Christina Applegate: Samantha Who?

A long time ago and forever in TV re-runs, pretty, blonde Christina Applegate played clueless but gorgeous teen Kelly Bundy in the popular sitcom "Married with Children". Well, the real Christina is very intelligent, business savvy and nothing like Kelly. Since then she's starred in other series, done several MOW's and film roles (recently in Anchorman with Will Ferrell) and she played Sally Bowles on Broadway in "Cabaret".

Beginning Monday, Oct. 15th on ABC, the versatile actress takes on the role of Samantha Newly an accomplished young woman who, after a hit-and-run accident, awakens in a hospital with zero memory. She can function in the world but has no personal memories. As she rediscovers herself, she's not sure she likes what she finds. We spoke with Christina earlier in the year about her new show and how far she's come as an actress. Picture the pretty blue-eyed blonde in a form-fitting brown dress with cute white spots and matching shoes.

Christina is fine with the cancellation of her earlier TV series "Jessie" because, says the actress, it gave her chances to do other things, "like Broadway [Cabaret] and [the film] Anchorman. So everything happens for a reason. I never had a negative experience really."

TeenTelevision: There are more new shows starring women than men this TV season.

Christina: Yipppeeeee! I guess I didn't realize that. Isn't that wonderful? I think that's great. No offense to guys but it's great to have some strong ladies out there.

TeenTelevision: Why pick this series as a TV comeback?

Christina: This is the first time I've looked at pilots in ten years. I read a lot of stuff. This was the one that came along and I thought 'what a great open road for opportunities for me as an actor and for the person as a character'. For me to do this again, it had to be something special. I had to be able to see the potential and longevity to it.

TeenTelevision: Teens are trying to figure out who they are without having amnesia. I think they'll be attracted to your character.

Christina: Yeah. I hope so. She has to start over in life. When you are a teen and are starting to grow you, your parents still treat you as a kid. This is what Sam is going through. These people are treating her as the person she was before and she doesn't get to be the person she is now. That is something that all young people struggle with. I think it's a great element.

TeenTelevision: So we see you as the Sam before amnesia too?

Christina: It's so much fun. I'll get to do some naughty things and then be a totally different person with a different voice and stance and way of being and vocabulary, hair and everything.

TeenTelevision: There is a huge change from Kelly Bundy on "Married with Children" years ago to this character.

Christina: Well, it wasn't a huge change for me because I wasn't her [Kelly]. When I left on Friday nights, I put on my long, flowy skirt, took off my make-up, put my hair in a pony tail and lived a life of somebody completely different. If someone had Kelly in their mind, when I sat down in a room with them, that's gone. I'm not that person anymore. I never did anything like that ever again. After a couple of months it was gone but people keep asking me about it. It was almost twenty years ago. I've had a long road since then doing a lot of different stuff.

TeenTelevision: Was Anchorman a change to show that you had a broader range?

Christina: You know, I don't take roles to show anything. I just do really fun stuff as an actor. Maybe what saved me is that I never do anything to prove something. That would be me doing insecure. I've always known what I'm capable of. I'm always learning and growing. I got off of Anchorman and left and went to do Broadway for a year. In the minds of some people in the business, that was one of the stupidest things I could have done. But, that's something I had to do for me; a great opportunity for me to change as a human being and an actor. It changed my life. I got the chance to be in my favorite musical of all time since I was a little girl.

TeenTelevision: Did Broadway change how you approach acting?

Christina: You can not be afraid or second guess yourself when you're standing on a stage. You have to 150 percent committed to every single thing you are doing. You are so there. At the end of that show, every single night I had to break down with tears flowing down my face. That had to happen and I had to make sure that happened or else the show would not work. I think that 'muscle" is just innately there now. Before, you think, 'oh, God, that scene is coming up where I've got to flip out and what am I gonna do?' It's just there now. Everything is a class. You never stop learning. I still go to acting class when I'm not working.

TeenTelevision: You seem to have a cool wardrobe for Sam in the new series.

Christina: She's a successful person in a high-powered field but it's like shopping. She gets to go shopping. She doesn't have her memory so she doesn't put clothes together the same way as Sam would have before. We just did an episode where I'm in a hospital gown and my pajamas and I'm in a dress. We haven't gotten into a real defined look. She's grabbing stuff out of this person's closet that she doesn't really know and trying to put it together in a way that feels comfortable.

TeenTelevision: What do you like in fashion?

Christina: My own look. I wish I was more fashionable than I am. I know what I like when I see it but putting it on is a whole other thing.

TeenTelevision: What are you most looking forward to learning about Samantha?

Christina: So many things. People who have this condition, they know what pizza is but they don't know what it tastes like or if they like it. That's just a miniscule part of what I get to do every week. I look forward to discovery. Here is somewhere where everything is new and she gets to discover her opinions about everything as she goes along. That's going to be really interesting to me.

TeenTelevision: There is a lot of vulnerability about your character. Does that come from you?

Christina: Well she's petrified. Wouldn't you be? To wake up and not know anything about anything or anyone or where you are? There's a sense of urgency that breaks my heart. I'm a very vulnerable person too. In really "in" everything that I do. You can't deny your own soul. If that's coming through then it's part of who I am too.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.