Vicki
That was Alisen Down in her Gemini Award winning performance in 'Cold Squad' and not only did she win for this performance, which is beyond compelling, she was nominated in the same category for a 'different' series. That was a big year for you.

Alisen
Oh ... Oh, yes it was *very much so.*

Vicki
Ah, just to talk about that scene for a minute. Obviously this guy is in a parole hearing.

Alisen
Um... Hum.

Vicki
And you are giving testimony, ah, so as, he will not be released. Now to see somebody in such, a state, on the screen is very alarming. Ah, I don't know how, how many times did you have to do that?

Alisen
Actually, remarkably, not very many. Um ... I did it the one time and the director was happy with the first time. And so then , generally, we just did it from other angles. And then I did it for the other actor and so not as many as I was *dreading*.

Vicki
Yeah, because you really ... It's very hard to get that space because that, ah, well it's just got to be so extraordinarily emotional.

Alisen
It is very emotional ... is sort of ... it wasn't very hard for me to get there because of the writing and because I just sort of put myself in her place but to remain there and to have to be there during the monologue and to carry those emotions after the monologue was, it's so heavy, you feel so heavy.

Vicki
Yeah and I'm sure the crew must buy into it, they have to be a part of it, they can't just be telling jokes, in the corner, like they would in a normal scene where -

Alisen
Yeah.

Vicki
...you don't have to focus in the same way.

Alisen
Yeah, no there's definitely, when there's a scene like that, there is a quiet that happens on a set and it's great because it's a remarkable respect that the crew had for me. Which I really appreciated.

Vicki
Yeah, it is, a great, that was a great part, I have to say.

Alisen
Oh, Thank You. Yes.

Vicki
Um, is a, what was the other one for? For 'Mysterious Ways'?

Alisen
Ah, it was for 'DaVinci's Inquest'.

Vicki
'DaVinci's Inquest', of course.

Alisen
Yeah. Which was just a fun role, just fun!

Vicki
No crying?

Alisen
There was just a little bit, hints here and there but it was just so much fun, she was just this crazy Ruby, her name was Ruby and she kept lying to the police officer and trying to get out of this thing. It was just fun.

Vicki
Yes, but if you put those, both of those up against, you know, did you think you were going to win? Did you have a ...?

Alisen
No. I ... Well, obviously if you are nominated, there is a chance, that you are going to win.

Vicki
Well, two chances!

Alisen
Yeah, but, um, because I was nominated in the same category, it splits my vote, so my vote, some people would have liked the 'DaVinci's', or, the 'Cold Squad'.

Vicki
Or the other people.

Alisen
Um hum. And so it, ah, it actually, my chances of winning were lessened because of the two nominations, so it was a great surprise and an honour when *it* said Alisen Down.

Vicki
You went 'Me? Is it me?'

Alisen
Yeah. Mom burst out crying beside me and I was trying to ... I immediately started shaking ... I was trying to ... my mom actually brought my speech, cause I didn't prepare it ... so that I had a speech prepared for it.

Vicki
Did your mother write it for you?

Alisen
No. I sort of put down some points but I didn't bring it with me because I didn't think I was going to win, so she brought it and put it in my purse.

Vicki
Oh! Mothers, they're so useful, aren't they?

Alisen
Mothers are great! Yeah!

Vicki
Yeah. Did she want you to be and actor?

Alisen
Um ... She always supported me. I think there was a lot of fear there for her but she never, she never said, well, Alisen why don't you, you know, be an accountant or why don't you do something else. She always, always said Alisen you're and actor, you don't need another job, you have a job. You know, always encouraged me, always, never once was there a word of discouragement or maybe you should, you know, take a course in computer skills.

Vicki
Just in case this thing doesn't work out?

Alisen
Yeah, just in case. Never once did she say that to me. So, *I'm blessed*.

Vicki
You and your mother, close? I gather?

Alisen
Yeah (smiling) We are. Yeah.

Vicki
You're animal fanatics, is what you are ... together!

Alisen
Yes (smiling) I grew up with a lot of cats. Rescuing stray cats and dogs. I brought home a few of my own. Actually, when I lived in California I brought home a cat, with me, when I moved home, his name was Norman.

Vicki
Norman?

Alisen
Yeah. He's a sweet guy. He hits me ... sometimes. But ... he gets in these horrible moods. I don't know what it is with him? But ... yeah. (Vicki laughing) We rescue cats and strays and kittens from sort of --- warehouses or traps.

Vicki
How do you know they are strays and they haven't just wondered over from 'Joe Bloggs' yard?

Alisen (laughing)
Well, that is a question! (seriously) But most of them, when they are found in warehouses like that, they're kittens and they are generally very hungry and, sort of, their mother has taken off or has been taken from them. Or, some people move and just leave their cats behind. Which, I, don't understand at all. 'Lets just leave, the cat, Billy, behind when we move to, you know, where ever we are going.'

Vicki
Why get them?

Alisen
Yeah. I don't ... If you're going to get a cat, keep the cat, you know, but people are so quick to throw away the animals and ah -

Vicki
Oh. It makes me sick at the stomach. How many cats does your mother have?

Alisen
We have 13.

Vicki
You live together with your mother?

Alisen
No. I live on my own but I include myself because I *have* contributed. But I have one cat with me in Vancouver. Her name is Audrey and she's a little blind in one eye and she's got a little gimpy foot, she's very *sweet*. (Vicki: Oh.) She bangs into things sometimes but she's very cute.

Vicki
I'll be right back with Alisen Down.

[[Applause]]

Vicki
I'm back with Alisen Down. Who can be seen now, Monday nights on CTV's Mysterious Ways. And that's your first re-occurring role?

Alisen
Yes. It's definitely the biggest role I've ever booked and, um, and it ... I can't tell you ... about the first 3 or 4 months I was nervous *all the time* and then I ...

Vicki
That's not good is it?

Alisen
Yeah, I started to relax a little, um, after that. But I was nervous all the time just-

Vicki
Why were you nervous?

Alisen
Because it was ... I think I was in shock over really booking the role, in the first place.

Vicki
Like having a full time job!

Alisen
Yeah, having a full-time job. I mean as an actor that's, you know, it's the most amazing miracle, on earth. So, um, so ... I was always nervous about doing a good job or you know -

Vicki
Didn't anyone tell you, didn't they say?

Alisen
Yeah, they always did - (Vicki: You never believed them?) - You're doing a *great* job Alisen ... It was like *thanks* ... and then I'd see myself in a scene and I'd be like *oh no*, you know! And just ... But, um, I'm relaxed a bit more now and trust I'm doing a good job.

Vicki
Do you think? ... I guess it's sort of the peril of the profession, ah, is that you think, you are never doing it quite right enough?

Alisen
Um hum.

Vicki
And that if you only had another chance it would have been better?

Alisen
Yeah! Yeah! It's -

Vicki
And even if they tell you you're good, 'nah' their 'sneaking' around trying to 'replace' ya?

Alisen
Yeah, it's sorta of, it's a weird thing being an actor. Those things kinda come up.

Vicki
You want to describe the character?

Alisen
Ah. I play Miranda and she's, ah, a Physics grad student and she assists Declan, who is played by Adrian Pasdar, in all his miracle chasing and his strange phenomenon and -

Vicki
That's the premise of the show - (Alisen: Yeah.) - He's an Anthropologist that chases *odd* situations?

Alisen
Yeah, he's sort of, he looks for answers, um to mysterious situations or investigates strange phenomenon, looks *deeper* into the situations then, you know, normally would happen and I come along with my equipment and my 'jokes', occasionally, and, ah, help him along.

Vicki
Let's take a look at a clip and watch Alisen in action on Mysterious Ways.

[[Clip]]:
Scene from 'Yesterday' Declan and Miranda at the docks.
Miranda: I just came from a meeting with Professor Waldau. (addressing Declan)
Declan: Hang on a second (to the police officer he is helping - walks over to Miranda) What's up? What's going on?
Miranda: I didn't take the test!
Declan: What? Why Not?
Miranda: Cause. I was late thanks to you!
Declan: It's my fault?
Miranda: Yes, Declan! I told you I was busy but you're pushing, you're *always* pushing! Do this, do that!
Declan: Now look ... listen. I'm only pushing because we only have one day on this case, *remember*.
Miranda: *No* Declan *you* only have one day on this case. This is *your* case, not *mine*. I'm *finished* with you! (Miranda turns and walks away leaving Declan standing stunned)
[[Applause]]

Alisen (smiling)
That was our *big* fight.

Vicki
That was your big fight! (teeth clinched mimicking) "I'm *finished* with you!" You're teeth are clinched and you're *really* mad at him.

Alisen (laughing)
Yeah!

[[Laughter]]

Vicki
That was good!

Alisen (still laughing)
Thanks, yeah. Yeah that was sort of Declan and Miranda's falling out and then, ah, it fixes in the end.

Vicki
Oh, of course it does. Now this is a Canadian series?

Alisen
Yeah, mostly Canadian, actually.

Vicki
And it, huh, airs, not just here on CTV but in America, as well.

Alisen
Yes, it aired on NBC for the month of January and it will be back on NBC in the summer.

Vicki
They liked it?

Alisen
Yeah, it was played last summer too. They played it in spurts and it's also on PAX, which is a US Cable Network.

Vicki
Right. I really like the show -

Alisen
Really?

Vicki
Yeah. And I really like Rae Dawn, Rae Dawn Chong.

Alisen
Oh, me too. She is a remarkable woman and I couldn't ask for better people to work with, actually, I'm very blessed on this show because she has always been kind to me; always been supportive of me; always believed in me; always had a smile for me or a story or a joke.

Vicki
She's a nice woman.

Alisen
She's an *incredibly* nice woman. (Vicki: She's a great woman.) And Adrian, as well. (Vicki: Yeah.) He's constantly supportive; constantly believes in me. And it's just, I'm so blessed, you know, to be working ... and it's, actually, one of the executive producers said, when the show wrapped; they said "You know it's amazing, (you know,) we are going into a second season and you guys still get along!" It's true.

Vicki
And there is no blood on the rug and 'you're' not having a fit because he got the Dom Perignon and you 'just' got something else.

Alisen
Yeah, no, it's amazing. There is *no* egos, *no* attitudes. I'm just, you know, so blessed. Just like I won the Lottery.

Vicki (joking)
Don't you start!

Alisen
I won't. (smiling)

Vicki
Do you know anything about physics? Because you do play physics ... do now, I guess?

Alisen
You know, I know a little bit but physics is not my forte, I have to say, so, um, a lot of times, I do have trouble with the words and I do have to put a call to the production office. Be, like, um, 'how do you pronounce this?'

Vicki
Like what?

Alisen
Um ... Well, I had a lot of trouble with Cathode Ray Magnetometer. I always said Cathode Ray 'Magn-o-meter', *always*! Until ... and the script supervisor would be like 'Alisen, it's Magnetometer.' And I'd say it wrong ... so ...

Vicki
Every time! And then you'd start and you'd get into Cathode and you'd think ... 'How do you say it? ... How do you say it?' and by the time ... you'd say it wrong. I hate that!

Alisen
Yeah. I do too. And you're constantly ... yeah, I got nervous ... between some of the takes.

Vicki
You have a interesting *look* on this, kind of a 'Goth' look. Sort of a -

Alisen
Yeah.

Vicki
Dark lips, ruby lips and so on.

Alisen
Um hum. It's, sort of, it seems to be a debate, actually, about whether or not Miranda is 'Goth' or whether she just likes to where black or sort of, you know, because, it's actually lucky because, my make up girl likes to try different things and wardrobe, mostly my wardrobe is dark, so there is a lot of debate on the internet about whether or not Miranda is 'Goth' or not. So ...

Vicki
You don't have a 'bolt' through your head so that's ...

Alisen
No! Which is Good. So, you know, I don't think she goes home an listens to, you know, all this 'Goth' music and dances in the dark or something but um ...

Vicki
I'm not really, um, 'hip' to the 'Goth' groove. I just don't know enough about ... any ... nothing!

Alisen
No. Yeah. And I think there are different kinds of 'Goth'. Like the really *hardcore*.

Vicki
Yeah.

Alisen
And then there's just the 'I like to wear black', you know, which I think is Miranda.

Vicki
That would be *me*.

Alisen
Yeah I think that's me too.

Vicki
Are you on? Uh, you working now? Or are you just on break?

Alisen
I'm sort of auditioning here and there. I'm kind of on a break and I'm thinking about maybe going somewhere warm and sunny 'bout the week before I go back to work. Just so -

Vicki
Just so you're ... a raving beauty! Are you taking violin lessons? Is this for sure?

Alisen
Yes, I'm having my first lesson on Saturday. I'm very *excited*.

Vicki (joking)
I *bet*. And I *bet* your mother's glad you not living in that basement, *grinding* away.

Alisen
Yeah. Yeah, I think my -

Vicki
Do you know how hard it is to play the violin? I mean, I'm not trying to discourage you ...

Alisen
I've heard, everybody -

Vicki
It's like 'err-err-err' ... for 2 years.

Alisen (laughing)
Everybody has said this. 'Alisen you should pick up the guitar or something.' But I'm adamant that I'm going to play in a symphony one day so I need to get started (Audience laughter) and so ...

Vicki
How old are you?

Alisen
I'm 25.

Vicki
Oh, puff.

Alisen
Yeah, so I need to get started.

Vicki (joking)
It's to late! (laughter)

Alisen (laughing)
That's what I've heard too.

Vicki
Oh no! You'll be fine. You'll be fine! As long as you can play 'She'll be coming round the mountain'.

Alisen
Yeah.

Vicki
At a fundraiser.

Alisen
Or a scale, the scale, you know, a-e-d or I don't, I don't ...? I can't read music?

Vicki
a-e-d?

[[Laughter]]

Alisen
Laughing with everyone.

Vicki
Looking good all around. Well next time you come back on this program, you bring you 'axe' and we'll have a little, you know, I mean this, in the most polite way ...

Alisen (laughing)
Yeah. We'll have a little play session.

Vicki (laughing)
That would be very nice.

Alisen (laughing)
That would be good.

Vicki
Good-Bye Alisen. (laughing)

Alisen (laughing)
Good-Bye, thanks Vicki.

Vicki
See ya. Bye. Alisen Down, she can be seen in Mysterious Ways Monday nights on CTV.