenaOlin.net I give all credit to them. This interview was done in Sweden with the premiere of Season 2 over there. And as much as a Irina fan I am, I couldn't help but be a tad bit hurt after reading this, for a fan POV. This finally answers all of our questions even though we all knew the outcome.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
tv4.se (Oct. 2004)
She's got a mysterious glow about her
by KARL ÖFVERSTRÖM
(Huge thanks to Yackella for the translation!)
"There's something mysterious about her"
She's worked with Ingmar Bergman and been praised for her work in films. Now it's time for the Swedish audience to get to know Lena Olin as Sydney Bristow's mamma in the successful TV series "Alias."
Summer is turning into fall. Lena Olin's sitting in an armchair; lit candles beside her. She's in Sweden on a short and intense visit. For one day she will see you on TV4's sets on Tegeluddsvägen (Tegeludds street) in Stockholm. Sweden's at the moment only really big female Hollywood star has generated a lot of interest. Interviews are scheduled throughout the day.
THE ROLE WAS WRITTEN FOR LENA
Name: Lena Maria Jonna Olin
Age: 48
Resides: New York and Skåne, Sweden
Family: Husband Lasse Hallström, children August and Tora
"Alias" in 3 words according to Lena: Intelligent - Bone breaking - Action
A lot of people raised an eyebrow when it was announced that Lena Olin was to star in the second season of the TV series "Alias." Her earlier TV-appearances were few and happened many years ago. But when producer J.J Abrams got in touch she had a hard time saying no to the part.
"When J.J contacted me and told me about this character that he wanted to create for me, that was the main attraction, but also that American TV was new to me. It would simply be fun to try and experience something new," she says.
In the series, Lena plays main character Sydney Bristow's mother, Irina Derevko, who's long presumed dead, and turns out to not only be alive, but to also be a lethal opponent to everything Sydney's fighting for.
"Irina has two sides, and you don't really know if she's good or bad. There's something mysterious about her. I knew pretty well what she would be like, but then I was always surprised by what was happening when I read the script.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BERGMAN AND TV
Lena's previous acting had consisted of mostly theatre and film, but now, TV was next. A big leap, one might say. But Lena doesn't agree. In fact, the difference between making a movie with a legend like Ingmar Bergman and making a season of "Alias" isn't that big. At least not according to Lena.
Comparing the two, she describes how Bergman always showed up on set knowing exactly how he wanted things and was extremely prepared. It was the same thing when she filmed "Alias."
"There's no big difference between Ingmar and TV. When it comes to "Alias," we were very limited when it came to time and camera angels. We couldn't keep moving things around and doing new takes. There was neither time nor resources for that, so in a way it was pretty similar to how Ingmar works," she explains.
LENA'S NEW AUDIENCE
The second season of "Alias" has already aired on American TV, with much success. Even though Lena's already made a name for herself in movies, even more people have discovered her now. This may seem a little unfair after all her movies and theatre work, she says. At the same time she's not surprised by the attention.
"I might as well accept it, TV reaches a lot of people. There were times when I was doing theatre and the audience wasn't big. You worked hard night after night. The effort is certainly not smaller when you're doing theatre, rather the other way around, but you might as well accept that TV is so powerful."
To a great extent. the American film industry is ruled by very young people. They're also in very high positions in the studio world, where the series in hugely popular. Lena chooses to call some of them "Die-Hard-fans" of "Alias."
"I've noticed they're quite fanatic. When I've met people for other projects someone almost always says, 'I've seen you in Alias and I love it!'! she says, laughing.
ONE SEASON WAS ENOUGH
Despite the attention Lena got, she only did one season with the "Alias" gang. For about a year, life was solely about commuting between her home in New York and filming in Los Angeles. Something she describes as being a constant traveler. So even though the "Alias" crew showered Lena with praise and more or less begged her to do another season, she felt she'd had enough.
Lena's always made sure to prioritize children and husband. With all the traveling and filming each and every week she found herself in an impossible situation.
"Now, when I watch the show, I feel it would be fun to keep doing it, but at the same time I know how difficult it was with all the traveling. The fact is that when I think about it, I wouldn't do it all again. Partly because of the traveling, but also because I felt I was done with the role of Irina. I didn't feel like going back to the same character again, it simply didn't feel exciting and challenging."
by KARL ÖFVERSTRÖM
See what happens to Lena as Irina Derevko in the second season of "Alias" on TV4 this fall. The first episode will air at 10.35 PM Tuesday 26th October.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
tv4.se (Oct. 2004)
She's got a mysterious glow about her
by KARL ÖFVERSTRÖM
(Huge thanks to Yackella for the translation!)
"There's something mysterious about her"
She's worked with Ingmar Bergman and been praised for her work in films. Now it's time for the Swedish audience to get to know Lena Olin as Sydney Bristow's mamma in the successful TV series "Alias."
Summer is turning into fall. Lena Olin's sitting in an armchair; lit candles beside her. She's in Sweden on a short and intense visit. For one day she will see you on TV4's sets on Tegeluddsvägen (Tegeludds street) in Stockholm. Sweden's at the moment only really big female Hollywood star has generated a lot of interest. Interviews are scheduled throughout the day.
THE ROLE WAS WRITTEN FOR LENA
Name: Lena Maria Jonna Olin
Age: 48
Resides: New York and Skåne, Sweden
Family: Husband Lasse Hallström, children August and Tora
"Alias" in 3 words according to Lena: Intelligent - Bone breaking - Action
A lot of people raised an eyebrow when it was announced that Lena Olin was to star in the second season of the TV series "Alias." Her earlier TV-appearances were few and happened many years ago. But when producer J.J Abrams got in touch she had a hard time saying no to the part.
"When J.J contacted me and told me about this character that he wanted to create for me, that was the main attraction, but also that American TV was new to me. It would simply be fun to try and experience something new," she says.
In the series, Lena plays main character Sydney Bristow's mother, Irina Derevko, who's long presumed dead, and turns out to not only be alive, but to also be a lethal opponent to everything Sydney's fighting for.
"Irina has two sides, and you don't really know if she's good or bad. There's something mysterious about her. I knew pretty well what she would be like, but then I was always surprised by what was happening when I read the script.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BERGMAN AND TV
Lena's previous acting had consisted of mostly theatre and film, but now, TV was next. A big leap, one might say. But Lena doesn't agree. In fact, the difference between making a movie with a legend like Ingmar Bergman and making a season of "Alias" isn't that big. At least not according to Lena.
Comparing the two, she describes how Bergman always showed up on set knowing exactly how he wanted things and was extremely prepared. It was the same thing when she filmed "Alias."
"There's no big difference between Ingmar and TV. When it comes to "Alias," we were very limited when it came to time and camera angels. We couldn't keep moving things around and doing new takes. There was neither time nor resources for that, so in a way it was pretty similar to how Ingmar works," she explains.
LENA'S NEW AUDIENCE
The second season of "Alias" has already aired on American TV, with much success. Even though Lena's already made a name for herself in movies, even more people have discovered her now. This may seem a little unfair after all her movies and theatre work, she says. At the same time she's not surprised by the attention.
"I might as well accept it, TV reaches a lot of people. There were times when I was doing theatre and the audience wasn't big. You worked hard night after night. The effort is certainly not smaller when you're doing theatre, rather the other way around, but you might as well accept that TV is so powerful."
To a great extent. the American film industry is ruled by very young people. They're also in very high positions in the studio world, where the series in hugely popular. Lena chooses to call some of them "Die-Hard-fans" of "Alias."
"I've noticed they're quite fanatic. When I've met people for other projects someone almost always says, 'I've seen you in Alias and I love it!'! she says, laughing.
ONE SEASON WAS ENOUGH
Despite the attention Lena got, she only did one season with the "Alias" gang. For about a year, life was solely about commuting between her home in New York and filming in Los Angeles. Something she describes as being a constant traveler. So even though the "Alias" crew showered Lena with praise and more or less begged her to do another season, she felt she'd had enough.
Lena's always made sure to prioritize children and husband. With all the traveling and filming each and every week she found herself in an impossible situation.
"Now, when I watch the show, I feel it would be fun to keep doing it, but at the same time I know how difficult it was with all the traveling. The fact is that when I think about it, I wouldn't do it all again. Partly because of the traveling, but also because I felt I was done with the role of Irina. I didn't feel like going back to the same character again, it simply didn't feel exciting and challenging."
by KARL ÖFVERSTRÖM
See what happens to Lena as Irina Derevko in the second season of "Alias" on TV4 this fall. The first episode will air at 10.35 PM Tuesday 26th October.
*sp*