Actress talks about her ‘Meteor’ adventure for NBC
In the new two-part NBC TV movie “Meteor,” airing from 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday and July 19, Marla Sokoloff (”The Practice”) tries to save the world from a giant meteor strike that means a fiery doom for every living thing.
As scientist Imogene O’Neil, she must continue the work of her boss, Dr. Lehman (Christopher Lloyd), and get information to a government scientist, Dr. Chetwyn (Jason Alexander), that may prevent the planet from being blasted to smithereens.
And Sokoloff wasn’t about to do all this in a pair of flats or running shoes, despite the fact that she was covering a lot of rough ground in the desert just outside of Los Angeles last summer.
“I had high-heeled boots on,” Sokoloff says. “It was a huge fight with the producer, because I did have to do a lot of running. I’m 5-2, and I have never, ever been on film in my entire career without having height. That’s just not fair. No, I need my high heels.”
While Sokoloff may not be the equal of “Alias” star Jennifer Garner for saving the world in stilettos, she does get to do a lot of action-hero stuff in “Meteor,” along with being a scientist.
“I actually thought it was quite hilarious when I got offered this job, and I was playing a scientist” she says. “Not only a scientist, but one who saves the world. I’m like, ‘Really? Me? OK.’ ”
“Meteor” also stars Stacy Keach (”Prison Break”) as small-town California Sheriff Crowe, and Billy Campbell as his son, Jack, an LAPD officer who’s hot on the trail of his corrupt partner, Calvin Stark (Michael Rooker).
As a native of Northern California, Sokoloff is quite used to earthquakes, but that doesn’t mean she likes them.
“I would say I do worry about the earthquakes, but not meteors. Not to sound naive, but really, a meteor? I don’t know if that even crossed my mind in the 28 years I’ve been on this planet.”
