'Blindspot' Set Visit: Ashley Johnson Talks Patterson & New Episode On NBC! [INTERVIEW] : MStarsNews

NBC is just hours away from an all-new episode of Blindspot. In an exclusive visit to the studio set, MStars News had the opportunity to interview Ashley Johnson as she talks about playing Agent Patterson in her upcoming arc.

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 actual traitor in the mix?

Head of the FBI Forensic Science Unit, Patterson works tirelessly to solve the mystery behind Jane's tattoos. She is constantly monitoring and cross-referencing each of the tattoos, hoping to find a single clue to Jane's true identity. Unfortunately, in the winter finale, one of those tattoos led to the death of her boyfriend, David. Though David's killer was brought to justice, Patterson sadly realizes this will not bring him back.

Before Monday's all-new episode, Scientists Follow Fortune, of Blindspot, we take a look back at our MStars set visit. During rehearsal, Johnson and Stapleton look over a page from the script. The two go over their lines together, repciting the dialogue. Just before the camera rolls, Johnson smiles and laughs as she crumples up the paper into a ball before throwing it away.

MStars News: Tell me about being in the lab. As Patterson, you deliver the technical aspects, yet you have a way of making the dialogue sound personal and relatable.

Ashley Johnson: Repetition! It's been a really fun challenge. Because I've never played a character like this before. I think, at least for me, I have my own sort of method for it. And I am still trying different things of trying to implant these words in my head and keep them there. But sometimes they just don't stick and I'm like "Oh God! This is not working!"

But I think for the most part, if I know what I'm talking about and I can explain it, if I can break it down for somebody, then I'll be okay with the words. I've learned so much playing this character just in terms of cyphering things and puzzles.

I mean, me personally, I've learned so much; it's crazy! And that part of it has been so fun! But it is a little daunting sometimes though. Sometimes I get some of the scripts and I m so thankful that they have trust in me to say a lot of the dialogue that I have. But most of the time, I'm just in a peer panic right when I get the scripts. Because I'm like, "Oh my gosh! How am I going to remember this!" But we make it through and we move on to the next thing. But I am still actually learning how to remember my lines.

MS: You've been in films such as The Avengers and Fast Food Nation. And now, back as a series regular, how would you compare working on Growing Pains to Blindspot?

AJ: Just working on independents and films, they were always shorter periods of time. I don't think it's changed that much. As you get older, your hours are longer. Other than that, it's all pretty much the same. It's stayed the same.

In our recent recap, though Oscar set her free, Jane has doubts about him and the playbook they're supposedly working together on. As the team worked on a new case from Jane's tattoos, Patterson found herself under investigation by chief inspector Jonas Fisher (John Hodgman). Rescued by Bethany Mayfair (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), Patterson was able to talk to Jane and Kurt as they safely landed the plane. Just because her job is safe, that doesn't mean Fisher is done with Patterson. Will David's death haunt Patterson in Scientists Hollow Fortune?

MS: Tell me about working with Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Whenever Bethany and Patterson butt heads, I feel like you're both bringing your A-game into the scenes.

AJ: I adore Marianne so much its crazy! She is kind of in some ways like, she would hate me if I say that, but she is kind of like our set mama! You know, like we just like Audrey [Esparza] and I, we're just always like "Marianne, please come sit with us and talk with us!" She is just so incredible and she is just such an amazing painter! And she is such an amazing story teller. She is an amazing cook. And she is like everything that I want to be as a woman. She is such an incredible actress and when I do get to have scenes with her, they feel really special. She holds such a huge part in my heart. I love her so much!