Q&A: The Stars of 'V'

Chatting with the cast of the ABC sci-fi series

By MSN TV

Sci-fi fans old enough to remember the 1983 mini-series "V" are likely to speak with reverence about the two-part mini-series, originally a Nazi allegory, about a race of aliens trying to wrestle control of Earth. ABC is banking on this legacy -- plus a younger generation geeked on "Lost" and "District 9" -- as they launch an updated series starring Elizabeth Mitchell ("Lost"), Morris Chestnut ("Boyz 'N the Hood"), Scott Wolf ("Party of Five") and Morena Baccarin ("Firefly"), and created by Scott Peters, who created the sci-fi series "The 4400" for USA. On the week of its premiere, we caught up with the cast to get the scoop on the new series, their memories of the original and whether they're prepared for all the scrutiny they're likely to be under from its fans.

Fansite: Geek TV | Photos: Elizabeth Mitchell

How aware were you guys of the original "V" mini-series?

Morris Chestnut: I was aware of it, but I never really watched it as a child. I wasn't born when it was out, because I wasn't born until 1990 [laughs].

Elizabeth Mitchell: And when I watched it when I was 2, I thought it was great. No, what year did it come out, like '83? I was 13 and I watched it with my parents and I felt like I was getting away with bloody murder because there was a lot in it that was kind of, "Oooh!"

Morena Baccarin: Yeah, it was very creepy.

Was there any apprehension to appear in a remake of such a beloved series?

Baccarin: I feel great about a remake. I think it's a great idea -- why wouldn't we want to see that again and continue telling that story?

Scott Wolf: There were reasons why [the original] was so compelling to people in '83 when it first was on. So as nervous as we were about feeling like people would kill us if we screwed it up, there's this excitement because we know creatively this thing is in such good hands, that people who are coming to it for the first time are going to get a really cool show with great characters and relationships. And for people who were fans of the original, they're kind of going to get their show back, but not in a dated way.

Did being a part of a show with such a devoted fan base make any of you hesitant sign on? Some of you have been on shows with pretty loyal fans.

Mitchell: I like smart people. If you have smart people watching you, to me, that just ups the game. Sci-fi fans are the best.

Wolf: I've been lucky to have been a part of some shows that people really attached themselves to -- and I've been yelled at in airports about breaking up with this character or that one, but this is a whole new experience.

Baccarin: Wait until people start dressing like you. That's a fun experience [laughs].

Chestnut: I'm not prepared. I'm watching Elizabeth and learning the whole thing from her.

Mitchell: Well you're bound for destruction then [laughs].

Baccarin: People get really obsessive in a really exciting way, and people want to know the details because we're creating a world that is complete fantastical. And it's really fun and exciting to be a part of it, but I'm just an actor on it. It's amazing that people get so involved with it.

Wolf: That's what you want at the end of the day, is to be telling stories that people love that become a part of their world.

How closely will this version stay to the original? Will people be surprised by the update?

Chestnut: There are going to be a lot of surprises. It's very engaging. Every step of the way, you're very involved and there's always something going on that makes you think.

Baccarin: We do know that at the end of the season, you'll get a sense of why the visitors are here, but other details about the differences between the visitors and the humans will be trickled through.

Wolf: One of the fun things is that there's a really great ambiguity to all the characters. You don't watch one episode and go, "I know exactly what that guy's going to do. I know exactly why she's here."

Mitchell: The thing that I'm really enjoying is that everything is so active. It's not the kind of thing that you're going to have to sit there and puzzle at, but at the same time, if you choose to go deeper you can. There will be a tremendous amount of respect paid to the original and there will be key moments that are kept the same. Nobody wants to completely redo it. This is just for our generation.

"V" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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