Welcome to ZEM Interviews! We hope you enjoy our interviews and gain new insight into your favorite people in the entertainment industry!
Finally, after nearly two years, we publish this awesome interview with Kristin Booth.
A huge thank you to Kristin for her interview, she's a very talented actress and you've probably seen her on television some time recently, or will soon!
If you had to describe yourself in 5 words, which 5 would you use?
Loyal. Fun. Mischievous. Adventurous. True.
When did you realize that you wanted to act as a career?
I was in a production of “Annie” at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend, Ontario [Canada] and I realized that there weren’t just kids playing, there were adults playing the adult characters. That is when I realized people can be paid to act and that I wanted to continue to act as an adult.
What do you like best about acting?
I would have to say that the thing I enjoy the most is the collaboration; working with everyone on set - from hair & makeup, wardrobe, to the director, cinematographer, and, of course, the other actors. That’s my favorite part for sure. I love collaborating, I love creating things; bringing things off the page and bringing them to life - together.
The other thing that I really love about it is being able to fully immerse yourself in someone else’s psyche and mind, becoming someone else for a short period of time.
Do you have any favorites out of all the characters you have played?
Definitely. I played Ethel Kennedy in “The Kennedys” miniseries and that was an amazing experience. For many reasons: she’s still alive today and, obviously, she’s somebody who actually existed. Usually when you are playing roles, they are fictitious; out of somebody’s imagination. But in this case, I was actually playing someone who lived and was a huge part of our history - so that was really, really unique and exciting. It was a great collaborative experience, I worked closely with Barry Pepper, Greg Kinnear, Katie Holmes and the director Jon Cassar, a fellow Canadian, is an amazing director.
That is definitely up there.
I also played a role of an agoraphobic, a shut-in, afraid to leave her apartment. That was the other end of the film and television world: a little indie film that we made for $30,000. The smallest production crew and everything, but getting to play that part, telling that story, I would say is one of the other highlights of my career for sure.
Do you have any particular method for preparing for your roles?
At the start of any role, it’s pretty much the same for me. I read the script several times and then start breaking it down into scenes and sections. I like to create, when I can, some sort of a graph of the character’s arc, of where the character begins, goes and ends. From there, it depends on the type of character and the context that the character lives in, sometimes it requires a lot of research. It just all depends. That’s pretty much the thing I do for every role, from there it is more individual to the part, to the role.
Do you prefer to play heroes or villains? Any kind of preference there?
I very rarely get to play the villain. You know, I think it is because the way I look, to a point, but when I do get to play villains, it is a lot of fun. I’d say playing villains is more challenging and more interesting, simply because they’re different from who I am in real life.
Can you describe your dream role? A character you’d love to play, existing or original?
There are several of those. As far as roles I would love to play in, I love period pieces. I’d love to play in a western, like “The Missing” with Cate Blanchett, where her daughter is kidnapped, she has to find her daughter and chase down the kidnappers, that was awesome. I’d love to do that.
Almost any role that Cate Blanchett has played.
Honestly though, the role of Shane in “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is a dream role. Being able to work with the words that creator Martha Williamson writes was amazing. To be able to work with the talent that I worked with on a daily basis, it really was a dream come true.
There are other roles; like Amy Adams’ role in “Enchanted,” that, if I could sing like her, would be a totally awesome role. It would be so much fun talking to imaginary, animated birds and such.
How would you describe the differences between acting for Theatre, and acting for Film and TV?
For me, as far as the process goes, it’s really not that different. Researching a character and discovering who that character is, is the same for me whether I’m doing theatre or film and television. The amount of prep time in theatre, rehearsals and such, is going to be more in-depth than, say, a television set. My process is definitely the same as far as approaching the characters.
Have you ever considered doing work as a director?
I would like to direct one day. I don’t know when that day will come, but I wrote a short film some time ago that I would like to direct. I haven’t had the time to throw that one together yet, it’s definitely on my bucket list.
Can you tell us about a few people you feel privileged to have worked with, and why?
Barry Pepper. Working with Barry Pepper on “The Kennedys” was amazing!
I worked with Farrah Fawcett some time ago and she was so lovely, generous and engaged as an actress; that’s a memory I definitely won’t forget.
Of course, my “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” co-stars, I feel very privileged to work with them, Eric, Crystal and Geoff. We got to work with Carol Burnett in the last episode of our season and that was definitely a privilege.
Can you tell us a little bit about your recent TV roles, including “Signed, Sealed Delivered?” A little bit about the show, about Shane?
Shane is a complicated character; in the sense that on the outside she’s very well put together, very crisp, very technologically advanced, but then on the inside she’s really just a wounded little girl that hides behind her sleek exterior and her gadgets. It’s a lot of fun playing Shane because I get to layer her so much.
I’m also in the second season of Orphan Black, which is a great privilege, an amazing series, working with Tatiana Maslany. My character is a type, I mentioned earlier in the interview that I don’t get to play as often. That was very, very fun and a stretch as an actor.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to your fans?
Thank you. Thank you for following the characters I play and making it possible for me to do what I love to do. Without the fans I wouldn’t have a job.
Once again, thank you to Kristin for taking the time to answer my questions.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview belong solely to the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ZEM Interviews/Zachary Evan Medley, or employers/collaborators of the interviewee; past, present or future.
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