Exclusive: 24 Star Necar Zadegan Talks First Lady Dalia Hassan, and the Series Finale
By: Adam Wright
.
With the final hours ticking down, 24 is one step closer to the end of its revolutionary run.
For eight seasons, we followed Jack Bauer and the CTU crew save the day. But this season will be the last.
Necar Zadegan joined the cast this season as Dalia Hassan, the First Lady to President Omar Hassan (Anil Kapoor). She had a pivotal role during 24’s last run, and I had the opportunity to talk to her about it. Here’s what she had to say.
24 Series Finale – TVDoneWright.com LIVE-BLOG (8 p.m. ET)
***
Adam: 24 is just two weeks away from the end of its legendary run. How does it feel to be apart of its last season?
Necar: It’s really an honor to be part of the final season of such a groundbreaking and long running show.
***
Adam: You joined the cast this season. How did you get involved with the show?
Necar: Well it was pretty straightforward. I heard about this great character and auditioned and it all worked out.
***
Adam: Were you a fan of 24 before auditioning?
Necar: I didn’t have a TV back then, but I had friends who were die-hard fans. I had seen it and knew it was quite a brilliant show.
***
Adam: You were casted as Dalia Hassan, the First Lady to President Omar Hassan (played by Anil Kapoor). What did you like about this character when you first read the script? What drew you to her?
Necar: I instantly loved her strength and her mystery and also her quiet sense of glamour. These were the things I saw in her and what I was drawn to.
***
Adam: Who were your influences while playing the character Dalia Hassan? Was there anyone?
Necar: I had many influences. I always thought of her as a cross between Benazir Bhutto and Mrs. Robinson, but as I created her over the season, I was influenced by many things.
***
Adam: Your character at the beginning of this season didn’t appear to be one that was going to develop so much, did you know ahead of time where your character was going or did you play it script by script?
Necar: I really had no idea where she would go because we only got two scripts at a time, but I had certainly established a story for who she was and fed that with the new stories I was given from week to week. From there she just grew.
***
Adam: You’ve worked on several shows including LOST, The Shield, NCIS, Nip/Tuck, and more. What makes working on 24 different than these other shows?
Necar: Well it’s really the character that makes it very different. Dalia is really a special character, one I’ve always wanted to play. Also the way I was able to develop her over the season because of the way the story grew. And the way the writers develop this story over the course of the season makes it very special because they develop it with us as the season moves forward so it’s somewhat collaborative that way.
***
Adam: Despite rising tensions between Dalia and Omar Hussan, she stayed by his side publicly. Why is that?
Necar: Dalia is a dutiful woman but also a woman from a political family and bred to view the world with a sense of responsibility. She always remembered that what they were a part of was bigger than the two of them, and for that, she supported him.
***
Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX
Adam: One thing both Omar and Dalia were on the same page on was with their daughter Kayla. What was it like to play a character juggling around so many roles: wife, mother, First Lady?
Necar: It’s a joy to play a character that is a real woman that way. Real women wear a lot of hats I think, the kind of women I always looked up to anyway, so it was a joy and a challenge of course, but because of that allowed me always to delve deeper and get to know Dalia more and by virtue of that to make her richer.
***
Adam: Dalia and Jack Bauer do appear on screen together when Jack and the CTU crew tried to evacuate the Hassan family out of the United Nations? What was it like to shoot such a highly intense scene?
Necar: Oh yes, that was quite intense! And it happened to be a really late night in that cavernous dungeon like place with little air. These are the times when the calibre of how people work really shines through. Everyone on that set is such a pro. I remember we all kind of put our heads together and made that one work and I really loved how it came together. We really had to change a lot logistically in that one and I remember how Kiefer [Sutherland] really came up with some great ideas and I really loved working with him that way. He, Anil [Kapoor] and I came up with some blocking and I think it worked out really great in the end.
***
Adam: What was it like to work with Jack Bauer himself, Kiefer Sutherland?
Necar: He’s such a pro and a very genuine guy. I really appreciate his focus and his respect for the other actors. There was a moment in that scene I was just talking about when things just weren’t making sense for my character and he was really helpful in taking what I was looking for into consideration and helping to make it work. He loves to work off you so it makes working with him that much better.
***
Adam: One of the most gut-wrenching scenes was when Dalia hears the news about her husband Omar’s death. It was followed by the silent-clock, a “24” trademark. What was it like to shoot such an emotional scene?
Necar: It was just that, very emotional. Those are the kind of scenes where I really remind myself that it’s about really being in the moment and telling the characters truth. Being open to everything around me, taking it in, and focusing completely.
***
Adam: After President Hassan’s death, President Taylor asks Dalia to take her husbands place in the peace talks, and she agrees to. This obviously shows the strength of the character. Tell me about Dalia’s strength.
Necar: Much of her strength comes from the ability she has to see beyond herself. That is very much what that moment was about. But I always thought that it was driven by her need to make things right, to not let her husband, whom I always believe she loved, die in vain. When people pass, it is a very poignant time and people can sometimes find sense in things that don’t make any sense at all and I always thought this is what she found in that moment, understanding that this thing that was greater than them drove these events so that this great treaty could take place. And that is where she found the ability to push forward.
***
Adam: Speaking of President Taylor, she has been getting her hands dirty with former President Logan. Do you think Dalia would go on with the peace talks, if she knew what was going on behind the scenes with Taylor and Logan?
Necar: I think it would certainly change things tremendously.
***
Adam: What can you tell us about the final hours of 24? What can we expect with Dalia Hassan?
Necar: In the final hours, you can expect what is expected with 24, which are some very big twists and turns.
***
Adam: I’m not sure if you can answer this, but do you know if you will be involved with the 24 movie?
Necar: I really don’t know what the movie will be about, in fact I don’t think they even know yet. I keep joking about it being “Jack, the college years”!
***
Adam: What’s next for you after 24? Any projects in the works?
Necar: I jumped right into this Pulitzer prize nominated play I’ve been working on at The Mark Taper Forum called The Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. This summer, a film I worked on called Unthinkable comes out and also an independent feature called Elena Undone hits festivals all over the country.
***
Adam: Any last words for our readers?
Necar: Last words? It just keeps getting better.
***
Adam: Finally, I ask this to all my interviewees. What have you been watching on TV lately?
Necar: Lately, I’ve been hooked on 24.
***
We thank Nacar for her time. Make sure not to miss the final hours of 24. The Series Finale airs on May 24th, on FOX and Global TV.
TVDoneWright.com will also be LIVE-BLOGGING the Series Finale, so feel free to watch along with us.
With the final hours ticking down, 24 is one step closer to the end of its revolutionary run.
For eight seasons, we followed Jack Bauer and the CTU crew save the day. But this season will be the last.
Necar Zadegan joined the cast this season as Dalia Hassan, the First Lady to President Omar Hassan (Anil Kapoor). She had a pivotal role during 24’s last run, and I had the opportunity to talk to her about it. Here’s what she had to say.
***
Adam: 24 is just two weeks away from the end of its legendary run. How does it feel to be apart of its last season?
Necar: It’s really an honor to be part of the final season of such a groundbreaking and long running show.
***
Adam: You joined the cast this season. How did you get involved with the show?
Necar: Well it was pretty straightforward. I heard about this great character and auditioned and it all worked out.
***
Adam: Were you a fan of 24 before auditioning?
Necar: I didn’t have a TV back then, but I had friends who were die-hard fans. I had seen it and knew it was quite a brilliant show.
***
Adam: You were casted as Dalia Hassan, the First Lady to President Omar Hassan (played by Anil Kapoor). What did you like about this character when you first read the script? What drew you to her?
Necar: I instantly loved her strength and her mystery and also her quiet sense of glamour. These were the things I saw in her and what I was drawn to.
***
Adam: Who were your influences while playing the character Dalia Hassan? Was there anyone?
Necar: I had many influences. I always thought of her as a cross between Benazir Bhutto and Mrs. Robinson, but as I created her over the season, I was influenced by many things.
***
Adam: Your character at the beginning of this season didn’t appear to be one that was going to develop so much, did you know ahead of time where your character was going or did you play it script by script?
Necar: I really had no idea where she would go because we only got two scripts at a time, but I had certainly established a story for who she was and fed that with the new stories I was given from week to week. From there she just grew.
***
Adam: You’ve worked on several shows including LOST, The Shield, NCIS, Nip/Tuck, and more. What makes working on 24 different than these other shows?
Necar: Well it’s really the character that makes it very different. Dalia is really a special character, one I’ve always wanted to play. Also the way I was able to develop her over the season because of the way the story grew. And the way the writers develop this story over the course of the season makes it very special because they develop it with us as the season moves forward so it’s somewhat collaborative that way.
***
Adam: Despite rising tensions between Dalia and Omar Hussan, she stayed by his side publicly. Why is that?
Necar: Dalia is a dutiful woman but also a woman from a political family and bred to view the world with a sense of responsibility. She always remembered that what they were a part of was bigger than the two of them, and for that, she supported him.
**
Adam: One thing both Omar and Dalia were on the same page on was with their daughter Kayla. What was it like to play a character juggling around so many roles: wife, mother, First Lady?
Necar: It’s a joy to play a character that is a real woman that way. Real women wear a lot of hats I think, the kind of women I always looked up to anyway, so it was a joy and a challenge of course, but because of that allowed me always to delve deeper and get to know Dalia more and by virtue of that to make her richer.
***
Adam: Dalia and Jack Bauer do appear on screen together when Jack and the CTU crew tried to evacuate the Hassan family out of the United Nations? What was it like to shoot such a highly intense scene?
Necar: Oh yes, that was quite intense! And it happened to be a really late night in that cavernous dungeon like place with little air. These are the times when the calibre of how people work really shines through. Everyone on that set is such a pro. I remember we all kind of put our heads together and made that one work and I really loved how it came together. We really had to change a lot logistically in that one and I remember how Kiefer [Sutherland] really came up with some great ideas and I really loved working with him that way. He, Anil [Kapoor] and I came up with some blocking and I think it worked out really great in the end.
***
Adam: What was it like to work with Jack Bauer himself, Kiefer Sutherland?
Necar: He’s such a pro and a very genuine guy. I really appreciate his focus and his respect for the other actors. There was a moment in that scene I was just talking about when things just weren’t making sense for my character and he was really helpful in taking what I was looking for into consideration and helping to make it work. He loves to work off you so it makes working with him that much better.
***
Adam: One of the most gut-wrenching scenes was when Dalia hears the news about her husband Omar’s death. It was followed by the silent-clock, a “24” trademark. What was it like to shoot such an emotional scene?
Necar: It was just that, very emotional. Those are the kind of scenes where I really remind myself that it’s about really being in the moment and telling the characters truth. Being open to everything around me, taking it in, and focusing completely.
***
Adam: After President Hassan’s death, President Taylor asks Dalia to take her husbands place in the peace talks, and she agrees to. This obviously shows the strength of the character. Tell me about Dalia’s strength.
Necar: Much of her strength comes from the ability she has to see beyond herself. That is very much what that moment was about. But I always thought that it was driven by her need to make things right, to not let her husband, whom I always believe she loved, die in vain. When people pass, it is a very poignant time and people can sometimes find sense in things that don’t make any sense at all and I always thought this is what she found in that moment, understanding that this thing that was greater than them drove these events so that this great treaty could take place. And that is where she found the ability to push forward.
***
Adam: Speaking of President Taylor, she has been getting her hands dirty with former President Logan. Do you think Dalia would go on with the peace talks, if she knew what was going on behind the scenes with Taylor and Logan?
Necar: I think it would certainly change things tremendously.
***
Adam: What can you tell us about the final hours of 24? What can we expect with Dalia Hassan?
Necar: In the final hours, you can expect what is expected with 24, which are some very big twists and turns.
***
Adam: I’m not sure if you can answer this, but do you know if you will be involved with the 24 movie?
Necar: I really don’t know what the movie will be about, in fact I don’t think they even know yet. I keep joking about it being “Jack, the college years”!
***
Adam: What’s next for you after 24? Any projects in the works?
Necar: I jumped right into this Pulitzer prize nominated play I’ve been working on at The Mark Taper Forum called The Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. This summer, a film I worked on called Unthinkable comes out and also an independent feature called Elena Undone hits festivals all over the country.
***
Adam: Any last words for our readers?
Necar: Last words? It just keeps getting better.
***
Adam: Finally, I ask this to all my interviewees. What have you been watching on TV lately?
Necar: Lately, I’ve been hooked on 24.
***
We thank Nacar for her time. Make sure not to miss the final hours of 24. The Series Finale airs on May 24th, on FOX and Global TV.
TVDoneWright.com will also be LIVE-BLOGGING the Series Finale, so feel free to watch along with us.
Posted by Adam Wright
on May 17, 2010. Filed under Features, News, Preview.
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