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FlashForward's Christine Woods: Janis' Double Life Is "Delicious"
It's been a rough road lately for FlashForward's characters. Mark (Joseph Fiennes) has officially moved out of the family home, Demetri (John Cho) is getting closer to solving his supposed murder, and Aaron's (Brian F. O'Byrne) daughter has been captured. But one of the series' darkest moments came in the final minutes of last week's episode, when it was revealed that baby-crazy agent Janis Hawk is the mole leaking information about the Mosaic task force's investigation. How did this happen? How does this affect her flash-forward? And above all else, why, Janis, why? Christine Woods, the actress who plays the Mosaic team's newest threat, spoke with TVGuide.com about all that and more. TVGuide.com: When did you first find out that Janis was a mole?Christine Woods: I think some of the fans are actually thinking that it feels kind out of the blue and like a last-minute decision, but it's definitely been in the works for a very long time. I've known for a little bit of time that this was eventually going to be an element of the direction of Janis' story.
It's been a rough road lately for FlashForward's characters. Mark (Joseph Fiennes) has officially moved out of the family home, Demetri (John Cho) is getting closer to solving his supposed murder, and Aaron's (Brian F. O'Byrne) daughter has been captured. But one of the series' darkest moments came in the final minutes of last week's episode, when it was revealed that baby-crazy agent Janis Hawk is the mole leaking information about the Mosaic task force's investigation. How did this happen? How does this affect her flash-forward? And above all else, why, Janis, why? Christine Woods, the actress who plays the Mosaic team's newest threat, spoke with TVGuide.com about all that and more.
TVGuide.com: When did you first find out that Janis was a mole?
Christine Woods: I think some of the fans are actually thinking that it feels kind out of the blue and like a last-minute decision, but it's definitely been in the works for a very long time. I've known for a little bit of time that this was eventually going to be an element of the direction of Janis' story.
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TVGuide.com: How did the writers tell you?
Woods: That's what I love about this show. ... You show up one day at work, and they lay a huge bomb on you in terms of the direction of your character. It just makes coming to work the next day all the more exciting. A lot of times they'll hint at it, but they won't really want to discuss until the script comes out. ... So, the first time I really knew is when I read it on the page. It was definitely a pleasant surprise.
TVGuide.com: So, you weren't frustrated at all about this development?
Woods: At first, I was like, "But Janis is so loyal. She's so good." But I think it's so fun to add a layer to a character. At this point, we don't even know what Janis is doing. It's perfectly possible that she could be just trying to mess with Simon [Dominic Monaghan], or it's also possible that she really is in with the bad people. A little more will be revealed in the next episode, but you get a little bit at a time.
TVGuide.com: How has it been playing a bad guy?
Woods: It's incredibly delicious. It's really, really fun. Whenever the writers can add something extra to your character, it's just like dessert. And of course, you think, "Oh, no. What are the fans going to think? Are they going to be mad? Are they going to not like me anymore?" It's really awesome to have a new challenge.
TVGuide.com: How will Janis' status as a mole affect her struggle to get pregnant?
Woods: It takes a special lady to try and get pregnant while still having a pretty intense job. [Laughs] I think a lot of people were thinking, "Does that mean the whole pregnancy thing is fake? Is that just what she's telling the people at work so they see her as a non-threat?" But she's still struggling with the idea of wanting to be a mom and maybe wanting to leave everything behind. It's still a very much a big, big part of who she is. She still wants to have a baby. ... Her trying to get pregnant has a big part in the next episode. We slowly start to unravel what it is exactly that Janis is doing and what her job is.
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TVGuide.com: With Marcie captured, how soon will the Mosaic task force figure out there is still a mole in the unit?
Woods: They definitely think that they've got the mole. They think their attention doesn't need to be directed to the inner-agency type of stuff, so they are off-guard for a little bit. And then you see them scramble to figure out why stuff is still going bad.
TVGuide.com: What's next for the dynamic between Janis and Simon?
Woods: It's really interesting because she revealed her big secret to him. But we don't necessarily know if she did that to make him think she's a mole, or if she actually is one. She does know that he's not going to tell on her, and we will find out why she's got so much control over him in the next couple of episodes. ... There are things about Janis and Simon's relationship that the audience has yet to discover.
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TVGuide.com: Will viewers learn exactly how Janis got herself into this situation?
Woods: Definitely. In the episodes to come, you will get an insight into what in the world Janis is thinking in order for her to get to this point. You see a little bit about where she's from, [and] a little bit about why she's made the decisions she's made in her life. So there's definitely some elements of her past that come forward.
TVGuide.com: Will it reach back before the blackout, or is it something that happened in connection to the blackout?
Woods: This is such a frustrating answer, but it's both. We find out a little about Janis' history as an FBI agent, and we find out a little bit about the goings on underneath some of the things that have already happened in this season. We see a little insight into what makes her mysterious.
TVGuide.com: What can you tease about the season finale?
Woods: There is a wonderful resolution at the end of the season — a very satisfying resolution — but it makes it so you're desperate for more. You want to watch more. ... I have a great feeling that it will come back. I think fans love it, and I think we would piss off a lot of really loyal people if we didn't come back.