I do think that it's extremely important with this character show her assuming power with a great deal of grace, and find out how to do things she won't like - the things she's called upon to do.
I love the idea of a woman being able to discover the idea of power this way, on such a scale. And I don't know about that, what it means - well, I guess I'd better, or my part's in trouble.
I love to work. I love to have complexity.
I really think we haven't found a way to allow women to have grace while finding power, particularly in the military. I'm going to get to discover on my feet with Ron and the others what is the truth here, what is the truth of the woman in power, and why do we vilify them, demonize them?
It's even more realistic that she's co-running things with Commander Adama - Thank God it's the brilliant Eddie Olmos playing him! I mean, he has the power on this ship.
It's phenomenally important to me that, if I'm going to be spending years on a project, I need to be interested in the whole thing. I'm not there to be on my own. And if I'm going to be with these people, I'd best be interested in their work.
Ron allowed us to see right away the private piece of a person about to become very public. I suspect we're going to see more of her very private world - Laura's private experience. I'm not sure yet how public she's going to be about the actions she's going to have to take.
That moment was very important because it was political. That's what has to be done, so they struck a deal. She figures his is a well-thought-out motivation that she felt was worthy trade-off. The motivation here is survival, and she has to think like a leader.
The Cylons are such a frightening concept - not knowing who is real. No way.
Well, I don't know what Ron has in mind, but I do know about the arc of the show. Looking at how intuitive and instinctive Eddie and I play, that is the sort of thing that leads into sexual chemistry. I wouldn't be surprised if it emerged.
With BSG, sci-fi is the human experience taken beyond the envelope. When I first became involved with the project, I knew that I would be able to play a human being for many years, exploring and reflecting on issues that would impact people's lives.
She was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1990" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 42.
In 1997, she starred in Two Small Voices with Gail O'Grady for Lifetime Television.
Her height is 5'8".
She began acting as a college student at the State University of New York at Fredonia.
She began teaching drama at Vassar College summer theater. After this she continued teaching at New York Stage and Film Company.
She made her big screen debut in the movie Garbo Talks (1984).
She was cast as Marilyn Whitmore in the movie Independence Day (1996).
Mary and her husband, Randle Mell, have two children, Olivia and Michael.
She had her screen debut in the 1980's soap As the World Turns. She played Claudia Colfax in this series.
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