Super Women: Georgia Craig

An Interview with Supernatural's Sherri

By Mary Borsellino
March 1, 2007

There are a handful of images that any Supernatural fan will recognise instantly, and of those images one of the most powerfully symbolic is the blonde woman in a light-coloured slip, pinned to the wall and slashed in the stomach (we go for fairly specific symbols 'round these parts). Then, in the season two episode 'Night Shifter', Georgia Craig's Sherri twisted the symbol around and turned it into something new.

Sequential Tart: I'd really like to hear about your background — how you got into acting, what your career's been like so far. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Georgia Craig: I can’t really pinpoint when I decided to become an actor. I’ve always just sort of known that acting was what I should do. When I was finishing high school I needed to decide how to go about pursuing acting and I chose education. I studied classically at the National Theatre School of Canada. That experience was so informative, in every way. I’m still so grateful they let me in.

When I graduated from NTS I had a slew of the worst possible jobs while I tried to break into the professional world. Really, the worst jobs. For a while I took surveys for a data collection company. Their client was a major alcohol distributor and my job was to wear a dress and stand around in bars asking people if they’d take my survey. It was awful. The company only wanted information about men so me and a girlfriend would take turns; whoever looked best that night would talk to the girlfriends and the other would try to quickly get the men to complete the survey before a couple would start to fight. Torture. Then bartending, which was marginally better.

All the while I was trying to establish myself as an actor. In retrospect, it was a very short while but it didn’t feel like it at the time! Pretty soon I was cast in my first film, then the second and then, before I knew it, my resume was filling up and the bar jobs were over.

ST: What've been some of the most rewarding projects you've worked on? Have there been any that've been especially challenging?

GC: Every project comes with its own set of challenges. Whether it’s technical or emotional or anything else. The only thing that’s guaranteed is that you’ll be challenged! For example, I was really nervous about the fight scene with Jensen in Supernatural. When I auditioned I had no idea about it! So when I read the script and saw what was in store I started to get more than a little nervous. Then Kim Manners called me one night before we started filming and asked if I had any fight experience (which, thank god, I have a little). They wanted me to do as much as possible. As it turned out I did the whole thing, except for some moments when I was off camera and they needed me in make-up to have my arm pulled off or put back on. By the way, wasn’t that cool?! And Jensen was so great about it all. I just kept asking him to rehearse it with me over and over and he was so obliging. He was such a nice man to work with.

I was also challenged on Battlestar Galactica, but in a very different way. When I read for the part of the Oracle, I had absolutely no idea how to approach the character. When I was going to meet with Michael (Nankin, the director) I almost called off the audition as I felt I was just wasting everyone’s time. Then, something just happened in the audition that worked and when we got to set, Michael helped bring out what was, for me, a truly rewarding professional day.

ST: Most of your television work has been on horror or sci-fi programs. When you're watching things for fun, do you enjoy genre TV?

GC: That’s a good question. I’m not sure. I suppose I like programs that are good, regardless of genre. I don’t think I’d ever say I was a big sci-fi fan, but BSG is an amazing television program, one of my favorites. My boyfriend and I find it so riveting and so much more than a “sci-fi show”. It competes with any acclaimed drama I’ve ever seen.

I can’t watch horror. I’m too chicken. I like making it but I can’t watch it!

ST: What are some of your favorite films? What about your favorite filmmakers?

GC: The impossible question! You know, there are too many to mention. I wouldn’t know where to start.

ST: Even by Supernatural's standards, your episode was pretty intense. What was your experience making it like?

GC: It’s funny, it wasn’t intense at all! The cast and crew work like a well oiled machine. Everyone gets along, everybody works to get things done, and everyone has the same goal: a good show. I think it really helps, too, that Jared and Jensen are two of the nicest people around. It’s amazing how much a leading actors’ behavior can affect a set. Jared and Jensen are so lovely and fun and easy going. They made working on the show a pleasure.

ST: Did you have to do stunt work for your character's big fight scene, or did you have a double?

GC: I did have a stunt double but as it turned out I did the fight myself. They used the stunt double to be off camera for Jensen when I was needed in make-up. The neck and arm prosthetics were pretty time consuming.

ST: Can you talk a little about making your episode of Battlestar Galactica?

GC: When I got the role of the Oracle on BSG, I didn’t know very much about the show at all. I remember seeing some promotional material for it about two weeks before and thinking, “I think I want to be on that show.” When I got the part I madly watched as many episodes as I could because it was important that I knew about the past of the characters and viola – hooked. Totally hooked on the show. My boyfriend and I watched seasons 1, 2, and 2.5 in a matter of weeks.

I play an Oracle who delivers some news to Starbuck. Working through that scene with Michael Nankin and Katie Sackhoff was so rewarding. We took the time to find the appropriate way for the characters to connect, which ended up being through touch. By the way, “taking the time” to do anything while making a television show is such a luxury. It meant so much to me that Michael was willing to sacrifice that time to make Katie and my scene the best it could be.

ST: Lastly, I'd like to hear about the films you've got coming out in the near future. What are your roles in them like?

GC: Catch and Release, starring Jennifer Garner, is in theatres now. It’s a really sweet film about grief and love ... and it’s really funny, too! I play Persephone, the love interest of one of Gray’s (Jennifer Garner) best friends, Dennis. Dennis is played by Sam Jaeger, who is such a spectacular guy! It was really nice to work with him.

Case 39 is a film starring Renee Zellweger that will be released in fall 2007. I play Denise, a social worker who is a colleague of Emily (Renee Zellweger), Doug (Bradley Cooper), and Wayne (Adrian Lester).

IMDB Profile — Georgia's IMDB listing