Blog

Following on from speaking to Legend of the Seeker star Craig Horner I was lucky enough to speak to his co-star Bridget Regan. Bridget, who plays the beautiful but deadly Kahlan, told me about her love of farcical comedy, New Zealand, horse riding, and her experience of her new found fantasy fan base. Legend of the Seeker starts on SCI FI this Thursday at 20.00.

Your character is a very powerful heroine who can more than take care of herself. Do you find it liberating playing such a strong character?

Absolutely. I love Kahlan. When I signed on to do this show it was really without a script, they had just picked up the series of books to make a show, and I just fell in love with her, I thought she was so unique. I'd played strong women before but not ones that were so physically strong; she can tackle any man to the ground. Also she's got wisdom and strength. I just adore her.

Would you have been so interested in playing the role if she was just a standard damsel in distress?

I don't think I would have been as attracted to it. Just because I feel like that has been done so many times. I think she's got a lot of complexity about her, which is my favourite thing about her. I think playing a damsel in distress would get really old and boring, getting rescued every day; I don't think I could do it.

Were you familiar with the world of fantasy before you came to Legend of the Seeker?

Not really. I had caught movies here and there, but I definitely grew up in another realm of fantasy. I grew up as a child loving musicals and singing and dancing, that sort of alternate state of reality. But I love it. Imagining extreme things, letting your imagination run wild.

Have you read the Terry Goodkind books?

Oh yeah! I've read three and I'm on another one right now. I love the books, mostly because you learn things about your character that you never would in a television script. In the show it's such high stakes with adventure and action so you don't get that kind of casual conversation and learning little tit-bits. In the books you learn that Kahlan hates cheese and she's afraid of heights. I often go back to the back because it's very inspiring.

How have you found the fantasy fans that you've encountered? Have you been surprised by their normality?

I actually think they're lovely. I think their passion about the character is really exciting. They're protective and have opinions. I found them to be so lovely. I came back to the States after we finished the first season and all these fans were printing out photos and sending me beautiful letters; such a vast range of age and sex. Everything from little girls to grown men asking about my feet.

The show is filmed in New Zealand and most of your co-stars are Australian or New Zealanders. With that in mind how did you get the role?

Well they auditioned in the States for all of the lead roles. When I screen tested for it they were all Americans apart from Craig. They auditioned for all the other lead roles, but they cast people from out here [NZ]. I've really enjoyed it; working in a new place so far from my home, which has been an adventure in itself. Leaving my friends and my life in New York. It's a great thing in terms of my growing as a person.

You're a keen horse rider. Obviously there's a lot of horse riding in the show; have you been able to teach your co-stars a few tips?

I actually came back from my break and I had a pretty harsh day after my first day training. So sore you know, having not used those muscles for months. But you get right back into it. But I haven't taught anyone anything, I'm still asking questions. We have the best teachers, they're phenomenal. And the horses they train are impeccable.

Besides that have you taken up any new hobbies since you've been living in New Zealand?

Yeah, absolutely. First of all I'm a proud pet owner. I just got a puppy a couple of weeks ago and I got a cat last year. I have this very domestic life that I didn't have in Manhattan a year ago, where I was living the city life, staying up until three in the morning. Whereas now I'm up at four in the morning, going to bed like a granny at nine. Also enjoying nature, a bit of surfing. Whenever the weather's good in New Zealand we really appreciate it just because there's so much rain here. I love living out here, there's something in the landscape and the natural beauty that has this magical quality. I feel like the country is a main character in the show.

So now that you've been inducted into the world of fantasy is it a genre you'd be happy to keep working in or are there other genres which appeal to you more?

I'm a sucker for comedy, and I always have been. And the play I did before this was a French farcical comedy; door slamming and multiple characters and chaos. To me it's not the genre that makes the show good or bad, it's more if you believe in the world that we create. Whether it's fifteenth century France or the Midlands and Highlands of Richard and Kahlan. I think that we do a great job of creating a world; beautiful costumes and set design. The crew does a great job of making you believe in this world. I would absolutely do more [fantasy]. I really enjoy the physicality of my job, and playing Kahlan because it demands doing things with your body like throwing yourself around and tackling guys. It's really fun.

For those people who aren't fans of fantasy how would you describe the attraction of Legend of the Seeker?

I think the show is escapism. You fall into a completely different world. If you've had a bad day, trouble at work, a mean boss or whatever you can just fall into this world. There's certainly a lot of action and high stakes drama, but there's also a great romantic story which is what drew me in first. The relationship that Richard and Kahlan have; it can never be, but they want it to be. I think it can be sexy and racy at times which viewers often enjoy.

To find out more about Bridget Regan go to our Legend of the Seeker showpage.