Jennifer Finnigan

Interviews

A Bold New Bridget

The Bold and the Beautiful fans often wonder, "Where is Bridget Forrester?" Well, their question will finally be answered now that JENNIFER FINNIGAN has taken over the role of the spunky teen. The young actress has a lot on her plate with not only her new B&B role, but also a lead in a TV movie of the week. Although Jennifer barely had time to eat, she managed to fit in a quick interview over lunch with CBS.com.

CBS.com: How did your first day at The Bold and the Beautiful go?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: It went well. It's always nerve-wracking the first day, but they started me off really easy. They only gave me two lines [per] scene. I love the two people I'm working with - Justin [Torkildsen, Rick] and Adrienne [Frantz, Amber]. We have a good time.

CBS.com: How was your first photo shoot?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: I used to model when I was a kid and I hated it. I felt like Gumby, like I had to be folded into the positions. I've done the headshot photo shoots, but nothing like this.

CBS.com: Did you have a good time at this CBS photo shoot?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: At first I didn't know what to do with myself. Then it got a lot easier and a lot more fun. I had a good time with it. I had more fun than I thought I would. I swear, I was so horrible at first. For some reason, it's so much easier to emote when you're on moving camera. When you're doing stills [the photographer] has to set up the shot and you are trying to think of an original thing to do with every shot...at least I do. I try and be different and exciting.

CBS.com: What were your first impressions of the cast members you've met?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: I remember coming back to my manager's house and telling her how much I loved everybody. They are really like a family. Everybody is friendly and supportive. They seemed just as excited to meet me as I was to meet them.

CBS.com: Is it difficult to come into a role that has already been established?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: Yes. I think it would be more difficult if the role had been established by someone else my age and I was coming in to replace them. But because the last person who played this part was, I think, twelve or thirteen, it made it a lot easier. It is difficult to come into a family of actors who all know each other and they are all familiar with their characters. [But everyone was] supportive.

CBS.com: Where are you from?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: Montreal. I speak French. I think they're going to try and work it in there. Maybe I went to the Sorbonne in my free time. [Laughs]

CBS.com: Where has Bridget Forrester been?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: [Jokes] I think she's been upstairs. [Laughs] Maybe she's been at band camp.

CBS.com: So she should have a lot of stories.

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: Yes!

CBS.com: Have you ever watched B&B before or any soaps?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: Yes.

CBS.com: Did you hope to work on a daytime drama?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: I never even thought about it. I came here to visit a manager and this was right after I [finished] working in Paris. Then I came back [to Montreal] and three days later I went off to L.A. My manager asked me, "Would you be willing to, as soon as you get off the plane, drive to CBS?" I said, "I guess so." She said, "Will you be able to audition?" I said, "Okay, sure." That was my first audition here. They weren't sure look-wise what they were looking for. I know they wanted someone who looks very much like Brooke [Katherine Kelly Lang] and I didn't know if I fit into that category. So, I went back home and I went to Toronto. I got a part there. Then I heard I had a callback [for B&B]. I came back and I did the callback. I [also] auditioned for another movie of the week. I actually got the movie of the week and then the next day I found out about the B&B [part]. I had to turn down the thing in Toronto. It all happened in such a crazy whirlwind. I still don't really grasp the fact that I'm here. I don't have a home right now.

CBS.com: When are you going to move out to California?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: In August. Now I have to finish the movie. It ends in mid-July when B&B is dark. Then I have to come here in August and start working.

CBS.com: Do you have any family out here?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: No. I have a couple of friends who moved here from Montreal, but that's it. I'm alone.

CBS.com: What is your background in?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: No formal training. When I was in high school, I did a lot of theater both at school and also community theater. I always thought about being an actress, but I was really, really shy. I was great with friends, but with crowds of people or even authority figures I was really shy. I thought I could never do it. But my character is that whenever I'm scared of something, I'll do it just to overcome the fear. I can't do public speaking [to save] my life. I cannot stand in front of x amount of people and just be myself. When I started getting on stage [I realized that] you can be someone else. All of a sudden it was so easy and then it came naturally.

CBS.com: Was it in high school that you realized you wanted to be an actor?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: It was in high school that people started telling me that maybe I should get into it. I always wanted to do it, but I just never thought I would. I've always thought of going in the safe direction and that just seemed like such a crazy thing to do - dedicating your life to such a fickle job. But it's funny, ever since I made the choice to do it, my life has been incredible. Nothing boring. It's just been all over the place.

CBS.com: When did you start pursuing acting full time?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: I did an amateur production when I was in grade thirteen. I won an award for it. One of the actresses that I was competing against actually recommended me to her agent. She was one of those rare, generous girls. They took me on and I got a recurring part on a Nickelodeon series on my third audition. It was called the Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. It's like the Asian Nancy Drew. I was the bitchy cheerleader.

CBS.com: Did you expect to eventually move out to Hollywood for your career?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: No. When I was doing it then I was still in school and it was still a hobby. I didn't want to admit to myself how much I loved it because I knew that it was a really scary thing to be doing. You hear all the stories about the 95% of actors who are unemployed or waitressing. I couldn't see myself doing it. I wasn't daring enough to jump into that. Then I started working on and off during school so much that I had to leave university because I got a part on a series. When that happened, I realized that I could be a working actor. This is what I love to do most in the world. I went through all these job choices and they all eventually lead to the same field. It was like, "I'm going to be a lawyer. I'll be an entertainment lawyer. I'm going to be a doctor. It will be plastic surgeon to the stars. I'm going to do advertising. It will be big, Hollywood campaigns." Everything was always leading to the business. I thought maybe I could be behind the scenes, but then I thought, "What are you doing? You know where you want to be and it's in front of the camera." I still get nervous, but I love it so much.

CBS.com: How do you manage to keep it all straight between the movie that you're doing and B&B?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: It's been really hard. Luckily, the movie is starting me out very easy as well because I have a really intense part. I was afraid that it might interfere with B&B. I'm trying to keep them very separate and focus on each. They are very different characters. It is difficult especially when I'm tired because I'll drift into one and then the other. I'm just trying to focus and keep it together. I can't wait to get back here in August and feel settled. It takes a while to get to know your character, to develop it.

CBS.com: What makes daytime different from feature work?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: When you do series work you're with the same people every day and you get to know your character so well. You get to play this person every single day, going through every single emotion and every experience. Whereas in features you're taken from point A to point B and this is your only time to know your character, your only time to play the character. This is the only time you're going to be spending with these people and you know that. You know it's coming to an end. It's less familial. It's a different atmosphere. I love doing series work.

CBS.com: If given the opportunity would you like to pursue other projects?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: I'd like to. Definitely. It keeps things exciting.

CBS.com: Did you do any of your own research into Bridget's character or did the show brief you?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: [The show briefed me] because she was so young before that I don't think she had an established personality. They told me what they wanted. They wanted her to be spunky and they wanted her to be strong. That's pretty much me!

CBS.com: What do you think is coming up for Bridget?

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: She's obviously going to find out that her mom and Thorne are going out and this is really disturbing for her because her mom has now gone out with the dad and both sons. I would react the same way she does. She just wants to have a respectable family and there's her mom going out with every member of this family. She's really disturbed by it.

CBS.com: Sounds great. We look forward to seeing you on B&B!

JENNIFER FINNIGAN: Thanks!

JUMP IN

With her sweet face and sunny disposition, Jennifer Finnigan (Bridget) could easily have been typecast into playing only good-girl roles. In reality, the young actress has portrayed a wide range of different characters, some of whom have verged on the extreme. "Sure, I've played the girl next door" , she says, "but I've also played a werewolf-slayer. In another role, I've played a crazy thief who drives a Ferrari and jumps to her death". Whatever the role, Finnigan likes to dive right in - sometimes literally! "I once played a character who went bungee-jumping, and of course I had to do it just to see what it felt like" , she says. Now, she sees no need to take the leap again. "It's a crazy thing to do once, but to do it a second time - that's even crazier!"

Jennifer Finnigan: Bridget Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful

How is your family handling you living so far away?

Well, they're not thrilled, especially since I'm an only child. Justin [Torkildsen, who plays Bridget's brother Rick] is also an only child and we've talked about that. It is difficult to leave when you're an only child. They're usually close to their families. Because I never had any siblings, the friendships I'd form were especially close. Some of my girlfriends were really more like sisters to me. My guy friends would be more like brothers. My parents are my best friends. I find that most only children are maybe a bit more mature. They're growing up more around adults and they have adult conversations.

Had you ever seen B&B or The Young and the Restless up in Canada?

I was familiar with them, and caught an episode here and there to know the unique names on the show, like Ridge, Brooke and Thorne.

Do you know about Bridget's history?

Yes. She thought Ridge was her father, but he turned out to be her half-brother. And Eric, the man she thought was her grandfather, is really her father. Now, of course, Brooke wants to be with Thorne, Bridget's other half-brother.

You've got it down. Who brought you up to speed?

When I got the part, [someone at the show] sent me the B&B coffee table book. It's called The Bold and the Beautiful, A Tenth Anniversary Celebration. A friend gave me a rundown and I did some research on the Internet. Bradley [Bell, B&B's head writer and executive producer] was there to help me with any questions, which was great of him.

With whom have you bonded from the show?

I've had a lot of scenes with Katherine Kelly Lang, Justin Torkildsen, and Winsor Harmon [who play Brooke, Rick and Thorne]. We have a lot of fun together. I actually love everyone here. I know it sounds cheesy, but I really do.

Tell me about your TV movie that airs next week on USA, The Stalking of Laurie Show.

It takes place in an Amish, conservative Pennsylvanian town. I play Laurie, who comes to town and [is] taken under the wing of a very popular girl and her boyfriend. They give her a makeover. Only the girlfriend notices that her boyfriend is paying attention to Laurie. The girlfriend's troubled in a very bad way. Laurie becomes the victim of every possible attack that you could imagine. The ending is extremely tragic. I watched the real-life news magazines shows that examined what happened. There were photos of this poor girl having been stabbed. They showed the girl who was responsible. She's in jail now, obviously. This role took an emotional toll on me because it was a true story. [But] I'm very proud of the project.

Did you have any hesitations about signing a contract with B&B since it might limit your availability for future projects?

Honestly, yes. For the past three years, I'd been working fairly steadily for a girl living in Montreal. I've done quite a few different things and done a good deal of traveling. I know I'm going to miss that to a certain extent, but there's nothing like having a steady job and being part of a show like B&B. Everyone knows who you are when you come to work. It's tough going from one project to the next. You don't know when your next paycheck is going to come. It's nice to finally have some stability. This is a wonderful place for me. I'm very happy to be here.