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Victoria Pratt: 11/8/2001 SciFi.com Chat

Victoria Pratt

ChatMod: Okay. We're about ready...

ChatMod: Victoria, can you type?

VictoriaPratt: I think so...

VictoriaPratt: Yes!

ChatMod: Great!

ChatMod: Hi everyone, thanks for joining us here. This evening we're thrilled to welcome Mutant X actress Victoria Pratt. Victoria Shalimar Fox, the most stunningly gorgeous member of Mutant X. Shalimar is fiery, feral, a sensual beauty utterly in touch with her primal self. Blessed with both human and animal DNA, Shalimar embodies the strength, speed and cunning of the entire animal kingdom.

ChatMod: Victoria was born in Chelsey, Ontario, Canada. She graduated summa cum laude from York University in Toronto. She has written books on fitness and bodybuilding, and she has graced the covers of numerous fitness magazines.

ChatMod: Victoria is best known for her role Sarge on the series Cleopatra 2525, and the recurring role of Cyane in Xena: Warrior Princess. Victoria's other credits include the HBO movie Blacktop and John Woo's Once A Thief.

ChatMod: Brief word about the drill. This is a moderated chat -- please send your questions for our guest to ChatQ, as private messages. (To send a private message, either double-click on ChatQ or type "/msg ChatQ" on the command line - only without the quotes.)

ChatMod: FIRST QUESTION:

ChatMod: to : Vicky, I love your acting and I was wondering that since you are Canadian how did the effects of 9/11 in the U.S. affect you and the cast of Mutant X? How did it change your life and how did you find out about it?

VictoriaPratt: I saw it happen on the news with the rest of the world.

VictoriaPratt: John Shea who is a part of our cast is from New York so he was understandably upset, as we all were.

VictoriaPratt: We stopped shooting for a couple of days and then tried to get back on track.

VictoriaPratt: It's scary because as an actress you sign up for a life of constant travel -- and the first time I flew after 9/11 was a bit nerve-wracking.

VictoriaPratt: But we can't live our lives in fear.

VictoriaPratt: I think Canadians are a little bit insulated from the events of the 11th but everybody realizes they're living in a different world now.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: Victoria, some of the fans here tonight know you from Cleopatra but haven't seen Mutant X... How would you describe the show and your character?

VictoriaPratt: First of all -- shame on you for not watching!

VictoriaPratt: So, about the show:

VictoriaPratt: it's the story of genetic tampering, Genomex was a secret part of the US government that experimented in genetic manipulation.

VictoriaPratt: Adam was the chief biogeneticist.

VictoriaPratt: When he realized that Genomex was up to no good, he left the company and tried to save the people whose lives he had altered.

VictoriaPratt: Mutant X is a collection of these people whom he is trying to help. Mutants!

VictoriaPratt: We are fighting against Genomex, trying to prevent further destruction and further experiementation.

VictoriaPratt: My character is Shalimar Fox.

VictoriaPratt: She has been genetically crossed with animal DNA -- cat, fox etc.

VictoriaPratt: She's playful and she likes to kick butt!

VictoriaPratt: She's Adam's right hand.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Vicky, Did you actually bungie jump in the kilohertz ep?

ChatMod:

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: That was a tricky stunt.

VictoriaPratt: I'm only insured to four stories.

VictoriaPratt: I did a swan dive off a four story building into an air bag.

VictoriaPratt: they cut this with my stunt double doing a decelerator swan dive from a ten story building.

VictoriaPratt: Then it cuts to me in a harness being dropped from about 20 feet off the ground to pick up the kilohertz.

VictoriaPratt: So what you see is me doing the initial dive, my stunt double in the middle and me at the end. You don't see the airbag.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: I'm wondering, do you know if Adam at least cashed in his stock options before he left Genomex? Hope so... They've been doing fairly well lately...Oh never mind! :) NEXT QUESTION:

ChatMod: to : Vicky you are such an inspiration to many women out there including myself. Does that play a part in your acting that many of us watch you because you are a great role model and help build strength within us?

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: That's so flattering.

VictoriaPratt: When I was a young girl I remember movies like Terminator 2 and Alien and the TV show The Bionic Woman. They all had such strong female characters.

VictoriaPratt: I really believe they helped shape who I am.

VictoriaPratt: I really believe they helped shape who I wanted to be.

VictoriaPratt: If I can provide that sort of inspiration for the next generation of girls or for any woman who likes or needs strength, then that's amazing.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Hey Vicky! This is Holly - I won the set visit from LCA a couple weeks back -- Just wanted to congratulate you and the rest of the cast on an awesome job!! I am so loving the show!! After working on two other series - Xena and Cleopatra - are you happy to back working in another hour show - are there other acting oppotunites you are looking into for during breaks from the show?

VictoriaPratt: Hello again, Holly!

VictoriaPratt: I'm very happy to be back in the hour format.

VictoriaPratt: In terms of story, it lets us explore a bit more of our characters.

VictoriaPratt: The workload is the same.

VictoriaPratt: As for my hiatus, that won't be coming up until March. Hopefully I'll be able to sneak in a really cool project.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : what exactly is a ferral? is it close to feline or what?

VictoriaPratt: A "feral" is animal -- Shalimar is part feral meaning that she's part animal. She's a wild child!

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: Several people are wondering if more mutants will join the team as the series progresses?

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: Ummm -- who knows?

VictoriaPratt: I think our team of five is a good number. If you have more regular characters than that, you don't really get to know any of them well enough. I think some will just in and out for episodes here and there.

VictoriaPratt: If one of us needs to be replaced, then obviously that will happen.

VictoriaPratt: If Shalimar goes on a chocolate binge for example...

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Victoria, is Cleopatra truly over? Is there some way we could learn more about that 'alternate reality'? What happened at the end?

VictoriaPratt: Cleopatra is so-ooo over!

VictoriaPratt: It is just done and I don't know what happened at the end.

VictoriaPratt: We just packed up and went home and that was it.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: Victoria -- tell us about your career arc :) You became well known in the fitness field shortly after college. How did you become a writer, and from there move into acting?

VictoriaPratt: I started taking acting classes while I was fitness modeling.

VictoriaPratt: It took me two years to get the courage to find an agent.

VictoriaPratt: I was exceptionalloy fortunate to land a series on my first audition -- John Woo's Once a Thief.

VictoriaPratt: The writing is something that I've always done.

VictoriaPratt: It's almost a logical step for an actor to want to write.

VictoriaPratt: We read so many scripts, and it becomes painfully obvious which ones are really good and which ones are really bad.

VictoriaPratt: Reading really bad scripts makes you want to write really good ones.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Vicky your wrodroe is awesome! your the best dressed mutant! any chance there going to be auction off some of your duds..like the leather jacket?

VictoriaPratt: Hey girlfriend!

VictoriaPratt: They will have to peel those garments from my stone cold [dead] furry body.

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: I love my wardrobe too!

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: Several people are wondering if you know if any Mutant X merchandise will be available soon? Can you see yourself as an action figure? Also, any convention appearances planned?

VictoriaPratt: Where there's a hit show, merchandise isn't far behind.

VictoriaPratt: What person hasn't dreamed of having their own action figurine?

VictoriaPratt: I just hope they don't make her furry or with rows of nipples!

VictoriaPratt: I love doing the conventions.

VictoriaPratt: There aren't any planned for us as of yet but they always pop up.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : will shalimar become romantically with any of the guys on her team in the future or what?

VictoriaPratt: We were picked up for 44 episodes.

VictoriaPratt: That will give the writers plenty of opportunity to play with my love life.

VictoriaPratt: It seems like people can't decide who they want Shalimar to hook up with.

VictoriaPratt: Any suggestions?

VictoriaPratt: Maybe we should viewer poll.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: STATION IDENTIFICATION:

ChatMod: Just a reminder. We're talking with Mutant X actress Victoria Pratt. This is a moderated chat -- please send your questions for our guest to ChatQ, as private messages. (To send a private message, either double-click on ChatQ or type "/msg ChatQ" on the command line - only without the quotes.)

ChatMod: to : If you had to live the rest of your life on a stranded island and you could bring 3 things with you, what would you bring?

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: I'd take tequila, lime and a tiny umbrella.

VictoriaPratt: If I'm going to meet my maker, I want to offer him a proper drink.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : How has working with TJ been for you? Is it easier for the both of you to have the chance to work on some episodes together?

VictoriaPratt: If we didn't work together, we'd never see each other.

VictoriaPratt: He's a great director. He's hip and fun and energized and has a great vision for this show.

VictoriaPratt: It's a pleasure.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Is Adam Shalimar's father? or is he the father figure for the group since he is responsible for there being mutants? (partly atleast, he feels he is)

VictoriaPratt: We haven't really explored the extent of my relationship with Adam but you're not the first one to question it. Some people think it's a father/daughter thing, others think we're lovers.

VictoriaPratt: He's definitely the mentor figure for the team.

VictoriaPratt: And yes, he does feel incredibly guilty/responsible for our condition.

VictoriaPratt: Adam and Shalimar have a special relationship because she was the first one he found and they've built the team together.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : First, I would like to say you are a wonderful actress and I really like your work on Mutant X. Well, since Shalimar is part animal and in particular feline. Does this mean she will go through the feline cycles as well?

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: No doubt the writers have some wonderful surprises in store for me.

VictoriaPratt: Again, it's hard for five main characters in the cast because each character really only gets a heavy episode maybe once every five or six episodes.

VictoriaPratt: So it's hard to say when that would happen.

VictoriaPratt: Watch out, Adam, Brennan, and Jesse!

VictoriaPratt: (when that happens...)

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Hey Vicky can you give us a layout of your daily routine when you're shooting?

VictoriaPratt: I usually get up about five AM, pour some coffee into my system.

VictoriaPratt: I go through hair and makeup with Clara and Ava.

VictoriaPratt: And it's a long day of acting and sitting around waiting to do your acting.

VictoriaPratt: If I wrap early, sometimes I get to fit in a stunt rehearsal or a wardrobe fitting.

VictoriaPratt: We usually wrap at around 8:30 PM.

VictoriaPratt: And then I go home and do a workout.

VictoriaPratt: I have a great cardio machine at my house.

VictoriaPratt: And I read my scripts on it or watch TV.

VictoriaPratt: Then I do a little routine of abs and some Pilates exercises.

VictoriaPratt: Then lights out for Shalimar!

VictoriaPratt: Not too exciting, is it?

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : How can I get abs like yours with only about 1 free hour a day?

VictoriaPratt: But that's what weekends are for...

VictoriaPratt: No problem!

VictoriaPratt: Use that hour to do some intense cardio activity i.e. running, or my favorite -- kickboxing classes.

VictoriaPratt: You need to do cardio that works your whole body.

VictoriaPratt: Then you need to borrow ten minutes more and do a multitude of abdominal exercises.

VictoriaPratt: That's only half the battle though.

VictoriaPratt: You'll never see your abs if you eat a high fat diet.

VictoriaPratt: I eat lots of lean protein, veggies, pop corn, and I drink tons of water.

VictoriaPratt: I givce myself treats but I don't allow myself to eat a lot of fatty foods.

VictoriaPratt: I don't even have butter, margerine or oil in my house.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Larissa and I were wondering if you had any plans in the works for an official website. :D

VictoriaPratt: I know I'm a loser.

VictoriaPratt: I don't know, I'm sorry, I'm not very good at that end of things.

VictoriaPratt: the last time I touched my own computer was probably last July -- over a year ago.

VictoriaPratt: It's probably died of neglect by now.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: STATION IDENTIFICATION:

ChatMod: Just a reminder. We're talking with Mutant X actress Victoria Pratt. This is a moderated chat -- please send your questions for our guest to ChatQ, as private messages. (To send a private message, either double-click on ChatQ or type "/msg ChatQ" on the command line - only without the quotes.)

ChatMod: to : whats been your favorite episode/scene so far?

VictoriaPratt: My favorite episode was Fool for Love.

VictoriaPratt: It was very emotional and really the first time on television that I've been given the opportunity to display any range at all.

VictoriaPratt: I had such a great time.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : What other interests besides acting and writing are a big thing for you?

VictoriaPratt: I love to travel.

VictoriaPratt: I have become addicted to gardening.

VictoriaPratt: This morning I planted heavenly bamboo and red banannas at my house here in LA.

VictoriaPratt: I love it, love it, love it.

VictoriaPratt: ga

VictoriaPratt: Wait --

VictoriaPratt: I also plan to open an oyster bar in the future.

ChatMod: Not the kind of plants you could have grown in Ontario...

ChatMod: Mmmm...oysters! In LA?

VictoriaPratt: One of my favorite things to do especially when traveling is to check out oyster bars and seafood restaurants.

VictoriaPratt: And I also have a tequila collection -- which I never touch, of course!

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Hey Vicky -- me again -- things seems fairly quiet and routine on the set the day I visited. Have y'all had much opportunity for bloopers or practical jokes on the set?

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: Oh, every day is full of bloopers.

VictoriaPratt: Nothing truly horrific has happened yet.

VictoriaPratt: I think a lot of our bloopers have happened before we actually get to set.

VictoriaPratt: As for practical jokes, we have to be careful in our studio -- it's very dangerous with the floating stairs and the water everywhere.

VictoriaPratt: But we like to keep people on their toes.

VictoriaPratt: Lauren and I as well as the hair and makeup team sneak up on each other and "honk" each other [I'll let you guess what that means!]

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: Several people have asked if you miss working in New Zealand? Is it different being in LA, in the heart of the "business" as it were?

VictoriaPratt: I miss the people in New Zealand.

VictoriaPratt: I don't miss filming there.

VictoriaPratt: Even though we had a great cast and crew, it was really hard being on the other side of the world from my friends and family.

VictoriaPratt: I love being in LA.

VictoriaPratt: I've set up my home here.

VictoriaPratt: But our show is filmed in Toronto...

VictoriaPratt: I'm lucky I have friends and family in Toronto.

VictoriaPratt: We have an incredible crew. We got most of the people from La Femme Nikita and they are very much a family unit.

VictoriaPratt: Lauren and I were talking the other day.

VictoriaPratt: We said that on our days off, we would just as soon be at work -- and I think that's a great tribute to the people that we work with every day.

VictoriaPratt: Having said that,

VictoriaPratt: I just love coming home to my house and my hubby and my garden in LA.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Any aspirations to direct one of these days?

VictoriaPratt: I'd love to direct.

VictoriaPratt: I think our show would be incredibly difficult.

VictoriaPratt: We don't have novice directors on our show. It's a very ambitious undertaking.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Victoria, when was the FHL shoot done? And, did you discuss SciFi with the other actresses?

VictoriaPratt: The FHM shoot was done in March or April, I can't remember which.

VictoriaPratt: The shoot lasted three days.

VictoriaPratt: Three girls per day.

VictoriaPratt: It was such a busy day that we didn't get a lot of opportunity to chat.

VictoriaPratt: They process each girl sort of separately and it's a whirlwind of costume changes and separate mini-photo shoots.

VictoriaPratt: We bearly had a chance to catch our breaths.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: to : Vicky what do you thik of all those magazines airbrushing the body you worked so hard to build?

* VictoriaPratt laughs *

VictoriaPratt: I'm assuming you're talking about FHM and Maxim.

VictoriaPratt: I don't really understand why they want to airbrush my muscles out of the picture.

VictoriaPratt: I think now my body might look more acceptable to the main stream than it did a year ago.

VictoriaPratt: I have a photoshoot tomorrow for the magazine called Loaded; and one next weekend for Stuff Magazine.

VictoriaPratt: I guess we'll find out whether or not they like my new presentation.

VictoriaPratt: There's nothing we can do about it.

VictoriaPratt: I did a photo shoot for American Health and Fitness. Those ones aren't airbrushed.

VictoriaPratt: It should be on the stands soon because I just receiverd and advance copy.

VictoriaPratt: I was pretty happy with those photos.

VictoriaPratt: ga

ChatMod: Victoria. Last question! And thank you so much for logging on, you've been a wonderful guest! What advice do you have for anyone who aspires to become an actor or an actress?

VictoriaPratt: Well, first of all it can happen for anyone.

VictoriaPratt: You just have to be prepared for every opportuhity that arises.

VictoriaPratt: That means taking acting classes and finding a reputable agent.

VictoriaPratt: I never thought it could happen to me.

VictoriaPratt: But when you break it down and approach it like a business or a project, it's completely attainable.

VictoriaPratt: I think it's also important to look at yourself and figure out what you have to offer.

VictoriaPratt: At the beginning, play to those strengths.

VictoriaPratt: If you're really physical , then play that up for action roles.

VictoriaPratt: If you're just drop-dead gorgeous, then the vulnerable ingenue type might be for you.

VictoriaPratt: Movies and television programs cast so many different kinds of characters.

VictoriaPratt: No matter what you look like, you can find something for yourself if you're willing to work at it and don't mind rejection.

VictoriaPratt: I think that's the hardest part.

VictoriaPratt: Good night and thanks to everybody for logging on and chatting with me and thanks so much for watching the show. We -- I! -- appreciate it so much and the fan support is reflected in the numbers we have been getting and hopefully, will contine to get.

VictoriaPratt: I'm off to a Survivor party now.

VictoriaPratt: Good night!

ChatMod: Victoria, thanks for coming! Thanks to the audience too for your many questions. We'll open the floor now. Good night everybody!

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