Although many know Kathleen Rose Perkins for her starring role in Showtime's Episodes, she now has a new job: working for Homeland Security on USA Network's Colony.
Colony takes place in a post-alien invasion world, where cities are walled off and separated into separate colonies. Each colony has its own Transitional Authority to look after it, headed by the department of Homeland Security.
Perkins plays Jennifer McMahon on the series, a data analyst who works for the alien hosts of Los Angeles on a special task force with a mission to take down those humans resisting the colony's new laws.
Colony comes courtesy of Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse, so as expected, its story includes a mystery wrapped in more mysteries, raising a lot of questions about the invasion and those people who now live in a world occupied by aliens. We spoke to Perkins about her role on the series, as well as what viewers can expect during the rest of its first season. The show has been renewed for a 13-episode second season.
How did you get the role on Colony?
I met with Carlton Cuse and Ryan Condal, the writers and producers of the show, and they sent me a little bit about what they wanted, they had an idea of where they wanted the character to go, and I tried to be as charming and as awesome as I could possibly get, so I could get the job.
And, thankfully, they gave me the job, and I showed up and it was awesome because I didn't really know that much about the character. We got our scripts as they were coming out, and there's not very much in the first few episodes. So I wanted to know who Jennifer was, so I was constantly questioning the producers and the director to kind of guide my performance so that I could figure out who she was.
I didn't know anything about her backstory. I just had an idea that she was not necessarily a cop, but I didn't know who she ended up being. So it's really kind of fascinating to experience this. Usually, I know everything about a character before I start playing her, and this was different. So I just had to trust the directors and Ryan and Carlton and, thankfully, they knew what they were doing so I can just rely on them.
So we've learned a little bit about your character on Colony. Can you discuss what motivates her to be part of the Transitional Authority?
I think it's episode five where you learn that she lost her fiancé in a Resistance bombing. I think that's the biggest motivation for her. Carl Weathers, who plays Beau, hears in one of the earlier episodes from Josh Holloway's character about how he [Holloway's character, Will] thinks that Jennifer might be the leak and someone he couldn't trust, and Beau says to that, 'No, Jennifer is one of the true believers.' And I think the reason she is that is because she felt so much loss and pain over what is happening to these people, why are they against this alien authority that has taken over the world.
She believes in keeping peace, and the way to do that is she works for Homeland and she takes down this small faction of Resisters that are causing - in her view - all of the problems. If we just all lived under this rule, everyone would be happy and we all get what we want and we can go about our lives without having any more death and destruction.
But because she saw that firsthand, I think that's her motivation. She wants to save people from feeling what she felt before, which is the loss of her closest loved one.
How do you think Jennifer got the job with the Transitional Authority?
Oh, what do I say? You'll find out.
Can you give any teaser details about what viewers can expect to see from your character in future episodes?
It's so fun. There are so many really cool revelations, just kind of doling them out piecemeal and I don't want to ruin any of those revelations. I'll just say that you'll find out about every character in this show. You're going to find out a lot more of what got them to where they are, their backstories, their histories before the arrival, and where they're at now and what motivates them in all of their actions - and who they're telling the truth to, why, and who they're lying to and why.
So a lot of really lovely, compelling pieces of the story and the puzzle get put together in a real beautiful, exciting way.
And nobody's safe. I kept reading the scripts each week and going, 'Do I die in this one?' I never knew if I was going to be dead, or sent to the Factory or what was going to happen to my character because nobody is safe in this show.
Without spoiling anything, you're going to find out a lot more and they're going to do it in a way that you're going to be totally satisfied, so keep watching.
As you mentioned, no one is safe on this series: a few weeks ago, the head of the Transitional Authority, Phyllis, was killed. How will that affect the department?
It's going to affect it big time. She's the head of the department, and I think in the next few episodes, Josh Holloway's character will become the head of the department. How is he going to deal with that responsibility and what is he going to do with it and what will it do to the department itself and where will Jennifer find herself and where will Beau find himself? It's a shakedown, no, it's a shake-up, really.
What can viewers expect to learn about the invasion and who, or what, the hosts are during this first season?
Ooh ... um ... yes. [Laughter] I feel like proxy Snyder with all my vague non-answers.
Colony airs at 10 p.m. EST Thursdays on the USA Network.
Photo: USA
