Hot 10: Jessica Lucas
Gotham’s newest bad girl knows how to whip it good.
Jessica Lucas got into the business relatively young. After snagging an agent at age 12, the vivacious Vancouver native found herself quickly transitioning from musical theater to movies and television. “I’ve always loved literature and reading as a kid, and that’s sort of when I fell in love with the idea of a character,” Jessica told Maxim. “Out of all the activities I did, acting was the thing I connected with the most, and the place where I felt the most alive.”
Following her first big break as a series regular on ABC’s Life as We Know It, Jessica soon became immersed in the entertainment industry, with roles in Cloverfield, Melrose Place, and Evil Dead. “I love the camaraderie of television and the family aspect, but movies are great too because you have a defined arc and you get to live with a character for a short period of time before moving on to something else.”
Now, the stunning starlet is ready to release her wrath on Gotham City as Tabitha Galavan/Tigress on the upcoming season of Gotham. This was an opportunity not to be passed up, and Jessica was eager to make the comic-book character into her own. “In the comic books she isn’t Tabitha, and in Gotham at the moment, she isn’t Tigress,” she says. “I didn’t feel like I was married to anything, and I’m able to create my own character.”
For such an intense role as Tabitha (her first few seconds on Gotham are as explosive as they come), it requires you to really up the ante… especially when there are whips involved. “There isn’t much time to prep, but I have a whip that I can practice with as much as I can,” she says. “It’s kind of fly by the seat of your pants, but that’s how it is. You just have to kind of go with it.”
Jessica filled Maxim in on being respectful, the best part of playing Tigress, and loving her curves.
1) If you could do anything else (no training required), what would it be?
That is a good question! Everyone always asks this question. I still think I’d be involved with the industry in some way. But I wish I was talented at something else. I wish I could be an amazing dancer, it would be something in the arts. Dancer or something with drawing maybe… I would be an amazing painter.
2) Do you have a favorite curse word?
*laughs* Uh, ‘fuck.’ Just because I think it has the most impact. You could use it in so many different ways.
3) If you had to pick a favorite part of your body, what would it be?
Probably my waistline. Cause it’s.. *laughs* Well, I’m a curvier woman and I embrace that about myself. I have an hourglass shape, and so, I like that. I like that I have a smaller waist but still have curves!
4) Is there a movie you could watch over and over again and never get bored of?
Moulin Rouge, for sure. I love movie musicals. I would love to be on Broadway and I love to sing, and all of it. And it’s the ultimate love story to me.
5) What would you say has been your favorite experience so far as Tigress on Gotham?
That she’s so physical, and violent, and completely insane. She’s just one of those people who has no boundaries. You never know what she’s going to do. Every episode is a new thing and the fact that I don’t know what that thing is is what’s exciting for me.
Photo: FOX
6) What should a guy do to get your attention?
I’m all about being respectful. I think you do yourself better by not being too aggressive. Just start up a conversation, be friendly, maybe read if I’m interested or not, and take it from there. But don’t do anything over the top or aggressive, because that doesn’t do it for me.
7) If you ever have downtime and just want to relax, what do you usually find yourself doing?
Now that I’m in New York, I’m really enjoying just walking around the city and finding great cafés to sit in. I love just sitting and people watching and drinking coffee and reading my book. Plus, there’s all this food right at your fingertips in New York, it’s simultaneously amazing and awful.
8)How would you like your guy to be groomed – are you a big beard fan or into the clean-shaven look?
I’m not into the long hair, the beard, or that hipster beard that’s happening right now. I like a man really clean-cut. Or maybe I shouldn’t say that, I do like a little bit of scruff.
9) Do you have any crazy girl crushes right now?
I’m really crushing on Rebecca Ferguson from the new Mission Impossible. Before that movie, I watched her in all of The White Queen, and I think she’s incredible. She’s just such a good actress. And then I always, always have a huge crush on Cate Blanchett. I think she’s just the epitome of femininity and elegance, and she’s so intelligent.
10) You have a lot coming up, including your big role on Gotham, so what’s next for you?
Well, I’m tied to Gotham for as long as they want me, so at least this season and maybe more beyond that, so I haven’t really thought about where I’m going be or what I’m going to do next. For me, it’s just always about variety and switching it up, and keeping myself interested and challenged, so whatever I do next will probably be completely different from this.
Photos by Angela Weiss/WireImage