An Interview with Linda Cardellini (Sam, ER)

12/2007

Growing up, most kids say they want to be everything from a police officer to a ballerina one day, but the likelihood of that actually becoming a reality isn't too common. From the time she was young, Linda Cardellini knew acting was her destiny and couldn't imagine living her life doing anything else. From Scooby Doo and Legally Blonde to Freaks and Geeks and ER, Linda has a knack for choosing roles that people will never forget.

I had the fortunate opportunity to speak with Linda and found this talented actress to be very much like her role as Sam on ER -- very sweet, bubbly and extremely easy to talk to about everything from being a contestant on The Price is Right to how she prepared to portray a nurse on one of television's most loved series.

Q: What made you decide to pursue acting?

Linda: "I was a kid who was always putting on a show in the living room. When it came time to take a singing class, we had to put it on tape and I gave it to my new music teacher. She asked me to be in the Christmas play and at that point I got nervous because I've only performed in my living room. So, I was in that and she ran a Community theater and asked me to be in The Music Man. I was like 11-years-old, stuffed my bra and played an old lady. That was it, that was all I ever wanted to do from that point on."

Q: When you played Chutney on Legally Blonde, was that a wig you were wearing?

Linda: "That was actually my real hair. The curled it everyday with this old-fashioned curling iron that once got so hot, it burned a piece of my hair in the front and was sticking up for three weeks after I did the part."

Q: I've read that you were a winner on The Price is Right, how did you get chosen to be a contestant?

Linda: "I have no idea. I was with a bunch of friends of mine from college and I had just moved to Los Angeles and we all decided we wanted to go to The Price is Right, which is one of those things I really wanted to do when I moved to L.A. because I watched it all the time with my grandmother growing up. This friend of mine was very dashing and had a huge conversation with the producers. I was so upset, I remember thinking he was going to get picked and I'm not going to be picked....and then I got picked! They called my name, of course they pronounced it incorrectly and I went running down the contestant row and I was hugging a stranger before I knew it. I was up there the whole time and finally on the last thing you can bid on, I bid the correct amount. I won a fireplace, a gas fireplace! I just bought a house and my parents brought it down the other day as a surprise and left it in my garage. It'll go somewhere in my new house."

Q: When you landed the role of Sam on ER, did you do anything special to prepare for the role?

Linda: "Yes, I had a few friends who were nurses and single moms. My sister worked in the medical field for a long time, so I asked her questions. And of course I've been to emergency rooms with injuries and friends injuries, so I just took everything I could from that. We have doctors on set constantly, so I ask them questions. That's what is great about this job, you're learning something everyday that is relevant to your physical body. It's like learning another language."

Q: What's ahead for your character this season?

Linda: "We don't really know because of the strike. Sam had a delayed adolescence and has a new life happening for her where she has more choices and more opportunities. Her son's doing really well, he's away at school and it's the first time she's without him. She's learning about herself, she dates and she gets involved with one of the guys on the show pretty soon. I think it'll be a lot about her exploring avenues that she wasn't able to explore because she didn't have the opportunity and now she does, she has a little more freedom. I think she's able to lighten up a little more."

Q: Congrats on the 300th episode! Why do you think this series has had such incredible staying power?

Linda: "Thank you! We've been having big parties and everyone has been celebrating. We had an event at the Paley Center and they asked John Wells that question and he said, which I thought was very nice, that he hires talented people. I think they keep recreating the show. Every time we get used to something, they change it. It just keeps evolving and I think that might be part of it."

Q: How many episodes will air before the show runs out of scripts?

Linda: "I think it's about 13."

Q: What are your thoughts on the writers' strike?

Linda: "It's not fun for anybody on either side or in the middle. It's necessary and hopefully it'll come to a positive conclusion."

Q: In January, we'll see you in the CBS movie Comanche Moon - tell us about the movie and your role in it.

Linda: "It's a prequel to Lonesome Dove, so you meet a lot of people like the Texas Rangers and all those characters. It's a story about Texas Rangers who set out to find a horse thief and it has a lot to do with the old Comanche ways and how they are dying and the settlers encroaching on their territory. I play the love of Gus McCrae's life, Clara and they are two people who are in love, but can never be together."

Q: Have you had any fun or interesting fan encounters?

Linda: "It's always great to me when kids like the Scooby Doo movies and they finally figure out that it's me. Then there's the whole point in time when they don't really believe that I'm Velma and then I have to do Velma's voice and say something that she would say. Their eyes just light up and that's a wonderful feeling."

Q: What TV shows do you watch?

Linda: "I watch The Office. I like Dexter, but I'm a few episodes behind and I love South Park."

Q: Anything to say to the fans?

Linda: "Thank you for watching. I hope I can continue to do work that is worthy of their attention."