Nikita’s Maggie Q at SDCC 2012 (Video)

I had a chance to speak with the lovely Maggie Q at San Diego Comic-Con, and she opened up about the hard work that goes into producing Nikita. She also shared some insight into Nikita’s future, notably the challenges that her character will meet in Season Three. Check out the video footage from the roundtable interview below, and/or read on for a recap of the interview highlights.

• First, Maggie talked about Nikita’s new role in Season Three. In some ways, an enormous weight has been lifted. She doesn’t have to hide anymore. That’s freeing, but at the same time, “she realizes in a bigger way, once she gets into it, that she has a boss now, which is not very Nikita.” She’s not used to people telling her how to do things. The people working in the revamped Division all have the same objective—they’re going after these rogue agents—but Nikita has her own way.

• How is Nikita’s personal life and how will she be handling that? “I think it’s going to be fun, seeing her on the street. […] But I’m also looking forward to the awkwardness of that. […] The things that are easy for other people are gonna be hard for her, and the things that are hard for other people are obviously easy for Nikita. So, I sort of love the switch of dynamics. It’s gonna be cool.”

• Reflections on the TV experience now in the third season? “Fun! So fun! Nobody has to push me to go to work. I’m excited to go to work every single day.” She finds it “weirdly satisfying to be married” to this character for so long. It’s not the same character three years later. “You really are growing a character. And it’s so fun for me.”

• How hard does she work? “It’s like making an action movie every week.” She wishes that she had actual rehearsal time, but that’s just not really possible on a TV schedule. It’s either make time to train, or sleep. “For me it’s about finding balance. I’ll do things like give up my lunch hour … I do that a lot actually.” She just tries to fit in any little bits of training in her free time. “It’s so much commitment. I feel like you have to show your gratitude to have an opportunity like this with your commitment, right? Is there any other way?”

• I referenced her memorable stunt at last year’s Comic-Con, where she demonstrated her favorite fighting move by walking up a member of the audience. I asked her if she had any new favorite moves from Season Two. Maggie said that one is still her favorite. “I love that move. I love that guys are big and she’s just like doo-dee-deet ….”

• Nikita has actually had two different choreographers. For the first season, it was a favor from a friend who usually works in movies. In the second season, they had to find someone new. The guy who came in was so committed. “In the third season, I’m gonna bring some other stuff back that are like old favorites and create some new signature stuff for her.”

• In regard to the rogue agents that Division is after, will the show explore the alternative perspectives? What if these rogue agents think that they’re doing the right thing? “We’re going to explore that.” She referenced the episode with the female guardian, who had a life and a family, and Nikita’s reaction to her. They will be looking at the stories of these people. There will be more stand-alone episodes this year. “They can’t all be terminators because how interesting is that, right?” So, the way that they take each of these rogue agents down will depend upon each person.

Photo and Video by Lucia Giusti, Copyright © 2012 TheTelevixen.com