Miranda Otto “jumped at the chance” to star in 24: Legacy

For 24: Legacy you’re reunited with Homeland’s EP Howard Gordon–how has that experience been?
When I left Homeland at the end of last year, I was thinking, “I loved this world so much.” I found it so stimulating to work on, and just the character’s so interesting, and I thought, “What am I going to do next?” Then this came through, and it was a show that I had really loved when it first started on TV, and it was Howard again, so I really jumped at the chance. They’re using the concept of the show, of real time. Obviously, that’s one of the amazing and original aspects of the show. There’s something about it that is even more pressing now, with everything that is going on. It just seemed so incredibly current, which I find really interesting to work on. It is very much in the moment that we’re living in right now.

With Homeland and now 24: Legacy you’ve carved out a niche as this tough agent type. Do you feel you have a certain quality that made you a good fit for those roles?
I think what we find most interesting in actors is some kind of paradox, some kind of juxtaposition of ideas so that we can never really completely settle on who they are. We’re never really sure exactly where they sit, and I suppose in some way physically, because I’m fair-skinned and all that, I sort of have a slightly more fragile look or something, so it’s interesting to see someone like me play something that is harder and tougher, because it’s not what you would expect. I think you kind of have to play to those contrasts, you know? I think it’s a good place for an actor to be.