WE HAVE A WINNER! Please Enjoy Christina's Interview...
Alright Binks Fans, Are y'all ready for this FANtastic interview with
Christina Bennett Lind (AMC's
Bianca Montgomery)? Well first i must give big "Thank You!" to Christina for taking time out of her very busy schedule to answer fans burning questions. Thank you to all you fans that submitted great question to Christina's Interview with THE Pine Valley EXPOSER!, It was so hard to narrow them down, hopefully we can have Christina come back real soon to answer more. Be sure to check the end of Christina's questions. Where she will ask you (her fans) one questions about her character Bianca Montgomery and the first person to answer her question correctly will win this autographed photo of Christina.
So without further delay to y'all, Check out Christina's interview and see if your questions made the cut......
THE Pine Valley EXPOSER!: Where are you from and are you able to get back there often? And when back home where is the one place in your home town you must visit (restaurant, school, mall, exc..) when you return?
Christina Bennett Lind: I was born in Pennsylvania but I grew up in upstate New York, a small town called Guilderland, just outside of Albany. My parents moved for work to Ohio and then New Jersey when I went to college, so I haven't been back much except to visit friends and to do a play there in 2006. The one place I must visit is a place called Tawasentha Park. I took swimming classes there in the summers, skated on the ice rink in the winters, went leaf-peeping in the fall, and performed with my local ballet company in the summers at their big outdoor amphitheater. I even had my senior picnic there for school and ran on my cross-country team through the trails! That park holds some deep-seeded memories for me, and I always try to at least drive by, if not make a picnic and do some pas de deux on the stage!
TE: Are you single, or is there a special someone in your life?
CBL: I am not single, I have a boyfriend of 5 years. We started dating as roommates in New York City and, since we couldn't afford to move, have been dating ever since! (Just kidding, there are other reasons!) He's a very talented actor and filmmaker in New York and is from Dallas, originally. (Any Texans out there? Go Stars!)
TE: Not only are you a wonderful actress but you are also a writer/ producer, You wrote 'The Talk Man' due for a 2011 release date. Can you tell us about this? How did you get into writing/ producing and is this something will will see more of from you in the future?
CBL: First of all, thank you! I have always had an attraction to the many sides of this business and of all the fine arts, and in my dreams for the future, I see writing/producing/directing/acting/ as a 4-sided die of myself as an artist. I have been writing my whole life but really dove into it when I met my boyfriend, who is a huge proponent of self-generated work. I actually co-wrote 'The Talk Man' with him, as well as a small film called 'grown' that we made together in 2009, which I also directed and edited. I have learned, first and foremost, that the old saying is true: if you can see it, you can do it! I was struck by how 'possible' it is to conceptualize and produce new work. (It's not easy, and not all of us are genius', but it's POSSIBLE. That's the first step.) I hope to do a lot more in the future. I'm finishing the final draft of a play at the moment, hoping to produce a play in the next year, and am preparing a screenplay for its baby steps towards being made, so I'll keep everyone posted...fingers crossing now...
TE: How old were you when you got your first acting gig? and what was it?
CBL: When I started acting, I was in about 7th grade. I was a dance my whole life so I was used to being on stage and performing. My mother was my first dance teacher at about age 4, so I learned the presence and discipline from her that I continue to use on set today. My English teacher suggested starting a drama club and producing a play, which (as an English teacher, I mean come on) had to be Shakespeare. So we auditioned for 'Twelfth Night' and, as it turned out, I got Viola and my twin sister, Heather, got Sebastian (the male twin of Viola: she had to dress in drag.) At that time, I wanted to be an artist and maybe work as an animator and she had always been set on acting, so I offered her the role of Viola, who is more of the lead. I am grateful to her that she didn't say 'Sure' because I caught the bug and have loved it ever since. (Except for when my 7th grade boyfriend whistled at me when I came on-stage, at which point I was horrified that he didn't take it as seriously as I did. That relationship didn't last much longer...)
TE: How did you feel stepping into the role of such a loved daytime lesbian character?
CBL: I was a little worried that I wouldn't be as well-liked as Eden was, but I think I realized pretty quickly that I didn't have control over that and I just needed to do the best I could to embody the character and try to make Bianca (and Eden) proud. My first day on-set was the scariest, because not only was I working with these amazing actors for the first time, I was aware that this was how the New Bianca would be presented, and I wanted to be as honest and open as I could. I've always believed in first impressions, and I just wanted to allow the fans to arrive back in Pine Valley with Bianca, to get to know her as I got to know her, and so to be as much a part of who this character is as I now am. As far as the lesbian element, I was truly excited and proud to represent a character with such a rich subtext and unique place in Pine Valley and the hearts of the daytime audience. I was aware right from the beginning that it's a gift to play someone who is different than everyone else because it's such a universal feeling to be an outsider, and not only could I relate to that but my fans could relate to it. It feels like I'm sharing that feeling with the fans, and so I don't feel like an outsider at all. I feel like I have a community behind me, rooting me on.
TE: We attended your Karaoke event in LA back in Sept. Is singing something you enjoy doing? Eden Riegel's Bianca sang on AMC do you think we will ever see your Bianca singing on the show?
CBL: I don't usually enjoy singing in public, but Karaoke is fun because the pressure to be good is gone! It's more fun if you're terrible! I took singing lessons in high school and can read music, but I usually stick to the shower or my car...mostly because I've heard what really good singing can be! I'm very self-critical, as I'm sure we all are! I hope I can do some singing on the show, though. I usually find it's easier to rise to a goal than just to break out singing, so I'm open to it all. And if Bianca sang, then Bianca sings! When I'm in character, I feel far less pressure. It's just like putting on a disguise: I can do anything!
TE: What is the best acting advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
CBL: This is the hardest question to answer, since I've have so many good teachers in my life. I remember being in an 'Acting for Shakespeare' class in college with Roger Rees and he was trying to describe what he feels is the essence of Shakespeare's work. He was trying to show us that it's not a different language (as it seems, sometimes, at first..) but that it's "PEOPLE, who talk like this." He put his hand out, palm up, and said "it's people," and then put his other hand out, palm up, directly over it, and said, "who talk like this." He was trying to show us that, in the end, acting is about people who are saying these things, and that no matter how confusing or complicated, if we remember that WE are people TOO and, therefore, understand what being a person IS, we can learn how to make even Shakespeare natural and human. I use that advice today on set and in life.
TE: Do you have a favorite fan story? Maybe something a fan has sent you or said to you?
CBL: I was at a fundraiser event for an amazing not-for-profit company called 'Peace Over Violence' and I was standing with Stephanie and a woman came over to us. She actually worked for the company and talked about how she always ti-Vo's it or watches at night on SoapNet because she's working during the day. She said she has watched for years and, very simply, that it allows her and all the fans an hour out of the day to let go, relax, and focus on something outside of herself. She was so grateful for the distraction but also the reflection it allowed her, and I was so struck by her taking a moment to tell us that. She just said, 'thanks,' and went away and left Stephanie and I standing there, speechless. I feel very grateful that I have a job that does that for people once in awhile. It feels really good.
TE: Before landing your gig on AMC, did you or any of your friends & family watch the show? If so what where their thoughts on you being cast on the show? As Erica Kane's daughter none the least.
CBL: After landing the job, I realized how many people in my life DID watch the show and I had no idea! I still hear from people who take time out of their lunch break or watch at night who I hadn't expected, and even more people I've gotten hooked on the show! My parents are so proud and started watching for me, and now they 'won't miss it,' and are wrapped up in all the families! My Poppa is 92 and he watches everyday, too! I have a huge support system behind me, and that's so lucky. Everyone was so excited for me that I got to work with Susan and I think that, by far, the most-asked question is how it is to work with her and 'is she really that beautiful in person?' Yes. She is. And Yes. It's been a dream to work with her, she is such a professional. She's the best.
TE: You have a wonderful style of dress, Can we ever except to see the character Bianca in any thing other then dark colors? Maybe bring a little of your style to Binks?
CBL: Thank you! I've always loved clothes and experimenting with them. I think the transition from Eden to myself was a challenge for the wardrobe department as much as it was for the fans. David Zyla (the costume designer) is so wonderful and is completely open to my sense of style blending with Bianca's; it's like we're blending two people into one, and I want to learn as much about Bianca and how she has presented herself in the history of the show and stay true to her way of being in the world. It is also invaluable to me as an actor to be dressed somewhat differently than 'Christina' dresses, as it helps me feel like a different person and feel as Bianca might. Clothes, as we all know, can change how we feel about ourselves and how we prepare ourselves for a variety of situations. As my good friend and fashion designer Mallory always quotes, "One shoe can change your life. -Cinderella.'"
TE: How hard where the recent scenes you did with Alicia Minshew (Kendall), After Kendall loosing Zach. She made me cry. How do y'all do it?
CBL: Alicia is incredible. I think her depth of work on those scenes was astonishing, as good as a lot of work I've seen in movies and on stage, and I want to applaud her for that. I really just watched her and did what moved me. We wanted it to be really focused on her, and so my strategy was just to listen to her and be there for her, as an actor and a person. Some moments, I was sad that I had to imagine all the history between these characters (besides the youTube frenzy I participated in when I got the job...) but that's also what's so fun about this job: taking the facts and imagining what I would have done in those circumstances. Then, it was just about listening to Alicia and letting her direct the scenes. I also would guess that, as a person, she was missing Thorsten, too, as was I. I only met him a few times but he can really get under your skin, in a good way. He's pretty incredible and hard not to want around, so there was a lot of mourning going on, and we could all relate to it. The shared feeling made it easier to come together and it felt very real and honest. That's probably why you cried; we were crying, too!
TE: Is Bianca ever going to get a love interest, like every other character on AMC, or in your opinion is homophobia in daytime TV alive and well?
CBL: I think it's actually the opposite of homophobia. I get the sense that it's so important for AMC now, as a trail-blazer in the gay community, to make Bianca and Reese right in some way and to do them honor and treat the story with respect. I know there will be a love interest for Bianca. She loves so hard that it would be impossible not to explore that with her! But I think they're taking very tiny steps and being extremely cautious and sensitive in order to take as much time and give as much significance to this important part of the Bianca and Pine Valley and to avoid any mistakes. It's so important to them that they treat Bianca's love life with respect. I feel that on set everyday, and I have the utmost confidence that when it becomes a prominent storyline, it will be rich and deep and complex, and I'm grateful for that. I feel very safe and will fight for love in Binx's life!
TE: Do you have a specific method for memorizing your lines?
CBL: I find that as an actor, it's hard to memorize lines as they are: just words on the page. The first thing I do is read the scene all the way through, and then I work through it and find out what the 'meat' of the scene is, or what's really happening. I then go through and make sure I understand what I mean with every line and what I'm trying to get (the famous clche, 'What's my motivation?') and then I can remember it pretty quickly. It's just like in life: if you know WHY you're wanting to say something, you know what to say.
TE: Do you spend any time with the ladies of AMC outside of the studio? If so who? And what do y'all do for fun when y'all get together?
CBL: I do! It's different with everyone, depending on what they like to do! We keep trying to get together, all of us, for a girl's night! I've even been working on seeing Eden (we haven't met yet! In THIS life!) and it's just a labor of love, trying to clear our schedules enough. It's hard with soap actors because, as with the girl's not related to my storyline, they're working when I'm not, and with Alicia, she's working when I'm working! In the past, we've drunk wine together and eaten chocolate. That's one of my favorites.
TE: You have appeared on every episode of AMC since November 18th, How many days a week do you spend at the studio? What are your typical working hours?
CBL: During the sad first days of Zach's death, I was working 4 days a week (a full week for us) and was there anywhere between 8 and 12 hours. It really depends on how the schedule worked out that week, but it ebbs and flows as the stories shift. I love that every week's different, though. Doesn't get us in a rut!
TE: Did you originally audition for Bianca or was it a completely different character? Who did you screen test with and how do you feel they helped you?
CBL: I originally auditioned for the role of 'Beth,' and I kept those sides for awhile after, hoping it would be more. I found out before the test in L.A. that it was for Bianca, the daughter of a Kane, and that's when I got nervous. I screen tested with Rebecca and Cameron, who stayed late after work to rehearse with us and shoot the scenes, which (knowing how long these days can be) was incredibly generous. Rebecca gave me great advice; she told me to do my best not to be self-aware, but to just feel what I was feeling and not censor or judge it. It was great advice and is something I will always be working on in this business. She's a pro. Cameron was just so kind and warm, and gave the great gift of making me less nervous! He was open and friendly and really let me be myself, and that did wonders for me in such a high-pressure situation.
TE: Do you have an Official website or Fan Club fans can join, Or are you on Twitter or Facebook?
CBL: Yes! My fabulous website administrators Colleen Harris and Anne Shnee have created my unofficial fan site,
www.christinabennettlind.net and I have an official page
www.christinabennettlind.com (but there's is updated more often!) I also am on facebook as
Christina Bennett Lind and I'm on Twitter as
@ChristinaBLind. I owe a lot to my fans so reach out to me! I'll reach right back!
TE: If you hadn't gone into show business what other career would you have chosen for yourself?
CBL: I always wanted to be an artist. My dad is an amazing painter and I have always loved to paint, but for a long time, I wanted to be an animator. One of the first places I went to was the ABC administrative offices, which are right across from the Disney animation studio. I got out of the car and looked up at the big hat and said, "I've arrived!" It was a weird 'dream-come-true' moment I'll never forget.
TE: What is one thing fans would be surprised to learn about you?
CBL: I'm really mostly a homebody! I love to 'nest' and be cozy on the couch with a good movie and a blanket and tea, or sit in my studio or back garden with my laptop or a journal. I'm the kind of person who rarely gets bored and am always making lists and plans for what I can do in my place (even lists for what to do FOR my place!) and I love cooking and baking. I have my moments when I need to get out and let loose, but I really enjoy being with friends at home, too. It feels like my own private world and anything's possible.
TE: Can you give us any scoops on what is in store for Bianca?
CBL: I, as you know, can't give too much away but I DO know that very soon there will be some more information about Binx's marriage and Reese. I know she will continue to field the many stages of grief Kendall is experiencing and trying to be a force of strength for her, and I'm getting the sense that she's going to be on Erica about being truthful...that's all I can say....
OK, now Christina has answered all your questions, THE PV EXPOSER turned it over to her to ask her fans a question about her character Bianca.
Here's Christina's question to you...
"Of the following choices, what food or beverage have Bianca and Kendall NOT consumed together since May of 2010?"
a). Ice cream sundaes
b). Chocolate chip cookies
c). Champagne
d). Hot tea
Good one Christina. Wasn't that nice of her to add choices for y'all, First fan to post the correct answer in the comment section below will win a hand signed autographed photo of
Christina Bennett Lind, Good Luck!
Photos
Christina Bennett Lind
