Dreamwatch 7/04: Karen Cliche, on Adventure-Inc.net

Guiding Light

Newswatch: Mutant X
Karen Cliche is truly lighting up the screen in the latest year of Mutant X. Season three of the Marvel Comics-inspired superhero show stars Cliche (pronounced "Kleesh") as Lexa Pierce, a mutant blessed/cursed with the ability to manipulate light and even render herself invisible. Lexa fills the void left by the departure of Lauren Lee Smith's Emma de Lauro at the end of the show's second season, and her arrival and gradual integration into the Mutant X team forms part of a major revamp of the series.

"When Lexa first comes in, she has a mission to accomplish on her own," explains Cliche. "She wants nothing to do with being part of a team and a happy little family, and makes that very clear to the rest of the guys. So they are very guarded with her as well.

"Lexa butts heads with the team early on, especially Brennan (Victor Webster), as they're two headstrong people who have a little bit more of an ego than Shalimar (Victoria Pratt) and Jesse (Forbes March). It takes a long time for them to actually start being civil to one another, and of course Shalimar and Lexa don't hit it off right away just because of that whole girl thing, with Shalimar being very territorial. Jesse is the only one who sees there might be something beneath Lexa's wall and actually takes the time to discover it. But that only happens a few episodes into the season.

"By about episode 12, you actually find out why Lexa is the way she is," she notes.

"The rest of the season then unfolds in a much warmer way. They all get a long much better and Lexa is much nicer. She realizes that being tough and being a loner isn't really what she wants in the end, it's just what she made herself believe, so that she wouldn't get hurt. From then on, she decides that she's going to soften up a little and let people in. And that brings the show to a new level.

Action Woman
Cliche had just completed playing Makenzie Previn on the first (and only) season of the syndicated action series Adventure, Inc. when she was invited to star in another Fireworks/Tribune production, Mutant X. While the Canadian beauty was happy to sign a three-year contract with the series, she admits that she was worried about how her introduction into Mutant X would work out.

"Apart from the obvious concerns of going onto a show that was already established and replacing a very loved character, there was a lot of apprehension on my part in terms of how I was going to be received," explains Cliche. "I was going into Mutant X not being a very likable character.

"But the job itself wasn't such a shock," she continues. "Mutant X and Adventure, Inc. are different shows, but the characters weren't that different, they had a lot in common, in that they're both very guarded people. So, the actual transition wasn't that hard."

Cliche's arrival on Mutant X was helped by the fact that the show's returning stars -- Victoria Pratt, Victor Webster and Forbes March -- were quick to accept her, despite their lonsgstanding friendships with Lauren Lee Smith. "That was never a problem," insists Cliche. "I was so well received and I knew that cast a little bit from talking, because Adventure, Inc. was done by the same production company and so we'd been at some joint events and appearances. I already knew that we all got along fantastically and I also knew some of the crew from previous work. So I got a grea welcome. The cast was amazing with me and very, very welcoming and very sweet.

"We had a fantastic time working on the show. Vicky Pratt and I just had too much fun for our own good!"

Reviewing her year with Mutant X, cliche reports that she likes the way season three increases the show's emphasis on "character development." She also notes that she is particularly happy with four of season three's 22 episodes.

"Brother's Keeper is definitely one of my favorites," she says. "Art of Attraction and Conspiracy Theory were good. She's Come Undone was a really good one. That was the episode that revealed a lot of her history and a lot of the story was developed. It was good because it just revealed another layer of her life nad it gave me another layer of vulnerability to explore."

Something that US viewers particulary enjoyed about season three was the relationship between Lexa and Jesse. cliche had fun slowly creating the 'will they/won't they?' aspect of the characters' friendship and was hoping to develop it further, had Mutant X lived on to a fourth season.

"I love what they did with that relationship in season three," she notes. "I think that it's been very realistic. A lot of times if they want to creat a love story on shows, they'll just throw two people toetehr and not build up to anything; they'll just throw them together and the characters have one fantastic night together. But this has been building for a long time.

"At first glance, Jesse and Lexa are such opposites, but they complement each other in the way that Jesse teaches Lexa a lot of things. He teaches her how to let go and how to trust people and how to be trusted, and I think he admires her strength and really wantes to take care of her.

"So I really like the way they developed the whole relationship. It was very slow, with a lot of sexual tension as well, and it's just been that they developed a really great friendship. That was exciting."

The Name Game
A native of Quebec, Canada, Karen Cliche began acting in high school and launced her career by appearing in such movies and TV shows as Vampire High, Big Wolf on Campus, and All Souls. Cliche acknowledges that since her screen debut in 1989, her distinctive French surname has frequently been mispronounced as 'cliche' rather than 'Kleesh'. But she's quick to make it clear that she's always taken that in her stride.

"If people are mispronouncing my name and talking about it, I just think it's great they're talking about it!" she explains with a giggle. "I don't have a reason to change my name. It hasn't caused me any problems."

Prior to joining Mutant X, Cliche made a big impact on US and Canadian TV viewers in the fantasy-action series Adventure, Inc. The show followed the exploits of explorer and treasure hunter Judson Cross (Terminator's Michael Biehn) and his assistants Gabriel Patterson (the late Jesse Nilsson) and Makenzie 'Mac' Previn (Cliche).

"Adventure Inc. was one of the best experiences of my life," says Cliche. "Michael, Jessie and I had so much fun. the show did very well in every market we were in, but we just couldn't sell it to enough countries to get a second season. It's worked out well for me, though. Adventure, Inc. is a fond memory, but it's been nice to move on to Mutant X."

The cast and crew of Mutant X completed work on the show's third season earlier this year, and initially looked set to begin filming season four in Toronto, Canada, this summer. But the show now looks unlikely to continue, as one of its key backers, Fireworks, has announced that it wants to withdraw from television production, and Tribune Entertainment has yet to find a new production partner.

"Tribune wants it to continue, and we're all hoping for the best," declares Cliche. "It's all a question of politics. I'm very sad that it seems to be over. We had such a great time working on the show. But if it's not coming back, I'm looking forward to whatever's next."

© Dreamwatch Magazine

Dreamwatch 9/29/03: Karen Cliche, on Adventure-Inc.net

Mutant X - Newswatch
Returns: 29 September, Syndicated

Previously: Mutant X's second season began with its superpowered heroes facing the threat of Gabriel Ashlocke, who deposed the show's original central villain Mason Eckhart in his bid to establish a new mutant movement, The Strand. Ashlocke revived an ancient Egyptian mutant and travelled into the past in search of a cure for his deteriorating condition before his quest was foiled by the Mutant X crew, although the dangerous, super-mutant left his aide, Kim, pregnant with his child. Jesse's powers were then exploited for a theft, Shalimar became more feral, Brennan found himself trapped in a 20th Century town, Emma was possessed by a dead man and Adam revived a relationship with a former Genomex employee Christina. Eckhart finally returned in the season two finale, in which he was working to create a new breed of mutants. His assistants included none other than Shalimar's estranged fate, who ultimately destroyed the facility as Mutant X raced to escape...

Next: -- SPOILER ALERT -- Joh Shea steps down from his regular role as Mutant X leader Adam and becomes a recurring guest star for season three, while Lauren Lee Smith departs altogether from her role as the telepathic Emma. In the season premiere, Into the Moonless Night, former Adventure Inc. star Karen Cliche joins the show as light-controlling mutant Lexa Pierce, who harbors her own secret agenda and a connection to Adam. With their world turned upside down, Pierce helps her new associates understand that they are part of a much larger experiment than they were led to believe.

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Mystery Girl
MUTANT X welcomes an X-citing new member to the fold in season three, with the arrival of Karen Cliche. Words: David Bassom

The Adventure is only just beginning for Karen Cliche. Following the cancellation of Adventure Inc. at the end of its first season, the syndicated action show's leading lady has joined the cast of another Fireworks/Tribune series, Mutant X.

"My character on Mutant X is called Lexa Pierce," reveals the bubbly Ms Cliche, whose surname is pronounced Kleesh. "She has a very mysterious past, and when she comes to Mutant X she has absolutely no interest in joining the Mutant X team. She has her own independent agenda, which you'll find out later this season."

"When Lexa comes in she's 'Miss Know-It-All', because she's been around for a long time," continues Cliche. "Lexa knows a lot more than the rest of the mutants do, because she's been involved with Adam Kane a long time, and she knows a lot of creepy stuff about GSA and Genomex that Adam was actually sheltering them from. They just believed whatever he said for the past two seasons, so I kinda come along and tell them, 'Guys, you don't know crap! You've been lied to.' So the relationship between the team and Lexa is difficult at first, but as the [opening] episodes evolve, there is a relationship developing. It's just hard for Lexa because she has her own mission and doesn't want to let anyone in."

"The whole season is going to develop that storyline: what her mission is, and why she's here."

As the team's new heroic mutant, Cliche brings some new powers to Mutant X. "My character has the power to manipulate light. She can become invisible and she can shoot lasers - those are her powers. I get to kick ass a bit, but Shalimar still dominates the action in the show - which is fine, because on my lazy days I'm like, 'Oh Shalimar , you go girl!'"

Cliche's arrival is part of a major revamp of Mutant X, which also involves the departure of the show's resident telepath, Emma (Lauren Lee Smith) and a heavily reduced role for the show's original leading man, John Shea (Adam). While Cliche is reluctant to give too much away prior to season three's debut in late September, she concedes that Mutant X is truly mutating this year.

"This season concentrates on character development," she claims. "It's very different from the previous seasons, where it was focused on the action and the missions. This year's stories are more character-focused. They reach deep and are more personal, and that's why I think the show is better."

Naturally, Cliche is well aware that both the show's revamp and her introduction may initially - if not permanently - prove unpopular with longtime Mutant X viewers. But she hopes they will soon come to embrace the changes.

"Hopefully, people will really like the switch this season because the show's better. And because a lot of Mutant X fans were also Adventure Inc. fans, that might mean I'll be loved and accepted."

While viewers' reaction to Lexa Pierce has yet to be seen, Karen Cliche has already come to terms with her place in the Mutant X line-up and hopes to fulfil her three-year contract with the series - at the very least.

"I'm having a lot of fun on the show," she declares. "Vicky Pratt [Shalimar] and I have way too much fun for our good! I had met the cast a couple of times before I started the show, so I knew we would have a great chemistry. And I knew a lot of producers too, from Adventure Inc. It's been fantastic so far."

© Dreamwatch Magazine

Mutant X Official Website: Karen Cliche

Q & A with Karen Cliche

--Hope I answered all your questions! xoxox Karen

You asked her questions, now she gives you answers! Here is part one of our exclusive Q & A with Karen Cliche featuring questions asked by you - Mutant X's greatest fans!

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Q: Is your character developing any ties to the others, or is Lexa a lone warrior? --JadedX1

A: Lexa came into Mutant X after having made a deal with the Dominion so they could help her find someone very important to her. Her priorities were not to make friends because she didn't plan on staying long enough for it to matter. Because of many horrible and traumatic experiences she endured in the past few years, she built a wall around her so as not to get hurt again. As the season progresses her wall begins to crumble when she realizes that she does care about Jesse, Brennan and Shalimar, and devotes herself eventually as part of the team.

Q: How was your transition from Adventure Inc. to Mutant X? Were you nervous at all to be working with an all-new cast? --ShalimarFan1

A: Being two completely different shows, there was a significant amount of research to do and explanations to receive. The cast I had met a couple of times before on a social level, and had gotten along with, so I knew that wouldn't be the toughest part.

Q: I'm a huge fan of mutant X and I love the new character Lexa. I'm curious how you like being a 'mutant'? --FelineFactor

A: Doing this show reminds me of when I played a vampire on Vampire High. Playing a mutant and a vampire is tough in the sense that you have no reality to base it on. I, Karen, will never know what it's really like to be a mutant, to feel like a mutant but I do know what it's like to feel rejection, to feel alone in the world, to have only a certain number of people know who you really are. So you draw from those feelings and mix it up with a little imagination and it can be as much fun as it is challenging.

Q: Did you have to go into training before the show began taping? Like for stunts, fight choreography and if so, how hard was it? --Gage

A: Coming off Adventure Inc. and several other shows and films that had a lot of action, I was used to learning choreography and enjoyed the physicality involved. It's a lot of fun when the adrenaline kicks in and the concentration you need to avoid any mistakes that could potentially break someone's nose, or worse is unbelievable, so what a great challenge.

Q: Hi Karen! I just wanted to say thank you for all of your hard work on MX. You're a great role model. My question is: Do you like to play any sports, and did you play sports when you were younger?
--BekaVWannabi

A: I used to play soccer growing up (although I was never that good – ha ha) and competed in long distance running races. Nowadays, I love Hiking, Go Kart racing and don't laugh, Curling!

6. How are you enjoying your characters powers at the moment, and how do you think they will develop in the future? --PetiteCat

I am actually a little envious of Lexa's powers. Can you imagine being able to turn invisible for real? Oh, the places I would be!!! I like that her powers have a lot of range. Her lasers can be deadly, whereas her light concentrations (flashes) are used as a diversion, or distraction and of course her invisibility is so useful in many situations. As mutants our powers become stronger and no one knows just how that strength will affect us once they've attained full growth.

7. First off I would like to say that I am warming up to Lexa. Here is my question, how much of your own personality do you put into the role of Lexa Pierce? --GryphonLady

I think there is a little Lexa in everyone. She represents that part of ourselves that is scared and has been hurt so bad that we need to pretend we are tough and invincible as protection. Being an army brat, myself I was raised to be like that and also kept that act up as a defense in certain situations. It seems most characters I play have that quality in them so I guess I do put a lot of that part of myself in them because I understand it. The best way to hide your vulnerability at times is to pretend you aren't. That is how Lexa goes through her life now but as with most of those like that they are complete mush inside.

8. To Karen, do you get along with the other cast members? --Pwomatrix

I have so much fun on this show – not only is the crew fun and real cool but the cast is as well. I wouldn't recommend having Vicky and I too long in the same room – no one else exists and the high-pitched laughter can be hazardous to your ears.

9. Do you feel that your character should get romantically involved with Forbes' character Jesse as was hinted in the episode "Taking of Crows"? --KittyKat_Feral

I think there is definite potential there for Lexa and Jessie. He is the one who is able to break her down, soften her up. He is kind, patient and gives her a chance always. She needs someone like that that she can trust. Who Knows? The heat may turn into a flame or not!!!! But I defiantly think they would compliment each other really well. Each has what the other needs

10. What is the story behind Lexa's brother? --Unknown_Fox

There is an episode coming up called "Brothers Keeper" and the whole story is revealed!

© The Mutant X Official Site

SFX 1/04: Karen Cliche, on Adventure-Inc.net

SFX January 2004 - Karen Cliche Profile

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Lexa Pierce, Mutant X

"LEXA COMES IN UNANNOUNCED AND uninvited, and she shatters Mutant X'S world," Karen Cliche explains. She's trying very hard to be serious for a few minutes - which is an effort - as she discusses her new character on Fireworks' action series. "She doesn't even want to be there! Season two of the show ended on a cliffhanger, which leads to a lot of changes for the new season, and Lexa basically comes in and tells them what those changes are going to be. She has her own mission: she's not saying, 'Hey, I want to be a part of Mutant X.' She has her own agenda, and she's a little cold and calculating about using them. She wouldn't be there if she didn't have an ulterior purpose. She knows a lot more than these kids do - she's been to some very dark places, and she's been through a lot."

All of which makes Lexa Pierce sound like a bit of a bitch, and that's certainly how she appears to be at the start of the year. However, appearances can be deceptive, and it's a description that could hardly be less appropriate for the actor who plays her. Cliche came across to Mutant X from the show Adventure Inc, which only lasted one season. There she appeared opposite Michael Biehn playing Mackenzie, a hard-fighting and hard-loving lady who she describes as "the happy medium between Pamela Anderson in VIP with everything low-cut and a short skirt, and the butch action girl."

"I wanted to play her as really accessible," Cliche recalls, "and you have no idea where she comes from and what she's up to." Elements of that character are similar to Lexa Pierce. "There was a lot of Mackenzie I took from myself," Cliche says. "Just being an army brat, having fun and being spontaneous - a tough exterior with a soft inside. Lexa has a lot of the same qualities, and it's always fun to play a character that has the same attributes as you. It makes it easier as well, because you can take your own experiences and put them in."

The characters part company when it comes to mutant powers. "Lexa has the ability to bend light," Cliche explains, "and she can shoot lasers from her hands. Bending light means she can become invisible, which can be quite useful. She can also create big flashes of light to distract people - big painful bursts of light that help get her out of sticky situations."

In practical terms, Cliche doesn't have to do that much on the set - her abilities are added in post-production. "It's like I'm striking a match when I create the big bursts of light," she says. "I'm rubbing my hands and creating them. When I turn invisible, I just really concentrate all my I energy and absorb the light - so there's nothing strenuous I have to do as an actress."

Having fun is a key component for Cliche on any job she does, and on Mutant X. "We have way too much fun, just way too much fun for our own good."

Watching her on set with Victoria Pratt, it's a wonder that any work gets done, as the two girls are constantly laughing and joking with each other. "It's like Vicky and I were separated at birth," Cliche jokes. "We just have such a ball." She gets a little more sober for a moment before adding, "When you're working for eight months with the same people, it's really great that it's this much fun. I knew some of the crew from Adventure Inc last year, and everyone is awesome."

Cliche enjoys the fight sequences, although she has less to do as Lexa than she did as Mackenzie. "I am such an active person, and on Adventure Inc my adrenaline kept me going all day," she says. "This season on Mutant X, we're doing much more character-based stories. There's so much new stuff being introduced that there's a lot of talking and explaining - which isn't a bad thing, because you do get to know the characters a lot better. But during the summer I've been saying, 'Can we go outside and play?'"

Although she's becoming known for her action roles, Cliche harbours a desire to play in different genres as the years go by. "I want to do comedy, and I want to do drama," she declares. "You can easily get typecast. People see you as one thing, and you think you're going to be the hot sexy girl for the rest of your life - but before you know it, you're 40, you've run out of plastic surgery to do, and you're thinking, Nobody wants me any more because I'm not the cool hot girl, and I can't kick my leg higher than my waist! In between seasons, I want to do something completely different so that people realise what I can do."

Her ideal roles range the spectrum of acting styles. "I love When Harry Met Sally, and I would love to play Sally," she says. "I want to do that sort of comedy. I'm such a goof in real life so it would be really nice to use that. But at the same time, I'd love to play a psycho drug-addict prostitute. Do something completely dark, and explore things and really scare myself shitless going somewhere really intense and dark. I've done a lot of comedy in my career, but I haven't had a chance yet to really go towards anything too intense. I'd like not to have any make up, and not to have to worry about all that being pretty shit - take it all off and just lose myself. That would be pretty amazing!"

Mutant X is currently airing on Sky One.

© SFX

Starlog 9/04, on Karen Cliche.com

Light Show
by Douglas Snauffer

Being offered a regular role on a hit series is always exciting for an actor. "I was like, 'Yeah, I'm working!' " exclaims Karen Cliche, who joined the cast of the syndicated Mutant X last fall for its third season. She was offered the part of Lexa Pierce--a tough, often arrogant new member of the genetically altered team of superheroes--without having to audition because several of the producers had worked with Cliche on her previous series, Adventure, Inc. Besides that, both shows came from the same company, and so Cliche was already somewhat familiar with the Mutant X cast. "We hung out during film festivals, and occasionally we would see each other on the job," she explains. "So I knew them on a very basic social level."

Still, Cliche did have to give it a little thought before accepting the role. Joining Mutant X presented a couple of dilemmas that caused her concern. First, she would be replacing Lauren Lee Smith, whose character, Emma, was to be killed off early in the season opener.

"It's tough when you come onto a show, especially when you're replacing a character whom everybody loves," Cliche says. "I felt a little bad and had to take that into considerations." Fortunately, things worked out. "Nobody said, 'Oh, you're the girl who replaced our friend,' " she laughs. "They knew it had nothing to do with me. As much as they're going to miss Lauren, they also told me that this is a different addition to the show, so let's see where it takes us. We hit it off right away."

She also wondered if fans would be as accepting as her new co-stars--a worry grounded in the fact thatLexa was going to be, at least initially, a very unlikable character. "Lexa's entire backstory is pretty complicated," Cliche says. "She basically comes to the Mutant X team under a deal. The people who she works for told her, "You do this for us, and we'll help you find your brother'; the twin brother she has been looking for. Lexa shows up not really caring for anybody and not wanting to make friends. Her attitude is, 'I know more than you do, I'm the boss and nobody is going to tell me what to do.' So she carries on with her mission to find her brother."

Early on, Cliche had to decide how to get a handle on her character, who clearly was going to be presented to viewers as an outsider with her own agenda. "There was that apprehension about whether [fans would] accept me as an actor and also Lexa as a character," Cliche acknowledges. Her solution was to approach the role as professionally as possible. "I couldn't give in to me, Karen, wanting to be loved by everybody. I needed to stay true to my character in hopes that everyone would wait to see why Lexa is like this. I wanted to present her in the most unforgiving way, and then allow her to begin unraveling. I didn't worry about whether people were going to like me. You can't be concerned about that as an actor. If I was, I would only take the safe roles."

Before joining up, Cliche was fairly new to the world of Mutant X. Her duties on Adventure, Inc. kept her busy for much of the previous season, including a five-month stint in Europe. She had only caught Mutant X in passing while flipping through channels. After signing on, Cliche played catch-up. "I did my research and the producers gave me a few tapes of previous epsiodes," she says. "They also told me not to base too much on Season One and Season Two because Season Three was going to be completely different, in terms of focusing on character development and being more specific about where these people come from and how they feel--as well as developing relationships between the team members."

The result, she feels, is that the series now focuses less on action and more on character and plot development. "If you've been watching, there are more twists and turns, including whether or not Adam [John Shea as Mutant X's former leader] is dead. The team's whole world has been turning upside down, and they're realizing that they don't know who the enemy is anymore. It's more dramatic and personal, and people have really responded to that well because the emotional risks are high. You still get the action and adrenaline boosts, but now they're backed by more details and you get to know more about the characters."

Cliche admits that she draws on her own personal experiences to help breathe life into the characters she plays. "Many of my roles are similar to each other: the tough, independent, opinionated, sarcastic girl," she says. "Much of that stems from traits in my own personality--not because I use those traits in my everyday life, but because I understand them. My father was in the Army, so I'm familiar with that whole upbringing. I was brought up in a strict [environment]. My Dad was pretty tough on us, so that mentality is ingrained in me, ad I know how to bring it out in certain characters."

But whe it came to essaying a mutant, Cliche found relating to Lexa a bit of a stretch. "I don't know what it feels like to be a mutant. I have no research to base this on. So I based it on how someone in her position might feel, in terms of what the mutants are in relation to the rest of the world. They're outsiders, outcasts, different and alone, totally ostracized. I've tried to concentrate on how she lives while hiding this big, dark secret. We all have skeletons in our closets, and I just draw from those feelings."

Once she got on the set, playing a mutant presented its own peculiar problems. "On my first day of shooting, we had already established what my powers would be, but we did not know how I was going to manipulate them," Cliche recalls. "We had to decide things like how I would shoot my lasers: with a straight hand, two fingers, three fingers? We spent so much time trying to determine where my lasers would protrude from. It's kind of funny to see us all in action, especially Victor [Webster] and me, because without the special effects, we're just waving our arms around. Then I saw the other guys doing it, and noticed that they were acting it out with the utmost professionalism. When it isn't put together with the effects and editing, it's easy to feel ridiculous. The worst thing you can do as an actor is be unsure of yourself, because that does come across."

Given the choice in real life, Cliche would rather have Lexa's power of invisibility over her lasers. "I'm a little nosy," she chuckles. "I like people to be honest, and I really like to know what people are thinking and doing. I studied psychology, and I'm sort of obsessed about knowing secret little things about people. So I would like to be in other people's bedrooms, locker rooms--everywhere! It's so much fun observing peple when they don't realize they're being watched. You learn a lot. So that would be great. Just to sit and observe people like lab rats. I would hang out in Brad Pitt's bedroom!"

Not everything is accomplished with green screens and CGI, though. When it comes to doing stunts, Cliche is often front and center. She picked up plenty of experience throwing punches on Adventure, Inc., and feels confident when she has to abandon her powers and take somebody on with her fists. "I love it," she enthuses. "I've been doing [big fight scenes] for two years now; it has been a pretty big part of my job. There's always the risk of breaking somebody's nose, which is kind of scary, but it's fun. In one of my first fights on Adventure, Inc., I didn't break the guy's nose, but I definitely gave him a nosebleed. But give me a break, of all the fights I've done, and one little nosebleed. Come on! I bought the guy a bottle of Jack Daniels and he forgave me."

Cliche has a number of favorite Mutant X episodes this season. "There are three that I think really stand out," she states. "'Brother's Keeper' was great for me because I had the chance to show a whole different side of Lexa; I got to be vulnerable and explain to people why Lexa is the way she is. There's an episode called 'She's Come Undone,' about Lexa's implants, which is something we saw in the first show this season but haven't touched on since. They get activated again, and the implant programs her to be a trained killer. So she goes into full killer mode. It's pretty intense because somebody is controlling her and she can't do a damn thing about it. You get to see how the whole team comes together to save Lexa.

"One of the season's last epsidoes, 'The Prophecy,' is a great one. Of course, the episodes that I love--and this sounds terrible--are the ones focused around me. But I think that everyone on the show would say their favorites are the ones that focus on one specific aspect of the team, because then we can go into much greater detail with that character."

When asked about the quality of the series' scripts--which have been criticized by fans for their continuity conflicts and storyline shifts--Cliche is quick to defend the writing staff. "The writers work day and night to put out these scripts, and sometimes things change," she argues. "Many people have written letters pointing out that the picture of my brother [in an earlier episode] is totally different from the actor who ended up playing him. That's because the photo was in episode three, and 'Brother's Keeper' hadn't even been written yet. That was 10 episodes further down the line; they had no idea who would be playing the character yet.

"Things like that happen, writers get new ideas and sometimes the episodes don't air or aren't shot in order. So that can cause the fans a bit of confusion. It's a hazard of series television because you have to work so fast. Sometimes, the cast gives their input, because that's our responsibility as actors. We're the best sources for remembering what our characters have thought, done and said in the past. We pick up on little things and tell them, 'That happened three episodes ago, so I don't think this should happen now.'"

The Mutant X writers already have the added burden of dealing with the series' origins. After all, this is a comic book TV show featuring Marvel-style mutants that isn't actually derived from an ongoing comics title. The studio and producers still have to offer reminders in press materials as well as on the official website that Mutant X is in no way associated with the X-Men comics and film series. "There were a couple of times that we couldn't do certain storylines that we really wanted to do because it would be in breach of legalities," Cliche says. "It would be too much like a certain comic book. So you have to take that into consideration."

When Cliche was a child, she occasionally read comics, but rarely ventured into SF or fantasy. "I read Archie comics," she confesses. "Just to look at what Betty and Veronica were wearing, I know it's horrible. But I was not a big comic book fan. When I was a kid, I loved watching adult shows. I never watched many cartoons at all. I enjoyed seeing real people act, and was fascinated by human behavior. I could never get past the fact that it was fantasy."

But she did draw on a fantasy character at least once. "I had a little Wonder Woman outfit," she laughs. "It was kind of a sports bra and underwear set, with buttons on a fake belt. I was seven years old and running around my front yard shooting lasers, not too different from what I'm doing now. I've always had a big imagination, and Wonder Woman was a role model. I really didn't look up to any actors. I saw Gandhi when I was a pre-teen and loved it, and I started to be inspired by people who changed the world and fought for the underdog. Those were the kind of people that I looked up to, and still do to this day. I love activists and those who fight for people who really don't have a voice."

Although Mutant X is a science fiction series, the implications of the show's science haven't escaped Cliche. As far as cloning and genetic tampering goes, the actress is convinced that "there is so much that we don't know about. This whole cloning issue that people started talking about a few years ago has been going on for years and years. To me, there's no limit. Not that I have any proof to back this up. It's like believing in aliens: either you do or you don't.

"I have mixed feelings about tampering with genetics. Much good can come out of it. I mean, test tube babies are born, and that's a beautiful thing. But once you start messing with the genetic code, then you're fooling around with natural events and the way things are supposed to be--whatever it is that you believe in, whether it's God or evolution. It may seem like the solution--in terms of immediate gratification--but it's a scary topic. You can just imagine the backlash to living in a world where human beings have been tampered with for 100 years and everything is out of control."

Among Cliche's present-day concerts is the upcoming fourth Mutant X season, which begins shooting later this summer. But for now, she's just enjoying her time off and the new friends she has made. "We just got back from Los Angeles a few weeks ago," she says. "My boyfriend works on the show in the sound department, and we flew down with Vicki [Pratt] and one of the girls from wardrobe. Forbes {march} was in town, too. We were like, 'We just finished the show, we're free from nine months of seeing each other every day, and what are we doing? We're all now gathered around a table having dinner!"

"We went horseback riding and spent all this time together. We've become really close friends, and that doesn't always happen. But I've been fortunate with my past experiences and all the shows that I've been on. I've formed some wonderful friendships. I just visited [Adventure, Inc. co-star] Michael Biehn when I was in L.A. I went to his house and saw his new baby. I enjoy being close to the people I work with."

She's still feeling the loss of her Adventure, Inc. castmate Jesse Nilsson, who died in April 2003 of heart failure brought on by pneumonia. "That was such a shock," Cliche says. "Our producer called and told me the news. I phoned Jesse's parents right away. I've actually become very close to his family, and I go see them once in a while. Jesse's Mom came to the set of Mutant X. It's so tragic, and I feel horrible for his close friends.

"I knew Jesse a year, that's it, but in that time we became very, very close," Karen Cliche says. "We went to Europe together, and he and I were like brother and sister.We fought like brother and sister, we had fun like brother and sister. I helped him pick up girls in France because I speak French. It's so sad, but he's fondly remembered."

© Starlog

TV Zone Issue 173: Karen Cliche, on Karencliche.com

A Piercing Beauty

Mutant X's newest recruit Karen Cliche sits down with Steven Eramo and sheds some light on the mysterious character of Lexa Pierce.

Time: The Present. The place: a loft interior filled with sculptures and abstract paintings being scrutinized by a group of smartly-dressed art critics and select members of the public. Cocktain in hand, Lexa Pierce casually weaves her way through the crowd and stops near a door being guarded by two burly men in tuxedoes. She glances over at Shalimar Fox, who is being approached by one of the male critics. After a brief verbal exchange, Shalimar slaps him across his face.

"You touched me!" exclaims Shalimar. "Did you see that?" she asks those guests standing nearby. "He touched me!"

"What? No I didn't," protests the bewildered critic.

The other people in the room, including the two guards, begin to walk towards Shalimar and the man to see what all the commotion is about. Setting down her drink, Lexa turns invisible. Seconds later, the door behind her opens and closes.

"Cut and print!" says Mutant X director Andrew Potter.

The above scene is the opening teaser for the third season Mutant X episode Art of Attraction. On this cold and overcast November afternoon, the show's cast and crew are filming on location at Godderham and Worts, an old distillery in Toronto. Having finished for the day, Karen Cliche (pronounced Kleesh), who plays Lexa Pierce, changes out of her evening dress and into more casual attire. Relaxing in her trailer, the actress happily chats about the story that is currently being shot.

Cliche is very enthusiastic about the current episode. "This is very much a Lexa-centric episode," she says. "She and Mutant X are trying to find three paintings, all of which are encoded with information. They're the missing pieces to the puzzle that will allow our heroes to accomplish their mission. In the midst of all this, Lexa falls for a guy, but is he good or bad? I'm not telling," she teases. "Their relationship is similar to the one shared by the two main characters in [the feature film] The Thomas Crown Affair in that it's a game of cat-and-mouse. So that's been fun for me to play."

Cliche's character is the latest addition to the genetically-enhanced team of crime-fighters. Lexa has the ability to not only bend light and make herself as well as others invisible but also to manipulate light to use as a weapon. Fans of the now-cancelled series Adventure Inc will remember her as action adventure gal Mackenzie Previn. Making the transition from the high seas to the superhero world was a pleasant surprise for her.

"The same people [Tribune Entertainment] who produce Mutant X also produced Adventure Inc," explains the actress. "We were in France filming the end of Adventure Inc when I was approached about the job. They knew that the show wasn't being renewed for a second year so they asked me, 'Would you like to play this new character of Lexa on Mutant X?' It's rare that you're offered one series right after the other, so I said, 'Sure'. Once we wrapped Adventure Inc, I flew home, then out to Toronto, found an apartment and we began doing Mutant X a couple of months later. I feel very fortunate to have been asked to join this show and flattered that its producers thought I would be a good addition to it."

Mutant X's year two cliffhanger Lest He Become ended with Adam Kane (John Shea) and his teammates fighting for their lives as the building they are in collapses into the sea. In the third season opener, Into the Moonless Night, it's revealed that both Adam and Emma deLauro (Lauren Lee Smith) are dead. Not long after returning to Sanctuary (their hidden base), the surviving members of Mutant X are paid a surprise visit by Lexa. What she tells them only serves to further shatter their world.

"My character is quite strong willed and does not want to be there at all," says Cliche. "Lexa has made a deal with an outside organization called The Dominion and is put in the compromising position of having to join Mutant X so that they can help her find someone very important to her. That said, her initial attitude is 'I want as little to do with you people. I'm not part of your little "family" nor do I want to be'. To make matters worse, Lexa is the bearer of some information that the group is unaware of. She basically tells them that they were lied to by Adam and that he kept secrets form them."

The actress continues, "So, there's a bit of tension at first between her and the rest of Mutant X," she says.

"However, something happens mid-season in one of the episodes that makes Lexa stop and think, "Maybe I can get something out of this'. She consequently does 'soften up' slightly and becomes more a part of the team. Lexa is still feisty, though, and could leave at any time and not look back. I like having that edge to my character."

How would the actress describe Lexa's relationships with her three team-mates? "She and Brennan [Victor Webster] have very strong personalities and on occasion they'll butt heads," she notes. "With her and Shalimar [Victoria Pratt], there's a mutual respect that has developed between them. They share an understanding but certainly aren't what you would call close friends. As for Jesse [Forbes March] he's the one who, at the start, tries to offer the hand of friendship to Lexa. Theirs is a closer relationship, but whether it's one of brother and sister or one that will blossom into a romance, I don't know. So we'll have to wait and see. I did tell Forbes that if we have to kiss on camera he'd better not eat garlic or anything like it beforehand! And I'm saying that very loud because his trailer is right next door to mine and he's in there now," the actress chuckles.

Like all actors in this position, Cliche had some trepidation insofar as joining an established series, as well as replacing a much-loved character. It's a double-edged sword. Happily, though, everything has worked out very well for her. "Coming in, no one ever made it tough for me, it was just the pressure I put on myself," she says. "The cast and crew are fantastic to work with and are nothing but encouraging. As for the fans, they continue to be very kind towards and supportive of Lexa and myself. It's been a great ride so far and I'm hoping it lasts a while longer."

Let's Get Physical!
Cliche had already been a regular on four series when she was hired for Adventure Inc. "I had such a blast working with Michael Biehn and Jesse Nilsson, who sadly passed away last April," says the actress. "My character of Mackenzie was very physical, not only as far as the actual fights, but also when it came ot climbing up the side of a mountain, scuba-diving, driving boats, backpacking, etc. It was different from my work on Mutant X in that there was less exposition. With Adventure Inc we knew pretty much from the get-go what was happening. This allowed us to get one much more quickly with the adventures, which of course is what our audience tuned in to see. I had the chance to do some things I'd never done before in my life, and that's great for a gal like me who really loves a challenge."

Career Aspirations
Born 22nd July 1976 in Sept-Iles, Quebec, Canada, Karen Cliche was thinking about an acting career at a young age. "I was six years old when I wrote my Oscar acceptance speech. I recited it in front of a mirror and holding a Barbie doll," she says smiling. "In school I took drama classes and performed in plays. When I enrolled in college I had to pick a major and chose psychology, which was something else that interested me. At the same time I did some professional modelling, and after one semester at college I began to think, 'This just doesn't feel right. I need to try something different'. The modelling agency I was working for opened up an acting division. They asked me if I could act and I told them, 'I have no idea, you tell me'. They began sending me out on auditions and things just took off from there.

"My first job was playing a secretary in a movie called The Collector starring casper Van Dien. That was five years ago and I though, 'Yes, this is really what I was meant to do'. Thank God I had the chance to stop and really take time to think about what I wanted for a career. I'm grateful to those who gave me a break and allowed me to start off with no real acting experience."

© TV Zone