The Catherine Bell Interview
Get the scoop from the talented Catherine Bell about love and loss on "Army Wives," working with her real-life husband, portraying the military on TV, her movie "Last Man Standing," how she connects to fans and more!
By Lisa Raphael
What did you like best about playing Lieutenant Collins?
She’s actually Abby Collins now, and Lieutenant Collins is buried in her deep past and I really love that. I love that here’s this woman who has this beautiful, simple soccer-mom life and this entire hidden life that you know nothing about until a former member of her unit is killed and her husband is kidnapped — and then her former skill set kicks in, and she has to do everything she can to get him back and protect their daughter at the same time. I love it!
To me, action heroes and action movies, and doing some of my own stunts and all that stuff, are really probably my favorite things to do, so I had a blast.
How is it going from playing an Army wife to playing an actual, former Marine, having done the Black Ops and everything?
I love it! To me, in acting the most fun thing is mixing it up — going from playing a wife who started off being abused by her son and going through all of this emotional stuff, and then just going into full-on action mode and Special Ops, secret-agent stuff. Maybe next time I’ll get to do some sort of period piece or something completely different from all those things, you know?
What do you think Denise (your “Army Wives” character) and Abby would have to talk about if Abby were to hang out with the “Army Wives” crew?
(laughs) I think she’d probably have a lot to say! She obviously knows a lot about the military. More than anything, she’s a mom, she’s a wife, she’s a strong woman, and those are all things that seem to be very central to an Army or military spouse as well, so she might fit right in.
You do stunts in the movie “Last Man Standing,” and we know that Terry Serpico, who plays your husband Frank Sherwood on “Army Wives,” has a stunt background — did he give you any pointers?
That’s right, he does! No, he didn’t give me any pointers, but we did talk about it a little bit. He’s a real stuntman; I obviously had a stunt girl for some of the more dangerous things. I got to do a lot of it, but anytime there’s any risk involved, they let a professional do that sort of thing. My stunt girl was amazing. I don’t want to give anything away, but there was a cable rig that was attached to her chest that pulls her back and she gets knocked back. She actually flew back and hit her head on the concrete. If it was me, I would have been definitely down for the count, but she was amazing! She took a couple of minutes, shook it off, got up and was like, “Let’s do it again!”
What can we expect from the “Army Wives” finale? Is there a cliffhanger? What can you tell us without giving too much away?
That’s always a challenge! Well, every character is obviously going through so many things, you know … Roxy is running into her challenges with opening up her truck stop, and Denise and Tanya, Jeremy’s fiancée, are getting closer and helping each other through the loss of Jeremy. But I think the big thing is that there’s huge, unexpected news that we all get as a group that — of course I can’t give away — but it really forces us all to take a look at where we’re going next in our lives and what’s the next step for each of us. Really, it’s a big shocker, and I guess it is a bit of a cliffhanger in that sense. What’s next for these people?
That sets up the next season. Have you seen scripts for next season yet?
Not yet! I think all of the writers — as they should be — are on vacation at the moment!
What was it like connecting with the cast of “Last Man Standing” as opposed to the “Army Wives” cast?
Well, it’s always different on a movie; you’re only with people for a short amount of time. It was a three-week shoot, maybe with a week of prep and stunt training and stuff like that, in Detroit. So you just kind of come together fast and furious, get to know each other really fast. Love those guys! Mekhi Phifer and Anthony Michael Hall are just fantastic people and actors, and we had a blast. You know, you do it and you all go back home. Whereas “Army Wives,” we all came together on the pilot, didn’t know where it was going, had to go to Charleston and live there for a couple of weeks, and then all of a sudden we were back together for six months at a time. And that’s an interesting one too because you’re out of town, you’re on location, most of the cast is away from their families. I got to take my family with me, but most people were leaving a spouse, or boyfriend or girlfriend, at home, so you kind of become a little bit closer being away from home like that as well.
What was it about this particular film that drew you to portray this character?
Well, you know this was something that my husband, Adam Beason, actually co-wrote with Jolene Rice. He came up with the idea a couple of years ago, and we were trying to find something to do together. So this was something that literally started with, “Hey honey, what do you think about playing a female bodyguard?” And I said, “Yeah, cool!” because he had been doing research on female bodyguards and how cool they are and how a lot of people are hiring females for that. And next thing you know, he and Jolene started writing a pitch. They pitched to Lifetime, and they loved it and brought in Gale Anne Hurd, an amazing producer, and she produced it with us and really just created the whole thing from the bottom up. It was fun to be involved in that, because the character was probably my favorite as someone who was really strong and gets to do the action stuff, which is what I really love. And it’s a thriller; it’s really fast-paced and action-packed.
You’re such an active participant in Twitter. Why is that an important way for you to connect with your fans?
I love Twitter! I used to be a Facebook girl, and I was afraid of Twitter because I thought I had to let everyone know every time I took a sip of water or something, and I was like, No, this is weird! But I realized that it’s just a really fun, fast way to communicate with a lot of people and hear back from them immediately and really stay in touch with your fans.
You seem to be drawn to shows that highlight the military life, all the way back to “JAG.” What is it that brings you back to these particular roles?
I think on one hand it’s a bit of an accident. With “Army Wives,” I was looking for something very, very different from “JAG,” and even though it’s called “Army Wives,” it’s a very different show. It’s more emotional, and more about people and relationships and women and friendships and families and all of that. Where “JAG” really wasn’t about any of that; it was about the military and law, and jets and aircraft carriers. I think they’re very different shows, and yet, I think in “Last Man Standing,” she has the military background, but that just sort of brings in her strengths and her Special Ops skills, which let her run around and take care of business and get her husband back, you know?
Military is something I obviously have huge respect for and has been a big part of my career.
What was it like working with your husband on “Last Man Standing”?
We have been together 19 years. We met on a movie set, so we kind of started out in this business together, He was a production assistant to Robert Zemeckis, I was an actress, and then we kind of went through different phases of our careers and he became a writer seven years ago. And we always wanted to work together. He’s always been a part of my production company, and we’ve been looking for a project to do together and work on together. He’s very, very smart — I call him my “walking IMDB” — I can say, “Adam, who directed blah blah blah?” and he knows! If the computer is down and the Internet isn’t working, you call Adam for your IMDB questions.
How do you keep your amazing body after two kids?
Well, you have your husband write you an action movie nine weeks after your baby is born (laughs). You’re forced to get in shape! You just do. Nothing crazy, but I do work out regularly. And try to eat well most of the time, though I cheat here and there.
How does being a producer change your connection to a project that you’re working on?
Well, you know I’m always going to be connected to any project that I’m working on, even if I’m just an actor because I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it, love the script, the character, or something about it. But I think being a producer — especially on something like this, where we really created it from the ground up — that’s just a whole nother level. That’s something where you’re just sitting around on the couch, like, “Hey, what about this idea?” and then it grows into a full-blown script, and the next thing you know, you’re on a set filming it and you look around and go, “Hey, look at this! This is the set you came up with, hubby!” So there’s definitely even more passion, more connection to it.
This past season of “Army Wives” was huge for Denise because she lost her son, Jeremy. How has it been, filming without Bubba’s presence on set?
Oh man! I think one of the hardest things about filming those episodes was knowing that Bubba — Richard, we call him Bubba — was going away. I adore that man — I call him a man because he’s actually, like, 25, even though he plays 19. But yeah, such a sweetheart! He’s almost like a kid to me, like a real kid, he’s just a good, good person. He’s a Charleston boy, born and raised in Charleston! So we still see him and hang out. He takes my daughter Gemma fishing and fun stuff like that.
But man, we miss him! That final scene, the one with him in the coffin — brutal! So hard to shoot, and we were all sobbing because we were saying goodbye to him and the character.
What are you looking forward to next — should we expect a sequel to “Last Man Standing”?
Well, “B-Ring” is our pet project, hopefully the next one Adam is writing and will direct. We have that on Kickstarter.com, which is a really fun fund-raising website. As for “Last Man Standing,” we would love to do a sequel. Gale and I have talked about that from the very beginning, we’re like, “Hey, let’s do a bunch of these. That would be great!” So hopefully people will watch and love it on Monday night, and hopefully we’ll get to do more!
You moved to South Carolina years ago for “Army Wives.” What keeps you in the South and in Carolina?
A couple of things. I think originally we fell in love with the city right away, and after “Army Wives” got picked up for the second season we decided to make it our permanent home. Partly because my daughter was starting kindergarten and I didn’t want to keep moving her around. We would finish filming and I would have to move her back to L.A. And I’m working a lot — I went to Canada and Detroit for “Last Man Standing” — and I’m never really in one place, so we said, “Let’s make Charleston home base.” It’s beautiful, and the people are really nice — Southern hospitality at its finest. It’s on the beach, water everywhere, and it’s really just a wonderful place to raise a family. I’d lived in L.A my whole life before that and I never knew a single neighbor ever. Then I get to the South, and while you’re literally still moving in furniture, people are bringing homemade cookies and notes with their phone numbers — “call if you need anything.”
http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/last-man-standing/article/catherine-bell-interview?page=0,1&cmpid=Social_Twitter_Lifetime_06032011_2
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Why the military let a computer tech wiz like you go, I’ll never know.
–Abby’s husband Nick [Anthony Michael Hall]
Catherine Bell stars in Lifetime’s Last Man Standing as Abby Collins. She’s happily married to a local veterinarian [Hall] with a daughter. Nearly seven years before, she served in the Marine Corps Black Ops in Afghanistan as Lt. Abby Spencer. Her unit’s assignment to protect an Afghan chemist who would testify against Al Qaeda went terribly wrong and somebody “sold the guy out.”
Abby receives a photo of her unit of three with a note on the back: “You know what happens to the last man standing.” Then another unit mate, Jeremy Davis [Mekhi Phifer] calls to inform her that the other unit member, Sam Pratt, committed suicide. She starts having flashbacks. As Abby tells her husband that with only three in the unit, they got close. Shockingly, someone kidnaps Abby’s husband and insists she follow orders or he’ll be executed. Last Man Standing proves to be an exciting thriller with a surprise twist at the end.
Bell produced the film and her husband, Adam Beason co-wrote the script with Jolene Rice.
I spoke to Catherine Bell on Thursday.
Amy Steele: What do you like about Lt. Spencer?
Catherine Bell: Lt. Spencer is buried in her past and I really love that there’s this woman who has this beautiful, simple soccer mom life and this entire hidden event that you know nothing about until a former member of her unit dies and her husband gets kidnapped. Her former skill-set kicks in and she’s got to do everything she can to get him back and keep their daughter safe. I love it. Doing action heroes and action movies and doing my own stunts. It’s really one of my favorite things to do. I had a blast.
Amy Steele: How is it to go from playing an Army wife to playing a former Marine?
Catherine Bell: To me the best thing about acting is mixing it up. Going from playing a wife who started off being abused by her son and going through all this emotional stuff and then going into full on action mode and special ops, secret agent stuff. Maybe next I’ll be able to do a period piece or something completely different.
Amy Steele: How does being a producer change your connection to a project?
Catherine Bell: I’m always going to be connected to any project I’m doing as an actor because I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it. Being a producer, especially on something like this where we really created it from the ground up, that’s just a whole other level. Definitely even more passion and even more connection to it.
Last Man Standing premieres Monday, June 6 at 8 pm PT/ET on Lifetime Television.
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Catherine Bell Exclusive Interview LAST MAN STANDING and ARMY WIVES
June 06 2011
Best known for her work as the headstrong Marine Corps attorney Lt. Sarah MacKenzie on the action drama series JAG, Catherine Bell now stars on Army Wives, the highest-rated television show in Lifetime’s history. A one-hour ensemble drama, currently wrapping up its fifth season on June 12th and with a Season 6 already ordered, the series captures the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women – and one man – living with their spouses and families on an active army base. Catherine Bell can also be seen starring in the action-thriller TV movie Last Man Standing, which premieres on Lifetime on June 6th. Produced by the actress and written by her husband, it tells the story of a happy suburban wife and mother who is forced to reveal her dark past as a military-trained special-ops agent when her husband (played by Anthony Michael Hall) is mysteriously kidnapped.
During a recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actress Catherine Bell talked about how Last Man Standing came about, why she loves doing physical action roles, what she loves about being a part of the hugely successful Army Wives, what made her want to get into producing, how she hopes to be able to do a JAG movie someday, and that she would love to make a sci-fi film. Check out what she had to say after the jump:
Question: How did Last Man Standing come about? Was that something that you and your husband developed together and then brought to Lifetime, or did they come to you with the idea?
CATHERINE BELL: We went to them with the idea, actually. It started with my husband sitting on the couch one day and he said, “What do you think about playing a female bodyguard?,” and I said, “Yeah, that’s great!” He knows I love action and I really wanted to get back to my action hero roots, which I hadn’t done much of in awhile. And then, we started talking about it, and he and his writing partner, Jolene Rice, worked on a pitch, and we went to Lifetime and everybody liked the idea, which was amazing. They said, “What do you think about having Gale Anne Hurd as the executive producer, helping you guys develop the script to make sure it’s really great?,” and Adam [Beason] and I were like, “Yes! Oh, my god! We love her. We’re huge fans of Aliens, Terminator and The Walking Dead.” So, she came on board and we spent a year and a half to two years developing the script with her and Lifetime.
So, this role was specifically written to suit you and your strengths?
BELL: Yeah, completely. Adam knew that I loved and did martial arts. I even got to do some of my own driving stunts. I love racing cars. All that stuff was tailor made for me.
What is the film about and who is the woman that you’re playing in it?
BELL: Well, on the surface, Abby Collins appears to be this suburban soccer mom and she has a great life with a husband and kid. She’s a PTA mom, and the whole thing. All we know is that she was in the military, and was maybe a computer analyst or a tech wiz. And then, a former member of her unit is found dead, and that same night, her husband is kidnapped. The kidnappers contact her and tell her that, if she wants to see him alive, she’s got to do exactly what they want. So, it turns out that she has a secret Special Ops past, and all of that kicks back in, as she spends the next three hours trying to save her husband and protect her daughter.
When you think of Lifetime movies, you expect them to be about love and romance, but this is an action-thriller. Will this film appeal to audiences that don’t normally tune in to Lifetime movies?
BELL: Yeah, for sure. I think this is very different for Lifetime and I’m really excited about it. I’m glad I got to be a part of it because it’s very much like a Bourne Identity movie. Also, I think the people that normally watch Lifetime are going to enjoy it because it’s a woman doing all of that, and because I’ve got a family and I’m protecting my family. There’s a lot of heart. It’s a great story, with the characters underneath the action. I’m blown away. Gale Anne Hurd was very involved in the whole process, from the beginning to the very end. She worked with her editor and tweaked it. It came out really good. It feels like a feature film, when you’re watching it. With the lighting, the directing, the action and the fight sequences, you’re like, “Wow, this is really cool!” So, we’re all very excited about it.
How was it to work with both Anthony Michael Hall and Mekhi Phifer?
BELL: They’re both really great. We actually had a really good time together. Anthony Michael Hall is probably sillier. He’s silly and fun. He’s been doing this for a long time and he’s such a pro. Mekhi is more of a serious actor. He’s a real pro, who comes in and wants to talk about the dialogue and character. But, at the same time, we all had a great time and got to be really silly. Maybe it was the late nights we were working. We worked all nights in Detroit, in the winter.
Ernest Dickerson has done some great work, in television and film. What was he like, as a director?
BELL: Oh my god, Ernest was amazing! Gale told us that she was bringing him on board. He had just done a couple episodes of The Walking Dead for her. He was phenomenal. He’s such a laid-back guy. He’s very zen. He never got stressed, no matter what was happening, how behind we got, or fast we had to shoot. He was just cool and laid-back, took his time and made sure we got what we needed to get.
Were any of the action sequences particularly fun for you?
BELL: It was all a blast! I really, really like doing action. Maybe it’s just because I’m a tomboy and I love all that stuff. The driving was so much fun. We went out before we started filming and the stunt coordinator showed me how to do a reverse 180, where I was basically going in reverse, as fast as I possibly could, and then turn the wheel, slam on the brakes, put it in drive, and then keep going forward. Learning to do stuff like that was just awesome. It was really, really cool. And then, I’d done a lot of fighting before, but it was great to do it again, in a movie where I had several scenes of fighting different people, getting out of certain situations, and doing a huge fight sequence at the end. I love the choreography of all that stuff, and getting really good at making sure it looks realistic. But, it’s a challenge. It’s exhausting. I had whiplash, just from being thrown around. You get so sore, with the adrenalin going through your body. I love it because I’m really physical and active, but I can imagine that some actors would get in there and go, “Why am I not doing a little period piece somewhere?”
What can you say about the upcoming finale of Army Wives and what fans of the show can expect from it?
BELL: There’s a lot of stuff that happens in the finale. Individually, we each have different storylines going on. And then, as a group, we get some news that’s kind of shocking and that’s going to affect all of us, in different ways, and forces each of us to make certain decisions about our lives. We end the show wondering where our futures are going to take us. It’s another good Army Wives finale that makes you go, “Oh, now I’ve got to wait six months to find out what happened!”
What was it that originally attracted you to the show, and specifically to your character?
BELL: For me, I was looking for something very different from what I had just spent nine years doing with JAG. I wanted anything different. It’s a military theme, so people think I’m doing something similar, but actually they couldn’t be further from each other. The character, Denise Sherwood, has changed a lot over the years and become stronger. Just becoming a woman who has learned her strength, over the years, was definitely appealing to me. I knew she wasn’t going to stay meek. I didn’t really want to play a meek person for many years, on a show, so it was nice to go through that journey with her and watch her mature and grow up. And, the writing is just phenomenal. We have the best writers and really deep, rich, wonderful stories and characters, which is really what it’s always all about.
In a climate where shows have to really fight to get a pilot on the air, and then fight to get past their first season, is it rewarding for you to hear fans say, in the fifth season, that the show is so strong, they feel it’s the best season yet?
BELL: Oh, it’s so rewarding! We were all talking about it on set, completely floored. How often does that happen that in the fifth season it’s the highest ratings, ever? It’s some of the best writing and work. It’s very rewarding.
Now that you’ve gotten to know your character over the course of five seasons, what do you love most about her, and is there anything about her that you wish you could change?
BELL: That’s interesting. She’s constantly evolving. She’s always going through stuff. She’s got a good balance. She’s a good mom and she’s a great wife. She’s trying to find the balance between having a new baby and getting back to work. I think she’s doing what we all do, when we’re juggling work and family and whatever else. We just try to keep it all together and keep it all going, as best as we possibly can.
How different do you think she is now from who she was when you first signed on to play her? Is who she is now anything that you could have envisioned?
BELL: No, not at all. I would have never guessed that she would have started riding a motorcycle and got a tattoo. She’s becoming more and more like me.
How much of that development has been a collaborative process, and how much have been things that have just completely surprised you?
BELL: A lot of it has been collaborative, actually. I ride motorcycles, so the writer/creator of the show said, “That’s really cool. I want to put that in.” The tattoo thing was funny. I wanted to get a tattoo of my daughter’s name, and they were thinking of giving my character one. We decided to make it the same tattoo, so I wouldn’t have to cover it up. On the show, we said it means “beautiful mistake,” but it’s actually my daughter’s name. And then, I wanted to get pregnant and I mentioned it to the producers and they were like, “Yeah, go for it! It’ll be great. We’ll write it in.” So, I got pregnant, and my character got pregnant too. We’re becoming more and more like each other. It’s pretty wild.
With Season 6 already ordered, is there anything that you’re hoping your character will get to do or go through that she hasn’t been able to yet?
BELL: Well, I know she’s getting back to work, and I think that’s always been important to her. She’s a nurse and paramedic, and wants to help people. It’s important to continue the healing process of losing her son in Afghanistan, for sure. I’m sure that will carry over into next year, with her continuing to heal and live her life. I’m not sure what will happen. The writers are always really good with surprising me with fun storylines. No more death, though. I can’t cry anymore. It’s brutal. I’m so sick of crying.
You’re a beautiful woman with a successful career and a successful family. How difficult is it to find a balance and be able to do it all?
BELL: It’s pretty intense. There are definitely some days where I’m like, “Wow, how am I doing this?” But, I just do it. All of us do, whether you have a regular 9 to 5 job, or a crazy job like mine that takes you all over the place. Some days I have off, and other days I work 19 or 20 hours. You just deal with it. I think I’m always trying to find ways to improve, and ways to stress less, and ways to spend a little more time with my kids, or to spend time alone, if that’s what I need, or with my husband. I just continue to balance it out. It’s not easy.
Being such a strong woman yourself, is it important for you to play roles that are also strong women?
BELL: Yeah. With the first season of Army Wives, I wanted to make sure that this wasn’t going to be a weak woman for long, and I was assured that she was going to very quickly stand up to her son and really transform her life. I felt that that was important. Seeing people change like that is a great lesson. I always like to play roles that are, in some way, inspiring. And, it could be that it’s a terrible character. It doesn’t mean that I have to just play good people all the time. I’ve been playing a lot of really strong, able woman, but I think it would be really fun to play a crazy drug addict, or something. But, even with that, the story has to have some meaning. It can’t just be, “Isn’t this great? We’re doing drugs and stealing. Life is really cool!” It has to be like, “Wow, look at where life can go, if you allow it to go that way?”
What made you decide to get into producing? Is that something that you wanted to do, so that you could have more control over the development of the roles you want to do?
BELL: Yeah. I’ve always wanted to produce. I’ve had my production company name for years, even though I didn’t really do anything with it right away. For me, I’ve always thought of myself as a businesswoman. I have the creative side, but I also have this business sense. Producing is very much like running a business, where you find the project, you find the different people involved, you put the elements together, and you make sure they all work together well. And, creating my own roles, as an actor, is great. You’re so at the mercy of other people, and you’re waiting for a job. That’s just a horrible way to live, so I just decided to take matters into my own hands, find my own projects, and create them myself, and then do other stuff that people might throw my way as well. There’s no sitting around and waiting.
Are you surprised that JAG is still so beloved by fans that they’re always asking whether you’ll do a movie and re-team with David James Elliot again?
BELL: It’s so sweet. I hear it all the time. On Twitter and Facebook, people are constantly asking me for a JAG reunion, and I would love it. Actually, my husband has a great idea for a JAG movie, which we’ve talked to Don Bellisario about. He was busy doing some other projects, but never say never. It could definitely happen, someday.
Is there a dream role that you’d really love to do, but haven’t had the chance to do yet?
BELL: There are probably a couple. I love doing action and thrillers. My husband and I are working on a project that’s a Sigourney Weaver in Alien type of movie. It’s very sci-fi and futuristic, and set in the B-rings of Saturn, 200 years in the future. We’re raising some money on a fundraising website,
www.Kickstarter.com, to do storyboards and build a model of the ship, and then use that to raise money for the film. That’s one of the things that I would love to do – really full-on sci-fi/action. I would also love to do a comedy. That would be great! I got to do a little bit of it in Bruce Almighty, and I’ve done episodes, here and there, on JAG or Army Wives, where I got to have fun and be funny, and people are always surprised that I have a funny side because I’m usually so intense, strong and dramatic. But, I’d love to do something really, really silly and funny.
Do you know what you’ll be doing next, now that the show is on a break?
BELL: I’m just figuring it out. We might do another Good Witch movie. We’ve talked about that. Those are the movies I do for Hallmark that we’ve done four of, that are also really popular. People seem to like them, so I might do one more of those. I’m just looking and meeting with people. I’d love to do another feature. Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty were great. I’ve just been super-busy working in TV, so a feature film would be fun for balance. I’m looking at stuff right now, so we’ll see. I’ve got five or six months off, so I have a little time.
LAST MAN STANDING premieres on Lifetime on Monday, June 6th. The season 5 finale of ARMY WIVES is on Lifetime on June 12th.
http://collider.com/catherine-bell-interview-last-man-standing-army-wives/94871/
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Catherine Bell gives us a peek inside her private life and her new film Last Man Standing
June 06 2011
Catherine Bell has come a long way since her days on Jag… she’s been starring in the hit Lifetime series Army Wives and when she’s not busy playing a wife on TV or film, she’s playing one in real life too- to her husband of 19 – count em 19 years (which in Hollywood is commensurate to 100 years) and raising two kids.
We got a chance to chat up Catherine about her latest film for Lifetime; Last Man Standing which was co- written by her real-life husband, Adam Beason who came up with the idea a couple of years ago, when they were trying to find something to do together. Last Man Standing as Bell Describes literally began with her husband’s question, “Hey honey, what do you think about playing a female bodyguard?” to which she said, “Yeah, cool!”. And next thing she knew, he started writing a pitch
So just who is this character Bell plays in Last Man Standing which premieres on Monday, June 6, at 8 pm PT/ET on Lifetime Television? Abby Collins; a happy suburban wife and mother who’s been concealing her dark past as a military-trained special-ops agent. But when her husband is mysteriously kidnapped, Abby’s past returns to haunt her and she must risk everything to protect her daughter and save the man she loves.
“It was fun to be involved in that, because the character was probably my favorite as someone who was really strong and gets to do the action stuff, which is what I really love,” says Bell. “And it’s a thriller; it’s really fast-paced and action-packed.” And while we can’t wait to see her flex her take no prisoners I’m a bad-ass special opps agent… we also wanted a clue into how Bell balances everything on her very full plate…
Married my Sugar Daddy: How do you keep your relationship from fizzling out- 19 years together is a really long time, especially in Hollywood.. What’s your secret?
Catherine: We’ve been together 19 years and it’s like 100 years in Hollywood. We met on a movie set he was a production assistant to Robert zemekis and I was an actress. We went through different phases of our careers and he’s always been a part of my production company. I actually call him my walking IMBD
I’m sure that since we’re not both actors perhaps has helped to keep our relationship strong. In Hollywood when one spouse -is working more it can be challenging and luckily we’ve never had competition he’s been a real partner- it’s so much more collaborative.
Married my Sugar daddy: Truthfully how do you stay so fit in your forties?
Catherine: You have your husband write a part for you, ( like Last Man Standing) right after you give birth! Of course I do work out regularly like three four days a week- and yes I do cheat a little here and there.
Married my Sugar Daddy: Speaking of being a mom in her forties; you had your second child in your 40’s so is motherhood harder or easier at this stage of the game?
Catherine: The pregnancy was harder n my I 40’s but as far as motherhood I’m more comfortable- I’m more relaxed as a woman-and I’ve noticed he (my baby) is also more comfortable and relaxed because I don’t freak out about everything
Married my sugar daddy: When you do get to spend quality time with your kids what do you relish most?
Catherine: Its different things- I love putting my little boy in the carrier, he loves the wind on his face, and it’s our special time. With my daughter- I love to read fairytales to her in bed and of course we love to cook together with her little step stool in the kitchen.
Married my sugar daddy: What was the best piece of advice you got about motherhood?
Catherine: Someone told me this- make sure you take time for yourself and your spouse; you and your marriage are just as important as your babies. Go get a massage, a pedicure, go out to dinner with your husband and get a baby sitter. Do it for yourself –it makes you such a better mother and wife and is so worth it.
http://www.marriedmysugardaddy.com/?p=511
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Catherine Bell: Motherhood Is Easier In My 40's
Army Wives star Catherine Bell will light up the small screen tonight in the action thriller, Last Man Standing. In the Lifetime TV movie, Catherine portrays a happy suburban wife and mother who has been concealing her dark past as a military-trained special-ops agent.
In a conference call, the mom-of-two kids - daughter Gemma, 8, and son Ronan, 10 months - opens up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about her exciting new role, spending quality time with her family in South Carolina, and the secrets to her successful 19-year relationship with her partner in life and her career, hubby Adam Beason.
How's baby Ronan doing? Any plans for his upcoming first birthday?
CB: "Omigoodness is he really going to be 1 already?! I haven't even really thought about it yet - it goes by so fast. He's doing great! My mom is taking care of him back in Charleston and she's texting me pictures of him all day. He just started standing and pulling himself up so all the pictures today he was standing on all sorts of different pieces of furniture and trying to grab everything he possibly could. He's a happy, happy, easy going baby. We got lucky."
How did Gemma do with the transition into sisterhood considering the age difference between the two?
CB: "She really did well. It took her a couple weeks to get used to it. At first she was so excited when he came home and then it hit her that there's another little person in the house that is getting equal amounts of attention. I think it was a bit of a shock at first, being an only child for so long. After those first few weeks of adjustment, she's just become the best big sister. She's really, really sweet and considerate and loving. I call her second mommy to him. She's just so great with him."
You had your second child in your 40's. Is motherhood easier or harder now?
CB: "Pregnancy was a little harder on my body. But motherhood is easier. I'm more relaxed and comfortable as a woman and as a mom. I've had 8 years of experience as a mom. I've also noticed that Ronan's much more easy and relaxed too because I don't freak out and every little noise he makes. He's just a cool kid."
As a mom and an actress, how do you maintain a sense of normalcy in your family life?
CB: "I constantly work at that. With my career and my schedule, it's constantly changing so it's not like a have a normal 9-5. Some days I might have off which is great so I take advantage of that. Other days, I might work 18, 19 hours and not see them at all. So it's a go-with-the-flow process where I'm always trying to find the time to give them consistency.
We love to go for bike rides on the weekend, so we always try to squeeze that in. Whenever I'm not working I try to take my daughter to school because she loves when I do that. Or putting my little boy to sleep. Just finding those moments and special things that you do that are so important.
It's different things. I love putting my little boy in the Bjorn and we walk over to the park just a few blocks from our house. We play on the swings and hang out and play in the sand. That time I love.
With my daughter I love to read. She loves books so I'll read to her in bed. Fairy tales and all sorts of different adventures. Any of that stuff is really wonderful and special time. Also, my daughter loves to cook so she'll get her step-stool and help me cook dinner. I just love stuff like that."
What's the best advice you give to new moms?
CB: "Make sure you take some time for yourself and for your spouse as well. As important as those babies are and you want to spend every second with them, go get a pedicure or a massage or go for a walk by yourself. Go out for dinner with your husband! Get a babysitter - I know it's hard and you don't want to - but I think it makes you a better mom and a better person."
What did you like the best about your role on Last Man Standing?
CB: "I love that there's this woman that has this beautiful, simple, soccer mom life and this entire hidden past that you know nothing about until a member of her unit is killed and her husband is kidnapped. Her former skill-set kicks in and she's got to do everything that she can to get him back and keep their daughter safe at the same time. I love this role! Action heroes, action movies and doing some of my own stunts is my favorite thing to do."
What's it like playing an Army Wife to playing a marine?
CB: "I love it! For me, the best thing about acting is being able to mix it up.From a wife who's being abused by her son and all sorts of emotional stuff, and then going into full-on action mode and special-ops, secret agent stuff. I love it. Maybe next I'll get to do some period piece, completely different from those two roles. We'll see."
What can we expect from the Army Wives finale?
CB: "Every character is going through so many different things. Roxy is running into her challenges with opening up her truck stop. Denise and Tonya, Jeremy's fiance, are getting closer and helping each other get through the loss of Jeremy. The big thing is that there's some huge, unexpected news that we all get as a group that forces us all to take a look at where we're going next in our lives. It's a big shocker and we all have to figure some things out."
When do you go back to work? Do you have a plan during the time off?
CB: "I'm not sure, but we probably have 5 or 6 months off. I've got some family time planned. I'm going to take the kids next week and head out to see some friends. I'm not sure where we're going yet. We'll get in a little bit of work and a little bit of play."
What are some of the ways you stay green on-set and at home?
CB: "One of the coolest things that I've never seen on any other sets is our caterers have plates and forks made of corn and different biodegradable materials. We also do recycling on the set. And at home we recycling. My daughter just learned all about that at school in her second grade. We use glass and not too much plastic, paper and stuff like that."
What drew you to the role in Last Man Standing?
CB: "This is something that my husband actually wrote. He came up with the idea a couple years ago and we were trying to find something to do together. This was something that literally started with, 'Hey honey, what do you feel about playing a female bodyguard?' And I said, 'Yah cool!' He had been doing lots of research on how people were hiring female bodyguards. Next thing you know, he started writing a pitch and Lifetime loved it. We really created it from the bottom-up and it was fun to play someone really strong. It's a thriller, it's action-packed and it has everything I like."
You're big on Twitter! What do you love about it?
CB: "I love Twitter! I was always afraid of Twitter because I thought I had to let everybody know every time I grabbed a cup of water! But I realized it was just a really cool, fun and fast way to communicate with people, hear back from them immediately, and really stay in touch with your fans. I love that."
What's it like working with your husband?
CB: "We've been together for 19 years, so we're really close and really good friends. We met on a movie set. He was a production assistant and I was an actress. We've been through different phases of our careers. He became a writer and we always wanted to work together. He's always been a part of my production company. We love to create together. He's very, very smart and I call him my 'walking IMBD.' If the computer's down, you can call Adam for your IMBD questions!"
Do you think your relationship has worked because he's not an actor and you don't have to deal with that competition?
CB: "I'm sure that's helped. We've never had that competition. He's been an amazing dad while I worked crazy hours and we traded off. It's a collaborative relationship. We're either doing projects together or he's helping me with some of my projects?"
How do you stay in great shape?
CB: "When you have your husband write an action movie 9 weeks after your baby is born, you're forced to get in shape! I do work out regularly around half hour, 45 minutes 3-4 days a week. I try to eat well most of the time. I cheat here and there."
It's been big for Denise on Army Wives losing Jeremy. How has it been filming without Jeremy (a.k.a Bubba) on set?
CB: "One of the hardest things about filming those episodes what that Bubba, who is Jeremy, we call him Bubba, was leaving. I adore that man - I call him a man because he's actually 25. He's such a sweetheart. He's almost like a real kid to me. Such a good, good person. Born and raised in Charleston. We still see him and hang out. He takes my daughter Gemma fishing sometimes. We miss him. That final scene of him in the coffin was heartbreaking. It was so hard to get through because we were saying goodbye to him and his character."
You moved to South Carolina a few years ago. What keeps you in the south?
CB: "A couple of things. Partly because my daughter was starting Kindergarten and I didn't want to keep moving her around. And I do a lot of traveling so we thought we'd make Charleston our home base since we love it so much. It's beautiful, the people are really nice. It's Southern hospitality at its finest. It's on the beach. It's really a wonderful place to raise your family. I lived in L.A. my whole life before moving here and I never knew a single neighbor. I get to the south and literally you're moving in your furniture and people are bringing homemade cookies and notes with their phone numbers."
--
Last Man Standing premieres on Monday, June 6, at 8 pm PT/ET on Lifetime Television.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/21hwu4/celebritybabyscoop.com/2011/06/06/catherine-bell
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An Interview with Catherine Bell (Denise, 'Army Wives')
Back in the '90s and early '00s,
JAG was one of the hottest shows on television, making its series stars
David James Elliott and
Catherine Bell household names. Years later, Catherine returned to our cozy living rooms once again with the popular Lifetime drama
Army Wives, playing the wife of a soldier, living on base amongst of close-knit group of army wives.
In addition to her role on
Army Wives, Catherine has also produced and starred in a series of
Good Witch movies for the Hallmark channel and most recently, she made a Lifetime movie entitled
Last Man Standing.
I had the opportunity to chat with this extremely talented (and very sweet!) actress about her days on
JAG, getting through those heartbreaking scenes on
Army Wives and her latest Lifetime movie
Last Man Standing...
Q: I understand you studied biology at UCLA, what made you decide to go into acting?
Catherine: "I wanted to be a doctor, I wasn't sure what kind and I got to UCLA and my heart wasn't really in it. I had a creative side, as well as a scientific/mathematical side and the arts won out. I started doing some modeling and went to Japan and when I came back, I took an acting class, fell in love with that and never went back to school."
Q: What sort of career path would you have followed if acting had not worked out?
Catherine: "I don't think I would have gone the doctor-engineering route, I think I realized I had more of a business sense, which is probably why I enjoy producing so much. I have a business mind, so I probably would have started my own business."
Q: When you first appeared on JAG, you played a completely different role, how did you wind up returning as another character?
Catherine: "It's such a great story... I guest starred on the season finale in the first season and there was another girl playing the female lead opposite Harm and my character was killed off, but it was a really important character for Don Bellisario, who created the show, because Harm was in love with this woman. He shows up to investigate a murder and she's dead. We met and we really hit it off and when we worked together we had a blast. One of the days when I was working, he announced that the show had been canceled, but CBS picked up the show and they decided to recast the female lead. I went after the role and wrote Don a letter after I had read the breakdown for Mac and they brought me in. Six callbacks later, I got the role."
Q: Your character on Army Wives is so diverse, what characteristics do you share with Denise?
Catherine: "I think I share a lot more with her now than I did at the beginning of the show. The first season, she was more withdrawn and was being abused by her son, but now she has come out of her shell. She is such a strong woman now, especially after losing her son and getting through that experience and helping others. I think I share some of those strengths with her."
Q: As a parent yourself, how did you mentally prepare for the scenes when your son died?
Catherine: "It was absolutely brutal, especially with having a newborn son and losing my baby boy on the show, it was absolutely heartbreaking. I was just crying for three weeks straight doing those three episodes. When I read the scripts, I sobbed. When we filmed them, I sobbed and when I watched them, I cried again.
Q: Which Army Wives episode are you most proud of?
Catherine: "For sure, the episodes with Jeremy's death. I think the one where we found out about his death was my favorite and then the third episode where I run away from home is my second favorite."
Q: Where is your character headed as we near the end of the season and head into the next?
Catherine: "Well, it's got to go uphill from here right?! At the end of the season we all get some shocking news that is going to affect everyone's life and decisions that will certainly affect where we go next season."
Q: Do you and the other cast member keep in touch during the hiatus?
Catherine: "Sometimes. We are all so busy. Our whirlwind lives take over. I just texted Kim (Delaney) the other day to see how she's doing. Before we know it, we'll all be back in Charleston filming again."
Q: Do you follow any TV shows on a regular basis?
Catherine: "Sometimes, although usually its kids shows. My husband and I really got into
Game of Thrones. I also get into
American Idol; my daughter and I watch it together."
Q: I know you're very active on Twitter (@reallycb) and Facebook (Catherine Bell), do you do all the updates yourself?
Catherine: "It's really me. People ask me that all the time, so sometimes I'll take a picture of myself holding up their Twitter name. I have my iPhone with me constantly, so it's something fun to do."
Q: You have a movie coming out on Lifetime, Last Man Standing...
Catherine: It was a project me and my husband came up with. We pitched it to Lifetime and they bought it a couple years ago and then brought in Gale Anne Hurd, who is an unbelievable producer. It's an action-packed thriller about a woman who appears to be a soccer mom who has this secret special ops past that comes back to haunt her."
Q: Do you have any other projects in the works?
Catherine: "I just finished shooting
Army Wives and I've got
Last Man Standing coming out and I've got a couple of things going and maybe a movie later in the summer after I spend some time with the family. My husband and I have a project going called
kickstarter.com -- it's a really cool website where you can raise money for projects. We're raising money for storyboards and a model of a spaceship for an alien-type movie. If you type my name, it'll come up, it's called the B-Ring. It's a really cool sci-fi project Adam and I have been working on."
Q: Anything to say to the fans?
Catherine: "Thank you for all your support. It's been an amazing ride."
http://tvdramas.about.com/od/armywives/a/An-Interview-With-Catherine-Bell-Denise-Army-Wives.htm
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Starry Constellation Magazine
June 06 2011
Q) What drew you to the role in Last Man Standing?
A) I loved that Abby was a soccer mom that you knew nothing about until her husband is kidnapped.
Q) How do you choose your roles?
A) The most fun thing is to mix it up, like by playing an abused wife. Maybe next I'll do a period piece. I wouldn't do a role if I didn't love a character or the script.
Q) Your "Army Wives" husband is a stuntman. Did he give you any pointers for the film?
A) He didn't. There wasn't any risk involved with my stunt work in Last Man Standing. My stunt girl was amazing, though!
Q) Was it easy and fast to bond with your film costars?
A) It was a 3 week shoot and it was fast and furious. I loved the cast and we had a blast.When you are on location and you have to leave your family behind, you become closer being away from home.
Q) How did the idea for the film come about?
A) My husband came up with the idea for the film because we wanted to work together. My husband asked what I thought of playing a female bodyguard and I loved it.
Q) Could you see yourself doing a sequel to Last Man Standing?
A) I would love to do a sequel to Last Man Standing! We talked about that from the start. Watch Monday night so they'll do more!
Q) What was it like taking on the role of producer for the film?
A) Creating something from the ground up is a whole new level. I have more passion as a producer.
Q) What can fans of "Army Wives" expect in the season finale?
A) In the finale big news forces them to question where they are going next in their lives.
Q) What was it like filming the last few scenes of the season without your show son played by Jeremy Bryant?
A) We call him "Bubba" and without Bubba was hard. I adore him and he's such a sweetheart. He's almost a kid to me. Bubba is a Charleston local so I hang out with him, but we miss him. The final coffin scene was hard.
Q) You've played several military individuals. What draws you to these characters?
A) I take military roles accidentally. With "Army Wives," I was looking for something different from "JAG." I have a huge respect for the military.
Q) What's next for you?
A) I did a fourth Good Witch movie. I shot it after Last Man Standing and it will air Nov. 5 on Hallmark. They're fun and it's a great role!
Q) When can fans expect to see your movie B-Ring?
A) B-Ring I hope to do that as my next film. It's on
http://www.kickstarter.com. It's a sci-fi like the original Alien. I'm so excited!
http://starrymag.com/content.asp?ID=5940&CATEGORY=Interviews&PAGE=1
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'Army Wives' Catherine Bell: 'I didn't want them to kill off my son'
September 13 2011
Catherine Bell is one busy actress these days, but she's bracing herself to resume her most demanding role.
Now working in Canada on an adaptation of April Smith's novel "Good Morning, Killer" for TNT's forthcoming "Mystery Movie Night," the actress returns next month to the South Carolina set of "Army Wives" to start production on Season 6 of the Lifetime drama series. She's looking forward to it, though she knows how emotional it will be to revisit the role of Denise Sherwood ... whose soldier son, Jeremy, was killed in combat in Iraq during last season's episodes.
"It's heartbreaking to have people who have sons and husbands over there talk to you about it," Bell tells Zap2it. "It's pretty intense. Those were really challenging episodes to do, but also very rewarding.
"Of course, I didn't want them to kill off 'my' son, and I talked to the writers about it: 'Really? Do we have to do that?' Our show runner basically said, 'You know what? It's Season 5, and it's time to deal with this. It happens.' And at that point, I saw the purpose of it. It's definitely important to show that side of what's happening."
Realizing many actual military families are among regular viewers of "Army Wives," Bell reflects, "You really want to get it as right as you can. The biggest thing I hung onto then was the strength of those women and families. As hard and as horrible as a loss like that is, there is so much pride and so much honor in having served your country. I have just huge respect for that."
"JAG" alum Bell has found respite from her dramatic workout on "Army Wives" in the lighter "Good Witch" TV movies she makes for Hallmark Channel. The fourth -- "The Good Witch's Family" -- debuts Saturday, Oct. 29, and she already has committed to a fifth.
The success of those films has generated weekly-series buzz, and even before TNT runs "Good Morning, Killer," there's also talk of a regular show for Bell as that tale's FBI agent.
Plus, "Army Wives" could continue beyond its coming season, which Lifetime should premiere toward spring.
"It's been really, really fun," Bell confirms of having so many career prospects. "It's a nice feeling to have people enjoy your work and want to watch you as different characters. It's lovely."
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/09/army-wives-catherine-bell-i-didnt-want-them-to-kill-off-my-son.html
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Catherine Bell: Beauty Secrets from the Star of "Army Wives"
By: Cindy PearlmanDecember 1, 2011
Catherine Bell is a screen beauty with a down-to-earth attitude about aging.
Ask her about it and she cries, "Right now, I'm sitting in a massaging chair where I was waiting for you to call. It felt so good, I almost fell asleep."
That's what you get from being in your 40s and a busy working mom of two active kids.
Ask about birthday candles and she says, "I notice the fine lines now. I see a little skin hanging there and think, 'What's happening here?'
"My advice is the only time you should use a magnifying mirror is when you tweeze your eyebrows!'"
CATHERINE BELL BEAUTY SECRETS
Bell is one of the beauties of the small screen.
She starred as Lt. Col Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie on the TV series "JAG." She plays Denise Sherwood on the series "Army Wives." And her current project is TNT's upcoming and much awaited "Good Morning Killer" based on the mystery novel by April Smith.
Bell plays FBI Special Agent Ana Gray, an undercover operative tracking down a serial killer. She bonds with the kidnapper's latest victim and the suspect suddenly changes his pattern. It's a race to stop him from killing again. The film also co-stars Cole Hauser and William Devane.
It airs Tues, December 13 at 9 p.m. EST.
"I've never played an FBI agent," Bell says of why she loved the role. "I also loved that she's not a superhero. In fact, she's quite flawed. She's a bit dark and gets into bad relationships.
"It's interesting because all of us have flaws and problems," she says. "I think women will really identify."
Yes, Bell does a love scene in the film – and she insists that's always a nerve wracking moment. "It depends on the love scene and exactly what I have to do and what's showing," she says. "It's the build up to the scene that's hard because you're so nervous and joking around."
She says she goes into love scene training. "No pizza. I eat better for a few weeks before a love scene and I really workout."
As for beauty secrets, Bell says that her core program is simple.
"I eat well. I drink a lot of water and take vitamins. Nothing crazy," she insists. "I just take care of myself as much as possible.
"I also try a lot of different products, but I gravitate towards the organic ones you find in health food stores," she says.
CATHERINE BELL MAKEUP TIPS
"I'm blessed with really great skin. My mother is Persian, so we have good skin. But I do want to share one great makeup tip that costs practically nothing.
"I'm a Maybelline girl. I love their eye makeup remover and their mascara," she says. The mascara has all these great shaped wands that really make application super easy."
She keeps her body in shape with the help of a trainer. "I need a trainer because otherwise I can be lazy," she admits. "If you're not getting the gym and need help, I suggest finding a buddy or a trainer to work with you."
She doesn't run, but does "more Pilates and weights than cardio.
"I do try to take a walk each day with my daughter outside," she says. "If you put me on a treadmill, I'm only doing 20 minutes. Walking outside is better and I'll go longer."
CATHERINE AT HOME
Bell, 43, was born in London, but moved to California with her mother who is Iranian at age 2. She studied biology at UCLA, but dropped out to model in Japan. She's as busy mom to Gemma, 8, and toddler Ronan.
She says the kids don't care if she's a big star.
"They're more like, 'Is that mac and cheese done yet?' Those are real priorities," she says with a laugh.
http://style.lifegoesstrong.com/catherine-bell-beauty-secrets-star-army-wives 
Julia R. 
