Jessalyn Gilsig Quotes

No, the type-casting didn't happen until after Star Trek. I don't think that you get typecast until you've been cast!

Because, let's face it, I do not get offered the parts that Brad Pitt has just turned down.

Now that I've established myself in a drama, I'm plugging away, trying to get the attention of people who do the independent movies and the features.

I was on a well-beaten path of actors - what we all call 'the Law and Order route'. I spent two years of auditioning for everything... and then 'The Wire' came up.

I think I probably have a creepy kind of scary quality. Otherwise, I wouldn't get jobs. But I also think it has a little bit to do with, you've done it a couple times, and then people see you that way.

In N.Y.C., I auditioned for mostly 'quirky friend' roles. Since casting directors in L.A. lacked a preconceived notion of me, I was able to reinvent my type a bit, which was essential in booking the role of Amanda on 'Ugly Betty.' I don't believe I would have auditioned for that role in N.Y.

I took the role of Rochelle in 'Everybody Hates Chris,' and that was it. I was going to play mother roles all the time. Once you do one mother role, it's always a trickle down effect.

The transitional period is tough. You can find yourself too old to play high school roles but too young to play the leading man. You have to be quite smart about how you present yourself. Your public image reflects your range.

For a New York actor, there are two things you look forward to - getting your SAG card and being on 'Law and Order.'

I hope through 'The Family Man,' I get some good offers.

If you get too well-known in comedy, I do believe it blocks people from taking you in drama.

It's not like you do 'SNL' and then get handed movie roles. You work, you audition for stuff and try to get it. I think, a lot of people, it's the goal to be in movies or just to be working in general. But yeah, some of us get lucky and get some movie roles, and it's nice.

Thank God for television. I've been able to consistently work in television even when people say, 'Oh my God, I haven't seen you since this film or that project.' At least I'm working. It's very difficult to get that next movie role. I'm grateful to have the television world accept me.

To get asked to do stuff like 'United States Of Tara' and 'Caprica' is terrific. I can't complain.

I'll be in a series for three or four episodes, but then I'll be off the series, and downtime, as an actor, is a little more than most people understand. Most of the time you're just sitting around taking coffee with friends.

I never really planned on doing a television series.

I did the whole struggling actor thing and lucked into being in the right place at the right time and getting involved in the first 'High School Musical.'

Television allowed me to kick the Hollywood habit of typing an actor in certain roles.

People get on a show and they fought tooth and nail. Almost 95% of the actors out there want to be on a television series. Then as soon as they get onto one, no, no, I want to be a movie star. This television series stuff, no, no no.

It was like there's got to be some way to stay working and stay productive in Los Angeles. TV is that kind of thing for an actor. Unless you get stuck in one of these shows where you have to go to Vancouver.

I don't care if you've just won an Oscar, you still have to campaign for parts.

When we moved to L.A., I started going out for more commercials, and then one day they emailed me a movie script. The first thing I said was, 'No way. I love commercials.'

If in my twenties I'd gotten one of the two-dozen roles that I did screen tests for and almost got, I think I would have become bored with the awards circuit, the whole hype machine.

What I wish more than anything is that I could start getting press about my work as an actor. That is what I do. I'm not a criminal.

As long as I keep getting cast, I don't care if it's typecast.