Actress Katee Sackhoff is probably best known for playing Starbuck on the rebooted Battlestar Galactica series. She’s since been doing plenty of other roles and can next be seen in the new A&E western crime drama, Longmire.
At the TCA Winter Press Tour, Christina Radish got to speak with Sackhoff about co-starring with Vin Diesel in the upcoming Riddick sequel. She talks about how she got the part, getting into shape and getting the opportunity “to go blow some shit up”.
Q: You recently signed on to do the next Riddick movie. Was there a specific draw for you with that?
The draw there is selfish. I grew up watching science fiction and action movies. I love it. I absolutely love it! I’m a huge fan of Vin [Diesel]. I’m a huge fan of the first two movies. I don’t even know how much I can say. They’re so buried in secrecy, over there at the David Twohy camp. But, selfishly, it’s what makes me tick. It’s what I enjoy doing. It’s fun. I’ve been all over the map with my films, in the last year, and the next three or four that I have planned, so I’m excited to go blow some shit up.
Q: Was that a role that was offered to you, or did you have to audition for it?
I did audition for it. It’s actually a crazy story. I went in once, and then didn’t hear anything. When I went in for the first time, I just met with David. And then, the next time, they were like, “Okay, it’s down to you and four girls.” I was like, “All right.” And they were like, “Vin’s in town, so you’re gonna have to jump. When they say jump, you’ve gotta jump.” I was like, “Okay,” thinking that it could be 5 pm one night, or 8 pm one night. I got a phone call at 11 o’clock at night, from all the producers and the casting director, which thank god the casting director is a woman because I would have been like, “You want me to come where?”
… As far as acting goes, you get to a certain point where I think everyone can do the job and it comes down to a level of commitment. I think sometimes all you have to do is show up.
Concept Art from Riddick
Q: When you know you’re going to be working with someone like Vin Diesel, do you work extra hard to be ready to kick some ass?
… I was so worried I wasn’t going to be able to get physically ready for this movie. And then, I just started working out a month ago, and I’ve packed on nine pounds of muscle, which I hate. It’s like Starbuck (from Battlestar Galactica), all over again. It’s not where my body sits. My body sits in the 130′s, and then, when I start playing these characters, I pop up to the 140′s, and I’m like, “God, my pants don’t fit anymore!” I was putting on my pants this morning and I’m like, “They’re the same size and they fit, but my ass looks weird now.” It’s very different. But, that is intimidating. I do know Vin, and I do know how professional he is, and I do know how much of a work-horse he is. He’s so committed to making a phenomenal project. To show up less than perfect for he and David would be a million dollar mistake.
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