In a newly released interview with BuzzyMag.com, Mary McDonnell discusses the evolution of Sharon Raydor from antagonist to protagonist, the similarities and differences between Raydor and her beloved Battlestar Galactica character Laura Roslin, and her continuing drive to bring strong female leaders to the screen.
Can McDonnell compare Raydor with Roslin? “I can,” the actress answers cheerfully. “I would say that playing President Roslin helped me get ready for Captain Raydor to a certain extent, in that [what Roslin goes through is] sort of what happens to a woman in power who is a bit of the outsider. They’re both suddenly put in jobs that they didn’t aspire to. So in those two areas, there’s a similar leap made, internally as well. And then I think that things change. Captain Raydor has a very different life than President Roslin. And she’s not the President. They’re both incredibly strong women, and there’s a wonderful thing in being able to continue that journey, because I think we’re living in a time where women who may have been retiring are now taking on even bigger jobs, if we look at Hillary Clinton, one of our biggest examples of that. So the idea of how women begin to expand their professional capability and bring their wisdom to the male paradigm is really a wonderful thing to keep going with, and there are so many women out there who want to keep seeing it [on television]. So I feel very lucky to keep [playing those characters], you know what I mean?”
One of the aspects of the character that most appeals to McDonnell is Raydor continually having to stand up for herself as a woman in a position of power. “Not only is there some of it [sexism] inside the actual squad, which will always ebb and flow, and we handle it in different ways, but in fact, what I’m hoping for is we explore more, knock on wood, in the years to come, the resistance to women in power still is enormous. And that woman [in power] has to have the ability to see through so many situations, anticipate disaster, be both friendly and tough as nails. You have to have elephant hide. So I’m really excited about being able to explore more of that in this.
Read the whole interview here.