Meet Alias's Sexy New Superspy

Jennifer Garner's got someone new to kick around on Alias this season. Actress Melissa George has been cast as Lauren Reed, the mysterious Brit that Vaughn (Michael Vartan) went and married during Sydney's two-year brain freeze. The Aussie import — best known as John Stamos' partner in crime on ABC's short-lived Thieves — will debut in the show's second episode. TV Guide Online spoke with the femme fatale just hours after she nabbed the plum part, so forgive her if she's a little giddy.

TV Guide Online: How did you get the part?
Melissa George: I read like everybody else in L.A.

TVGO: It's a good role, huh?
George: Oh, it's so good. And it started out as a guest-recurring, and, after I read with Michael Vartan, [series creator] J.J. Abrams called me directly and asked me if I'd like to be on the show permanently — long-term. And I'm like, "Are you kidding me?" It was a very beautiful moment. I was so happy. It's the best show.

TVGO: You're a fan?
George: I'm a huge fan. I met J.J. when Thieves was released [in fall 2001] at the same time as Alias, and I just kept thinking to myself, "Oh, I should be on that show." (Laughs) And look what happened. I'm so high right now that no one can touch me.

TVGO: Did you know Michael?
George: I had never met him. But the funny thing is, with an actor, you feel a connection. And when I read with him, I left the room thinking, "If I don't work with him, I'm going to be very disappointed." It was so right.

TVGO: I imagine it's not too hard to pretend you're in love with Michael Vartan.
George: (Laughs) Right. Exactly. It's very easy to visualize being married to this man.

TVGO: Have you met Jennifer yet?
George: I had met Jennifer [before], and then I saw her again last week at the [Alias] photo shoot. I just think she's a wonderful girl. She hasn't changed at all, and that's so great.

TVGO: Of course, it's only a matter of time before the two of you go at it. I mean, you've got her man.
George: I've got her man, so you can kind of tell what could happen. (Laughs) At the moment, it's sort of all in [the early stages] so I'm really kind of going with it as it happens. But you can tell it's going to be incredibly interesting.

TVGO: Has J.J. told you to brush up on your kickboxing?
George: I did a lot of that training for Thieves, and I did a lot of it last week. I'm so perfect for that kind of kick-ass, stylish... it's just a real perfect role for me.

TVGO: What can you tell me about your character, aside from the fact that she's married to Vaughn?
George: She will be working in the intelligence community, [but] I'm not saying which part. And she's just an incredibly... I'm not going to make her unlovable. Every woman can relate to being married to somebody [with] another woman [in the picture], and that's basically what is going to be going on. And she's a very ambitious, very strong, very intelligent woman; she's not going to let too much go past her. And she's very protective of her man, as every woman would be. But at the same time, she really looks up to Jennifer's character. She knows about her, she's read about her, so there's that whole thing going on as well. I think she's going to be fighting a lot of emotions.

TVGO: In other words, she's going to be a villainness.
George: But it's not her fault. She's going to protect her man — any woman would. I think the audience will be understanding. But yeah, she's the new blonde on the show, so there's that whole other element as well. (Laughs)

TVGO: Let's face it: Vaughn and Sydney will eventually reunite, so where will that leave you?
George: She does work in the intelligence community, so I think she would just [continue] working that. And who knows? They're probably plotting it right now. I'm sure they're going to be doing something to keep me there. Maybe they become friends.