Sonya Walger Talks 'FlashForward' and 'Lost'

"I've played quite peripheral people," says Sonya Walger, with characteristic British reserve, about her key roles as Penny on 'Lost,' Michelle Dixon on 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' and Dr. Olivia Benford on ABC's new drama 'FlashForward.' Modesty aside, she's about to take center stage on tonight's 'FlashForward,' in an episode that Walger says sees Olivia's worlds "in collision ... in a big way."

It's clear to viewers, if not to the character, that Olivia stands near the heart of the show's great mystery: why did everyone on earth black out for 137 seconds on October 6, and why, during the blackouts, did they all see what appear to be visions of what they would be doing on April 29, 2010? Her FBI agent husband, Mark (Joseph Fiennes), is investigating the blackouts. Her patient Dylan's father, Lloyd (Jack Davenport), is not only the man she sees herself cheating with six months from now, but he seems to be involved in the conspiracy behind the blackout.

Walger spoke to us from Los Angeles earlier this week, addressing the future of 'FlashForward,' discussing what may be in store for Penny on the forthcoming final season of 'Lost' and marveling that she's become the go-to actress for roles in thought-provoking, epic-scaled sci-fi series."I've played quite peripheral people," says Sonya Walger, with characteristic British reserve, about her key roles as Penny on 'Lost,' Michelle Dixon on 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' and Dr. Olivia Benford on ABC's new drama 'FlashForward.' Modesty aside, she's about to take center stage on tonight's 'FlashForward,' in an episode that Walger says sees Olivia's worlds "in collision ... in a big way."

It's clear to viewers, if not to the character, that Olivia stands near the heart of the show's great mystery: why did everyone on earth black out for 137 seconds on October 6, and why, during the blackouts, did they all see what appear to be visions of what they would be doing on April 29, 2010? Her FBI agent husband, Mark (Joseph Fiennes), is investigating the blackouts. Her patient Dylan's father, Lloyd (Jack Davenport), is not only the man she sees herself cheating with six months from now, but he seems to be involved in the conspiracy behind the blackout.

Walger spoke to us from Los Angeles earlier this week, addressing the future of 'FlashForward,' discussing what may be in store for Penny on the forthcoming final season of 'Lost' and marveling that she's become the go-to actress for roles in thought-provoking, epic-scaled sci-fi series.

It seems like Olivia is front and center in tonight's episode, 'Scary Monsters and Super Creeps.' What can we expect?
Well, you'll really see the collision of her worlds in a big way -- Lloyd, Dylan and Mark. Her life will be unraveling a bit more in a way that's really troubling for her. And I think that's going to, if not answer questions, at least ask a whole lot more.

Is Olivia naturally more skeptical than the other characters, or does she merely not want to believe because she doesn't want her flashforward to come true?
I suspect she's quite a skeptical woman by nature, but it's doubly, massively reinforced by what she sees. She at all costs does not want her marriage to end. She does not want a future where there's not a sign of her kid and she's in a relationship with this guy she's never met.


Watch 'FlashForward' full episodes

Will Lloyd finally recognize her from his own flashforward this week?
There is a recognition that happens.

What does showrunner Marc Guggenheim's recent departure mean for the show?
Really, not very much. [Series co-creator] David Goyer, with all his massive film experience, has no TV experience. So Marc came on board to help David. Now that the show's up and running, David can run it himself.

Fans and critics have complained that plotting and character development has been slow. Are those criticisms fair? How soon will we get some answers?
I don't know about any of the criticisms because I don't read anything. My experience of the show is that it moves; it treads a clever and smart line between allowing you to spend some time with these characters and keeping the plot moving, while at the same time not revealing too much. But this episode, there's a lot of moving forward in mine and Lloyd's and Mark's flashforwards. There's a whole reveal when I ask Mark what he was actually doing in his flashforward. And with Dominic Monaghan joining the cast, there are glimmerings of what his relationship is with all the other people involved. So I think there's plenty of forward motion in the plot. And it's a big cast, so that's a lot of characters to service. I think everyone gets their moment, and you start getting to know and really caring about each of these people.

Once April 29, 2010 rolls around, and many questions have likely been resolved, how will the show continue?
I have absolutely no idea. I get two scripts at a time. Really, I have no idea where the show's headed.

What does your commitment to this show mean for possible appearances of Penny on the final season of 'Lost'?
I really don't know. I'd like to think they sign Penny out properly and that she doesn't disappear into the ether without so much as a farewell. They're both ABC shows, so I'm sure something could be worked out, but I'm not privy to that information.

What is it about you that draws producers when they're casting these epic, philosophical, science-fiction series?
I have no idea what my draw is for science fiction. I hope they come to me because they like complicated women. But I've never played the Bionic Woman. In 'Sarah Connor' and 'Lost,' I am not the orchestrator of what happens. I've played quite peripheral people.

Is it just a coincidence that there are so many British and Irish actors playing Americans on 'FlashForward'?
Good question. I'm not sure, but I'm delighted the directors have hired me. I think the world's a little smaller these days. With the Internet and the availability of people, the pool of English speaking actors -- not just American actors, but Brits, Australians, New Zealanders, Irish. We're all up for grabs.