Emmanuelle Vaugier kindly took some time out of her busy schedule filming Smallville in order to talk about the show and her home life. Read on to find out why she doesn't have a tattoo and if we will be seeing any more of her character on the show.
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"For every person who has something good to say about the show, there's always someone out there with a negative comment. You just have to learn to let go and not take it personally."
Avid viewers of The WB already know Emmanuelle Vaugier for several roles she's played before on the Frog network, including an unemployment officer-cum-rocker on 'Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star' and a gypsy doctor with a magical heritage on bonafide Sunday night hit, 'Charmed'. Now, Vaugier is turning heads on sophomore drama 'Smallville' as Dr. Helen Bryce, including one very famous bald head who resides in the small farming town as well.
From the time she was seven years old, Emmanuelle knew she wanted to act. She performed on the stage for the first time in the second grade and claims she was hooked from that moment. Twelve years later, she scored her first on-screen role in an NBC movie-of-the-week called 'A Family Divided', alongside Faye Dunaway and Stephen Collins of 7th Heaven fame. "It was one of my first auditions, and I guess they liked me, they really really liked me!" After roles in numerous films and guest spots on television shows, Emmanuelle landed a part in Smallville.
As viewers have seen, her character, Helen, likes to trade quips with the best while facing off against rich playboy Lex Luthor. Unlike the on-screen persona comprised of equal parts ruthless businessman and kind and caring friend, Emmanuelle says the actor behind the billionaire is great to work with. "Most of my time on the show is spent working with Michael Rosenbaum, and he's definitely very charming and funny, he's always making everybody laugh." She also has high praise for the rest of the people who put the show together : "Everyone has been extremely warm and welcoming. It's always a little bit scary being the new kid, but the cast and crew really made me feel at home."
Speaking of home, fans of the teen-Superman series know it focuses on the values of friendship and family in a small town venue. In a world full of hype about war and violence, many turn to Clark Kent as an easily recognizable hero and positive role model. Vaugier agrees upon the importance of such a figure. "A positive role model is always very important, recognizable or not," she notes. How recognizable is the Boy of Steel to her, though? "Before landing the role, I was familiar with the show, but didn't watch it on a regular basis. Now that I'm a part of the show, I watch it as much as I can."
"I think Michael is very talented and he's always a pleasure to work with."
Despite the strength - and sometimes obsessiveness - of the fan following and the negative views of Lex's last lady, Victoria Hardwick, Vaugier isn't as worried about what people think. "No matter how hard you try you're never going to please everybody. All I can do is portray Helen as truthfully as possible and hope for the best." The best seems to have landed her among a class of beautiful women all wooed by the great bald one, a rich and saavy man with the world at his fingertips who courts a selection of sexy women - sounds like the world's most skilled British spy, James Bond. Lex is one of the comic universe's most infamous villains, after all; is it possible that these 'Luthor Women' have become the next Bond Girls? "Wow! Never thought of it that way before. Hmmm, Bond Girl... I could get used to that."
But what can fans get used to in upcoming episodes with Emmanuelle? "It would spoil all the the fun if I told you what was going to happen to my character, now wouldn't it? Besides, I don't even know. I do know that I will be back for more episodes." This is of course more of a guarantee given the fact that the show is in its second year and shows no signs of stopping its steady stream of success - unlike her last series, the aforementioned 'Young Person's Guide'. "When you're on a show that already has a following, there is a sense of security that comes with that. With a new show, you're nervous. You hope people will identify with the show and your character, but there is no way of knowing."
After Smallville, viewers can expect to see the 5'7 actress, a native Canadian, on the silver screen. "I'm in the process of shooting a film called 'Second Hand Lions'. It stars Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, and Haley Joel Osment. I play Princess Jasmine." The film is due out mid- to late next year and will hopefully increase awareness of Vaugier's acting abilities. When not filming, Emmanuelle loves coming home and hanging out with her dogs. "I'm kind of a homebody, lately I've been spending a lot of my down time on my computer. I've got the new iBook, and I just love it!" It seems as though she would fit perfectly in with the show's small farming community, with one twist. "I'm too chicken to get a tattoo, but if I were to get one, it would be of a Chinese dragon." Sounds exciting – which is just how we hear Lex Luthor likes his women.
Source: kryptonsite.com |
