‘Banshee’ star likes playing thief-turned-mom

IVANA Milicevic of “Banshee”

“Banshee” actress Ivana Milicevic feels “maternal to everyone,” which makes playing a mother and working with actors playing her children on the new show comfortable.

In a phone interview with Asian periodicals, Milicevic emphasized that her role Carrie is attractive, not only because of her motherly traits, but also because she’s hiding her past as a jewel thief from her loved ones.

She expounded: “I felt that this character has so many layers to her. She’s playing a mother, a villain, a fighter, somebody who’s very much in love, who’s torn between two men. She has to play this whole range of emotions… You’ll see as the season progresses why it’s such an interesting part. [She’s] really emotional and very torn.”

Now living in Banshee, Pennsylvania, Carrie unexpectedly meets her former flame and thieving partner Lucas Hood (Antony Starr), an ex-con posing as the town’s new sheriff. The actress offered an analogy that best describes their relationship.

“Lucas coming back into her life, it’s as if she was an alcoholic when she was with him, then for 15 years, she was sober,” she said. “And now, when he’s back in town it’s like the first drop of alcohol to the alcoholic! She’s trying to do the right thing, but it’s pretty difficult… it’s really a lucky part to play!”

Born in Sarajevo, Milicevic and her family moved to the United States when she was a child, and eventually had a modeling career prior to acting. She previously played Russian spies and models, as well as “light and funny” younger women. She appeared on TV shows “Felicity,” “Seinfeld,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” as well as in films “Vanilla Sky” and “Casino Royale.”

Now 38, Milicevic is thankful for the “Banshee” role, despite the inevitable bumps and bruises that come with the action-heavy part. “I love Kali so much; it’s a Philippine martial art. I was also trained in Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee’s method. The physical part is very hard… I got a lot of bruises. I even had a black eye that was real in an episode that’s coming up. [But] the hardest part was the emotional cycle that the character had to go through, and trying to walk the balance, playing these two parts, walking the line between a dutiful mother, and the past.”

North Carolina nicely doubles for Banshee, she revealed: “North Carolina gets very hot in the summer, but I kind of enjoy that. It’s a very beautiful state. It has fireflies at night; the nights are as warm as the days. Those little towns are really fun to work in. We have three towns that make up Banshee—Morrisville, Gastonia and Monroe. It’s great because they felt like old American towns.”

A fan of Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand, Jack Nicholson, and Daniel Day-Lewis, among others, Milicevic feels drawn to “pulp, noir, dark and funny stuff.”

“There’s really nothing like this on television. There’s so much action and drama. It’s sexy; it’s fast-paced… There’s a lot of violence in ‘Banshee,’ for sure. For me, the only place for violence is entertainment, when you’re telling a story. It’s all pretend and make-believe. I think it’s no different when I was little; I would play cops and robbers!”

“Banshee” airs Fridays, 10 p.m. on Cinemax.

Award-winning British films

“THIS IS England”

This April, Saturday nights will be filled with heart-warming dramas such as Edinburg Film Festival winner “A Boy Called Dad,” and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) winners “This Is England” and “In This World”—all part of the award-winning British movie line-up at 9 p.m. on CinemaWorld.

‘MMK Classics’ at TFC

“MMK Classics,” The Filipino Channel’s first program to be subtitled in English, offers a powerful lineup of stories to end the first quarter.

On March 24, the episode “Barko” tells the story of Camille and Mio, portrayed by real-life partners Bea Alonzo and Zanjoe Marudo, who live worlds apart but are forced to stay together during a cruise. On March 31, the former love team of Roxanne Guinoo and Joross Gamboa portray Sheila and Dennis as pen pals who find love despite the distance, in this episode titled “Bibliya.”

“MMK Classics” is seen every Sundays (Pacific time) on TFC worldwide. The program can also be seen on www.TFC.tv.

‘Reclaim Your Brain’

Rainier, a successful TV producer, reached the top because of his stupid and vulgar TV shows. One day, a mysterious young woman vengefully drives full speed into Rainer’s car. After his near-death experience, Rainier has a major change of heart and decides to produce thought-provoking news for his station’s primetime line-up, which results in poor ratings.

A German comedy about reality TV, the show airs on April 7 at 9 p.m.

‘Black and White’

“BLACK and White”

Couple Elena and Carlo are happily married. Things change when Carlo meets Nadine, the dissatisfied wife of Elena’s colleague.  Their love, at first, wreaks havoc upon their marriages and, more importantly, brings to light a series of prejudices and clichés from the betrayed spouses. This Italian comedy airs on April 14, at 9 p.m. on CinemaWorld.

‘Easy Money II’

Joel Kinnaman stars as JW, a promising business student who became an organized cocaine smuggler. He is serving hard time in prison and struggling to get back to an honest life. But a man from his past—former hit man Mrado Slovovic—changes everything.  The show premieres on CinemaWorld, this April 21, at 9 p.m.

“BAD FAITH”

‘Bad Faith’

On her way home from work, Mona, a strange young woman, finds the victim of a serial killer. She was shocked and scared, but that experience triggers something within her. When the police refuse to believe her, she drops everything to find the killer on her own. The Swedish thriller airs on April 28, at 9 p.m. on CinemaWorld—available in Metro Manila on Cable Link on channel 301, and on an a la Carte subscription or through the HD Movie Pack of SkyCable on channel 184.