Exclusive

Elizabeth Mitchell Talks V, Her Return to Lost and Sawyer's Happiness

"I would hope after everything that they put [Juliet] through that she does have a happy life, but it doesn't always work that way," says Mitchell of the final season of Lost

By Natalie Abrams Jul 28, 2009 10:15 PMTags
E! Placeholder Image

Instead of bouncing around the space-time continuum and nestling up to the very hot and steamy Josh Holloway, this fall, Elizabeth Mitchell is fighting reptilian aliens on the remake of the '80s miniseries V.

However, that doesn't mean Juliet doesn't make at least an appearance in the sixth and final season of the ABC hit series Lost. In fact, she hopes Juliet finds happiness in the end, but that happiness may not necessarily be with Sawyer. Ruh-roh.

Read on for our exclusive one-on-one with Elizabeth, where she dishes about her new show V and possible appearances on Lost...

When I read the pilot script, I absolutely called that the part of Erica Evans was written for you, despite the reports that you were just a guest star on the series.
They actually said that it kind of was, but they didn't think I was going to be able to do it. I love the idea that it was so different from Juliet. We have someone who's got a lot more hope, a lot more excitement.

For the fans who don't know too much about the show yet, can you discuss your character Erica?
Erica is a federal agent doing counterterrorism. She deals with finding sleeper cells and basically eradicating them as much as possible. She's smart and intelligent and all the things that you would want someone who is protecting our country to be. I must have a hero complex—I keep gravitating toward these roles. She has a son, and she's in love with her son, and her son is in love with the Visitors. She has to deal with the fact that she has to save him for the most part. Her husband just left her, so she's a brokenhearted counterterrorist detective.

When it comes down to it, what's more important, protecting your son or protecting the world?
I think it's going to come down to both being the same thing. I think her son is becoming a huge example of what is going wrong, of the fact that this is becoming insidious, that these people are like toxins seeping into our groundwater. They're going to be everywhere. I think it's a little bit terrifying. She's actively trying to do something about it, and it's like the smallest person you can imagine against an army of millions. I like those odds. I think they make for good drama.

Does she trust anyone? It seemed like she trusted her partner Dale Maddox [Alan Tudyk], but we find out that little secret about him. It seems like she's very much on her own.
I think she's got the priest [Joel Gretsch]. She at least knows that the priest is not an alien because they were both cut at the same time. [Note: In the pilot, both characters are literally sliced open behind their ears to make sure there's bone, not reptilian skin, underneath]. I can't think of anyone else she can trust. There's no one.

Would she fight to the death to save the human race?
She would fight to the death to save the human race. She will. What I like about it is that it's so based in reality. It's basically a "What if?" What if we were here? What if this were happening? What if these spaceships came down? What if these people were here? How would we feel? I mean, they're promising to cure cancer; they're promising to cure the things that have plagued our society for years. I, for one, would welcome someone coming in and curing the people that I love. I think it's kind of fascinating.

ABC/MARIO PEREZ

Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse did announce that Juliet would be returning this season on Lost. When are we going to see you?
Pretty immediately, and then I'm not sure after that, but I think that it will be satisfactory.

Based on the faux commercials they showed at Comic-Con, it seems that things have been reset. Is Juliet going to have a happy life now?
That would be so amazing. It really would, and I think we've all expressed a desire for that, but you know [Damon and Carlton], they're devious. They're devious little genius little guys, so my feeling is that I don't know, but I'm willing to go along for the ride to find out. I would hope after everything that they put her through that she does have a happy life, but it doesn't always work that way.

Does that mean a happy life with Sawyer?
She was pretty happy, huh? That was awesome.

Do you want to see her with Sawyer?
I don't know. I didn't at all, and now I've watched the episodes [from last season], and I've watched him, and he just captivated me. He was so happy, so in some ways I feel, like, "Good for him!" when she's around.

Are you going to be in many episodes, or is V going to affect that possibility?
V
doesn't affect it all. Lost is done. They're set in what they're doing. The success or failure of V doesn't in anyway influence Lost. They've had this last season planned for a really long time, so I think that it will be whatever it is. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but I know that it will be enough that they mention me.

Will it be enough for you if Lost only mentions Juliet in passing, or do you want to see Elizabeth back for more? Hit the comments!

________

For more info on Lost and the new series V, check out our coverage from Comic-Con.