I had the wonderful opportunity to be able to sit down with the lovely Alaina Huffman, who plays Lt. Tamara “T.J.” Johansen on Stargate Universe and Black Canary on Smallville at the Women of Sci-Fi edition of the Sci-Fi Expo this past weekend. This was a homecoming of sorts as Huffman got her start in acting in Dallas, Texas. We chatted about Smallville (minor spoilers here!), closing thoughts on Stargate Universe, and her new graphic novel project, Agent Mom.
SPOILER WARNING: Again, if you’re sensitive to spoilers for Smallville, I’ve got to warn you that there are mild spoilers in this interview!
SciFi Mafia: How many episodes of Smallville will you appear in before the finale and will you be in the final episode?
Alaina Huffman: Well, the finale hasn’t shot yet. I don’t know what episode they’re shooting on now, maybe number thirteen or so. I’m in [twelve], which is “Collateral” which will air [this] week. I have not been asked yet for the finale, but I would be surprised if I’m not asked. I think there will be some hinting to a Justice League type situation.
SFM: Your fans will be ecstatic to know if you’ll be in the last episode.
Alaina Huffman: Yeah, I think that will be fun.
[Above: Pic from Smallville’s “Collateral”. Justin Hartley as Green Arrow, Alaina Huffman as Dinah, & Allison Mack as Chloe]
SFM: In the episode that you have filmed, do you get to kick some ass as Black Canary or are you more the Dinah side of her?
Alaina Huffman: No, it’s no Dinah. Uh, no, it is Dinah, forgive me, but we don’t do the wig in this one. She gets to kick some ass a little bit.
SFM: Horray for kicking ass!
Alaina Huffman: I do! Yeah, her and Chloe kinda have a showdown. But it’s interesting circumstances so you gotta watch!
SFM: And speaking of Chloe, in the comics, Black Canary ends up with Ollie so if the producers say… decide to do a Green Arrow spin-off with Justin Hartley, would you reprise your role as Dinah/ Black Canary as a full-time role?
Alaina Huffman: Yeah, I’d love to! It would definitely keep me in shape.
[Laughter on both sides]
SFM: Was there a severe kind of workout routine that you had to do for the role?
Alaina Huffman: No, I just had to wear really short shorts.
[Laughter on both sides]
Alaina Huffman: It keeps my diet in check! But yeah, I’d love to. No one’s talked to me about it and I’m not sure if Justin’s interested in doing a spin off or something.
SFM: The CW is heavily interested in developing more DC properties for television…
Alaina Huffman: Yeah, you know, it’s a great story to tell whether or not it gets told in television or in a movie or whatever they want to do. I think the Green Arrow/Black Canary is a really interesting story.
SFM: Has it sunk in with you that you are now a part of an entirely new generation of the Superman legacy?
Alaina Huffman: No… Wow! That’s really awesome!
SFM: It is!
Alaina Huffman: I like that! I’m gonna work with that one.
[More laughter. Yes, we laughed a lot during this interview!]
SFM: What are your closing thoughts on Stargate Universe and what do you take away from it?
Alaina Huffman: Oh God, it was such a great experience. I made a ton of new friends and was tapped into a really beautiful family. And I’m exposed that much more to this science fiction fan base that is so loyal and so charismatic. You see all these people dressed up and they come out and they want to shake your hand to say ‘Thanks for depicting the characters that I love and being in a show that I really love.’ So I’m grateful for all of that.
[Above: Cover art for Agent Mom]
SFM: And I know you’re working on a graphic novel, Agent Mom. Can you tell us a little more about that?
Alaina Huffman: Yeah, Agent Mom is my original property. It’s written by Tony Lee (Doctor Who, The Gloom). Agent Mom is the world’s greatest secret agent. She balances a life of a working mom of two with an espionage life where she saves the world from terror.
SFM: Wow!
Alaina Huffman: So she can kick your ass and make you an omelet.
SFM: Much like you do with your own personal life!
[Above: Alaina Huffman is a proud momma of three: Elijah, 6, Hanna, 4, and Charley-Jane, 1.]
Alaina Huffman: [laughs] You know [what]? We modeled her a little bit after me. I just wanted to expose a new audience to comic books. Being in this genre and this world, I realize just how much power comic books have and what a great escape they are and what a great pastime they are. Yet there doesn’t seem to be any moms or very few. The Black Canary… it is debatable if she is a mom – the two Black Canary characters, but you don’t really ever see it so I thought it was kind of fun. She’s a teen mom so that’s why she gets her name Agent Mom, a little bit of a double meaning there. I think it’s really good. I’m really excited. It launches on MTV Comics and MTV Geek in March [in a twenty-two page format]. So it will live online on their comic reader. And then it will release in a graphic novel form [with five stories in total] in June or July.
SFM: That’s so exciting!
Alaina Huffman: Yeah, I’m really excited! It has been a great project. We’ve got great art by Dan Boultwood and Tony Lee is the writer. [Tony is] like this amazing fast-talking English guy that’s got all these great storylines. He’s got like five series in his head. Yeah, it’s really fun.
SFM: Well thank you so much for coming here to the Sci-Fi Expo and meeting with the fans and for talking with SciFi Mafia.
Alaina Huffman: Thank you. Thank you for your zenbitch-ness. I love it! It’s awesome.
Keep up with this busy momma by keeping it here on SciFi Mafia and stay tuned for more from the Women of Sci-Fi edition of the Sci-Fi Expo in Dallas, Texas.
