5 Questions With Erika Christensen of ABC’s Drama ‘Will Trent’
If you find yourself in trouble, Angie Polaski of ABC’s Will Trent (Tuesdays at 8pm ET/PT) is definitely the detective you want on your case. Well, if she’s sober.
A complex character who is great at her job but can never quite move on from her traumatic past, Polaski — played by Erika Christensen — is a bit of a wild card, as well as GBI agent Will Trent’s on-again, off-again girlfriend. Like the show, she is based on a character from Karin Slaughter’s series of Will Trent novels, though she is quite different on the page than onscreen. We recently sat down with Erika so she could answer our “5 Questions.”
1. What can you tell us about the new season of Will Trent?
A lot of groundwork was laid last season for delving into the backgrounds of these characters as much as their futures. What I love about the writers on our show is that they don’t tend to miss an opportunity to pay something off that they’ve set up. There are a lot of supporting characters that we met in previous episodes that are still a part of the world that we live in, as well as some great new characters. It just feels real and exciting and cohesive to keep these characters around and not have them be forgotten.
2. How do you feel about Angie, as a character?
I just see her as this woman reborn. She’s strong and independent and doing what she wants to do with her life, and she comes from a place of a lot of trauma, and I just respect her. Ramón [Rodríguez] and I were already friends, and we go way back. When I first read the script, I thought the characters were fantastic and the dialogue was fantastic, and it felt like something really elevated. I was like, oh, yes, Angie and I are right for each other right now at this moment in my life. But I felt that connection with her where she is tough in a way that doesn’t require that she’s really got to prove it to you. She’s just kind of doing her thing and she’s confident.
3. Do you stay in touch with your costars from Parenthood?
I do. I’m definitely closest with Sam Jaeger, and, in fact, I’m going to call him when I get off the phone with you.
4. What are your favorite shows to watch?
Right now, I’m watching True Detective and the new season of Fargo. Then when I’m done with those, I’m going to go and finish Only Murders in the Building, which is so great. It’s got its own niche. I really love what they’ve done there.
5. In an alternate world, if you weren’t an actress, what kind of job do you see yourself doing?
Now that I know what it’s like working in the entertainment industry, I would work in the entertainment industry. I would like to be either a writer or a singer; I had musical aspirations at one time.
1. What can you tell us about the new season of Will Trent?
A lot of groundwork was laid last season for delving into the backgrounds of these characters as much as their futures. What I love about the writers on our show is that they don’t tend to miss an opportunity to pay something off that they’ve set up. There are a lot of supporting characters that we met in previous episodes that are still a part of the world that we live in, as well as some great new characters. It just feels real and exciting and cohesive to keep these characters around and not have them be forgotten.
2. How do you feel about Angie, as a character?
I just see her as this woman reborn. She’s strong and independent and doing what she wants to do with her life, and she comes from a place of a lot of trauma, and I just respect her. Ramón [Rodríguez] and I were already friends, and we go way back. When I first read the script, I thought the characters were fantastic and the dialogue was fantastic, and it felt like something really elevated. I was like, oh, yes, Angie and I are right for each other right now at this moment in my life. But I felt that connection with her where she is tough in a way that doesn’t require that she’s really got to prove it to you. She’s just kind of doing her thing and she’s confident.
3. Do you stay in touch with your costars from Parenthood?
I do. I’m definitely closest with Sam Jaeger, and, in fact, I’m going to call him when I get off the phone with you.
4. What are your favorite shows to watch?
Right now, I’m watching True Detective and the new season of Fargo. Then when I’m done with those, I’m going to go and finish Only Murders in the Building, which is so great. It’s got its own niche. I really love what they’ve done there.
5. In an alternate world, if you weren’t an actress, what kind of job do you see yourself doing?
Now that I know what it’s like working in the entertainment industry, I would work in the entertainment industry. I would like to be either a writer or a singer; I had musical aspirations at one time.
1. What can you tell us about the new season of Will Trent?
A lot of groundwork was laid last season for delving into the backgrounds of these characters as much as their futures. What I love about the writers on our show is that they don’t tend to miss an opportunity to pay something off that they’ve set up. There are a lot of supporting characters that we met in previous episodes that are still a part of the world that we live in, as well as some great new characters. It just feels real and exciting and cohesive to keep these characters around and not have them be forgotten.
2. How do you feel about Angie, as a character?
I just see her as this woman reborn. She’s strong and independent and doing what she wants to do with her life, and she comes from a place of a lot of trauma, and I just respect her. Ramón [Rodríguez] and I were already friends, and we go way back. When I first read the script, I thought the characters were fantastic and the dialogue was fantastic, and it felt like something really elevated. I was like, oh, yes, Angie and I are right for each other right now at this moment in my life. But I felt that connection with her where she is tough in a way that doesn’t require that she’s really got to prove it to you. She’s just kind of doing her thing and she’s confident.
3. Do you stay in touch with your costars from Parenthood?
I do. I’m definitely closest with Sam Jaeger, and, in fact, I’m going to call him when I get off the phone with you.
4. What are your favorite shows to watch?
Right now, I’m watching True Detective and the new season of Fargo. Then when I’m done with those, I’m going to go and finish Only Murders in the Building, which is so great. It’s got its own niche. I really love what they’ve done there.
5. In an alternate world, if you weren’t an actress, what kind of job do you see yourself doing?
Now that I know what it’s like working in the entertainment industry, I would work in the entertainment industry. I would like to be either a writer or a singer; I had musical aspirations at one time.
