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NBC is just hours away from the highly anticipated midseason premiere of Blindspot. In an exclusive visit to the studio set, MStars News had the opportunity to interview Audrey Esparza as she talks about playing agent Tasha Zapata in her upcoming episode.
As we previously mentioned, Blindspot follows Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander), who is suddenly discovered in the middle of Times Square. With no memory of who she is, Jane's only clues are placed all over her tattooed body. With the help of FBI agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton), Jane has to figure what each of the mysterious tattoos mean. But is Jane actually part of the conspiracy that Weller and the rest of his FBI Critical Incident Response Group are seeking answers for? Can Jane truly be trusted or is there an actually traitor in the mix?
Esparza plays FBI agent Tasha Zapata, a crucial member in Kurt Weller's ragtag team. Though she is a trusted teammate and the others can count of her under heavy pressure, there is something the team doesn't know about Tasha. Hiding a secret from her coworkers, Tasha has a gambling addiction and finds herself in severe debt. In order to pay back her debts, Zapata takes money from CIA deputy director Thomas Carter (Michael Gaston). In return, Carter expects Tasha to give up information on Jane Doe. Will Tash discover the consequences of her actions when the show returns February 29th?
MStars News: Tasha is conflicted between working with, while betraying Kurt Weller and the others. Tell me about hitting those emotional scenes. How do you prepare to get into them?
Audrey Esparza: Well I guess I try and find what I can connect to first as me. Tasha struggles with control issues, what its like to put your life on the line all the time. So I think, that when she's by herself, she has a moment to breathe and a moment to be by herself. Its really difficult for her, and how I do it as an actor is, I just do my best to try and put myself in her shoes. To be honest and vulnerable as I can and to play all the levels of her I mean,
I think about what it would be like to be her, when nobody is watching. I try and hopefully give that to the audience. And I think, there are moments when she's not alone and she lets that seep in.
MS: Right now, we are talking about the show inside Kurt Weller's apartment. The pilot was shot on location in Times Square and Chinatown. Which do you prefer, being on set or running around the city?
AE: Running around the city [Laughs]! If you watch this, these interior scenes are, they are necessary for the show. But it could be a chore to try to make them active, and new and fresh, when they are the most procedural part of the show. But what's cool is that they are starting to, or have continued to try, they infuse the procedural stuff with our own, what the character thinks, what they feel. And that makes it a little more uncomfortable. [Laughs]
During the winter finale, Jane found herself being tortured by Thomas Carter. Just when Thomas thought he had the upper-hand, Carter met his own demise as he was shot down by a mysterious assassin named Oscar. Meanwhile, Zapata was actually thinking about resigning, signing on the dotted line, and leaving the team. What will happen when Tasha discovers Carter is dead in the mideason premiere?
MS: When you're doing these action scenes, running around the city, how do you prepare yourself physically?
AE: Yeah, well the show is a very physically demanding show. But the hours are very time consuming. So its definitely been a chore figuring out how to manage my workouts with this job. For me personally, I come from a dance background. I have to be connected to my body in some way. This morning, I went to boot camp and then did muscular structure work for about an hour, like I have to. I do Pilates, I run, and I have really tight pants on...on the show! [Laughs] Like I have to! Yeah, so I guess for my head and for my...ass, for a lack of a better word.
Blindspot returns with all-new episodes Monday, February 29 at 10pm on NBC. Don't miss our MStars interview with Jaimie Alexander and Sullivan Stapleton.
