For someone who so convincingly portrays a quirky oddball on TV, in person, Beth Riesgraf is refreshingly normal.
Like Parker, the agile thief she plays on TNT's "Leverage," Riesgraf is tallish, blond and slim.
But the resemblance ends there. Where Parker has trouble picking up on ordinary social cues and loves nothing better than rappelling down the side of a skyscraper for kicks, Riesgraf's manner is smooth and pleasant. In her spare time, she says, Riesgraf doesn't opt to dangle off tall buildings, but likes to take photographs and be with Pilot, her 8-year-old son (his father is actor Jason Lee).
And Riesgraf, 33, has gotten pretty comfortable spending time in Portland, where "Leverage" -- the lighthearted caper series about a team of reformed crooks who give corrupt bad guys a taste of their own medicine -- has filmed on location since its second season. Season 5 debuted July 15 on TNT.
Riesgraf settled into a chair at a cafe in the Pearl District recently, shortly before "Leverage" finished filming for the season. She talked about the challenges of splitting time between Portland and her home in Los Angeles; what Season 5 reveals about Parker's development as a character; and the uncertainties of an actor's life. Questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: This season is the first time the "Leverage" team is actually based in Portland, instead of filming around here and passing the city off as Boston and other locales. What difference has that made for you working on the episodes? A: We don't have to avoid things that are aesthetically really beautiful and pleasing, but very Portland. We don't have to cut those out anymore. It's nice to give the city credit. And (the writers) have, for the most part, tried to make the cases happen in Portland. We've gotten such a lot of support from the community. We've all talked about how fortunate we feel that we're in Portland. The food is great here, the environment is fantastic, there are the beaches, the hiking and the mountains.
Q: And the rain?A: Now we can go with the rain, and embrace it.
Q: Where have you been filming?A: We were filming out in wine country, at this gorgeous estate, Domaine Serene. We met the owners, and they invited us into their home, and told us the history of their business and how they started the winery. We're on acres and acres of vineyard, looking around, like, 'Is this actually our job right now?'
Q: When someone looks up your biography online, here's what we learn: you were born in Minnesota, moved to Las Vegas with your family when you were about 13, and in high school you were voted "Most Admired Senior."A: I don't know who put that stuff online! You look up other actresses, and you see (in a highly theatrical voice) "Won Thespian of the Year!" And I was "Most Admired Senior." It's kind of embarrassing.
Q: How did you get into acting?A: My sisters were going to college and traveling, and (seeing their example) I really wanted to get out of Vegas. When I went to L.A., I started modeling, hoping to travel and learn from photographers. It led to auditions to do commercials. I worked really hard at it -- I don't mean it to sound like, oh, it just happened. I felt like this is what I was supposed to be doing. One thing led to another. You test, and you get pilots (for shows) and they don't get picked up, or whatever. And then "Leverage" happened, and we've been going now for almost six years.
Q: How did you get the role of Parker on "Leverage"?A: I had an audition for it. I read the sсript, and I loved it. So I went in, met John Rogers (one of the "Leverage" co-creators) at the callback. I left, and I remember going down to my car, and I was really unhappy with one of the beats I played. I thought, I know I could do this role. I'm going to go back up and tell (Rogers). I grabbed him by the shirt collar, and said, "You don't understand! I know this character, I can do this character." He was like, "Easy, sweetheart. I know you can, you have nothing to worry about." I had no idea. I came across like a crazy person. It was very Parker of me.
Q: This season, Parker has calmed down a little, now that she and Hardison (Aldis Hodge) are officially a couple. How does that change the character?A: I think Parker has really found comfort in knowing she can trust this group of people. She has also come to a place where she can trust herself in social situations, where she may have considered herself a bit of a threat to the group before, because she was so unpredictable. She's at a place of -- not knowing if we're going another season or not -- the writers want to get her to a place where you know she'll be OK if she goes on from here. Her inner radar has found a happy place where she can still get dangerous, thank goodness -- because nobody wants her to be normal. She's still an adrenaline junkie. But she's found a way to operate in society that's a little more acceptable.
Q: How is it splitting your time between L.A. and Portland?A: You basically uproot your life for half a year, and when you get settled, you go back home, because you don't know if (the show) is going to go again. It's been challenging at times. But "Leverage" has had a big impact on my life. I'm really fortunate.
Q: At press time, we don't know if "Leverage" will come back for another season. What do you think will happen?A: It's so weird, not knowing what your life is going to be. I'm being optimistic. And when "Leverage" comes to an end, I have lots of ideas for other things. You can't really sit and wait for things to come to you.
