She plays Alexis Castle, the young, serious and intelligent daughter of Richard Castle (played by Nathan Fillion) in the ABC drama series “Castle”.
Molly C. Quinn has been acting since the age of six, from starting off with a community performance of “The Nutcracker” to auditioning at the Young Actors Studio, she has appeared in films such as “My One and Only”, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” and a “Christmas Carol”. Â She has alo provided her voice as Eunice on “Ben 10: Ultimate Alien” and most recently, for the Sony PSP video game “The 3rd Birthday” as Eve Brea.
But the role that Molly is best known for, is playing the serious but caring daughter of Richard Castle. Â Alexis Castle is always there to help her father whenever he is stumped on a case but knowing that she can always come to her father if she has a problem or be there when she knows that he needs her.
Season four of “Castle” recently premiered on ABC on Sept. 19th. Â With the release of “Castle: The Complete Third Season” (read our review for the DVD box set here), the following is a transcript of a brief media Q&A with actress Molly C. Quinn as she reflects on the third season of “Castle” and also discussing her character.
What’s in store for your character in Season Three of Castle?
MOLLY: Alexis Castle is growing up in the show. She gets her first serious boyfriend, which is a very exciting storyline for me because it’s a whole new aspect to the character that we haven’t seen before. It’s been really fun to see her navigate love on the show!
What happens when Alexis falls in love?
MOLLY: Well, we get to see how far Alexis is willing to go for love and how deep into a relationship she wants to get while still staying serious in school and taking care of her dad. She knows high school relationships don’t usually last, so she’s wondering whether she even wants to be involved with anyone right now. Maybe she should just focus on getting into Cambridge, Yale or Harvard instead?
Did you always want to be an actress?
MOLLY:Â Acting has always been in my blood. I love portraying different people and I’ve always loved self-discovery and meeting people. Through meeting people, you learn a lot about yourself, too.
What advice would you give to people who want to follow in your footsteps and act?
MOLLY: I would say, “Max out your hometown!†Do all the theater you can. Get into serious acting classes and really start focusing on a technique whether it’s Uta Hagen, Meisner or Stanislavski, whichever one you’re drawn to. And then, once you’ve done every single play and every single part in your hometown, go to the next level and try to do some acting for your State. Slowly build up and follow your dreams.
Is it important to build up slowly?
MOLLY: I think so. Don’t try to go from nothing to Hollywood. It rarely works out. Personally, I think working your way up is the most fulfilling aspect of becoming an actor. I’ve loved my journey here.
Alexis is quite a serious teenager who never seems to get into trouble. How similar are you to this character?
MOLLY: I would love to say that I’m like Alexis in that respect, and I guess I am a bit – but I’m not totally like Alexis. One reason Alexis doesn’t rebel and do all these things is because she’s worried to death about her dad. He really scares her, especially right now when he’s involved in all these crazy murder cases.
How do you rebel at home?
MOLLY: In my real life, if I rebel, it means staying up till 9.30pm and watching one more episode of The Big Bang Theory or something like that! I’m not much of a rebel at heart. I’m too busy to rebel.
How does it feel to play a character who grows up on screen? Is it tough to go through some of the more awkward and strange moments in a young girl’s young life in front of the camera?
MOLLY: I’m a pretty private person and I don’t really talk about what’s going on in my life, but the writers do an amazing job of portraying teenage life. I’ll get a script and somehow there will be things in it that are exactly the same as what I’m going through in my day-to-day life.
Is it tough to act out those scenes on screen when you’re living them for real away from the set?
MOLLY: Not really. Being on the show has been a blessing because it’s given me a lot more minds that I can draw from and get advice from on how to deal with these situations in my life.
Do you feel pressure to be a good role model for other teenagers?
MOLLY: I try to be a good example for girls my age because I know how difficult it is. There are so many distractions, like boys and parties, and it’s really difficult to compartmentalize what you want to do whilst having fun at the same time. I try to find a healthy balance. It’s tough, but I think I’ve got there now.
How do you manage to avoid the showbiz scene?
MOLLY: When people who watch the show come up to me, I just try to be humble and thankful because in reality I’m extremely lucky to be doing this.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
MOLLY: I play violin in the Kadima Philharmonic, which is a very small orchestra for teens. I also teach violin lessons at public schools. I take classes where about 50 little kids are fighting with their bows, but it’s so rewarding to hear the little scratches they make. I also baby-sit, but something I am passionate about is volunteering at orphanages.
If we listened to your MP3 player, would it be more Mozart than Nicki Minaj?
MOLLY: There’s a healthy mix of music on there. Sometimes I listen to a little bit of Hollywood I’m Dead, but I love classical music. This is going to make me sound terrible, but I love going to The Getty Museum and I love listening to classical music. These are the things that calm me down. You’ll find a lot of classical music and Mozart on my MP3 player.
Do you have any plans for the future?
MOLLY: I may go and work overseas with children. I’ve been offered the opportunity quite a few times and I haven’t been able to go because of our shooting schedule on Castle. I will definitely take time off to either go to college or to go overseas. There will be a time when I get a broader education; I just don’t know which one yet! I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds…
CASTLE: The Complete Third Season was released on DVD on September 20, 2011