Kathleen Robertson graduated from Clare Arnold in Beverly Hills 90210 to making a new series in Chicago. The upcoming Starz Channel show Boss has been filming all over town and is preparing to premiere in October. Kelsey Grammer plays the Chicago mayor though the eight episodes with Kathleen as his aide.
Windy City Times visited the set to talk about the show to the talented actress.
Windy City Times: Hi, Kathleen. Happy birthday!
Kathleen Robertson: Thank you.
WCT: How did you celebrate?
KR: I worked!
WCT: Are you having a cake?
KR: My son is turning 3 tomorrow so we are going to do a double party.
WCT: I did some extra work on Boss already. I was in the background when you filmed at Lincoln Park. I got the behind the scenes with you driving up in the car.
KR: I remember. I was driving up on the hill. The filming has been great.
WCT: Tell me about your character, Kitty O'Neil. You are an aide to Kelsey, correct?
KR: Yes, I am his right hand man so to speak. I am his speechwriter and been with him for eight years. I am his advisor and confidant. My life is my job and my life is him. I'm single and I don't have any friends. My entire universe revolves around this world and this man. It all starts to crumble around me.
WCT: You and Kelsey are not love interests in the show?
KR: Oh gosh, no. He's married to Connie Nielsen. She plays his wife.
WCT: As an extra sometimes you don't know what is going on as far as the plot.
KR: No, I am involved with someone.
WCT: Oh, I remember now. He's a cutie.
KR: Jeff Hephner plays Alex Zajac. He's a state treasurer and running for governor. We are supporting him and backing him to run for governor. He's married and has two kids.
WCT: The plot thickens. What led you to get on this show?
KR: Gus Van Sant is one of the executive producers and he directed the first episode. I have always been a huge fan of his. When I first heard he was going to do a television series I immediately jumped at the chance to become involved in it. I met with Farhad Safinia, who created the show. I just loved the script, the role and here I am.
WCT: I was hoping to see Gus when I was there.
KR: Yes but he is the producer so he is around. He directed the pilot, set up the look, chose everybody, and the crew. His voice and vision is still very much a part of the show.
WCT: Mario Van Peebles was there when I was.
KR: He directed two episodes. He was amazing. It was fun to work with him because he is an actor.
WCT: He seemed very laid back.
KR: He is, and is very good with the actors.
WCT: Who are the other directors?
KR: We are doing eight episodes in total. Gus did one, Mario did two and Jim McKay did a couple. All the directors were hand picked by Gus. He chose the directors based on various reasons. We don't know who is directing the last one.
WCT: A mystery! How is Chicago treating you?
KR: Great. I have never been here before and from L.A. I have been here since May with a month to go.
WCT: There are long shoots sometimes.
KR: Tonight, we will probably be here until 3 a.m.
WCT: You were Scary Movie 2. You were completely different and got be a little naughty.
KR: I was.
WCT: How was it being on Beverly Hills 90210?
KR: I'm Canadian. It was my first American job. It was first big thing and exposure to being a part of something that was big at the time.
WCT: It has a huge following.
KR: Yes, it was immediate make-it-or-break-it time.
WCT: Another great director you worked with was Gregg Araki.
KR: I was in a couple of his films.
WCT: You played a purple-haired lesbian!
KR: Yes, I did. [Laughs] Gregg is one of the few filmmakers that are doing that style. Everyone else at some point has to sell out and go do something else but he manages to maintain such a level of creative freedom. His movies are his movies and nobody else can make movies like Gregg. Every detail is him. He writes, shoots and edits them. He's a treat to work with and I want to work with him again. I keep bugging him, telling him to write me something.
WCT: I love the music he puts in the movies.
KR: Ridiculous soundtracks, the best!
WCT: For the future you are producing Your Time Is UP.
KR: I write it and I am producing it. It is the first thing I ever wrote and I sold it, which was shocking. I figured I would have to write many things before someone would buy it. Everyone was pleasantly shocked and surprised when we sold it. I wrote it for myself then Boss came along and I wanted to this. It is on pause right now. I will be moving forward with it eventually.
I wrote a movie called Gravity that we just shot in Havana, Cuba. I co-wrote it and was in as well.
WCT: Was it complicated to shoot there?
KR: Yes, it was. I'm Canadian so that was how I was able to work there.
WCT: Are you on Facebook so people can keep up with your projects?
KR: No, all the people that say they are me on Facebook are fakes! They have photos of my kid on it and they are not me. I don't know where they get those snapshots but they put them on there so people think it is me. That's what freaks me out about it.
WCT: Talk about a Scary Movie!
Watch Kathleen on Starz Boss in the fall. Check out www.starz.com for listings and details.