Leven Rambin was so excited to talk about Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, that she postponed a trip home to New York to visit the journalists on the set that day. She had the week off but hung out over breakfast and filled us in on her new character.

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Crave Online: You haven't been in every episode, so how many have you actually shot?

Leven Rambin: I've already shot a bunch of episodes but next week will be my sixth. Unfortunately I wasn't on the first episode so my family thought I was lying when I said to watch, tune in. They're like, "I watched this crazy show for 45 minutes. Where are you?" Like sorry, grandma. You have to watch.

Crave Online: Are you the only girl on the show without dark issues?

Leven Rambin: Right, she's just like normal. She doesn't know about what's going on with them. She's just not even related to any of that so she just wants to hang out. She thinks he's cute.

Crave Online: What kind of dates can they go on?

Leven Rambin: Well, she takes him out because he never wants to go out. She's like, "You're a party pooper. Why are you such a Debbie Downer? Let's go out, let's have some ice cream. Let's go look at magazines. Let's go to the pier, go get coffee." Stuff like that. He's always running, hiding and she's like, "Why are you running and hiding all the time? We're just walking to the restaurant." And he's like, "I can't tell you."

Crave Online: Have you been around any action?

Leven Rambin: No. Unfortunately. There was a fight scene that I was involved in but that was very low key comparatively speaking to everything else that's happening on the show. That was just very tame for being around here.

Crave Online: If she found out about his world, would she freak out?

Leven Rambin: No, she would think it was cool. She would probably think it was really cool. She just is down for anything. She's kind of a renegade too at heart. She's just like a spunky, spontaneous kind of person. I don't think she would react like that.

Crave Online: What did you know about the Terminator films?

Leven Rambin: Nothing. I knew nothing. Honestly I knew nothing. I knew about the show but I didn't know what the storyline was or who anybody was. I had no idea what the relationships were at all. I didn't even have that much time to prepare for it so I just did it the way I thought that a girl would do it. He really liked it so that when I got here, I watched the second movie and some of the first episodes in the first season. I was brought up to speed but my character's not supposed to know any of that so it didn't really matter.

Crave Online: How did you never see the films?

Leven Rambin: I was just a little young. I don't know, maybe I'd seen a little bit of it but I wasn't a sci-fi person so I just didn't gravitate towards that way anyway.

 

Crave Online: Growing up, did you read any sci-fi, or like that genre of movies?

Leven Rambin: I did not. I was so not a sci-fi person. When I was a kid, I was into psychological thrillers. When I was 12, my favorite movie was Thirteen. I just really liked movies that showed an extreme range in acting. That’s what made me want to become an actress.

Crave Online: Because this is your first experience with sci-fi, are you prepared for the sci-fi fans? Does that make you nervous?

Leven Rambin: I actually really compare them to soap fans. I feel like they’re both really dedicated and super-interested. I’m a fan of television to where I’ll sit back and TiVo my show and watch it. Soap fans and sci-fi fans will get into the action. They will come to the events, they will root for you, and they will really be an integral part of your life, your show and your character. They find a way to really be involved, and I think that’s really cool because we like to see that gratification of making people happy and entertaining them. It’s eerily similar. And, I think some soap fans are sci-fi fans. I’ve seen some soap fans at sci-fi events, and it’s really cool to have them following me and my career.

Crave Online: How did you find out about the role of Riley?

Leven Rambin: I’ve got a great agent at Endeavor. I had just auditioned for several movies that week. It was a huge week and I was so tired. That Friday, I had three auditions: one for a movie, one for the re-make of Fame and Terminator. I had had a horrible day auditioning the day before. I went to an acting class and got all of my frustrations out. Then I went in on Friday and I got the role in the movie, and then my next audition was Terminator. It was in a casting office in New York, and they said, “We’ve got to call them in L.A. to say we’ve found you!” and I was like, “Are you serious?”

Crave Online: Which scene did you audition with?

Leven Rambin: There were several scenes. There was one with Riley and Sarah, where Sarah is driving Riley back to her house, and they’re talking about how she and John have become close. Another one was the first scene that I filmed in my first episode, where Riley is in John’s room and she gives him a toy and he says, “Oh, what it that?,” and she says, “It’s a robot. What does it look like?” It was very laid back and they apparently loved it because I got the job the next day.

Crave Online: How do you describe your character?

Leven Rambin: Riley is just a very punky, Ava-esque character. She doesn’t really care what people say. She’s her own girl. She doesn’t really care about anyone. She’s going to get what she wants. She befriends John Connor at school, and she is just very intrigued by his anti-social tendencies, so she tries to bust into his personal space. It’s fun to watch.

Crave Online: Do you know how many episodes you’ll be in this season?

Leven Rambin: As many as there are, I think. I came in, in the second episode, and then there’s a lot to be done with these people, so I’ll come back. Riley just a distraction. She’s not trying to kill anyone. She’s just light-heartened, and much more fun than everyone else. She’s just a regular girl.     

Crave Online: Have you been doing any training at all for the show?

Leven Rambin: I’ve done boxing for the past three years, in New York.

Crave Online: Are you hoping to get more involved with the stunts?

Leven Rambin: I would love to. I would love to be involved with the CGI and wield a rifle, or something. My character might get involved.

Crave Online: Have you suggested anything yet to the show-runners for Riley to do?

Leven Rambin: I just do what they say. They have a very meticulous way of creating this new character.  They put a lot of thought into it. She’s just a regular person, not a Terminator. I trust them, for sure.

Crave Online: Is this work schedule easier or harder than a soap schedule?

Leven Rambin: I don’t think it’s easier. It’s difficult because I’m not used to these hours. I’m not used to standing for that long. At least on soaps, we’re done quick. You have to do it right. Here, we have so much time to laboriously film all these scenes, and every word is perfected.

Crave Online: Since you do music as well, have you been picking Shirley Manson’s brain on set?

Leven Rambin: Oh, yes. I definitely am. Absolutely. That’s a sound that I’m really interested in, and that my producers in New York are really interested in. They were like, “Really? She’s on your show? You have to talk to her about it.”

Crave Online: Are you in the process of recording now?

Leven Rambin: Yes. I actually just recorded a Pink Floyd cover of “Wish You Were Here.” It’s amazing.

Crave Online: What other musical influences do you have?

Leven Rambin: It’s a throwback. We’re working with a lot of the original Parliament Funk members and their original tracks, and George Clinton is helping us out with producing. They’re very supportive of me, and they really believe in me. We go to Woodstock, New York to their big compound, and they’re all old dudes that just want to chill out and rock.

Crave Online: What is your ultimate goal for your career?

Leven Rambin: I’d like to take the Katherine Heigl route. One of my mentors was her mentor when she was starting out, and I think she’s made a graceful transition from primetime TV shows, like Grey’s Anatomy and Roswell, when she was younger. As she matured, she became more recognizable, and now she’s a leading lady in her films. She has great comedic timing, and I really admire her. 

Crave Online: How did you decide to leave All My Children, and did you have Terminator already lined up?

Leven Rambin: The decision was organic. That was always my plan, from the beginning. I was very young when I began the show, and I had just turned 18 when I finished. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. I had done everything I could do with the character, and the new character wasn’t really panning out the way that everyone hoped it would. I was really enjoying having the experience of playing Ava though. I thought it was very fun to watch. It was very out of context and it was more realistic than all the other characters. This show came up right after. I’m very fortunate to have this kind of work right away.

Crave Online: While you were on the soap, was it challenging to play someone who was autistic?

Leven Rambin: I’m very passionate about the cause. I could talk for three hours about it. One out of every 55 children are autistic. Two years ago, it was one out of 66. I think it’s mostly boys, but it’s expanding into African Americans too. It’s really alarming. I was really, really lucky to have a role like that on a soap, especially since most soap girls are the standard, bitchy high school girls. I was lucky to have something with a little more depth and integrity. Even though I was 14, I really understood how grateful I should be.

Crave Online: Did you have any plans for education? Were you going to go to college?

Leven Rambin: Yeah. I was planning on going to college in the Fall. That’s on hold, but I’ll definitely make that a priority. I absolutely want to go back, eventually.

Crave Online: How do you like living in L.A. instead of New York? Are you used to it yet?

Leven Rambin: I’m a little used to it. I’m living in Toluca Lake, so it’s removed from Hollywood and Los Angeles. It’s very close to our studio. So, I’m very focused on work and family, and I’m just really focusing on my career.

Crave Online: Do you have family in L.A.?

Leven Rambin: My mom’s living out here with me now. She’s taking care of me. I have a lot of friends here. I don’t have a license, so she’s driving me everywhere. I’ll get one, though.

Crave Online: What do you miss the most about New York?

Leven Rambin: I miss the fashion, of course and I miss just taking the subway. Now I have to learn how to drive but I like L.A. a lot. I’m loving the weather. I’m getting a little tanner than I’ve ever been. Everyone’s being really supportive, welcoming me into L.A. I’m really happy about that.