Interview: Abigal Spencer Leads with Her Intelligence as Lucy in NBC’s #Timeless AD

This post was sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer’s Network.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Abigal Spencer, Lucy on NBC’s new hit show Timeless which airs Monday nights at 10/9c.

About the Show

From Eric Kripke (“Revolution,” “Supernatural”), Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”) and the producers of “The Blacklist” comes this thrilling action-adventure series in which a mysterious criminal steals a secret state-of-the-art time machine, intent on destroying America as we know it by changing the past. Our only hope is an unexpected team: a scientist, a soldier and a history professor who use the machine’s prototype to travel back in time to critical events. While they must make every effort not to affect the past themselves, they must also stay one step ahead of this dangerous fugitive. Can this handpicked team uncover the mystery behind it all and end his destruction before it’s too late?

The cast includes Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett, Goran Visnjic, Paterson Joseph, Sakina Jaffrey and Claudia Doumit.

Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan serve as writers and executive producers. John Davis, John Fox, Marney Hochman and Director Neil Marshall also executive produce. “Timeless” is produced by Davis Entertainment, Kripke Enterprises and MiddKid Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.

ABIGAIL SPENCER INTERVIEW

Timeless 6 — TIMELESS — Season: Pilot — Pictured: Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston

Lucy Preston on “Timeless”

Abigail Spencer plays Lucy Preston in the NBC drama “Timeless.” A talented actress, writer and producer on both the big and small screen, Abigail Spencer is quickly making a name for herself in Hollywood.

Spencer just wrapped production on RECTIFY, now in its fourth and final season. The series will debut in October 2016. Spencer’s portrayal of ‘Amantha Holden’ garnered rave reviews and a Critics Choice Television Award nomination in the category of “Best Supporting Actress in a Drama” in 2013. The show has also been nominated for a Television Critics Association Award in the category of “Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials.” Spencer also appeared as a guest ‘Gena Brune’ in the second season of TRUE DETECTIVE.

Spencer can next be seen in THE SWEET LIFE starring opposite Chris Messina, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2016. She also stars in the indie film, A BEAUTIFUL NOW, which also premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2015. Her other big screen credits include: THE FORGER; OZ, THE GREAT and POWERFUL; THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU; CHASING MAVERICKS; KILIMANJARO; THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2:GHOSTS OF GEORGIA; THIS MEANS WAR and COWBOYS and ALIENS. Previous television credits include multiepisode arcs on SUITS, MAD MEN, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL and NTSF:SVU; as well as the cult comedy BURNING LOVE.

INTERVIEW

How do you like working on a show about time travel?

Would it bad to say I love it from a fashion perspective? All I wanna knows is what am I going to wear and how are we doing my hair and makeup? I do love it. I feel like we are making a brand new movie each week. As a little girl who played with paper dolls and Barbies, I get to fulfill my little girl dreams by going to all of those different eras. I love representing women through Lucy.

What was your been your favorite scene from episode 1?

I loved when we were at the 1937 airfield and we have the real planes from that era and everyone is in costume. The moment when Lucy is following Flynn and she’s hiding behind an airplane…. when we shot that scene I turned around and almost hit my head on the wing and they got it on camera and they decided that that was “Lucy” that’s who she is.

Interview: Abigal Spencer Leads with Her Intelligence as Lucy in NBC's #Timeless 2 — TIMELESS — “Pilot” — Pictured: (l-r) Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston, Malcolm Barrett as Rufus Carlin, Matt Lanter as Wyatt Logan — (Photo by: Joe Lederer/NBC)

What period in time would you personally like to travel back to?

I am super into the 40’s right now, and I love old Hollywood, old movies and the fashion from that era. It would be such a great time to visit, from the old movie standpoint, Katherine Hepburn coming into her heyday and the start of some of the best movie musicals ever made. The nerd in me who grew up watching Summer Stock and Funny Girl and Bringing up Baby and Philadelphia Story makes me so curious how they all came together.

What is the most challenging part of this show?

One of the most challenging things is actually from a personal standpoint. I’m a Mom, I have a little 8-year-old boy and he is school during the week and I shoot during the week so it’s been very challenging being apart when I shoot. I am so grateful for technology because his teacher has an app called Class Dojo so I can see photo’s of him every day. It’s a great way to feel more connected. It’s hard being a working Mom.

Interview: Abigal Spencer Leads with Her Intelligence as Lucy in NBC's #Timeless 4

Where have you been filming the show?

I am based out of LA and Timeless shoots up in Vancouver. Not much shoots in LA so when I take a job that takes me away from my son I have to believe in it for me and my son. It’s important for me to show my son that he can go after his dreams. My Dad showed me that if you love what you do you can make a whole life of it and I really want to show my son that.

Were you a history buff before the show? If not, has the show made you more interested in History?

I’ve always been interested in history. My father was a history buff. I am very interested and always curious and it was one of my favorite subjects in school. I am also curious about where we come from. What I love about being an actor is that you get to preserve history by putting it on film. I wanted to do something (the show) that I could potentially become smarter at. I’ve learned so much and it has given me a profound respect for where we’ve come from.

Interview: Abigal Spencer Leads with Her Intelligence as Lucy in NBC's #Timeless 5

What would you like the audience to take away from watching Timeless?

Being a Mom and having a son I wanted to do something that he could watch and families could watch together and learn something. I wanted to be a part of something that was positive. My son loves it and so does my Mom, so I love that it also spans a large age range. Playing Lucy, I just want to be a woman on television for young women and girls to look up to who leads with her intelligence. Lucy’s smarts are her superpower and we need more of that on TV.

Do you draw from any personal experiences when getting into character?

All of them. Acting is a practice in empathy. I’ve been through a lot in my own life and I like to think about how the character would feel and hope it lends to the character. I feel that since I’ve had my son I’ve become a way better actor. Having my son felt like my rebirth and things just opened up. Also, I really believe that Moms, that women, we have to support each other, we have to change this whole thing of being in competition with one another.

Who do you look up to that is also a strong female heroine?

My Mom. My mother is very intelligent and she leads with her intelligence. I really look up to her and I don’t see a lot of her on television. I was taught that you lead with your personality and your brain because everything else will fade away.

Interview: Abigal Spencer Leads with Her Intelligence as Lucy in NBC's #Timeless 3 — TIMELESS — “Pilot” — Pictured: (l-r) Malcolm Barrett as Rufus Carlin, Matt Lanter as Wyatt Logan and Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston. (Photo by: NBC)

What have been your favorite costume and least favorite costume so far?

My favorite was the 1940’s episode, it was beautiful, comfortable and felt right. My least favorite was the 1754 corset, it’s bananas. It’s the one fashion thing I am grateful we don’t have to wear in present day.

How much is the character Lucy like you?

I’m kind of a goofball, so there is room to play with this in the storylines because there is humor.

What other historical events do we have to look forward to?

This Monday we go to 1865 the night where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, then we go to 1962 to a DNC fundraiser in Vegas where you get a taste of the rat pack and JFK and then we go to 1944 Germany, the Alamo, Watergate in 1972, the moon landing and then 1754. What is very cool about this is that we will bring forward things that did happen but the public wasn’t aware of.

Timeless 9 — *TIMELESS — “The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Matt Lanter as Wyatt Logan, Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston, Malcolm Barrett as Rufus Carlin — (Photo* by: *Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)*

“The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln” airs Monday, October 10 at 10/9c on NBC

THE TEAM CAN SAVE THE LIFE OF ONE OF HISTORY’S GREATEST MEN.

Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) chase terrorist Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić) to the night of Lincoln’s assassination, where they’re horrified to learn that Flynn’s linked up with history’s most notorious assassin, John Wilkes Booth (guest star Kelly Blatz). Putting aside a tragedy of her own, Lucy speculates that Flynn intends to send the fragile nation into chaos by making a bad thing worse, and a debate rages among the team: should they alter history if it means changing it for the better? Also starring Paterson Joseph, Sakina Jaffrey and Claudia Doumit. Guest starring Neal Bledsoe, Michael Krebs, Terry Lewis and Lucia Frangione.

STAY SOCIAL WITH TIMELESS

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer’s Network.

Interview: Abigal Spencer Leads with Her Intelligence as Lucy in NBC’s #Timeless AD

By Dianna Ranere

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