Examining the evidence

BEST KNOWN TO Thai fans as Catherine Willows, a Las Vegas showgirl turned blood-spatter specialist in the CBS drama “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, American actress Marg Helgenberger has made a welcome return to the small screen, joining the sci-fi drama “Under the Dome”.

The Nebraska-born actress, who started her TV career as a weather girl for a local station, has several films and TV series to her credit including “China Beach”, Stephen King’s “The Tommyknockers” and “ER”.

“Under the Dome”, also based on a King novel, takes place in the small Maine town of Chester’s Mill, which suddenly and mysteriously had a transparent dome placed over it, cutting it off from the rest of the world. While the first two seasons had residents coming to grips with the dome and struggling to survive their entrapment, season three has citizens dealing with the aftermath. 

Stars include Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre , Natalie Martinez and Dean Norris.

Joining the show in its third season, Helgenberger portrays anthropogist-turned-therapist Christine Price. She has been sent to Chester’s Mill to provide counseling for traumatised residents.

She recently chatted with XP about her new role, her mates on “CSI” and her aspirations for the future.

 

WHAT MADE YOU SIGN UP FOR “UNDER THE DOME”?

The executive producer, who I have known for many years, asked if I was interested of being cast for the third season of the series as he had created a role for me. The original character was called Margo but he later changed it to Christine in tribute to Stephen King, who wrote a novel called “Christine”. It sounded like an interesting series, one with a complex and dark energy. I haven’t done Stephen King in many years. The last one I did was the [TV mini series] “The Tommyknockers” and I really liked playing in that world.

 

YOU PLAY A THERAPIST IN “UNDER THE DOME”. HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE PART?

Well, I didn’t contact any therapists. But as I’ve been in and out of therapy for a few years, I have a pretty good understanding of the process of counselling though I’m not sure that any real-life therapist would encounter a situation like in “Under the Dome”! I tried to put myself in the shoes of a community trying to survive as they run out of basic needs – food, medical supplies and electricity. All that leads to a sense of desperation. So I figured it was important to allow people to express themselves and encourage them to get with their lives.

 

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING SUPERNATURAL? 

I’ve never had a supernatural experience, but I certainly believe in a universal presence, creation and creative force, life force.

HOW IMPORTANT IS CHRISTINE TO THE HAPPENINGS IN CHESTER’S MILL?

Well, Christine become like a real force in Chester’s Mill. Some of the residents believe she is transforming their lives by encouraging them to face their fears and their demons and to go for what they believe in. But there are also some residents who are very turned off by her and she has to go against them.

 

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING IN THE FIRST TWO SEASONS?

Christine isn’t just a therapist. She started her career as an anthropologist and was hired to investigate the happenings in Chester’s Mill. Christine will come out of the woodwork as a long-time Chester’s Mill resident who is just beginning to emerge as an important figure in the dome’s mystery. She’s a new resident of Chester’s Mill, and yet she’s been there the whole time.

 

YOU’VE HAD A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN SHOW BUSINESS AND ARE STILL MUCH IN DEMAND TO PLAY POWERFUL WOMEN. HAS THAT BEEN A CHALLENGE? 

Yes and no. I was lucky to land the “CSI” role and that kept me employed through my 40s. Now I’m in my 50s and at that age you accept the fact that you are not going to be the leading lady whether on TV or in film. I think when you get older you focus more on character parts and for me that has meant going back to the theatre and doing plays as well as television. 

 

WHAT KIND OF ROLES YOU WANT TO EXPLORE AFTER THIS?

I would love to do more Stephen King because when you’re playing in Stephen King, the roles are different. You don’t have to say “Oh my character wouldn’t do that,” you always say “Sure why not, I’ll try that” and that makes it really liberating. I’d love to do a comedy too.

 

WHAT IS CHRISTINE LIKE? HOW SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT ARE YOU AND CHRISTINE?

There’s always an aspect of your character that goes into every role you play. But I think it’s important when you play a character who is kind of evil that you don’t fall into cliches. It’s best to play that character likes she’s a regular person, someone comfortable with friends, her family and just use subtle things tone and voice to make her a little twisted and frightening,

 

IF YOU HAD TO LIVE A SITUATION LIKE IN THE “UNDER THE DOME” WHERE YOU WERE CUT OUT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD, HOW WOULD YOU DO?

Well, I’m not attached to my phone or my computer so I think the hardest part would be to deal with the basics – where can you get your next meal, how can get enough water. Christine has some really good ideas and she’s believes in working as a collective and community to survive. She is on the right track. You have to work together to survive. And I’m quite sure you become a better person for it.

 

HOW IT IS WORKING WITH DEAN NORRIS AGAIN? 

Dean was in a few episodes of “CSI” but I didn’t have a scene with him. I was really looking forward to working with him on “Under the Dome” because I am a big fan of “Breaking Bad”. He is really great on that show. But I don’t really have that much to do with him on the series. We only have one episode in which we are trapped in a big birdcage. It’s very intense and intimate and we shot it in two or three days.

 

YOU WILL BE RETURNING TO “CSI” TO FILM A TWO-HOUR MOVIE? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

It’s great! I am looking forward to working with Billy Peterson. He and I have good chemistry together as well as great vision. After all these years, we should pick up where we left off. It will be fun to be back with the same group of people. There is nothing to fear as we have a really good time.

 

DO YOU THINK YOU WILL GET A CHANCE TO PLAY ANOTHER TV CHARACTER?

Sure, why not? There are so many network and cable channels now and they are continuing to grow, so it’s a great time for all actors, writers, and technicians. 

 

CAN YOU PLEASE SAY SOMETHING TO YOUR THAI FANS?

I would love to visit Thailand and am hoping to come there some time in the next year. My son is in Japan right now, teaching English outside Tokyo. So, I’ll definitely visiting Asia in the next few months and I hope to stop off in Bangkok.

 

 

DOME HOME

>>“Under the Dome” airs at at 8.55pm on Wednesdays on RTL-CBS (TrueVisions 337).