Series TV

Before the shooting of the third season began we had the pleasure to interview the female star of 'Smalville'. The slightly shy but really nice Kristin Kreuk talked about the development of season 2, the work with Tom 'Superman' Welling and the other co-stars on the set and told us something about the upcoming season.

SV: In Germany we are watching the second season of 'Smallville' which is more matured than the first. What does that mean for your character Lana?

KK: She has matured. The script writers have given her personality more room to develop. You notice that she isn't perfect. In the second year she makes mistakes too and stands up for her own opinions more than in the first season. I think that's an important development for her character.

SV: Would you say that the main focus of the show this year is the search of all characters for their own identity? Not only Clark, but especially Lana who tries to finds her father?

KK: I think that as long as the show exists it will always be about the search for their identity. To find yourself, to understand yourself, to mature - in the second year it's the same for all characters: "Where am I from? Where will I go?"

SV: Tom Welling once said that he didn't do any research about Superman. Did you do the same regarding your role?

KK: I think that Lana's character is different in every 'Superman' filming. Even if I had looked at the other Lanas it wouldn't have made a difference because they are totally different from the Lana I play.

SV: You have never asked Annette O'Toole for advice?

KK: (laughs) No because she played a different Lana too.

SV: I know that you don't want to ruin the excitement for the next season but could you tell us a bit about it to satisfy our curiosity?

KK: First of all the second season will end with a big 'boom' - in every sense of the word. (laughs) It doesn't look so bad for Clark and Lana before that...but Clark will really hurt Lana. And he tries to make it up to her in the third year. Question is if that's even possible. And if Lana still wants that. Because a life with Clark is really dangerous like she will experience first hand. And Michael's character will go through a lot of terrible things. I would say that the third season can top the second. I don't want to give away more...

SV: What do you like most if you look at the development of the show?

KK: That it's not only about the Freaks Of The Week anymore. Now we have a big plot and a further development of the characters. It causes more drama and tension in the show.

SV: With the show being such a success now producer Al Gough said that the characters will leave school one day for college. Some will go to Metropolis and some to Kansas. What do you want for Lana's future?

KK: First of all I want her to be done with her past. Lana is still in Smallville where her parents died during the meteor shower. Their presence is still there that's the reason why she is still trapped in her past. I want Lana to be free so that she can mature. It would be great if she could leave Smallville and go to Metropolis but I'm not sure if that will ever happen. I don't know what the writers have planned.

SV: All those characters with super powers - would you like Lana to have powers too? If so which would those be?

KK: Yes! It would be funny if I could play that. I would like to do that. But what powers would I want her to have? I don't know. It would be cool if she could 'kick the asses' of her enemies from time to time. Because I think she doesn't do it enough. If she had powers then it would be different.

SV: When 2 characters, like Clark and Lana, revolve around one another and finally get together the audience could loose interest because the excitement is gone. Are you afraid of that or is the relationship between Clark and Lana doomed to fail because we all know he will end up with Lois Lane?

KK: That's right, we know how it will end. But I think it's interesting when Clark and Lana are together, when they are apart too, because there will always be secrets and lies. Lana never knows where she stands with Clark and that bugs her. When you are in a relationship it's really important that you are open with each other. Lana believes that she doesn't mean that much to Clark because he doesn't share his secrets which she knows he has with her. But Lana has no idea how big his problems are. She doesn't know the consequences if he ever told her these things. I believe there always will be a certain tension between Clark and Lana no matter if they are together or not.

SV: During the second season Lana and Chloe are like sisters. Will they be enemies in the next season because Clark will always come between their friendships?

KK: Lana would like them to stay friends. She really wants to keep her as a friend because she is the first real female friend she ever had in her life. Think about it: If you are always surrounded by cheerleaders the relations probably are shallow. At the beginning of season one all of Lana's relationships were casual. Except for her relationship with Whitney she wasn't really close to someone. She admires Chloe's braveness, strength and ambition - characteristics she would like to have too.

SV: What's a typical day on the set like?

KK: We work five or six days a week. The crew works five days and me just three. Nine months each year. One episode takes eight days. You work like 12 to 16 hours each day. Tom who's got the most screen time and the crew has to work really hard. For the rest of us it's easier.

SV: The atmosphere on the set seems to be quite funny and easy. Could you tell us more about that?

KK: We are lucky that the whole team gets along so well. It makes certain things easier. People always notice if you are in a good or bad mood when you arrive at the set in the morning and know when to leave you alone. We have grown together. Everybody knows the other a little bit and the guys are always funny. Michael is crazy and always jokes around. Allison is a little scatterbrain but wonderful. Tom is a real angel. Even if he had to work five days a week and 12 hours each day he always comes to the set in a good mood. It's great to work which such a team.

SV: When you get the script do you read the whole episode or just your part?

KK: At the beginning I've always read the whole script. After a while that changed depending how big my part in the episode was. If Lana's part has nothing to do with the other characters then I don't read everything. But if it does then it's different. It depends on the story.

SV: So you don't know what the other characters do the whole time?

KK: Usually I find out what they do. If I don't then I take the script again and read all scenes. It depends on how lazy you are. (laughs)

SV: Do you watch the show?

KK: I get the tapes but I don't like to watch myself, I hate it. But sometimes I have to if I want to improve my acting skills.

SV: You've once said in an interview that you'd prefer to go out with Lex. What's wrong with Clark?

KK: (laughs) I didn't say it like that. Personally I would prefer Lex because he's a great and interesting character. But Lana?s opinion is different. Between her and Clark it just clicked. Not so with Lana and Lex. They are mis-matched.

SV: Did the work on the show cure your shyness?

KK: I wouldn't go that far to say that it 'cured' me of my shyness but now I can interact better with people. And that's good.

SV: What don't you like about your job? Interviews, photo shootings...

KK: Some days are easier than other. I don't like photo shootings. They are not really my thing. Interviews can be interesting or from average to boring. My job is like all things in life: sometimes it's interesting, exciting and funny and sometimes it's not.

SV: Is this your first stay in Europe?

KK: No. I've been here a few times. And I really liked it. It's totally different from home. In Europe the architecture is much older than in North America. You eat other things...the whole atmosphere is different. It's always a nice change for me.

SV: Are there any movie projects in the near future?

KK: Not at the moment. I'm looking for something I'd like to do.

SV: Are movies something you would like to do?

KK: Yes definitely. Like every actor I'd like to play different roles and try different things. Let's see what the future brings - or which surprises 'Smallville' will hold for me.

SV: Thanks.