Interview with Kathryn Erbe and Jay O. Sanders

Read the second paragraph and be happy being a part of the Binder Project.

Law & Order Criminal Intent Interview
by Pattye Grippo (Paszas Entertainment Network) and Jamie Steinberg (Starry Constellation Magazine)

Question:
Kathryn, would Eames like to have been offered the position of Captain for all of the detectives?

Kathryn Erbe:
No. I don't think Eames wanted that job and I think that's why she bowed out after having fired Goren. I think she in solidarity to him she did not want that position. And so I think that she is happiest when they're working together solving cases. And I would go one step further to say I'm glad she didn't want that position or I wouldn't have a job.

Question:
What would you like to say to everybody who's been a supporter of Criminal Intent and of you as well?

Kathryn Erbe:
I cannot thank everyone enough. This has been such an amazing experience. Since leaving the show I mean I was aware that people were enthusiastic but when I was asked to step down a year and a half ago was when I really - it really hit home for me how strongly people did support the character and me, especially this group that they collaborated on what they call the binder project. And they sent one to Vincent, to me and to Eric Bogosian. And when I received this sort of in the depths of my despair about not being on the show anymore I was speechless. I was so moved by everyone's support. It has been really just an amazing experience. I'm so, so grateful.

Question:
How has Eames changed since you and Goren have returned for the final season.

Kathryn Erbe:
I think when we return initially she is a little concerned for Goren wondering how he's going to be being back. And then her concerns are dispelled and we are back to business. I think Eames is very happy to be back in major case and to be working with him again because they have such a good working relationship. And they are she's just grateful.

Question:
What did you think about the episodes when Eames and Goren didn't catch the bad guy?

Kathryn Erbe:
I loved those actually. I thought it was always interesting to mix it up a little bit and especially Nicole Wallace those episodes where I really looked forward to them personally. And what she was going to be up to. And I really wished that Eames was going to be the one to take her down in defense of Goren, protect him. But it didn't go that way.

Question:
Jay, how does it feel to return to the show on the side of the law after you were already on as a killer in season 2?

Jay O. Sanders:
Oh, it's great. It's an open world, the whole Law & Order world. I played both a lawyer and a perp on the mother ship as well. But I've known Kate and Vince for a long time. And the chance to come on and work with them in support this way, has been terrific. It's a great working relationship. And I always come ion and have a great time and it's like going to the playground. Whether I'm being evil or good is sort of beside the point. It's just getting to play with terrific actors in fun stories.

Question:
Kathryn, what was your first day like back on the set and with Vincent?

Kathryn Erbe:
Oh, it was awesome. My I felt actually very emotional being back. I was so, so glad to be back. And I didn't know how it was going to be, whether we were going to be rusty or not. And my memory of it is just walking down from my dressing room onto the set, passing one person after another who I've known for ten years, some more. And it was really like coming home. And it especially felt that way doing the things with Vince.

It just was like riding a bike. We we have done it for so long. I've now done this show for a quarter of my life. And so we just have a shorthand and there's a lot of unspoken communication because we just understand how we think the things should go. And we've just been laughing and everybody is - we have 95% of our crew back really out of loyalty. They left jobs or they waited to come back and do these eight episodes with us. And it just has felt really, really wonderful. And the first day was the epitome of that.

Question:
What were your first thoughts when you were asked to reprise your role?

Kathryn Erbe:
I was just so really, really happy. I was devastated not to be doing the part all the way through. And it was a huge joy to have them ask me to come back.

Question:
Jay, Captain Hannah seems to be the perfect person to keep Goren in line. Can you talk about the relationship between the two characters and what it's like to work with Vincent?

Jay O. Sanders:
Yes. They're friends and one of them got a step up which is me in this case. And just at the perfect moment because my friend needed a hand back. I brought him back insisting there's no reason to go forward with a job like this without the best you've got. So I wanted Goren and Eames completes him. Their chemistry is what makes the magic. And I'm just there to manage it and to keep things in a groove. And the friendship that we have before which Vince and I already felt anyway, and Kathryn and I, makes it a really fun environment. It was nice having the show that showed last night that was just the jiggle room of that where he gets out of line just for a moment, long enough for us to say wait a minute, this is not happening like this. I'm in charge. And once that's said everything becomes easy.

Question:
Kathryn, Chris Brancato said that there is an episode coming up where we see a little bit of Eames' background, kind of where she grew up. Can you talk about that a little bit?

Kathryn Erbe:
Yes. My character grew up in Inwood which is at the very top of Manhattan. And in that episode there is a crime that we trace to the neighborhood. We all collectively, get to go and see for example, where Eames went to elementary school. And she does a kind of mini tour as they're walking to interview some people about the crime. You get little snippets about aspects of her childhood. And we in fact go and hang out with her dad. And he's quite a colorful character and drinks a little too much, played by a great actor, Raymond J. Barry. We had a really good time.

Question:
If the numbers are good and if this does come back for another year are you both onboard? Do you want to continue being a part of this?

Kathryn Erbe:
In a heartbeat. Jay, I'll let you answer for yourself.

Jay O. Sanders:
Sure. I'm having a great time. I have various commitments in the theater at this point. But the great thing about it is that the show is right here in New York and allows me to be with my family and around where the theater is. And also I would do anything I could to make it all work out. I love the working conditions and I love the company.

Question:
Jay, in the coming episodes do we get a little window into your character?

Jay O. Sanders:
Not really right now. I think we're working a limited amount and the focus has been primarily on the cases which is the way Law & Order has always been constructed. And Dick has been very careful to keep things always guided that direction. I think you may have seen more about my character last night just in terms of clamping down with my friend saying we're friends but here I'm the Captain. Beyond that it's just us keeping each other buoyed up through the long hours of working on a case.

Question:
Kathryn, you've played a detective for so long now, if we were to give you a prop gun and badge and drop you off at a real police station how long do you think you could fake it before being found out as a fraud?

Kathryn Erbe:
Very good question. I don't know. I think probably right away. Probably right away. But maybe not. I really don't know. It's I have spent a little time at my local precinct, the 76th Precinct in Brooklyn, in the last couple of months. And I would hope I would fit in. But they're certainly nice people and I like hanging out and talking to them all out there. I think my hair might be a little long. I'd have to put it back.

Question:
Is there something you might say or do that would give you away?

Kathryn Erbe:
Yes. I'd probably be too much of a wimp. I think my impression of what the real people do I have such respect for them and I'd be wondering where the hair and makeup people are and where Craft Services and who do I get to hide behind and who tells me what to do when the perp is coming at me and I've got to pull my gun. So I can't even touch what they do every day.

Question:
You talked about how much you love doing the show and how much it broke your heart to not be doing the show. Would you have wanted or been willing to do the show if Vincent wasn't your partner?

Kathryn Erbe:
I probably would have gone on to do it but I wouldn't have been happy without him. In hindsight the way things happened this is the perfect, perfect way for it to have gone down. I don't think that Eames would have it just wouldn't have been the same. And this is what we love to do. This is what I love to do. This is what the audience loves to see. And they made it very clear when we weren't doing it anymore, that this is what they wanted to watch. I know it makes me incredibly happy to be doing it again with Vince. And I think he feels the same way.

Question:
Since this is the final season is there something that you want to take off of the set as a memento?

Kathryn Erbe:
You know, when I left the last time I took what I wanted. I took the picture of my dog Frieda which I keep meaning to bring back and I haven't remembered to bring back. When we first started shooting this show in the building where they printed the Post, the New York Post. And by the time we started shooting they were only printing the paper there and their reporters weren't there anymore. But we used a lot of their paperwork that they left behind. And there were these three notebooks from maybe the '50s and '60s that were one man's diary.

Not quite his diary he kept a record of every expenditure that he had. And they were written in this impeccable script. And I just found them fascinating and they followed us from set to set. And every time I would find them I would just spend all the time in between shooting looking through these things. And so I have them and I was never going to bring them back. I would keep my badge too if I could but that would be illegal.

Question:
What would you like to be the end for your character?

Kathryn Erbe:
I'd just really like for her to be happy. I think I don't want her to be killed and I would like for her to be happy. I think a lot of - she's had a tough time in little ways here and there. And it would be nice for her to be a happier person.

Question:
What about promoted, because she started to be promoted before but there were strings to it and so she didn't want to follow through on it. Do you think she might want to do it now?

Kathryn Erbe:
Could be. I'm sure she'd be open to that. Yes. That might be interesting. But I do think she enjoys working with Goren and being out there in the nitty-gritty.