Exclusive Fringe Roundtable

While the crew readied a fake cadaver downstairs, Fringe stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson and John Noble gathered in the master bedroom of a swanky Vancouver home where they were shooting part of their December 9 winter finale to discuss doppelgangers, romance and Olivia's long-awaited homecoming.
TV Guide Magazine: So, how is our Fringe family?
Noble: Well, you see three very happy people. We're very privileged. The show keeps getting better.
TV Guide Magazine: John and Anna, what went in to creating your alt-characters?
Noble: Mine has been pretty easy because I decided who he was years ago. I thought how Walternate would be and got to play him [in the "Peter" episode] so it was just the matter of adding a few things. It's cool, because he has such a different way about him.
Torv: Playing Olivia and Bolivia as each other has been tougher. But I just went, "I never do anything from the outside in," so I decided to try that, see if I could change her silhouette and her hair... And that changes how you move and how you think.
TV Guide Magazine: Was it like having a new leading lady, Josh?
Jackson: If you think about it, Peter never really met Bolivia. He fell in love with her, but he thought she was Olivia. Dumb smart man. Little head doing the thinking. [Laughs]
Noble: I think that worked, because Peter was falling in love with her and a couple of times, we played that there was something different about Olivia. But he was so preoccupied with his own stuff, that wasn't registering. Until it's finally revealed to us and then it becomes "how could they not have known?"
Torv: I'm curious about that, too. How do you think Peter and Walter missed it?
Noble: There had been such a traumatic event — we'd all crossed universes — so when we came back, we were all in different places. Our relationship had shifted enormously, Peter had chosen to go over there, we met William Bell, all sorts of things had happened, so a personality shift was to be expected.
Torv: Also, when you start a relationship with someone, they actually do change.
Jackson: Very true. And there is a bit of arrogance that goes with falling in love. You think you're bringing out a different side of them.
TV Guide Magazine: Josh, how has it been playing the Peter-Bolivia romance with Anna after two seasons of platonic on-screen action?
Torv: Well, it wasn't really a love affair. [Laughs]
Jackson: It got a little aborted. If there was more time, it would have broadened and deepened.
Torv: I think Josh is right, if we had more time, what would have been fun to play with the Peter-Bolivia relationship is them actually getting together for each other. But things happened so quickly, we were going back and forth every other episode, it was, what three episodes?
Jackson: Not even...
Noble: I bought it.
Torv: It became, on my part anyway, the question as to whether there was enough time for her to really [fall for Peter], or is this a selling of her soul? Honestly, I had been assuming in Bolivia's mind — because she didn't have information about that kind of stuff — that Peter and Olivia had been f---ing forever! [Laughs]
TV Guide Magazine: Do you think there is a romantic future for Olivia and Peter?
Torv: Not for a while, no. [Laughs] Of course, you root for them. I think they satiated that bit of what the fans wanted, then turned it on its head. Now we'll see what they do with it.
Noble: When I see them on-screen, the romantic in me comes out. How could they not fall in love with each other?
TV Guide Magazine: And how is it to finally have the real team reunited?
Torv: It's been so much fun. Especially having been on the other side. When you come back it's like, this is home.
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