- Lost Soul is responsible for this interview.
Jamie Silbrhartz
Jamie Silberhartz is an actress who played Rachel Blake, the central character in The Lost Experience, an ARG which aired in the hiatus between Seasons 2 and 3. The following questions were submitted by members of the Lostpedia Forums, and were sent via email. The interview was posted on July 14, 2008.
Lostpedia: Do you think members of the Hanso family will play an important role in Lost?
I think they could. Alvar Hanso was part of the Widmore Corporation and Rachel interned there when she was getting the facts on Middlewerk. It seems like a natural progression that the Hanso family would be an integral part of the island.
Lostpedia: Would you like to become a part of the main show, portraying Rachel again? Has this opportunity ever arisen?
Of course I would! The opportunity hasn’t arisen, but if it did I would be on the first plane to Hawaii.
Lostpedia: How often are recognized on the street as a character that's a part of Lost?
More than I thought I would! A good deal at airports, which is surprising.
Lostpedia: Did you watch Lost before taking on the role? Do you continue to watch Lost now?
I did watch Lost, and am still an avid fan.
Lostpedia: Were you disappointed you weren't asked to be involved with Find 815?
No, it was a different storyline.
Lostpedia: What are your plans for the future? Do you see yourself as a movie actress or would you rather like to do stage work?
I enjoy both film and stage. If it is a good project, the medium isn’t so important.
Lostpedia: How did you get involved in The Lost Experience in the first place, and what attracted you to the idea?
I auditioned for The Lost Experience, a few times before I actually booked it. I loved the character of Rachel, she was complex and very intelligent.
Lostpedia: How much input did you have into developing the character of Rachel Blake and how much involvement did the writers have in developing the TLE storyline? Were DL and CC calling most of the shots or did the writers have more input into the story?
Silberhartz as Rachel Blake
I think Rachel became a bit dorkier than was originally intended, we made her quirkier. The story was entirely developed before I stepped on set by DL, CC and writers, Jordan Rosenberg and Javier Grillo-Marxauch.
Lostpedia: Carrying on from the last question, how much back-story were you given when you signed up for the role? Were you informed, for example, that Rachel’s mother had died, or was this a surprise to you as well when it was revealed? Were you aware in advance that there would be five stages?
When I booked the part I was given the whole back-story. That Rachel’s mom had died and her last words were than Alvar Hanso was Rachel’s dad. I knew about the five stages, it was exciting to watch it unravel.
Lostpedia: During TLE, you had to film video blogs. How was this experience, and how did it differ from usual stage work?
It was difficult because it was just me talking to a camera, which I had never done before. But it was a challenge (and a lot of memorization) which was really cool.
Lostpedia: Were you always on call during TLE; for example, if there was a mistake, did they second unit your video or an audio with you to tie up possible errors?
I was sort of on-call, but basically we shot almost everything in a span of a few weeks. They would call to see if I was available for different things through out the summer.
Lostpedia: What was your favourite part of TLE?
Comic-con. I had always wanted to go, and to go in such a capacity was a dream.
Silberhartz as Rachel Blake
Lostpedia: How was it to stand up during Comic-Con (a world-renowned convention) and interrupt the Lost creators? How were you feeling before, and during, that moment? Was that exchange scripted, or improvised?
It was a surreal experience to interrupt the Comic-con panel. It was loosely scripted. But we really fed off the crowd. I was nervous and excited before, during and after!
Lostpedia: The final stage required players to collect Apollo Candy Bars. Have you ever tried one?
I haven’t but I am sure I would enjoy them. I am a big chocolate fan.
Lostpedia: Who was your favourite person to work with, and why?
Honestly, everyone involved in TLE was so fantastic; I couldn’t single one person out.
Lostpedia: Have you heard anything about a possible TLE 2? If so, would you be interested in taking part?
I haven’t but I would be very interested. It would be an honor to play Rachel again.