Xposé #59: Roswell stars interview

Liz had tried to warn Maria about her deely-boppers

Earthly Delights

As they prepare for a third season and a new network, Shiri Appleby and Majandra Delfino consider the future of Roswell.
Ian Spelling looked up to the stars.

Excerpts selected from Xposé #59

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A fan outpouring led to The WB renewing Roswell for a second season last year, and now another has led to UPN picking up the series for a third season after The WB tossed the sci-fi/romance onto the junk heap. "It's so overwhelming and we're just so appreciative," Shiri Appleby, who plays lead human Liz, enthuses. "We have jobs because these people [the fans, particularly the diehards who fired off thousands of bottles of Tabasco sauce and countless bunches of flowers to network executives] love what we do."

Though it's been made clear that some members of the Roswell cast didn't want to return for another year and were hoping that the show that wouldn't die would finally pass on, Appleby insists that she was not among those eager to move on. "As an actor, you prepare yourself for it to go either way," says Appleby, who took advantage of her summer break to co-star with Erika Christensen and Jesse Bradford in the tentatively-titled thriller Swimfan85, which might best be described as Fatal Attraction set in the high school milieu. "The show has been such a big part of launching my career that if it were to continue and the writing were to continue the way it was, I'd be happy to do it."

Max and Liz: this is what we want! Series creator, writer and executive producer Jason Katims recently stated that the show's main characters, Max (Jason Behr) and Liz (Appleby), would once again step to the fore when the UPN era begins on Tuesday October 16. Last season, fans of the central romance watched as Max fell for Tess (Emilie de Ravin) and eventually got her pregnant, and Liz nearly landed in the arms of Sean (Devon Gummersall). It seemed obvious to all, however, that the romance in year two came second to the sci-fi elements. And that, Appleby opines, alienated the core audience.

"One of the great aspects about the show was the love and the feelings and the fact that these characters felt so deeply," she says in her familiar husky voice. "When you went too science fiction you lost a lot of the emotion. Hopefully, this year, with UPN's support, we'll be able to combine the two strengths and the show will blossom. The first season was great, but it was only the love story, which meant that it was Jason [Behr] and I working so many hours a day. The second season was just the sci-fi, so you wanted the emotion, whereas in the first season you wanted more of a break from it because it was so emotional and took so much out of you. This year, Jason Katims is focusing on giving the audience both aspects, so that they can get involved in the sci-fi craziness of it and still feel for the characters."

As for Majandra Delfino, she’s ready for more sparring with Brendan Fehr, whom she may or may not have been dating in real life, whom she might or might not still be dating in real life. Of course, some people wonder if Maria and Michael have done enough bickering already and those folks are more than eager to see the couple together and enjoying a bit of contented bliss. So, two couples happy at last? On Roswell? For more than a week? Don’t count on it. More fighting and bickering? That’s more like it.

“I always have faith in what Jason Katims does,” Delfino notes. “I never think, ‘What is this?’ I don’t know this character like he does. She’s not a character inside of me. She’s a character that Melinda Metz came up with and that Jason Katims brought to life. So I put all my trust in him.”

Doesn’t the actor take control of the character at a certain point? “Yeah, but it’s like being a kid,” Delfino argues. “A kid is himself or herself, but their parents are their creators and you always remember that if you’re a smart, good kid. Fortunately, I have a good relationship with my parent, so to speak, because I just listen to what Jason says. And if I do have a problem I’ll talk to him and say, ‘What do you think?’ And he’ll say, ‘I think it’s necessary because blah-blah-blah.’ And I’ll be like, ‘Cool.’ It’s that easy and nice.”

Xpose #59, Roswell stars cover More of this feature, as Shiri Appleby claims that Liz "will not be so sad because she's actually going to be with the love of her life versus chasing him", and Majandra Delfino talks about getting inside Maria's head...
... in Xposé #59