(© Carol Rosegg)
Alexis Bledel starred on the critically acclaimed television series Gilmore Girls for seven seasons, earning two Teen Choice Awards for her portrayal of Rory Gilmore. Since then, Bledel has gone on to appear in numerous films, including Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Sin City, and Tuck Everlasting, and made her stage debut last year Off-Broadway in Love, Loss and What I Wore.
She’s currently starring in the world premiere of Matt Charman’s Regrets, being presented by Manhattan Theatre Club at New York City Center -Stage I, in which she plays Chryssie, a young prostitute in Reno who hooks up with the residents of a camp for soon-to-be divorced men. TheaterMania recently spoke with Bledel about her latest role.
THEATERMANIA: After the success you had on television, what made you decide to try theater?
ALEXIS BLEDEL: It has been a goal for a while. I always wanted to try theater professionally, and then this came about and I couldn’t pass it up. Plus, I love New York. I feel much more creative here. I like to see a lot of theater. The energy you get from the city is great, and I have my friends here.
TM: How did you become involved with Regrets?
AB: I did a reading initially, but it’s hard for producers to judge from that. So, I taped it and then they brought me in for an audition. They had been casting for a while, so this was a relatively quick process.
TM: The play is about these guys who come from all around the country and live in these camps for six weeks in Reno to establish residency and then are able to get a quick divorce. Were you familiar with this practice?
AB: I wasn’t. Apparently you can still get a quick divorce in Nevada. Back in the 1950s, there was this stigma about divorce. I was fascinated about that. There are alo so many layers for each character.; for example, you have these two men who were soldiers and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
TM: How does your character meet the men living in this camp?
AB: She was introduced to this life as a teenager. Her sisters work at the camp and her mom met someone from the camp. The dress she wears is probably a hand-me-down from her sisters. She doesn’t have much else.
TM: What journey does she go on throughout the show?
AB: She is in love with this guy, Ben, and has this fixation about him. All of the characters actually look up to Ben. She thinks he will save her, and her plan is to get out of Reno and start over with him.
TM: Was this part outside your comfort zone?
AB: She really isn’t! The part is well written, so that makes it easy. She sells sex, so this is very simple and straightforward. But the way she does it is sweet and has this warmth.
