Last summer, Rachel Blake became the object of obsession (and affection) for practically any
LOST fan with an internet connection.
LOST fans spent hours chasing the clues, cracking the codes, and collecting the glyphs that Blake scattered over The Lost Experiences various websites.
TheTailsection.com tracked down the actress behind Rachel Blake, Jamie Silberhartz, and got the lowdown on what it was like to be involved in The
LOST Experience.
DocArzt: How did you wind up getting the role of Rachel?
Jamie Silberhartz: This was a three-week audition process for the role of Rachel. The third callback was actually for the comic-con confrontation. Of course, I didn’t know that when I auditioned. They asked me if I would be comfortable speaking in front of 2,000 people…I thought they meant set extras!
Did you know once the project started how your character was going to evolve? From Persephone, to Rachel, to Alvar's daughter?
I knew from the beginning how the character was going to evolve. The writers are brilliant, they had everything planned out from the get go.
Did you have friends or family that were into the game? Was it tough keeping them in the dark.
It was very hard not telling people about the game. My friends and family are all LOST fans. They would talk about the show and I could not say a word.
The 'street theater' portion of the game, at comic-con, was definitely a high point for you performance wise. Were you nervous?
I had always wanted to go to Comic-con. So it was really a dream for me to go in such a capacity. I was nervous leading up to it. Yet, the second I got up there I had a great time! That was the highlight of the project for me.
Were you/are you a LOST fan?
I was and am a HUGE Lost fan. I am pretty much a Lost geek, so getting the inside scoop was such a blast.
How did the game impact your public life? Did people approach you a lot during the game?
I never got approached during the duration of the game, which is good because I wasn't able to say anything. Rachel was supposed to be in hiding, so I have no idea how I would have explained my being in Los Angeles.
Do have the sense that we will be seeing Rachel Blake again?
That is really a question for the producers, but I would play Rachel again in a heartbeat. She is a fantastic woman who, I was proud to play. I'd love to follow her story line
What kind of impact did your role in the game have on your career?
The show has such a great fan base. It’s always a topic of conversation in any meeting I've had. I feel lucky to have been part of Lost!
Where will we being seeing you next?
I am recurring on “Without a Trace” as Bonnie the FBI receptionist. I just shot an episode of “Derek and Simon,” directed by Bob Odenkirk that will be premiering on SuperDeluxe.com in May, and perhaps with enough fan support Rachel will again re-appear.
- Jon 'DocArzt' Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image from silberhartz.com)