Interview: The Star Of FOX’s “Dollhouse”, Eliza Dushku

With the start of Dollhouse's season two on FOX we got a chance to sit down with the series' star Eliza Dushku. We caught up with the leading lady to talk about her character's progression through the next season and her continued interest in working on Joss Whedon projects. Be sure catch up and read our interview with Joss Whedon from last week.

Gamesville:  How do you feel the direction of this season is different from the first one?

Eliza: Well, there’s so much being cracked open and explored, especially with Echo having this new place that she’s in. She had all of the personalities downloaded into her in one swift punch and they’re not going away. So every pick up this year she’s still tapping into these personalities. Sometimes it’s not in her control and other times it is.  But overall she’s really absorbing things from her engagements and from the dollhouse. She’s really becoming self-aware, but not necessarily as Caroline, but as Echo. So it’s definitely complicated.

It’s a little darker all around. We’ll explore some things like the origins of some of the other dolls and the other characters. And then bringing in a bunch of guest stars and fabulous people.

How much closer Echo will get to rediscovering her true self this season?

Every single episode it’s been a little bit more. She really is becoming an entirely different character in many ways because she is getting sort of farther away from Caroline, even though Caroline is still her original self.

The development of the character Echo has just been so exciting and so fascinating because the way our writers and the way Joss can pick pieces from each of her experiences and weave them into this new character is just fascinating. So you’ll absolutely see a whole new Echo this season.

Is there a particular role or character that was kind of hard for you to get into, and if so, why?

Playing a mother was certainly something I hadn’t expected. I’m an auntie and I’ve always loved other people’s children and babies. Playing a mother and trying to tap into that maternal instinct was a challenge, but also a thrill and a beautiful thing.

What trouble will Echo run into in her attempts to save everyone?

I’m sure all kinds because it’s a Joss Whedon show. There are so many directions and so many layers, it’s all over the map. Of course a main story line is Agent Ballard, who spent last season trying to get into the dollhouse. Now that he’s in and assisting as Echo’s handler he’s working with her and they may possibly be trying to bring the dollhouse down from the inside out.

Joss mentioned that Echo will be looking for allies and maybe form some kind of a team. Could you give un any details on Echo is looking for?

Yes. Absolutely. She is looking for allies because as she is becoming aware of her surroundings and what’s going on. All of these personalities that are creeping up and out of her put her in an entirely vulnerable place because if wrong person catches on to what she’s experiencing she could be done forever. She’s being very careful with the tools and the knowledge that she has gained to sort of sniff out who she can trust, who she can manipulate, who she can use.

Agent Ballard was trying all last season to get into the dollhouse and now that he’s in it remains to be seen if he can be trusted. But in the beginning of the season it seems like there’s a pretty strong connection there. Then with the introduction of the other dollhouse and some of the other players, it’s just makes more of a maze for Echo to navigate and to find her way through, realizing that one wrong, one bad step and she’s done.

What’s the dynamic like between you and newcomer Summer Glau?

She’s great, I love her! We’ve had such a good time filming these last two episodes. She just has come in with her A game; she’s just a sweet, positive, fun actress. Our characters have some back story that we have to fight out, and so that's a lot of fun. Joss has brought in some of his favorite people to the show so I always can pretty much safely know that we’re going to have the cream of the crop coming in.

What do you like about working with Joss and doing his shows?

I would say, first and foremost, that I just love the guy as a friend. He’s been a friend, a brother, a teacher and a mentor. Obviously he is just incredibly talented. His skill is so beautiful to me and he’s just wildly creative, smart, funny, dark, scary and twisted–he just combines it all into such a sweet little package that he gets me every time.

Dollhouse airs Fridays, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/Pacific Time on FOX.