SHIRI APPLEBY TALKS ROSWELL: SEASON 3

Shiri Appleby captured our hearts as the human being who fell in love with the innocent alien in the cult television series, Roswell. Since the program's cancellation, Appleby has appeared in a number of television series and independent films such as Undertow and Everything You Want. The last season of Roswell has just been released on DVD and we caught up to Appleby, giving her the opportunity to wax romantic about those unworldly days.

UGO: How are your memories of doing the last season of Roswell?

SHIRI APPLEBY: I think because it was on UPN, the writers were able to go in a completely different direction. It was definitely more fun and interesting compared to the first two seasons.

UGO: Was it different being on the UPN rather than the WB?

SHIRI: It didn't really feel any different onsite. We had the same show runners, writers, producers, so our day to day life didn't really change, but I think UPN was really impressed with the show and they took it up to another level.

UGO: What do you think your favorite episode was from that last season?
SHIRI: Probably the last episode.

UGO: Why's that?

SHIRI: It was interesting to see how they were able to pull through the series and actually get the characters together. I liked how they left the show on a serious note.

UGO: How was it doing the "I Married an Alien" episode [the Bewitched parody with a laugh-track]?

SHIRI: It was definitely fun and interesting and I think all the actors did a really great job. It was fun for us to have a bit of a change and great to have an opportunity to show something different.

UGO: Do you feel like Roswell wrapped up properly?

SHIRI: Well I think that the audience wanted to see the two characters Max and Liz finally get together. But I think they gave the audience what they wanted to see.

UGO: Do you still encounter a lot of fans from it?

SHIRI: Oh yeah, it's always so surprising when people talk about the show.

UGO: I remember people were sending Tabasco to the WB network. Do people still send Tabasco sauce to you?

SHIRI: Oh no not to me.

UGO: Do you think Jason [Behr] still gets Tabasco?

SHIRI: I have no idea.

UGO: So you're not a Tabasco fan?

SHIRI: No I don't like things spicy like that.

UGO: How was it working with Jonathan Frakes?

SHIRI: Jonathan Frakes was great. He's a great person and I think he's a really wonderful director.

UGO: Were you a big Star Trek fan?

SHIRI: I've never seen an episode to be totally honest with you.

UGO: Frakes didn't make you sit down and watch all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation?

SHIRI: He didn't make me do that at all.

UGO: What do you think your characters Max and Liz would be doing now?

SHIRI: I don't know. Probably doing normal stuff.

UGO: Do you keep in contact with anyone from the show anymore?

SHIRI: Yeah I talk to Colin Hanks all the time.

UGO: Do you think you'll be doing any projects with them in the future, or would you like to?

SHIRI: We haven't really talked about anything outside the show but I'll keep in contact with them.

UGO: I read that you went to USC. Did you finish there?

SHIRI: No I never did, I got sort of busy. I got in for acting and I was doing a lot of other stuff.

UGO: I read some obscure article and I found that you're friends with someone from Incubus.

SHIRI: Oh yeah, they all went to my high school.

UGO: Do you still go see them when they're around?

SHIRI: Yeah, if I hear that they're playing.

UGO: Are you a music fan?

SHIRI: Yeah, I love their music.

UGO: Do you play music at all?

SHIRI: No not at all.

UGO: What are you working on?

SHIRI: I have a movie coming out for ABC Family called Pizza My Heart. It's like a "Romeo and Juliet" type of story.

UGO: Obviously that's for ABC family so that's for television. How about any theatrical releases?

SHIRI: I have some independent movies that are still waiting to find distribution.

UGO: Are you purposely trying to not do stuff that's high concept or science-fiction?

SHIRI: No not at all, I did a movie for the Sci-Fi network two years ago. I'm definitely looking for interesting stories from talented filmmakers so it doesn't really matter to me what sort of film it is as long as it's an interesting project to work on.

UGO: Do you ever like throw in the DVD's just to re-live an episode that you really liked?

SHIRI: No, but I know that they have like Roswell reruns on the SCI FI Channel sometimes. It's funny to look at them in a way.

UGO: Did you see Jason Behr in The Grudge?

SHIRI: I never saw it but I ran into him and I was really happy for him.

UGO: Are you a horror movie buff at all?

SHIRI: No, I'm not.

UGO: Do they freak you out?

SHIRI: No, I saw Rosemary's Baby recently for the first time which I liked. I like more of a sob story.

UGO: What superpower would you like to have?

SHIRI: Read other people's minds.

UGO: Oh yeah, what would you do with that?

SHIRI: I think that would be interesting.

UGO: Are you worried they're thinking bad stuff about you?

SHIRI: No, I'm just thinking that they're thinking I'm brilliant but they're not actually saying it.

August 2006
by Daniel Robert Epstein
Ugo.com