Interview with Samantha Ferris
Samantha Ferris is best known by Supernatural fans for her role as Ellen Harvelle,
owner of the now defunct Roadhouse and fellow hunter to the boys. We were lucky
enough to be able to ask her a few questions, about her career in general and
more specifically about Supernatural.
Huge thanks to Samantha for agreeing to this interview.
Feel free to link to this interview, but DO NOT copy it anywhere else on the
web without express permission.
General Questions
You began your career as a TV reporter - when did you realise that you wanted
to get into acting?
I’ve always known. I think any serious and working actor has always known.
It’s just one of those things. “Tiger Woods has always known he would
play golf” kinda thing. I think it’s just in you. You can’t imagine
doing anything else. Not to say that I didn’t, because I did! I’ve
had a couple of major careers before getting into acting seriously. I worked
in radio (still do, have been since 1991), weather reporter for the local tv
station, marketing rep. For a record label, sales rep. For a radio station.
But in the back of my mind I always knew that this would be where I ended up.
I just needed a push. It came one day in the form of my dad’s death. Weird,
huh? I was stagnating in my life at the time, hating my job, bored with my boyfriend,
and my dad died of cancer. It made me go…. “ahh, okay…..life
is short….you had better spend it chasing what you love to do, or at least
die trying.” The next week I quit my job, dumped my boyfriend, got an agent,
and the rest is history.
Is there a lot of difference in the way you approach voice acting to any
other acting role?
They are worlds apart. Apples and oranges. Voice is more free….doesn’t
matter what you are looking like, and you can kind of go over the top because
it’s just your voice that you are selling. Film and TV has to be real and
way more focused. Can’t compare the two.
You've had guest appearances in a lot of genre shows, such as Stargate SG1,
The Sentinel, Smallville and Battlestar Galactica. Are there any current shows
that you would especially like to appear in?
It’s more the type of role than the show. Because of my presentation (voice,
personality, strength), I always get the tough roles…..head cop, head doctor,
head lawyer, etc…..the power roles….polished and professional…...i
would like to be cast in a gritty vulnerable role for a change. That is a lot
of fun for me….the cracked-out woman who is falling apart and sold her
kids for drugs…that kind of stuff. Supernatural is the closest thing to
it as I get to be a sort of “gun toting, bar owning, whiskey drinking,
broad”….so we are headed in the right direction.
If you could film anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Suuny, hot, beach, secluded. Think Leonardo [DiCaprio] in The Beach.
I never get to go anywhere. I got to shoot in San Fran a couple of times for
a show called The Evidence. That was about as exciting as it got.
Other Roles
You've recently completed a movie called "Butterfly on a Wheel",
which stars Pierce Brosnan. What can you tell us about your role in that film?
I play Maria Bello’s best friend. It was fun. Short. It looks kind of
unimportant but I think it’s supposed to be a misleader. It was a tiny
role, but because there are very few cast, I am up there on the cast list….i
look like a rockstar…ya, not so much. That movie should be a real trip….storyline
is crazy…..ever see The Game?….It reminded me of that. Looking forward
to seeing it.
Will you be coming back for the 4th season of The 4400?
No. My option did not get renewed. Never really got the official word as to
why, either. How much does THAT suck? From what I gathered, there were a few
logistical things that needed to be worked out. They needed a new love interest
for Tom, they were having a hard time developing my storyline because there
were so many other stories they had to follow, and I think they felt that they
were paying me too much money to do a couple of scenes per show. And they were,
I don’t fault them that. It didn’t make sense to keep me around…..but
nobody from the show ever got up the balls to call me and say , “Hey Ferris…sorry,
we love ya….not personal…..lets do lunch..” That is the part
that hurt. Not a phone call from my other castmates. Nothing. Gone and forgotten.
This business can be very cruel.
Supernatural
How much did you know about the character of Ellen when you first appeared
in the show? Did you realise how important she was going to be?
No. I knew nothing about her backstory. I don’t know if they knew either.
Yes, the words are written, but I also think the actor has to take on the character
and run with it…see where it goes…takes it somewhere that words on
a page can’t decide. You never know until you get out there and start doing
it, what is going to happen…..chemistry with other cast? How you play off
each other….i didn’t know that Dean and I would have such angst until
we started getting into it……I would imagine (I totally don’t
know this…just guessing) that the writers watch the daily shots and see
what is happening on film…..so see where to take it next…..sometimes
characters don’t have a stitch of chemistry……sometimes they have
too much….sometimes they have the wrong chemistry…..or at least, wrong
for what the original plan was.
How do you think Ellen feels about Dean and Sam? Is she trying to become
a substitute mother to them, or does she just want to be their friend?
I don’t think she’s figured that out yet. They are all still circling
each other. Til the last episode…then they need each other and band together
a little more, but they need to figure out their roles with each other. There
is a still a lot of the past that needs to be addressed. Until it does, they
won’t be able to decide that. But we do know a few things….Ellen loves
these boys fiercely and would do anything to protect them. They are family to
her, much like their dad. Does that translate to mom or friend? The boys are
going to have a say in that one on where they fit me in. Hopefully, we’ll
see.
It's a well-discussed fact that there are a lot of pranks played on the
set of Supernatural. Have you ever been on either the receiving end of one?
Oh ya. It’s tough…I feel for them…they guys are on set, 12-15
hours a day, 5 days a week…..you need to burn it off a bit. Jared is the
usually the instigator, and yes, I have been at the receiving end of the pranks.
Painful and gross as they can be. Canned farts, real farts, moved equipment,
food and beverage fights, scenes blown purposely……but don’t worry…they
get him back….there was a scene where Jared had to climb down a manhole
with a gun in one hand, and a cast on the other……after he got about
5 feet down they doused him with two full buckets of cold water…..stuff
like that. The cast and crew are very close. It is a compliment.
Have you had any indication of whether Ellen will appear in Season Three
yet?
I’ve heard that yes, Ellen will be around….but never trust anything
in this business……there are so many deciding factors….don’t
count on anything until it is a done deal.
How well did you get on with Alona Tal? She mentioned during a convention
that it was great fun working with you.
Ya, she’s very sweet and it was fun. Oh, to be that young again….and
that beautiful… The show is very blessed. The cast has been really wonderful.
Very close, no diva stuff, very warm and supportive of each other. I think that
comes from the boys and the producers. Jared and Jensen are two of the nicest
guys you could work with. They are sweet, warm, funny, and very real. I think
it’s the southern upbringing. There is no room for attitude on the show
because the boys don’t have any. It trickles down to the rest of us. Same
thing with the producers….Kim, Cyrus, Eric….they are really good guys….straight
up. The vibe trickles down to the rest of the cast.
If you could have any scene you wanted as Ellen, what would it be?
I would like to get it on with John Winchester. There. I said it.
Again, thank you very much to Samantha for agreeing to this interview.
Feel free to link to this interview, but DO NOT copy it anywhere else on
the web without express permission.
This interview was done in May 2007.
