From: TV Guide Online

Meet Alias's Sexy New Superspy
by Michael Ausiello

Jennifer Garner's got someone new to kick around on Alias this season. Actress Melissa George has been cast as Lauren Reed, the mysterious Brit that Vaughn (Michael Vartan) went and married during Sydney's two-year brain freeze. The Aussie import — best known as John Stamos' partner in crime on ABC's short-lived Thieves — will debut in the show's second episode. TV Guide Online spoke with the femme fatale just hours after she nabbed the plum part, so forgive her if she's a little giddy.

TV Guide Online: How did you get the part?
Melissa George: I read like everybody else in L.A.

TVGO: It's a good role, huh?
George: Oh, it's so good. And it started out as a guest-recurring, and, after I read with Michael Vartan, [series creator] J.J. Abrams called me directly and asked me if I'd like to be on the show permanently — long-term. And I'm like, "Are you kidding me?" It was a very beautiful moment. I was so happy. It's the best show.

TVGO: You're a fan?
George: I'm a huge fan. I met J.J. when Thieves was released [in fall 2001] at the same time as Alias, and I just kept thinking to myself, "Oh, I should be on that show." (Laughs) And look what happened. I'm so high right now that no one can touch me.

TVGO: Did you know Michael?
George: I had never met him. But the funny thing is, with an actor, you feel a connection. And when I read with him, I left the room thinking, "If I don't work with him, I'm going to be very disappointed." It was so right.

TVGO: I imagine it's not too hard to pretend you're in love with Michael Vartan.
George: (Laughs) Right. Exactly. It's very easy to visualize being married to this man.

TVGO: Have you met Jennifer yet?
George: I had met Jennifer [before], and then I saw her again last week at the [Alias] photo shoot. I just think she's a wonderful girl. She hasn't changed at all, and that's so great.

TVGO: Of course, it's only a matter of time before the two of you go at it. I mean, you've got her man.
George: I've got her man, so you can kind of tell what could happen. (Laughs) At the moment, it's sort of all in [the early stages] so I'm really kind of going with it as it happens. But you can tell it's going to be incredibly interesting.

TVGO: Has J.J. told you to brush up on your kickboxing?
George: I did a lot of that training for Thieves, and I did a lot of it last week. I'm so perfect for that kind of kick-ass, stylish... it's just a real perfect role for me.

TVGO: What can you tell me about your character, aside from the fact that she's married to Vaughn?
George: She will be working in the intelligence community, [but] I'm not saying which part. And she's just an incredibly... I'm not going to make her unlovable. Every woman can relate to being married to somebody [with] another woman [in the picture], and that's basically what is going to be going on. And she's a very ambitious, very strong, very intelligent woman; she's not going to let too much go past her. And she's very protective of her man, as every woman would be. But at the same time, she really looks up to Jennifer's character. She knows about her, she's read about her, so there's that whole thing going on as well. I think she's going to be fighting a lot of emotions.

TVGO: In other words, she's going to be a villainness.
George: But it's not her fault. She's going to protect her man — any woman would. I think the audience will be understanding. But yeah, she's the new blonde on the show, so there's that whole other element as well. (Laughs)

TVGO: Let's face it: Vaughn and Sydney will eventually reunite, so where will that leave you?
George: She does work in the intelligence community, so I think she would just [continue] working that. And who knows? They're probably plotting it right now. I'm sure they're going to be doing something to keep me there. Maybe they become friends.

ABC Media.net

August 28,2003

ABC Television Network
PRESS RELEASE - ENTERTAINMENT - MELISSA GEORGE JOINS THE CAST OF "ALIAS"

MELISSA GEORGE JOINS THE CAST OF "ALIAS" AS VAUGHN'S WIFE, LAUREN REED

Series has its Third Season Premiere on Sunday, September 28, on ABC

Melissa George has joined the cast of "Alias" as Lauren Reed, an agent with the National Security Council and wife of Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan).

The electrifying Emmy Award winning spy drama - which has just received an additional 11 Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actress for Jennifer Garner, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Victor Garber and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Lena Olin - returns for an emotionally gripping third season on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET), in the life of CIA agent Sydney Bristow. In her Golden Globe Award-winning role, Jennifer Garner stars in this non-stop thrill ride through espionage, adventure and heart-wrenching drama.

Upon mysteriously awakening in Hong Kong after fighting with doppelganger Francie in Los Angeles, Sydney learned that two years had passed and everyone presumed she was dead... and she has no recollection of those years. Returning to the world she once knew will turn out to be both enlightening and painful, as Sydney searches to discover where she has been and what has transpired during the missing time. She will soon learn that her memories contain pivotal information that various members of the intelligence world are interested in -- and may kill for.

Ms. George's film credits include Fox 2000's recent hit, "Down with Love," "Mulholland Drive," "Sugar & Spice," "The Limey" and "Dark City."

Melissa made her mark on American television in the ABC series, "Thieves." She starred as Rita, a beautiful, high class thief. She also made guest appearances on "Monk" and "Friends."

Born in Australia, Ms. George began roller skating at the early age of five and placed second in the Junior World Skating competition at 14. As a teen she also won the Australian Model of the Year. She is best known in her homeland for her portrayal of Angel Brooks Parish in the award-winning Australian series, "Home and Away."

"Alias" stars Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow, Victor Garber as Jack Bristow, Ron Rifkin as Arvin Sloane, Michael Vartan as Michael Vaughn, Carl Lumbly as Marcus Dixon, Kevin Weisman as Marshall Flinkman, Melissa George as Lauren Reed, Greg Grunberg as Eric Weiss and David Anders as Mr. Sark.

"Alias" was created by J.J. Abrams, who executive-produces the series along with John Eisendrath, Ken Olin, Alex Kurtzman-Counter and Bob Orci. The series, which is filmed in Los Angeles and premiered on September 30, 2001, is from Touchstone Television.

I KNOW!

Hmmm...

Vicky

From: Watch With Kirstin

From cjason18: Please spill about Alias...Vaughn (dumbass!), Marshall (preggers?), Sark (miss the hottie). (P.S. You rock.)
Sark is coming back--in a big way. Word is he's in the majority of episodes this season, and the rumor about him hooking up with the Francinator is true. Sydney confronts Sark in prison, but like Daddy Bristow, he won't be there for long. And speaking of Daddy Bristow, word is he's still working with Irina. (By the way, I'm trying to get to the bottom of these rumors that Lena Olin won't be returning--hoping it's not true.)

From butternutter: Is Vaughn coming back to the CIA?
Yep, though he will struggle with the decision, because working alongside Sydney and Wifevil is clearly not the optimal working sitch.

From aliciajo: I've been here since 3 p.m. just to ask what you thought of the Alias opener? I wanted Syd to punch out Vaughn.
Oooh, but she did! How fantastic was that opening fight scene? Completely unexpected, even for a spoiler hound like myself. I have to say, though, in Vaughn's defense, he's hot. No, seriously, in his defense, we can't forget that Syd did the same thing, moving from her dead fiancé to Vaughn...

From jakepennyfan: It was different with Danny--she saw his dead body. He just had...a body! DNA schmee-NA!

From flamed: "Michael Vaughn is just a boy who was never good enough for you." I literally sobbed when I saw Jack!
I know. I'd say more, but it makes me too weepy to speak.

From momono: Any truth to the theory that Sark and Sydney are related?
Possibly. We will find out who Sark's daddy is--he's tied into a case Sydney is investigating. But there's no mention of his mother. Hmmm...Though, secretly, I'm hoping Sark and Syd are not related, so she can get the ultimate revenge on Vaughn and turn evil and snog Sarkie. Hey, if loving him is wrong...

From soda-stereo: You have to be kidding me. If the Rambaldi device said, "Peace, and Sloane's good," then I'm Mrs. Michael Vartan. JJ must be having a big laugh somewhere.
I hear ya, hon. I don't buy it for a second--and Syd and Jack will continue to investigate.

From dqqzi: I was reading Ted Casablanca's column, and he said that there are some rumors that Jennifer Garner is pregnant. Do you have any info on that?
No. But did anyone else see the zoom-in on Sydney's protruding coat when she was playing blondie assassin at the end of last night's ep? Or am I hallucinating? Or is it possible she was preggers, hence the scar?

From spygirl78: That scar was way too small to be a C-section scar.
Hmmm...I suppose you're right.

Thanks to MSN for the following:

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2003's Most Daring TV
Top 10 shows that broke
the rules, kept us guessing
By Dave McCoy
MSN Entertainment

"Challenging television" used to be an oxymoron: Most shows were made for formula and comfort. Sure, you had your "All in the Family," your "Prisoner," your "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." But networks wanted viewers to feel familiar with the characters and plots beamed into their homes every week; the last thing they aimed for is stimulation. Why do you think soap operas have been so popular for so long?

However, the recent successes of cable -- starting with HBO and "The Sopranos" -- created a mini-revolution. The huge following of the morally ambiguous mob family showed that Americans were ready for something a bit more daring. And after FX, Bravo, Comedy Central and other cable networks found audiences for their original content, even the major networks have started to rethink their strategy.

So in honor of this trend, we list the top 10 shows that kept us engrossed in 2003. Did they rule the Nielsen ratings, among shows like "Friends," "Will & Grace" and "C.S.I."? Well, with one exception, no. But did they keep us guessing, break the rules and treat us like we had a brain? Without a doubt.

9. "Alias" (ABC)
Creator J.J. Abrams isn't one to play it safe, so last season he imploded two seasons' worth of plotlines by destroying SD-6, the evil organization in which butt-kicking spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) was a double agent for the CIA. He also finally gave fans the long-anticipated hook-up between Sydney and her hunky "handler," Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan). How to top that? How about have Syd disappear for two years, only to return with no memory of where she's been? It was a bold move that could have alienated viewers, and while some recent episodes have been uneven, there have been enough inspired moments (e.g. casting David Cronenberg as an eccentric, vegan scientist) to keep us tuning in as Syd tries desperately to unravel her missing years while dealing with the emotional implications of the new Mrs. Vaughn, the no-longer-evil (or is he?) Arvin Sloane (the terrific Ron Rifkin), and the shadowy new uber-evil organization the Covenant.

The rest of the article can be found HERE.

From Watch with Kristin:

From lrs0422: How great was Alias last night? It was sooo refreshing to have a Lauren-free episode. Will we be so lucky in the future?
Hey, play nice! I like her (the woman behind the wench, that is). Lauren is definitely back next week, and Jack's suspicions ultimately lead to the ultimate reveal for Vaughn (God bless his hot little soul).

From nataliaspy: How long is Melissa George's contract with Alias? Will she continue next season?
Hola, chica! She is currently contracted only through the end of this season. There has been no word yet on the season beginning fall 2004.

From nycgirl: What was the big reveal regarding Lauren's name? Is that still going to happen?
No, I think I was wrong. My apologies.

From alias_crazy: With all this talk of shows being canceled, I hope Alias is still going to be around.
No need to worry.

From strawberre131: Can we move on to Alias spoilers now?
Sydney and Vaughn are going to the tunnel of looove...sorta. In an upcoming ep, they are in pursuit of Covenant kingpin Kazari Bomani (Djimon Hounsouououo, or however you spell it) to track down an important piece of the Rambaldi puzzle. Their search leads them into an underground river in a tunnel. With damaged scuba equipment, our superspy duo tries to make it through without drowning--and before the tunnel caves in on them. One guess as to whether they succeed.

From karen: I was at the Paley Festival, too, and I read a lot more into JJ's comment about Vaughn. He started by saying something like, "This is the only thing I'll give away" about future plots. Then he said, "Vaughn is exactly in the same position as Jack was." The general parallel between Jack and Vaughn is obvious, so I took JJ's comments to mean Lauren is pregnant.
Oh. My. Wow. I honestly did not read into it like that, but in the future, I'm sitting next to you. Very interesting theory, especially with my sneaking suspicion that those Syd-egg vials might not have been completely destroyed.

Watch with Kristin:

From aliasaddicted: Alias. Spill please. What do you hear about Spy Mommy? How awesome was last night? You've gotta love that Jack's onto Lauren!
Not if I love it first! Damn, that was fine TV. Sadly, there's no definitive answer on Lena yet. It sounds like JJ Abrams has thrown in just about everything but the kitchen sink to get her to come back. I hear the sum they're discussing was somewhere around $200,000 (!) per episode. (Personally, for that amount, I'd play Sydney Bristow's long lost crack-smoking bum wiper, but that's just me.) I'm told the producers are "planning" to bring her back for at least one episode for a big reveal. Did anyone catch my familial innuendo in this week's column?

From reddygirl: We got you, 'sister.' So, it's true? I had heard that that was happening on Alias.
It sounds like someone may have beaten me to the punch, but (Now this is slightly spoilerish, but also casting info, so read at your own risk), according to two inside sources, Mía Maestro, a drop-dead gorgeous Argentinian actress (and the spitting image of Lena Olin--it's eerie) has been cast as Nadia, Sydney's sister. I'll give more details on her storyline in the spoiler section. So, keep reading! From what I understand, Mía is in three episodes this season and will likely be a regular next season. Melissa George is stepping down to recurring.

From drurite84: Where might I have seen Mía before this?
Frida. Indies. Stuff. Maxim.

From cinfully: Will we like the Spy Sister?
Based on looks alone, I think it's insanely good casting! Seriously, she could not look more perfect for the role.

From philawingnut: Has Alias been officially picked up for season four yet?
It will be.

From philawingnut: Thank you for answering my Q. Sadly, not knowing if Alias had been picked up has been keeping me awake at night. I know, I need to get a life.
Sweetheart, if you have no life, where does that leave me?

From larrypigtails: So, what can you tell us about Spy Sister on Alias?
From what I understand, she has signed on for three episodes this season and will be coming back next year. Now, it turns out Sloane and Irina did have an affair and did have a child together, but that child is not our beloved Sydney...Sloane and Irina's love child is Nadia, and only Sloane knows where she is. How pee-your-pants good is that? And Sloane will, of course, use all this to his advantage.