Sasha Alexander has been promoting her new show Rizzoli & Isles, and right before the Angie Harmon conference call, Alexander had hers. Talk about two dedicated women.

“I think whenever you something from a book to the screen, it’s going to have a slightly different interpretation. In this case I don’t physically look the character of Maura in the book. She has a very short black you know bob and she’s a lot, I would say, cooler in a personality than the Maura that I’m bringing to the screen.” – Sasha Alexander

How were you approached to be on this particular program and what made you want to be on it?

Well, what made me want to be on it was reading a really good script and being compelled and attracted to the characters. I really – I really loved Maura Isles who was very fascinating to me. I just – I was very compelled by a woman who would one choose this profession and one that was you know came – which we will learn to you know we will find out but came from a very you know highly educated wealthy background and could have chosen to do a lot of other things but has this kind of you know just this uber-feminine kind of modern woman mentality but works this job.

There was something just intriguing about it. And I also really loved the friendship between these two women and watching these two very different women working in this environment, on this kind of gritty male environment. That was really the thing that you know that – the reason that I wanted to be a part of it.

And as how I got to be a part of it you know I went in and met with the producer and I met with the director, Mike Robin that did the pilot, and read with them and then I did a read with Angie Harmon who was already cast. And you know from the moment we read together, it just sort of clicked. You know Michael Wright and TNT and the Warner Brothers people were there and they said we have a show. So it’s kind of as easy as that.

RELATED: Rizzoli & Isles: Exclusive Advance Review of the Pilot

Was there instant chemistry when you and Angie began working together?

You know what, it was instant. It really was. We you know we never met before and we went in to do this read together and the moment that we read it you know we’re very – we have very different energies in real life and I think that that translates. But the thing that we do have in common is you know I think it would be respect for each other and we both have the same sense of humor. So we definitely can make each other laugh a lot. And I think that those things you know they show on screen and look Angie is you know Angie is a beautiful and stunning woman.

You know it’s not easy to you know to find a right person to go with her. So I think that we both have really good qualities that kind of complement each other. You know we both look very different and we have different energies but yet I think that it really works. You know we’re lucky. We actually, truly, when we do scenes together, I do feel like a certain click and a certain magic that I you know you can’t say always happens.

Since NCIS, we haven’t seen much of you on screen. Did you take a hiatus?

Well, I didn’t take a hiatus. I did have a baby but I only took 3 months off and …

RELATED: Just call her an Adrenaline Junkie! Angie Harmon talks about Rizzoli & Isles

Oh, congratulations.

Sasha Alexander: Thank you; I have a 4 year old now but no, I did a show called The Nine on ABC. I did a pilot I did you know I worked here and I did a show, I did a House episode and Dark Blue I made eight movies.

You know I did a film called “Yes Man” and “He’s Just Not That Into You” and I made a lot of independent films, some – one called “Tenure” with Luke Wilson and some films that got distribution but maybe weren’t in the theaters and didn’t have a huge commercial flash. So, no, no, I have been working as much as I want to be working.

I haven’t taken on a lead on a series television show since then. This is my first.

Have you read any of the Tess Gerritsen books before you were cast?

No.

Have you read them now?

Yes, I haven’t read all of them but I have read a couple of them. No, I did not read them before doing the pilot. And I was going to and then Tess and our executive producer, Janet Tamaro said, “You know what? We’d prefer that you just do your own take and interpretation – like not interpretation but really take you know take this script and make that your own instead of trying to emulate something that’s in the book.”

I think whenever you something from a book to the screen, it’s going to have a slightly different interpretation. In this case I don’t physically look the character of Maura in the book. She has a very short black you know bob and she’s a lot, I would say, cooler in a personality than the Maura that I’m bringing to the screen.

Yhy is it  Rizzoli and Isles and not  Isles and Rizzoli?

It doesn’t sound as good.

Well, at least, you’re cool with it.

Oh, why not? Are you kidding? Absolutely.

What drives you to succeed in work and life?

I don’t know, I think you’re kind of born with that. I’ve always been somebody that you know I enjoy life. You know and I want to be happy in it. So, I’ve always been that way. Since I was a kid, I really was somebody you know that was active, let’s say. But these days I think it’s about, you know, enjoying your…  I think it’s just an inner drive, I would say, and willingness to lead a good life.

Are you a mystery-fiction fan? And if not, what do you read besides scripts?

Good question. You know I’m not – this is what I will say, one of the things that did intrigue me about when I just read the pilot, because I had not read the books before doing the show, was the mystery aspect of it. I didn’t feel that it was just a crime-based thing, there was something very – it really does have that mystery element and it felt like a throwback to me of maybe other shows in the past that had a bit more of that.

There was something kind of iconic about it. The fact that it’s set in Boston, there was a feeling that was different to me. And so, yes, I am definitely more of a fan of mysteries than I am of let’s say you know a circular crime-based genre.

Do you have any favorite authors?

You know what? Beside John Grisham and – I’m trying to think of – I’m trying to think of anybody else I read last. There isn’t really anybody besides Tess now that I’ve gotten into, truly. Like after doing the show, she’s you know she’s the first person that I sort of went into. But I do like – I do like them and I think when I have more time to read, I will absolutely look for – if you can recommend any fantastic authors.

There’s a lot of them.

I know there are, there are. But you know again, it’s finding a world that you’re – that – and a character that you’re intrigued by.

How do you relate to Maura Isles?

Well, I, Sasha, was never very good at math and science. To be honest, I really wasn’t. So, it’s fun to play a character that is so scientific and mathematical and whose brain functions at such a high you know at a high pace, like this. I’m – you know I think that’s the biggest difference is that Maura is very linear in her thinking, very logical.

I’m not quite like that. I’m much more laid back and more of a – I would say I’m not quite so type A. So that’s the big difference.

How has motherhood changed your way you approach acting in any way?A re you able to bring your daughter to the set?

Yes you know that’s such a good question. I think that becoming a parent absolutely changes your entire life and certainly changes your work, and it has changed mine. You know it just allows you know your access to your emotions even more than it already did. You know you just – you’re watching this little person grow in front of you and you realize seeing you know how precious life is and how quickly it goes.

So you just, you get to things faster. Even emotionally, you get to things faster. And so, I’m not as, let’s say, timid about reaching into some areas you know in myself and bringing that to my work.

And yes, I can bring my daughter any time I want but given that we’re working with a lot of corpses, she doesn’t come that often.

Not a good idea.

Yes, I think that might be a little traumatic.

You’re turning a line-up of really strong women on TNT and not only is there one character woman on the show, but two. So, how do you think that dynamic role speaks of you or maybe differently than a single woman lead would on a show?

Well, I mean, I don’t know that you can compare it to another show because each show has its own – its own individuality but on our show, I think when you have two different women coming from two very different backgrounds but two strong women, it’s fun for us because we get to explore how each one of them approaches their job and how they bring their own experiences to it.

In this case, Jane and Maura don’t always agree on how to go about solving something. They both are very different in their approach, and a lot of times, that can lead to you know potential conflict and obviously, then figure in a debate you know to figuring out who and what is the right way to do it.

So I just think that we have more opportunity to you know to have a bit more of that banter between each other. And given that the two women are so different, it really – there’s really something to play with.

How is it having Sophia Loren as a mother-in-law?

Well, the best thing about it is that she is the most normal person and I have the utmost admiration and love for her. But that really is the best thing about it. I know you know that she is an icon and you know an absolute you know legend and you know but really, truly, as a family member, the most beautiful thing is that she is really, really normal,

Random – what kind of car do you drive?

Well, that’s so funny you asked. I am in the midst of car dilemma at the moment because I really need a bigger car just in terms of you know toting family stuff and all that, but I’m trying to be economic about it. We have an Audi – I drive an Audi station wagon now, the Audi Allroad.

But you know I’m looking into maybe the Audi Q7, the diesel. So I’m trying to do – I’m actually just doing that at the moment is looking into a you know a bigger car that has more space but that is economic. It’s difficult you know because you can’t fit your whole family in a Prius.

So you’re going to stick with Audi?

Not necessarily, no. I’m looking into it. Do you have any suggestions?

I don’t know. I’m not there yet, shopping for big cars.

It’s a tough thing you know. I mean look, I love the Range Rover but it’s a gas guzzler. So you know in L.A. we drive a lot you know we drive a lot around here. So, I don’t know yet. I want something safe and something that’s just – has a little bit more space. I am – you know yes, I’m just now in the midst of it. I have to make a decision within the next month.

Rizzoli & Isles will have its series premiere on Monday, July 12, at 10:00 pm Eastern.

Tagged: , , , , ,