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Hollywood is known for "beautiful people" but they'd better all move on over, one of the most beautiful women in the world has arrived in town and from this fan's standpoint, she's going to redefine what "gorgeous" really is. I'm referring, of course, to Australian actress Virginia Hey. Virginia is best known to Americans as the Warrior Woman in "Mad Max, Road Warrior" and the fascinating alien "Zhaan" from the Sci-Fi Channel's critically acclaimed original series, "Farscape." I managed to chat with Virginia about acting, writing, and her move to the States, recently. She is a delightfully warm and gracious woman and I look forward to the day I can interview her in person. Although she's the new girl in Hollywood-town, she already has projects in the works.  Sable: Could you tell us a little about how you got into acting, if it was something you've always wanted to do, or something you discovered later, while in school? Virginia: No, it didn't occur to me at school. I adored music and fantasized about being a singer when I was a teen. Still, there lies the similarity. Expressing a great Art using myself as the canvas. I've always been very artistic with a keen visual imagination and interest in commercial culture and marketing. While I was at Art school I decided that painting canvases was too slow and limiting, so I thought I would major in photography, which I hoped would help me eventually move into my dream career. Which wasn't acting at that time, I wanted to make moving paintings. Pop clips, movies, TV shows. I was distracted from Art school by a modeling career that took off from a weekend endeavor to make some pocket money. Strangely enough I was invited to become an actress. One of the Sydney casting agents, Mitch from Mitch Consultancy, often asked me if I was interested in auditioning for small parts in movies, I would always say no to her as I was frightened of making a fool of myself masquerading as yet another glam thing. Well Mitch asked me to audition for Mad Max 2, and I couldn't resist. The script called for a strong athletic warrior. I adored the idea of playing this character, as a model I was always depicting superficial glamourpusses, so when I had an opportunity to break this mould I jumped at it. Sable: You've done stage, film and TV, do you have a favorite, and if you do, why is it your favorite? Virginia: I don't have a favorite. As long as I am being challenged and have an opportunity to learn I am happy. I must say that stage scares me however, I'm not sure that I would want to pursue a stage career, but you never know what challenge I will rise to later. Sable: From the bio on your webpage: www.virginiahey.com I see you've been nominated for a few acting awards. Could you tell me a little about the characters you portrayed, how you connected to them, and how they brought forth a performance that would garner an awards nomination? Virginia: Both award nominations were for my "Farscape character." My spiritual outlook was what rang all the bells in my heart and soul and attracted me to "Zhaan" when I read the initial description of the character. I fell in love with her spirituality so much. The connection? I actually saw Zhaan as "meant to be" in my life, it was almost as if she was no accident. I have learned so very much from playing this character. Releasing one's vanity is almost impossible, and I went from a well-known glamourpus to an alien over night. Hard to deal with, without a very rock hard spiritual foundation. So my spirituality is what keeps me solid, stops me from obsessing, and fires me along as Zhaan. Funnily enough only my friends knew of the similarity between Zhaan and myself, the producers had no idea that I had, indeed, identical interests in medicine, natural healing, science and spirituality. (I still don't think they know, unless they read this.) Don't forget that she is 800 years old, so I am a mere primitive compared to her. The writers are sheer genius, they never cease to amaze me with their Zhaan complexities and twists and plots. Well, Um, you'd have to ask that last part of the question to the people who voted for me, I can only guess that people notice if you hand over your soul to fill your character. Sable: Obviously when an actress is handed a script she hopes to find an interesting character in a wonderful story. But "interesting character" and "wonderful story" are generic terms. What are some of the specifics you like to find in characters and stories? Virginia: I don't know what it's like in the American casting process, but in Australia you don't ever know anything about your character until you start shooting. We only ever have a couple of pages of a scene or two for the audition and that's it. So it really is purely a matter of gut feeling. Sometimes you're right, sometimes you're not. Obviously Zhaan was meant be as I mentioned before. A gift. Sable: Is there a genre you haven't done, but would like to do, and why? Virginia: Well, yes, actually I'd adore to do fantasy, I rather fancied myself as Cate Blanchet's character in Lord of The Rings. Mind you, she was MAGNIFICENT, as usual. I also would love to do a period piece to explore the stillness that women portrayed. Sable: Have you found a difference between the Australian writers and those of us from the States? (By that I don't mean just content, but delivery, rhythm, how the writers treat a subject, point of view, etc.) Virginia: No not at all, all brilliant writers are able to tell a story to its fullest, regardless of nationality quirks. Sable: As a viewer I must say I'm attracted to the movies coming out of Australia. For me there seems to be a freshness, and a willingness, to hang convention out the window as the movie makers go for the risk rather than the "tried and true." Do you feel Australian filmmakers are more adventurous, or give their audience more credit than the Americans? Virginia: No, I just think because we have such weenie teeny budgets we rely on the story alone to carry the movie. That's all we have. Huge budgets can afford wonderful writers of course, but also get a piggyback ride from the extraordinary "bums on seats" star-power and the special effects and glossy film. Sable: For most Americans your two most memorable characters are in Science Fiction stories, i.e., "Mad Max, Road Warrior" and "Farscape." The women you played are strong and vibrant. Do you think Science Fiction tends to be more accepting of such women than other genres? Virginia: Yes, I am a giant, larger than life, comic strip, glam gal, and I suit the sci-fi genre to a tee. I am a little daunting to other genres, unless a character is written especially for me, of course. Sable: As an actress who displays (to me) a fierce commitment to the characters she plays, what would you like to tell writers when they start writing a female character? Virginia: I would say "The more challenging the better." Women thrive on detail and complexity. Sable: You've moved on from the TV show "Farscape," so I haven't really asked much about it, but. As a writer I have found the dialogue, and the stories in the series to be wonderful. Friends of mine who are not necessarily Science Fiction Fans have loved the series. What do you attribute to its success? Virginia: "Farscape" holds its beauty in the character interaction and tension. It contains a brilliant myriad of genius behind the scenes. The special effects, production design, costume design, The Jim Henson Creature Shop. The sheer mind warping magic spun by the writers. The entire production is run by young arty rebels who thrive on pushing your artistic buttons, provoking and stimulating your EVERY sense, an unmovable pride in absolute excellence and incredible storylines that literally bend your mind. PURE GENIUS. THAT'S why "Farscape" is extraordinary. Sable: Have you ever had the occasion to work closely with a writer on a project? If you have, what was the process like? Virginia: No, I wish! Sable: Is there an aspect of the actor/writer relationship on which you'd like to comment? Virginia: No, although it is truly marvelous to work with a writer who is also a working actor. It makes all the difference in the world, the characters are described differently on the page, only an actor sees a character the way an actor sees a character. That extra consciousness is present that only actors and the schizophrenic have. Hee Hee. NO, actors are not ill, we are just humanly challenged! Ha ha! Sable:I (and I'm sure all of Virginia's fans) look forward to having her here in the States and providing us with a new star to gaze at.