urprising news from Witchblade producers on May 23 stated that production on the second season of the series had been halted so Yancy Butler could seek alcohol treatment. Despite the star's absence, TNT will premiere its second season as planned on Sunday, June 16, by airing two back-to-back episodes, with the remaining four completed episodes to air as scheduled. Producers hope to resume filming in the next few weeks.
Butler plays the Witchblade-wielding Sara Pezzini, a tough New York City homicide cop who doesn't understand the strangely powerful weapon that seems to have chosen her. In the final episode of season one, all the major characters except for Sara perished, and she was forced to invoke a special power which would let her reverse time—but not without a price.
Butler's films have included John Woo's Hard Target and Drop Zone, while her television credits have included Mann & Machine, South Beach and Brooklyn South.
Before her unexpected departure, Butler spoke with Science Fiction Weekly about her character's happiness, her father and doing backward somersaults.
How do you feel about the new season?
Butler: I couldn't be more jazzed. I just actually saw the first two episodes, which look phenomenal. They just look great. It's quite the underdog success story. Yet it's not surprising. As I always say, if it had ended with the movie, which I just thought was phenomenal, it would have stood up on its own had we not gotten to do the last 11 that we did last year. [But we did, and they] were just great. So I couldn't be happier, and it's an added bonus to be able to explore this more.
In last year's surprise season finale, your character, Sara Pezzini, used the Witchblade to reverse time, and the series brought viewers back to the beginning.
Butler: Yeah. Well, last year was so great 'cause we just defied all the formulaic television. You know, we killed off all the characters [laughs]. Even when I was reading it, I was like, "Are these guys crazy?" Short of being Clark Kent and flying around the globe, I was like, "What are we going to
do?" But it was a brilliant move, 'cause we could really start anywhere. This year where we start is actually with her acquiring the Witchblade all over again, but in a different sequence of events. We actually integrated a couple scenes that match this year, scenes from the movie and last season. And you only realize that it's a different scene when we start doing different dialogue in the same clothes and the same setup. It's quite phenomenal, actually. But this year, we see Sara acquiring the Witchblade and running into a whole bunch of people that seem familiar. Being that she's not a partier and doesn't
drink, and she definitely didn't sleep with them the night before, she's like, what the hell's going on? It's quite interesting, actually, and we see her kind of embracing this more. Not having any more information about it at all, but it's a grab bag full of stuff, which is good.
In fact, the viewers are going to know more about what's going on than Sara is. She's bound to run into some of the same bad guys and situations from last season.
Butler: This is true. Well, yeah, we always have the villain du jour. You know, she is a homicide cop. It's really just taking a whole other form, and in that you're not quite sure. For instance, whether Irons and Nottingham do remember or if they don't. She acts as if she's had a bad
case of amnesia. The same questions arrive, just in different forms, and she deals with them differently, which I like seeing.
Do you think she's going to be happier this season?
Butler: I certainly hope so. You know, last year that's one of the reasons we got her a lover.
Yes, but then he got killed off.
Butler: I know! Well, everything she covets and cares about needs to die, Kathie, God! [Laughs.] You know, I said she needs to get a best friend or she needs a turtle or a dog or she needs a lover. I said, "We need to see her smile." Yeah, we have to see her smile. So I think that except for the levity that she's always had with Danny, her partner, Will Yun Lee, we're trying to get more of that in. I remember I took the job initially with Ralph Hemecker when he was not only our exec producer, but when he was directing the film, mainly because I looked at him and I said, "We need to inject." and I stopped, and he said, "As much humor as possible." And I said, "Yeah, I mean this is kind of dark s---." [Laughs.] It's important because otherwise it can get pretty heavy.
What's it like to play a character that's this emotional?
Butler: It's hard. It is really hard. But what I like is the writing facilitates her. You know, I think the toughest part of it is that the writing does facilitate her not being this total G.I. Jane, male-hating, she's going to annihilate everybody because everybody sucks [person]. It's a wonderful part to play, but in her vulnerability comes her strength as well. And I really just dig her a lot. I think it takes a strong person to be able to cry and keep asking for help in what's going on. With all the losses she's had, it's definitely not a stereotypical character. And I think audiences were ready for that, especially women.
What's your biggest challenge in playing Sara on Witchblade?
Butler: It's a fine tightrope line to play a tough character and also attempt to be somewhat sexy and accessible. It's not easy. It's easier because of the writing. So I think walking that tightrope is a hard one and a good one. It is challenging every day.
Even though Sara's a woman, everyone respects her and it seems most think she's as tough as any cop on the force.
Butler: Absolutely. And you know, even people like her nemesis, like Capt. Dante, I think it's because they have no choice but to respect her. She knows her business. She's good at what she does. It's a nice thing to play.
And your father, Joe Butler of the Lovin' Spoonful, is going to be in the season premiere.
Butler: Yes, he is. I'm blushing right now. You should see me. I look about 5. He was great. He was nervous and it's so funny. I mean, he said, "God, I've really gotten spoiled. I have a whole new respect for what you do." I mean I've certainly been at this long enough that he's seen it. He's said, "After I play a song everybody applauds." [Laughs.] He kept asking if he was doing anything wrong. And I said, "Dad, no. No word is good news." They're not very polite people, so they're not going to come up and say, "This is good. That was a great scene." I mean, that happens so few and far
between. But he did do such a great job.
What do you think makes Witchblade unique?
Butler: I've never seen a show like it. When I was thinking about doing television again, I wasn't too keen on it until I really got involved and read the script. I think not only is this new breed of women coming out, that certainly we're on the pioneering forefront of, which is really cool
and well overdue, but it's really got a bit of everything for everybody. I mean, [everyone] from age 16 to people my grandparents' age, who are in their early '80s, watch the show. We have a mythology in it. We have lineage. We have modern-day stuff going on. It's a very complex, odd, great show. I just love it. And I
think what makes it unique is just everything. I mean our music, our editing style, working in high definition. It's really nice to be able to look forward to going to work in the morning.
And with one nice-looking cast.
Butler: Yes. You know, all the guys, they aren't an eyesore, I'll tell you that. What a bunch of cops, huh? [Laughs.] They definitely make going to work really worthwhile. They're the best, too. You know, our cast just all gets along so famously.
How is having a series on cable different from having a series on a network?
Butler: I think it gets a lot more license to explore certain things. You know, it's not so formulaic. It gives you a wider range to bring in any idea into fruition.
And you know you're going to get at least 13 episodes. You don't get that on a network.
Butler: No, the patience factor has gone way down in the last couple years. Shockingly so. There's certain series that I've seen, and certain series I've been a part of, that I was just shocked. The latest one was Steven Bochco's Brooklyn South. I mean, Steven himself was just floored. And I think it's because people forget that Cheers, in its first season, did horribly. I mean horribly. [It's wonderful] that TNT and Warner Brothers have given us the time. Then again, we shot out of a cannon, which is great, that we were all very pleasantly surprised.
What's the biggest surprise for you so far in your career?
Butler: Working [laughs]. I'm blessed that way. I think the biggest surprise is how much I have really learned. I believe we're on this planet and certainly we like to find jobs where we're not just punching in a time card. I've learned so much in this business. And the moment I become bored, then I'll do something else. I learn something every day on this show.
You're going to live in the annals of sci-fi forever. Do you know that?
Butler: Rock on, sister! From your lips to the sci-fi god's ears. I love that.
In the series Mann & Machine you played an android.
Butler: Oh, my God, you're going way back. Can you imagine, that's almost ... God, in actor-dog years, I feel like I'm about 89 [laughs]. Yeah, that was almost 10 years ago.
Well, you know, we're the sci-fi people. We never forget.
Butler: That's right, I know. You guys have done me so well. And also the SCI FI Channel, I mean they play Mann & Machine all the time.
What's the biggest difference between doing something that's non-genre and doing something that's science fiction?
Butler: Well, it's odd. I liken it to [becoming] this action person. I never coveted to be that kick-ass chick or to work in any kind of sci-fi. I think that it just very wonderfully fell into my lap, and I'll do it for as long as they'll let me.
Do you find it a challenge to work with special effects?
Butler: Yeah. Steven Spielberg was a huge fan [of Mann & Machine] and just loved that show to the point where he called me in for a meeting one time for Jurassic Park. I was too young at the time, but it was very generous and I was just tickled pink about it. We couldn't even have a script. We had to read from the book. And I said, "So basically it's just going to be like reacting to nothing the entire film." And he was like, "Yeah." And I went, "OK." Yeah, it's very strange, especially as production becomes big. There're so many special effects in any show now. I always ask, "What do you think the monster will look like that's appearing in front of my eyes?" You know, it's hard. You really do have to suspend belief. But when it's put together, it looks phenomenal. I see the finished product and I just get jazzed.
This must be a very physically difficult show for you.
Butler: Yes, it is. I mean, working 16 hours a day and going home and memorizing lines.
And your character, Sara, has lots of stunts.
Butler: She's an active little bugger. I know. Fighting crime, Kathie, it's a bitch. We have a great stuntwoman who looks very similar to me who is just amazing, Jeanette Rock. She's just great. And basically what they'll do is they'll do a master shot wide angle with her and the villain du jour's stunt double. Then basically we do everything that they did. I've likened it before to somebody being invited to clean up the sandbox and polish all the monkey bars and make sure there's no water on the swings from the rain the night before and then not being allowed to play in it. And that doesn't fly with me. I want to at least try it once or twice. But it is hard. The other night I was doing backward somersaults off the tables. That's also the biggest surprise in my career is that I landed on my feet [laughs]. It's "let's do it five more times," that's where the envelope gets pushed. But it is fun. It's very fun.
Do you have to do wirework too?
Butler: I have done wirework. Actually, the most notable one was last year with Roger Daltrey. He is a trip. And it was like, who would have ever thought I'd be in a studio, green screen, harnessed and having a punching fight with Roger Daltrey up in the air. It's a weird business, but it's never dull. That's for sure.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Butler: Nothing, except that we come out of the gate on this one. I think people are going to be so jazzed. It's going better than ever. If people thought last season was good, we've only fine-tuned and honed everything to the point where it's just—I love it. I really do.
Besides Witchblade, is there anything else we can look forward to from you in the future?
Butler: I plan on sleeping [laughs]. In the future, if anybody wants to watch that, they're more than welcome [laughs]. But no, this will take me into the summer and then I'm planning on doing a film in between, something obviously deviating from [Witchblade] I would like to do. And then hopefully we'll be back, which would be really great. I'm very excited to find out about that. Yeah. I'm looking forward to it.
Also in this issue: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Matthew Lillard.
