by B&TF

Did you watch TLW before auditioning for the part of Papi?

I had seen a few episodes before auditioning, but did an L-marathon of the previous seasons before I got to Vancouver. I was hooked immediately.

Was there a big competition for the role and was it hard for you to get it?

That's something you'd have to ask Ilene Chaiken about... But with any big role, it's hard to land.

You mentioned a few times that you're different from Papi, how so? And do you find any similarities between yourself and Papi?

Wow.... good question... We have the same face....?

Is it easier or harder to play someone who is different than yourself and if it's harder, how did you approach this role to make the character more believable?

In some ways it's easier... when you start from scratch, you can do no wrong. If you have to choose what you're going to keep or change in yourself, it's harder.

How do you personally feel about Papi – what is her best and worst quality?

When i first started reading about her, I thought she could be quite the villain, so I chose to make her numerous liaisons about her individual love of each woman.
Her best quality would be her undying loyalty to her friends
Her worst would have to be her "player" front.

Papi quickly became part of the original TLW gang…she didn't seem like a person who didn't have any friends but she seemed to like hanging out with Alice and others even before her friend Tasha entered the picture. Do you think that in spite of all Papi's conquests she was really lonely and needed friends or she is sort of a person who makes friends anywhere she goes?

Nope. I always had this huge backstory in my head about Papi having all these nieces and nephews she loved, and how she was really involved with her community. Of course, I may have been alone on this one, since you never got to see any of it!

Shane and Papi – what's your take on their story and their so-called competition?

I think Papi is so playful that she wanted to drum up a game of who's-a-bigger-player. She's always liked Shane.

Papi and Kit – Papi seems to be taken with Kit pretty hard, who is straight and much older woman, bitter about Angus. Is it really love or just another conquest? And do you think Papi and Kit have some kind of a future?

You've gotta watch the show to find out!

In season 2 Tonya asked everybody a question: if you saw yourself in a bar would you ask yourself out and date yourself? What's your answer: a) as Papi; b) as Janina

a) Papi has high self esteem, so I think she'd go for herself...

b) Me? Eek! Ummm... Maybe...

Papi is a player and we don't really know her story: why she became who she is? Did you make up your own background story for Papi or we might find out more about her background in the future episodes?

I always imagined that Papi was an early bloomer, that she was one of those girls that knew all about sex way before everyone else did. She probably had a fake ID at 14. I think she fell into a cycle of bouncing from one person to the next so early that she developed
romantic-ADD. She can't keep her focus on one person for very long.

The original cast has been together for 4 years and you just joined a very tight close group of friends. Kristanna Loken mentioned in one interview that it was difficult to be on the set with so many women with egos. Was it easy for you to blend in? Did you have any problems adjusting to an all-women's cast?

I've been in all-women situations before. So, I didn't really have the same experience.

Season 5 has been announced today. Will we see Papi in the upcoming season, have you signed up for 3 seasons like Marlee Matlin and Cybill Shepherd?

Hmm... that's another one for Ilene!