Charlotte Ross
Charlotte Ross has enjoyed a career that has seen her move between TV and movies with the likes of NYPD Blue, Glee and Drive Angry under her belt.
She is set to return to the small screen with new series Bounce and we caught up with her to chat about the new series as well as what lies ahead.
- You are about to appear in new series, Bounce, can you tell me a little bit about it?
I am so excited about my new show, Bounce! It is one of the most fun shows that I have ever been a part of. It's about the behind the scenes political backstabbing, professional dreams and competitive world of a fictitious Laker Girl type professional basketball cheerleading team called The Devil Girls.
I am the Squad manager, Olivia, who does all the hiring, firing and general support emotionally. More likely, however, I am the stress for the cheerleaders, as my character expects nothing less than pinpoint perfection to an almost unreachable degree.
The dancers on our show are extraordinary. I love coming into work every day and seeing their passion, commitment and professionalism as they dance with everything they have take, after take, after take.
My co-stars are all amazing and I adore Kimberly Elise, Dean Cain, and Logan Browning. I am really proud to be working with such talented Actors and feel grateful as the character of the people I work with is the best part of the experience to me.
Truly, they are lovely people; especially our ridiculously talented show creator, James LaRosa. I have no doubt that his career will be in the likes of Marc Cherry and Ryan Murphy- just watch! :)
- You take on the role of cheer squad manager, Olivia, in the series, so what was it about the character and the script that initially drew you to the project?
I was driven immediately to the role and script of Bounce for a number of reasons. One of them, simply, was how well written James had made the story. He clearly defined the characters and set a background for a lot of fun, juicy story lines to grow from.
It has the sexy beauty of these young gals, and the important ethnic minority mix that is emblematic of the world now and not shown enough on TV. Also, I am a fitness fanatic and love dancing, and there is an enormous amount of that in this show.
Also, my role as Olivia is a complete blast! Similar to Jane Lynch's role on Glee, she is bigger than life in some ways but, clearly, based in truth and has to push too hard to try and get ahead, as many women in male dominated vocations have had to do. Her drive to succeed is both to be admired and empathized with.
The price she has had to pay to get where she is in her career will be a fun piece to play, as we all have "what ifs" in our life, and Olivia, certainly, has many of those. James wrote her in a very layered, textured and non obvious way and she is smart as a whip... so, what can I say?
That is the kind of role that I would be a fool to pass on and the kind of role that I have been waiting for. GLEE gave me that bug again. I truly am blessed to be able to do what I love.
- And how are your cheerleading skills?
I would've said pretty well if I hadn't seen all these professional dancers kick so much butt on my show -they are amazing!
I was a cheerleader in high school and was a dancer for many years. But I was never a choreographer, which I have a lot of admiration for.
I do understand, very well, the discipline that is involved in trying to make it as a professional dancer, singer, actress or cheerleader. It is relentlessly hard with daily rejections and, unless your commitment never waivers and you stay focused, determined and keep studying your craft, you might catch a break.
And even after, it's keeping the job. What is so fascinating to me about the life of a professional cheerleader is that they have to re- audition every year against the new competitors. Can you imagine?
I have a lot of respect for the gals who have to consistently put themselves on the line again and again and again. Come to think of it, that's what many actors have to do every day as well, so I can empathize with how it can be challenging at times.
- Sanaa Hamri is in the director's chair for the show, so how did you find working with her?
I hate to sound corny, but I absolutely love Sanaa! She is a very talented and proven Director on many levels and in many fields; her relentless attention to detail, music video and dance experience, and her directorial approach to younger actors made her a vital piece of the Pilot of Bounce.
If it was up to the cast and James, Sanaa would be on set everyday and, if nothing else, be our Resident Director for the duration of the series. We are still hoping and trying to make that a reality!
She made our Pilot which, in my opinion, laid the groundwork for a really strong series. We will be forever grateful that Sanna chose to be a part of our Bounce family!
- We have also see you appear in Glee as Quinn's mother. What has it been like to be a part of that series as it is so different to the rest of your acting roles?
I loved working on Glee for many reasons, I actually auditioned for the role of Quinn's Mother, Judy Fabray, before it had aired and was just dying to work with Ryan Murphy and Jane Lynch. I think Jane was, until recently, one of the most underrated Actors around. And, I adore my role of Judy.
She is a kind of pretend facade with unheard of expectations of herself and everyone around her. She is a former beauty queen that pressures her daughter, Quinn, to do the same, but underneath is a self loathing, insecure, emotional disaster!
I always find damaged characters the most interesting to play. No one is as perfect as we think they are. Everyone has issues and challenges, but some work harder than others to make it look like they have it all figured out. I find those people are, more often than not, the biggest messes of them all.
I have returned every season since it began, here and there, but, to be honest, the show is such a phenomenon, that Oscar winners are campaigning daily for a one time guest spot - I am just happy that I am still a part of it all! I adore Dianna Agron and Ryan Murphy is beyond talented.
- You are perhaps best known for your role in NYPD Blue, where you stayed for 65 episodes, so how was your time with the show when you look back on it now?
I will always have a special place in my heart for NYPD Blue. I was on that show for over four years replacing Kim Delaney, originally, but, then also became the wife of Dennis Franz's character, Sipowitz.
I had no idea how much I would love the physical aspect of my role as Detective Connie McDowell. I got to carry a .45 everyday and really know how to use it while running, breaking into a perpetrator’s residence, taking down guys twice my size, and cuffing people dragging and kicking for many hours, every day, for years. It was more fun than you think!
The taxing part was the emotional toll that the amazing real life detectives have to endure daily. So many scenes involving rape, incest, child abuse, spousal abuse, hookers and pimps and it was amazing that most, if not all, the stories were based in truth and had actually occurred at some point.
I will forever have a resounding respect for people in law enforcement that put themselves out there like that every day.
Lastly, interrogating and trying to pull information out of habitual liars was really fascinating to me and fun to play.
The people on that show were my family for many years and I was lucky that Steven Bochco wrote in the pregnancy of my son, Maxwell, to be Sipowitz's (Dennis Franz) baby so I worked up and through my eighth month.
I still had more years to continue on the show but, gratefully, they let me go as NYPD Blue was my 8th starring role in TV series back to back and I desperately wanted time off for a change and to be a first-time Mom. One of the best things I ever did was to take a break from working... sometimes you just need to refuel, you know?
- Throughout your career you have mixed TV with movie roles as well as theatre, so how do the two compare/differ? Do you have a favorite medium?
I have been very lucky, yes, to be able to do most mediums like film, TV and theater. I can't say that one medium is preferred more than another, as what really makes the difference, for me, is the writing, the cast involved and the director.
If those are all things that I admire, inspire me and challenge me to think outside of my comfort zone then, I don't care if it's in a theater for two people on an island, or a 40 million dollar budgeted feature film. At the end of the day, it's about the work for me, not if it's on screen or how many people may watch it.
You are also a mum so how do you find juggling work with your parenting commitments?
Any Mother knows that the juggle between work and hands-on parenting is an endless challenge that you simply try to balance as best you can.
Luckily, I took some time off work to have my son, Maxwell, and have mainly pursued feature films and recurring roles like, Glee, as the schedules have a beginning, middle and end that isn't too relenting.
Most of my career has been series leads which are the hardest to juggle with any sort of a life, much less being a parent.
But, now my son is 8 years old, and I am ready for longer hours and a heavier workload as he has quite a busy schedule himself these days. Plus, when you miss working, that's not being a fully present mom anyways, so I am happier when I am able to do both!
- On top of all that you are also a huge animal rights activist lending you voice to the Great Ape Protection as well as working with PETA against fur, so where did you interest in this all start?
I have been a passionate animal activist for many years now. It's something I believe in and I feel strongly that people with a modicum of success should try and bring a voice to help bring more awareness to causes they believe in, and animals have no voice! So it's vitally important that we raise awareness for them.
One of my biggest idols is Jane Goodall. Her accounts of spending years with and studying the Chimpanzee are extraordinarily fascinating. I spoke on Capitol Hill recently to help convince Senators to help pass the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act.
Not only would it save tax payers an enormous amount of money, but it would release the last few hundred captive Chimpanzees to retirement in Sanctuaries around the County. They are still in inhumane cages to be tested on, even though the medical community has spoken and has said that they are not a sufficient genetic human model for HIV and Hep C and no longer should be tested on.
It's an archaic practice that should be abolished. We are the only industrialised nation in the world that still tests on Chimpanzee's.
I have visited these amazing creatures at Retirement facilities and many had never seen grass or felt the sun or even touched another Chimpanzee for over 30 years or even ever, so to see them get their last few years of life back was a truly inspiring thing to see.
- So many actors and models and so on are now throwing their weight behind the PETA fur campaign so why do you think it has struck such a chord with people?
I did the PETA "I'd Rather be Naked than Wear Fur" Campaign because I find it heartbreaking and gruesome that people are walking around with a clear conscience knowing how many animals had horrific, short lives and deaths to make ONE piece of clothing.
I think most people love animals and if there was more awareness and less ignorance about what goes into making a fur coat, for example, people wouldn't even consider buying it.
I was nervous to shoot the PETA Campaign but felt that anything classy and well done that brings attention to the issue was something I was honored to be a part of.
- Finally, what is next for you?
I have a film that just finished playing at a lot of festivals nationally called, The Umpire, where I play professional baseball's first professional Umpire.
It was a blast to shoot and now we are hoping for a larger release and broader distribution. I am also working on a Documentary about our local County and City Animal Shelters and the challenges they and the animals face. And, of course, prepping for Bounce!