Charisma Carpenter: From Mars to Paradise Island?

TVGuide.com recently grabbed a (figurative) hold of Charisma Carpenter, who this season has been appearing on UPN's Veronica Mars (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET) as Dick and Beaver's head-turner of a stepmother, Kendall Casablancas. Here is what the Buffy/Angel alumna had to share about her present in Neptune, her possible future on Paradise Island and the thing she cannot believe she revealed to Playboy.

TVGuide.com: You appear on Veronica Mars in "The Quick and the Wed" [airing tonight]. I hear that Kendall makes some sort of offer to Aaron Echolls?
Charisma Carpenter: Yes, I do have a nice offer for Aaron  a piece. [Laughs]

TVGuide.com: A what?
Carpenter: A piece.

TVGuide.com: Meaning a gun? Or of a--? Or of the action?
Carpenter: That's the big question. Maybe a piece of the pie, maybe a piece of me....

TVGuide.com: On the topic of whether Duncan actually ever succumbed to Kendall's charms, Mars creator Rob Thomas said here at TVGuide.com, "Duncan's not built that way." Is that ego-deflating for you to hear or  and this is my theory  is Duncan simply built the wrong way?
Carpenter: The latter! [Laughs] I guess Kendall is just not very discerning about to whom she gives her body. But, given some new insights I've been given from Rob, apparently everything has a purpose and a meaning. My character's IQ is about to jump up about 50 points, did he tell you that? Things are about to become very clear.

TVGuide.com: What, has Kendall been putting on some sort of act?
Carpenter: [Coyly] I guess.... Rob likened her to Annette Bening in The Grifters, which as you know is an amazing role. I was like, "Really? That's goooood!" I just love those people [at Veronica Mars]. They're awesome.

TVGuide.com: So you're happy with your role? It's different enough from Angel's Cordelia? I know that has been an issue for you, always playing a bitch.
Carpenter: You know what? That used to be an issue, but to be honest, I'm not trying to play the heroine chick anymore. I grew out of that. Now it's just about having fun.

TVGuide.com: After all, let's be frank  God didn't really design you to play the nice girl.
Carpenter: Not on television, anyway.

TVGuide.com: Has Kendall had her fun and is she now all done with Logan?
Carpenter: I don't know.... She's not very nice and Logan is the bad boy. Duncan was the sweet-as-pie boy.

TVGuide.com: Who would Charisma pick? What type do you gravitate toward?
Carpenter: [Sighs] Well, in high school it was the a--hole, and then as I got older I knew how to pick them better.

TVGuide.com: Your son, Donovan, is about to turn 3. What sort of "tricks" is he doing these days?
Carpenter: His tricks are "kicking the ball," "discovering insects" and talking about the "big giant monkey that's upstairs, sleeping"  and being careful not to wake him up....

TVGuide.com: I assume the "monkey" is Dad?
Carpenter: [Chuckles] If I said yes, my husband would die because that would give the impression that he is hairy, and he can't have that. [On a tangent] My husband has decided he wants to take up motocross, which is really pissing me off. I'm like, "What, are you going through a midlife crisis?!"

TVGuide.com: Better motocross than some chirpy 20-year-old.
Carpenter: What?! That didn't even enter my mind.

TVGuide.com: I know. How could it possibly?
Carpenter: How could it?

TVGuide.com: Hey, are you going to star in Wonder Woman? [Buffy creator Joss Whedon is writing and will direct a big-screen take on the superheroine, to be produced by Joel Silver.] What a great fit that would be.
Carpenter: I know! From your lips to God's ears... or Joss'... or Joel's....

TVGuide.com: Speaking of Joss, you're sort of known as the Buffy-verse alum who doesn't charge for autographs at conventions....
Carpenter: I just think it's wrong to charge  it feels sleazy and desperate. The only reason I would charge now is because there are [disadvantaged] kids who need assistance. I'm doing a convention [Wizard World Los Angeles] on March 18, and in this case I am charging, but everything is going to charity. So my fans will be helping out a very special kid, a 9-year-old quadriplegic who needs a specially equipped van. If I can exploit myself in a way that helps others, I'll do that.

TVGuide.com: So to everyone reading this: Go to the convention, get an autograph from Charisma and help that kid get a van.
Carpenter: Yeah!

TVGuide.com: I missed your recent Lifetime movie, Flirting with Danger. What was that about?
Carpenter: [In little girl voice] I was naughty... again. I'm such a hussy! I guess Veronica Mars warmed me up to be naughty.

TVGuide.com: What about Voodoo Moon [a feature in which a psychic woman and her brother hunt down a demonic being]? Will we ever get to see that?
Carpenter: I wish I knew what was going on with that. Eric Mabius (The O.C.) plays my brother, and I really loved working on it. It was a fun thing to do and it should appeal to the people who watched Buffy and Angel. It's got fighting and zombies....

TVGuide.com: What TV do you like?
Carpenter: I just started the Season 1 DVD for 24, because I have never seen any of it, and we just finished Season 1 of Lost. I tend not to watch shows while they're airing. I'll just wait for the DVD and watch 13 hours or so in one shot. That's the best payoff  you can just go to the next episode without waiting a week. I love Nip/Tuck, and I'm a huge fan of The Sopranos....

TVGuide.com: Someone sneaked me the first four episodes of this season's Sopranos. If you're nice to me, I'll share.
Carpenter: Are you in L.A.? No, you're in New York. That's not going to work. I would have come over! We could have hung out and shared popcorn.

TVGuide.com: Don't tease an old man. What else do you have going on?
Carpenter: I have three more episodes of Veronica Mars to shoot and it's pilot season, so I'm working my ass off to get a regular job. Hopefully by the end of the month I'll find out if I have one or not. If not, I'll have another baby or...

TVGuide.com: Another baby?
Carpenter: I'd like to eventually, but I want Wonder Woman right now. I'm not holding my breath but I'm crossing my fingers and toes and praying.

TVGuide.com: Well, I think that just about covers everything.
Carpenter: You think?

TVGuide.com: Well, save for a Q&A excerpt I stumbled across during research. You told Playboy that you once had sex at an Oscars party?
Carpenter: I said that?! Oh my god, I can't believe I said that on a public level.

TVGuide.com: Does the outside prospect of doing "that" become a factor when choosing a dress for the Oscars?
Carpenter: That's a very witty question, but the answer is no  you just make it work!