thedrifter
12-23-08, 11:16 AM
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008
Posted on Mon, Dec. 22, 2008
A Conversation With Taylor Cole of 'Heroes: The Recruit'
By DAVID MARTINDALE
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM
Taylor Cole, an Arlington native who stars in a new series of Heroes webisodes, is absolutely not the "girly-girl" type. That's one reason she's savoring the role of Marine Private Rachel Mills in Heroes: The Recruit. "I get to be rough and tough and not prissy, which is the type of role I usually get," she says. "I was raised by my dad. I grew up playing sports. I'm basically a big tomboy. So this is actually much closer to who I am." Cole, a 2002 Lamar High School grad, broke into the acting business four years ago as a series regular in the WB's Summerland. She since has done guest roles in such TV shows as CSI and Supernatural and has supporting parts in two upcoming movies (Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis, and 12 Rounds, starring John Cena). But Cole says this Heroes acting gig is her favorite to date, in part because she has been a fan of the show since day one. Cole plays one of 50 Marines recruited for a top-secret program. After the soldiers are injected with an experimental serum to aid them in apprehending people with "special abilities," Private Mills winds up with the power of teleportation — and a peck of problems with Angela Petrelli (played by series regular Christine Rose), who oversees the project. The five-part series premiered on NBC.com on Dec. 15; a new installment is posted every Monday.
How did you happen to enter the Heroes universe? And is it barely possible that your character will wind up prominently featured in the TV version?
"I am not allowed to say too much about anything that's ahead, because secrets and surprises are basically what the show is all about. But stay tuned and look for me. I was in the next-to-last episode [airing in December], but it was literally only half a second where you could see me. This was my first webisode audition and I was really happy to get the part. I play the only girl in this group of 50 Marines, which is really cool. But when I first walked in, everybody was so secretive about the project. I said, ‘I'm not exactly sure what's going on here,' and they were like, ‘Well, welcome to Heroes. That's what it's usually like around here.' They keep you in the dark until they have to tell you what's going on, because they don't want secrets getting out."
Does it feel any different to make an Internet series, as opposed to something that's for TV? In other words, were the webisodes filmed on the cheap?
"Not at all. We got to use all the sets that Heroes normally uses and it made it feel exactly like the show. It was quality and great sets. We shot on the weekends, when they weren't using the facilities. The best thing about this webisode is that we're tying the show and the webisodes together. So what happens in Heroes: The Recruit is basically something that's going on in a different room while the main story was taking place. And since the show is on a break, the webisodes are there so the fans won't miss out on their Heroes fix."
If, in real life, you could have a special power like the characters in the show, what ability would you choose for yourself?
"Mine would probably be flying. Because who doesn't want to fly? I think Hayden Panetierre's power, where she gets to regenerate and never be killed, is very cool. But I think I would lose my mind dying so many times. I think flying would suit me more, because I could see the world whenever I wanted and I wouldn't be late for anything, which I always am."
How did you get into this business? Is acting something you always wanted to do?
"It was pretty much an accident. I was living in New York as a model and I came out to California to visit my mom and I never had any acting experience. And while I was out here, I went out on a few auditions and booked my first TV show, Summerland, as a guest star [in the pilot episode]. I moved back to New York after I finished and then I got a phone call that Summerland got picked up and they wanted me a series regular instead of just a guest star. So I said, ‘Heck, yeah, I'm moving to California.' And I haven't stopped working since. It's sort of a false view of Hollywood, because it doesn't usually happen like that. I'm one of the very lucky ones in this business. Even booking one thing doesn't guarantee a successful career. So I've been blessed."
How refreshing is it that you get to play a tough girl in the webisodes?
"I'm not much of a girly girl. I mean, I do love to dress up and wear high heels on occasion. But I'm always relieved to go back to barefoot and jeans and playing sports. I'm an athlete. I love to go to the beach and play volleyball. I played volleyball in high school and on club teams growing up. But in my senior year, I tore my ACL, so playing beach volleyball makes me feel more secure than playing on a hard court, for my knee's sake. I've done a few volleyball celebrity tournaments and golf tournaments. In between takes of the webisodes, it was very funny: We had football-throwing contests and all the boys were blown away by my arm. That was fun, to be able show off my talent."
Ellie
Posted on Mon, Dec. 22, 2008
A Conversation With Taylor Cole of 'Heroes: The Recruit'
By DAVID MARTINDALE
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM
Taylor Cole, an Arlington native who stars in a new series of Heroes webisodes, is absolutely not the "girly-girl" type. That's one reason she's savoring the role of Marine Private Rachel Mills in Heroes: The Recruit. "I get to be rough and tough and not prissy, which is the type of role I usually get," she says. "I was raised by my dad. I grew up playing sports. I'm basically a big tomboy. So this is actually much closer to who I am." Cole, a 2002 Lamar High School grad, broke into the acting business four years ago as a series regular in the WB's Summerland. She since has done guest roles in such TV shows as CSI and Supernatural and has supporting parts in two upcoming movies (Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis, and 12 Rounds, starring John Cena). But Cole says this Heroes acting gig is her favorite to date, in part because she has been a fan of the show since day one. Cole plays one of 50 Marines recruited for a top-secret program. After the soldiers are injected with an experimental serum to aid them in apprehending people with "special abilities," Private Mills winds up with the power of teleportation — and a peck of problems with Angela Petrelli (played by series regular Christine Rose), who oversees the project. The five-part series premiered on NBC.com on Dec. 15; a new installment is posted every Monday.
How did you happen to enter the Heroes universe? And is it barely possible that your character will wind up prominently featured in the TV version?
"I am not allowed to say too much about anything that's ahead, because secrets and surprises are basically what the show is all about. But stay tuned and look for me. I was in the next-to-last episode [airing in December], but it was literally only half a second where you could see me. This was my first webisode audition and I was really happy to get the part. I play the only girl in this group of 50 Marines, which is really cool. But when I first walked in, everybody was so secretive about the project. I said, ‘I'm not exactly sure what's going on here,' and they were like, ‘Well, welcome to Heroes. That's what it's usually like around here.' They keep you in the dark until they have to tell you what's going on, because they don't want secrets getting out."
Does it feel any different to make an Internet series, as opposed to something that's for TV? In other words, were the webisodes filmed on the cheap?
"Not at all. We got to use all the sets that Heroes normally uses and it made it feel exactly like the show. It was quality and great sets. We shot on the weekends, when they weren't using the facilities. The best thing about this webisode is that we're tying the show and the webisodes together. So what happens in Heroes: The Recruit is basically something that's going on in a different room while the main story was taking place. And since the show is on a break, the webisodes are there so the fans won't miss out on their Heroes fix."
If, in real life, you could have a special power like the characters in the show, what ability would you choose for yourself?
"Mine would probably be flying. Because who doesn't want to fly? I think Hayden Panetierre's power, where she gets to regenerate and never be killed, is very cool. But I think I would lose my mind dying so many times. I think flying would suit me more, because I could see the world whenever I wanted and I wouldn't be late for anything, which I always am."
How did you get into this business? Is acting something you always wanted to do?
"It was pretty much an accident. I was living in New York as a model and I came out to California to visit my mom and I never had any acting experience. And while I was out here, I went out on a few auditions and booked my first TV show, Summerland, as a guest star [in the pilot episode]. I moved back to New York after I finished and then I got a phone call that Summerland got picked up and they wanted me a series regular instead of just a guest star. So I said, ‘Heck, yeah, I'm moving to California.' And I haven't stopped working since. It's sort of a false view of Hollywood, because it doesn't usually happen like that. I'm one of the very lucky ones in this business. Even booking one thing doesn't guarantee a successful career. So I've been blessed."
How refreshing is it that you get to play a tough girl in the webisodes?
"I'm not much of a girly girl. I mean, I do love to dress up and wear high heels on occasion. But I'm always relieved to go back to barefoot and jeans and playing sports. I'm an athlete. I love to go to the beach and play volleyball. I played volleyball in high school and on club teams growing up. But in my senior year, I tore my ACL, so playing beach volleyball makes me feel more secure than playing on a hard court, for my knee's sake. I've done a few volleyball celebrity tournaments and golf tournaments. In between takes of the webisodes, it was very funny: We had football-throwing contests and all the boys were blown away by my arm. That was fun, to be able show off my talent."
Ellie