THE INSIDER: JULIA LING

Chuck's Secret Agent Girl breaks it down for NYLON.

Gossip Girl isn’t the only hit that Josh Schwartz has on the air – he’s also got his hands in Chuck, a satirical spy show about a hapless FBI agent.  Of course, every James Bond needs an Ursula, and that’s where Julia Ling comes into play.  The actress and academic has filmed more than 30 episodes of the charming Alias alternative, and she just keeps going…

So Julia, what did you do this summer?
I went on a USO tour to Bahrain!  This was my first time going to Arab countries.  It was a really good introduction, because it was wonderful… We went to the ships, to the submarines, and we went to Djibuti in Africa, where it was 140 degrees – they said it was the hottest place in the world.  We shot pool with the soldiers and had breakfast with them; it was such a blast.

I hope you brought them some NYLON copies.
Yeah, and I told them if they subscribe now, they get a free makeup kit.

Very good! Ten points for you!
Thanks!

You’ve been working in television for a while.  Do you remember your first big project?
The first show that really amazed me in terms of how people work was Studio 60, and that’s when I met Aaron Sorkin, my hero for the longest time.  It was such a big show with hundreds of extras and big guest stars, like Sting was on the show and Jessica Simpson!  There was so much going on in the script, and they had so many deadlines, but they were always laughing and getting their stuff done.  It was a really great lesson in how to work in TV, where your hours are always very intense.

And before TV, you were a biochemical engineering major at UCLA?
Yep, that was me!

Did that help out with your performances on ER and Chuck?
Definitely. I have the background, to play a nerd.  I built a lot of computers growing up, so it definitely helps on Chuck because Anna Wu is a computer geek, and I’m like, “Yeah, but she’s really cool too!”  And with medicine, when I worked on ER there would be terms I didn’t understand, so I’d look them up in my old textbooks.

Did you swipe the fake medical tools from the set for your med school friends?
No.  I did want the hospital scrubs, but where would I put them?  But you know what I’d want from a set? My costume from the video game "Command and Conquer."  I was in this video game, and they gave me a huge ponytail sticking about five inches out of my head, and the outfit was cute, like a Japanese schoolgirl outfit.  And I would feel extremely guilty if I took anything from Chuck, but they do find the most amazing shoes, like Betsey Johnson shoes.

We love Betsey Johnson!
For an episode of Chuck, I wore a Betsey Johnson dress and it was the most flattering dress I’ve ever worn.  It was so cute.  I might need to find the same one in the store.

You live pretty close to your parents – do you go over to their house and watch Chuck with them?
No!  I really can’t stand watching myself, so I’d never do that.  But my parents do have pictures of me plastered all over the walls.

--FARAN KRENTCIL

Note : vu la présentation de son rôle dans l'article, je ne suis pas sûr que le "journaliste" ait vu la série ("Chuck's Secret Agent Girl" ! )