Let’s go back to season one. How pleased were you with initial set-up of the story and the characters, and what intrigued you most about the way in which the season unfolded?
At first I wasn’t so sure about the idea of Kahlan and Richard not being instant friends when they meet, like in the book, as well as Richard hardly knowing Zedd. In the end, this proved to be an effective dramatic change. It created conflict, which makes for good TV.

Take us through your experience doing season one. What was it like to suddenly be in pretty much every scene of every episode, to have such a physically demanding role, to do all the publicity as the face of the show, and to become something of a sex symbol?
(Laughing) I don’t know about the sex symbol thing, but yes, my schedule was chaotic and still is. I burned myself out by episode 7 and passed out on set. Since then I’ve learned a way to pace myself. I power nap as much as I can, and have no social life! But it’s kind of funny — as much as I wish for free time, the only day I had off this year I was like, “What’s happening on set?! What are they doing without me?! I’m bored!”

More at tvstar.com
November, 2009.