Amy Acker is the Root of all evil in Person of Interest @ NYCC 2012

I didn’t expect to interview Amy Acker at all. My table was the last table before most stars hit the video camera row and Amy started at the camera row. Additionally, my table had dwindled as people left for other press rooms; but, when the PR person asked if we had time to talk to Amy Acker, star of Angel and other shows, of course I said, “HELL YES!!!” Because of the intimate table size, it came across more as a casual conversation. But I won’t lie; it was more like a casual conversation with geek gushing thrown in.

I didn’t have that many questions for Amy on her character. Let’s be honest. Root is the root of this season’s evil and her character is unabashedly bad. There are only so many questions you can ask about Root’s craziness. So, we talked more about her burgeoning career and what’s on tap. Amy Acker is exactly what you’d expect. She’s incredibly down to earth and absolutely adorable. She didn’t wear a lot of makeup (truthfully, none of the actresses I interviewed at NYCC did), but she gives off that Ivory girl feel. She reminded me very much of Amber Benson at Philly Comic Con. Amber wore a casual shirt, jeans and carried a back pack. Likewise Amy did the same. I suddenly realized that both Joss and Jonah enjoyed working with down to earth actresses. There’s a point where Jonah walked over and invited Amy to dinner with his wife. You’ll know it’s Jonah because you can’t hear him.

She told stories about her Person of Interest casting, admitting she cut her hair a week before they called her for Root and credits makeup with replicating her old hair. So far, she’s only filmed two episodes. However, Jim briefly spoke to her husband on the phone stating he enjoyed working with her on Person of Interest. Unfortunately, the connection was bad and her husband thought James was a would-be kidnapper.

I literally ran out of questions towards the end and forgot to ask if her character would return to Once Upon a Time. However, I’m looking forward to Joss’ Much Ado About Nothing which comes out in the Spring featuring Amy as Beatrice. Although strong-willed, sharp-tongued Beatrice is different from the flower-child personality Amy generates, considering I’ve seen her play a terrorist, a female spider, and a lovelorn fairy in the past year, I’m pretty certain she’ll rock Beatrice as well.

An: Hello. Thank you for joining us.
Amy: Thank you for having me.
An: I’m so glad to see you on Person on Interest. I loved you on Angel and was afraid you’d disappear, but this year you’re just blowing up. Everywhere I look around from Grimm to Once Upon a Time to Person of Interest and there you are.
Amy: You know it’s funny because it really goes back to Angel. Jonathan Nolan and his wife were Angel fans so they thought of me because of watching the Fred/Illyria switch. And, all of the writers from Angel have gone on to make their own shows. So, Jane is on Once Upon a Time. David Greenwalt on Grimm. I feel really lucky that all of these writers who I’ve had relationships with are remembering me and casting me in all of these different, fun roles.
An: I have to admit I was worried when they cast you. Elias did a great job last year and you’re doing a great job with Root. but, with every great villain they eventually have to get caught.
Amy: Maybe I have a change of heart.
An: What can we expect from Root for the future?
Amy: I’m excited to find out, too. They really haven’t told me much. I think it’s pretty obvious that Finch is in love with me. Maybe a wedding or I don’t know. The problem is what you’ve said. The problem that I’m afraid of. I’m obviously bad. At some point, I’m going to have to be pretty smart to get away from them, if that’s possible.
An: That would be lovely.
An: Did you create a backstory for your character for episodes 201 and 202?
Amy: Yea. What I was mostly trying to figure out is because I’m not computer-savvy is what does that mean and what do I know what to do and how did I learn it? I do feel like they are going to answer those questions more clearly. So, they were sketchy about what information they were going to give me. Then they gave me that script. You can loosely make something and kind of go with it.
An: What else is on your plate?
Amy: I have Much Ado About Nothing. Joss Whedon shot it at his house. It was at the Toronto Film Festival and was picked up by Lionsgate and will be out in the Spring. It’s all Nathan Fillion. I play Beatrice. I’m hoping that gives me the chance to be … it’s funny and person of interest is a really funny show. So, it’ll be good, I’m excited.