Before "The Lost World," Rachel Blakely starred
as Gaby Willis in the Australian soap "Neighbours," as Gina Belfanti in "Blue Heelers," and as Isabelle Reed in "Tales
of the South Seas." Thankfully for us, she is now starring as the delightful and enigmatic Marguerite Krux.
What was acting like for you in the beginning?
To tell you the truth, I was absolutely terrified...I
could love it, but it could all just be too much and I could hate it and want to do something else.
What led to "The Lost World?"
I'd been on a programme called "Tales of the South
Seas"...it was produced by Jeff Hayes, now executive producer on "The Lost World." The characters Will and I played...weren't
exactly in a relationship but they did have a fair amount of screen time together. I think Jeff liked what he saw, and when
the series wasn't picked up for a second season he said he'd keep us in mind for something else coming up. That turned out
to be "The Lost World."
What did you think of TLW when you read the script?
I was interested right from the start and when I read
the script and the breakdown for the character I thought, 'She's perfect. I'd love to play someone like her.' So I pulled
out of the other project...I had enough faith in the character and the show that I felt it was worth the risk.
Do you have memories of the pilot shoot?
We spent out first day at Parliament house in Brisbane.
Parliament House was a magnificent location. The room we shot in was absolutely beautiful and filled with these middle-aged
gentlemen dressed in period suits. I was the only woman on set that day as far as the cast went. There were around 100 men
and I said to myself, 'Ooh, this isn't bad. I could get to like this.'
What is Marguerite like?
To call Marguerite Krux a woman of
mystery would be an understatement. She never knew her parents and was raised in a series of boarding schools, all of which
gave her the finest education but very little love and nurturing. Marguerite has an extensive knowledge of a variety of subjects
and is well-versed in several languages. A fiercely independant individual and a lady of means, she funded the expedition.
Marguerite puts herself first and will do almost anything to stay ahead of the competition. Initially, she was selfish.
It was all about her and keeping her life a secret from the others in the group. However, I think when you're forced to live
so closely with other people, whether it's in real life or not, you have to change.
How has she changed, and what do you think of
her?
In the beginning, Marguerite found everybody annoying.
She was frustrated with Challenger and Malone, but on the other hand attracted to Roxton. As for Veronica, the two did not
get along. However, over time, you learn to...embrace the things you like about them...The writers have fleshed Marguerite
out. They've made her more interesting by giving her backstories and coming up with reason for why she is the way she is,
which I find fascinating...What's wonderful about this character is that there's so much we've yet to discover about her.
In fact, I met with the writers yesterday and one of them said, 'It's like peeling an onion. We've only peeled away the first
layer of Marguerite.' I consider Marguerite an enigma. Maybe she doesn't really know everything about herself and it's probably
just as well I don't know everything about her either.
What does Marguerite think of Finn?
I'd imagine...that Marguerite would probably be annoyed
with her and see Finn as someone else she has to get used to. If anything it would be fun if Marguerite turned out to be a
bit envious or jealous of Finn as she would of any beautiful young woman coming onto her turf.
What are some of the things that have happened
to Marguerite?
She has, among other things, been attacked by a bee
the size of a man, mistaken for the Queen of Camelot, fallen into a pit of spikes and nearly died, and possessed more
than once.
What episodes have you really liked?
One of my favorite episodes is the third season's
"The Secret," because it really delves into Marguerite's back story. When I first read the script I thought, 'This is wonderful.
It's an intelligent tie-in of all the little tidbits of information that we've been given about my character over the years.'
Another story I enjoyed was "Out of Time," which gets the viewer wondering if Marguerite was reincarnated. That was a fun
and interesting little quirk to add to her life story. I actually faced a number of real fears that I never expected
to confront on a film set, including a fear of heights and of fire. Then there was the second-season episode "Stone Cold."
That was the first time we all got to play other characters and dress in different costumes. Visually, that story was just
spectacular. There were some classic moments in "Skin Deep" when my character is possessed by an alien. It was so weird watching
the dailies and seeing myself dressed as Marguerite but with her acting syrupy sweet. Will and I were hysterical in one scene
where we're walking down the steps, holding hands and behaving so lovey-dovey.
Do you have a final thought for us?
Times have changed; I've changed. I can't imagine
doing anything else but acting. I truly enjoy it.
