The brand spanking new series of 24 is just days away, and have to say we are pretty excited about it. It's been a full four years since we've seen Jack Bauer hinder yet another terrorist attack, and while many have said the series may have served its time, we reckon there's life in the old dog yet. The former CTU agent seemed to constantly be getting himself into some life threatening pickle down through the seasons, and who emerged as his most loyal accomplice and sidekick? Chloe O'Brian.
Actress Mary Lynn Rajskub joined the show in series three, by the end of series five she was lead female, with top billing second only to Kiefer Sutherland. The star chatted exclusively to entertainment.ie about how she feels about reprising the role that made her career and what exactly 24: Live Another Day has in store for her.
If the trailers are anything to go by, it seems like Chloe has very much ditched her CTU life, and embraced what you might say is some kind of... punk rock look? "She's gone off the rails!" joked Mary Lynn, "Based on where season eight ended, she's become very disillusioned with the government because of what she knew and what she saw. She's become anti-government and has also suffered a personal tragedy so her look is reflective of that".
Sounds like young Chloe has really been through the mill then! And what of her relationship with Jack? The pair shared a very touching moment in the final seconds of the last episode of 24, where Bauer thanked her for all she had done for him down the years. However, Kiefer Sutherland has said this series will see them having much more of an adverserial relationship, and Mary Lynn agrees; "They're not on good terms when they encounter each other - he is coming to her for help and she's not really that into him and tells him so. That was an exciting couple scenes for me to film because that was the first time that Chloe has actually spoken her mind like that [..] I kind of let Jack have it a little bit!" About time though, wha'?
The pair certainly have an interesting relationship, and while nothing at all has ever even come close to happening between them, you'd sometimes wonder how they really feel about each other once all the terrorist fighting is done and what not. Mary Lynn told us; "There's just so much baggage with them, I always think of it that Chloe is in love with him on some level but not... in this world, not consciously." She went on to say "Of course if that ever were to come to light you know it would blow up in both their faces and not work out." In fairness she's probably right, can you imagine living with Jack Bauer? He'd probably go to take out the bins and you wouldn't see him for dust.
Kiefer Sutherland she told us, is also great to work with, although he takes the job and role very seriously. "When he's in Jack Bauer mode it's pretty intense. I would say probably in the past I used to be a little bit scared of him but I think after all these years I understand the way he works and then when he's not in that mode he loves hanging out and having a good time."
Mary Lynn herself is probably the exact opposite of the character she portrays. In fact she has spent the last few years working in her main gig as a stand up comedian and has guest starred in many a TV show including Flight of the Conchords, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Modern Family. The star also crops up in more box office hits then there would be time to name, like Little Miss Sunshine, Sweet Home Alabama, Punch Drunk Love, and was even Blind Brenda in Road Trip! So how did she feel about returning to her role as the all too serious Chloe? "It was scary but I mean I had this once in a lifetime experience with this show and now it's like, twice in a lifetime... in London.. with a whole punk rock look, right?!"
Can't argue with that!
24: Live Another Day will premiere on Sky 1 with a double episode on Wed 7th May at 9pm. And if you really can't wait until then, it will also transmit simultaneously with Fox's US East Coast transmission on the morning of Tues 6th May at 1am.
