While I adore many of Lost's diverse bunch of island-locked castaways, there will always be a special place in my heart for Elizabeth Mitchell's beautiful and brainy Juliet, who's showed herself to be just as at ease running a book club as she is kicking some butt and taking names.I sat down with the statuesque Mitchell, looking positively radiant as she towered above me, to talk about the series upcoming fourth season, why Juliet's favorite color would have to be grey, and, oh, that kiss between her and Matthew Fox's Jack.
Q: Do you feel that Juliet has become a part of the castaway family or is she still a bit of an outsider? Does that change as we move into Season Four?
Mitchell: Juliet’s definitely still an outsider, as far as that goes. However, I think she is more protective of them than they realize, which I think we know as an audience in the way that she’s behaved. But, I think it’s going to take a lot for them to welcome her whole-heartedly. I mean, a lot more even than what she’s already done. She has a relationship with Kate. She has a relationship with Sun. She obviously has a relationship with Jack. And she and Sawyer are, I think, kind of funny together, actually, because they’re like an irritable brother and sister, which is really good. She just kind of smacks him every once in awhile. But I think that, as far as trust goes, I don’t think they trust her at all.
Q: So let’s talk about that kiss between Juliet and Jack then…
Mitchell (coyly): Yeah.
Q: …in “Through the Looking Glass.” Were you surprised when you read that in the script?
Mitchell: Well, I kind of thought they would do something… Well, I always figure I’m just gonna die. So, getting kissed instead was really lovely. And then I called my dad and he’s like “Oh, you’re for sure gonna die now.” Okay, great. But I thought it was a really sweet thing. And the way that it was done was sweet. And I also feel like Juliet was going off to an uncertain area doing something kind of selfless and so was he, so it was a brave thing.
Q: And do we see a future for the two of them in Season Four?
Mitchell: We might. Yeah, it’s very possible that there could be a little bit of a future. I mean, there’s so much unresolved between Juliet and Jack. But there’s been so much unresolved for years between Jack and Kate so, I think that it all has to balance out somewhere. I’m not sure how much of a future there is to be had on this island, first of all. But I think that there might be a little bit of something and then, of course, it’s Lost, so there might not, as well.
Q: Touché. Do you think that Juliet views herself as a hero or a villain? And, in going into Season Four, does our perception of her change?
Mitchell: Your perception might change a little. I think Juliet is still, essentially, exactly who she is. I have always thought that she perceives herself more of a hero that a villain, although she’s very, very intelligent so she’s not completely oblivious to the fact that she’s been less than good. Her motives have always been purely what they are, though.
Q: What do you think the first thing your character would do if she did, in fact, manage to get off this island?
Mitchell: Well, she’d go see her sister. And she’d probably get back to her research. And she’d see, Julian, her sister’s son and that would be something I would love to see. Something tells me, you know, it just… it might never happen, but for Juliet I would love to see that.
Q: So, obviously you can’t give us any specifics about Season Four…
Mitchell: I know. I’m sorry. It’s so much fun too.
Q: But, if you could envision any possible future for Juliet, one in which she takes over the world perhaps?
(Mitchell laughs.)
Q: What would you hope to see for your character in Season Four?
Mitchell: Oh, hope to… hope to. I would love to see her become more ingrained with the castaways. I would love to continue to see her go towards what she says she’s going to do – take care of Sun, you know. And then, you know, I’m kinda up for seeing whatever else there is. I would love a little bit of fighting.
The fun with Juliet has been she’s never been black and white, she’s always been shades of grey and I like that. I would love to continue that. I think one way or the other is difficult… being all the way too good or all the way too bad. The fact that she’s so fallible is actually fascinating.
She's definitely fascinating to watch. And I for one am completely smitten with both Mitchell and Juliet, regardless of whether she's good, evil, or somewhere tantalizingly in the middle.
Part 1: Michael Emerson
Part 3: Yunjin Kim
Season Four of Lost launches Thursday, January 31st at 9 pm ET/PT on ABC.
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