Maxim 1/04: Victoria Pratt
Bad Kitty!
Maxim, Jan 2004
By Eric Alt
Mutant X’s feline wild child Victoria Pratt is the sexiest genetic anomaly we’ve ever seen, and that’s including Carrot Top.
Ever since Wonder Woman strapped on her go-go boots, we’ve come to expect superheroines to walk the line between statuesque ass-kicker and jaw-dropping knockout. This combination rarely exists in the real world, unless you’re talking about Victoria Pratt. This athletic Canadian-born beauty put aside a future as a workout guru (she graduated summa cum laude from Toronto’s York University with a degree in kinesiology) and a fitness model (MuscleMag offered her a modeling gig after she went to their office to research a book she was writing) to bring her sculpted bod and formidable brains to sci-fi TV. With stints on Xena: Warrior Princess and the Sam Raimi–produced Cleopatra 2525 under her belt, Victoria naturally evolved into Shalimar Fox, a crime fighter with enhanced animal DNA, on the nationally syndicated Mutant X. She’s been kicking ass and coughing up hairballs ever since.
Tell us, Victoria, what’s the coolest part about being a mutant?
That I finally get paid for it! There aren’t a lot of opportunities out there for people to be superheroes. To get to go to work every day and fight evil—sure, it’s imaginary evil—but it’s like you’re fulfilling a childhood fantasy. Now I get to do that on a larger scale.
Your character, Shalimar, has animal DNA. Is there a dominant species?
It seems to be whatever species suits the episode. I think cat is the most dominant, since it’s easier for the creators and fight choreographers to work with. And for a woman, being a dog wouldn’t be very glamorous.
Judging by your résumé, you seem to be a sci-fi buff. Has that always been true, or did you grow to like it?
I think I grew to like it. I always admired that the sci-fi/fantasy genre had strong roles for women, like The Bionic Woman or Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. I want to play those roles while I can, because there’s going to come a time when my body’s not going to be able to take being thrown around on a harness. And the audience won’t want to see it! So I’m enjoying it now.
While studying for your degree, you worked at something called the human performance laboratory. Um, were you testing cosmetics on people?
We tested firefighters in strength and speed to see how well they could do their jobs. We also did fitness testing for athletes—Olympic athletes, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
How intense is your workout?
It’s not that intense. I’ve been training since puberty, so I have an athlete’s body. I just do basic maintenance—cardio and a little strength training. But I don’t lift weights; I don’t want to be a She-Hulk. I train for a little muscle, but more for flexibility.
You also study martial arts, right?
I studied a few different martial arts, but I don’t keep up with it. It’s empowering. I think everybody has a violent side to them—it’s just how far they’re willing to give in to it. When I started doing Shotokan and kick boxing, I would walk down the street, and I could envision beating the crap out of people.
Do guys find your skills intimidating?
It’s not intimidating to anyone who talks to me for a second. I try to balance it with femininity. I even try to do that on the show. Originally, Shalimar was much manlier. I think it’s better to let her girl side come out.
Why do you think guys love a woman who can kick ass?
I don’t imagine all guys are into that. I think it’s the same reason some men love waifs. I know that I’m not completely appealing to everyone, and I don’t think anyone can be. If you find me attractive, good. If not…I have a nice personality!
What do you find sexy?
Confidence. But there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. As soon as you cross that line, you go immediately to “dork.”
So do skinny, nonathletic guys have a shot with you?
If they’re confident. [laughs] I don’t go out with bodybuilders—that’s not my thing. I like guys who take care of themselves but aren’t obsessed with it.
You recently did a movie called The Mallory Effect. What was your part?
I play the cross-eyed pity fuck.
That’s the best character description we’ve ever heard.
Yeah, right? She’s sort of a pathetic character, and I had to tap into that insecure part that everyone has. No matter who you are, there’s that piece of you that got beat up at school, or you had your heart trashed. You have to call on your inner schmuck.
We bet that doesn’t happen often…In fact, how do you keep overaggressive guys at bay?
I’m from Canada, so I just quietly take the abuse and move on.
You’ve never had to punch out an annoying douchebag?
Oh, I’ve had to punch people, including an ex-boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong: I’m polite, but I’m not going to roll over!
© Maxim
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